"You have no cause for anything but gratitude and joy."

The more responsibility we take for the results of our lives, the more gratitude and joy we will have in our lives. Therefore taking responsibility is a key ingredient to thinking positively!

When it comes to the results we create in our lives there are two extreme mentalities:
1. taking complete responsibility
2. going completely victim (i.e. taking no responsibility)

Given any particular situation, we all end up in various places on the spectrum between these two opposite ends. If you look at our attitude towards all of the results in our lives (e.g. where we live, what we do, who we know, what we think), then I think you will see that as individuals we tend to cluster towards one end of the spectrum or the other…

My theory is that the closer we are in our attitude towards responsibility for the causes and effects within our lives, regardless of what the specific results of our lives yield, then the more we find gratitude and joy in our lives.

When we take responsibility for our individual results in life we recognize that we are the ones creating our experiences and if we do not like our individual experiences then we are the ones that must change them.

From a law of attraction perspective, every experience or life result is something, on some level of consciousness, which we created and drew forth to ourselves.

I think Buddha’s quote however is going much deeper into the heart of perception and reality. Deep into the realm of detachment or un-attachment. These are concepts that I feel like I am just beginning to scratch the surface of understanding.

I have trouble reconciling concepts of detachment with concepts of love, which seems like complete attachment… how could love be wrong?

Here is a quote I came across recently that helped me advance my understanding of detachment a little further:
“The greatest adventure that can happen to a human being is the movement from mind to no-mind, the movement from personality to individuality. The no-mind has an individuality: the mind is social.” ~ Osho (http://www.buddhasangha.com/oshoquotes/osho-quotes-on-individuality.htm)

When I read Osho’s words, I see a distinction between detaching from relationships, personal survival, and the other seemingly attached/ego based notions and detaching from the stream of thoughts governing my present experience.
So from this light, Buddha’s notion that we have no cause for anything but gratitude and joy seems to imply that being immersed in the moment, being totally present, automatically come with gratitude and joy built in!

Do you agree with Buddha on this idea? What do you think is meant?

Be determined. Attain success.

Determination is the key to success. That means that if you stay focused on a “keep going” attitude you will eventually attain success. Sometimes “keep going” may look like pushing forward with all you have. Sometimes it looks like sitting quietly and turning inward. If you ever feel like the candlelight of success is dimming, find your determination again and press on…

The baby will learn and grow. The baby will get to the top of the steps. It’s not a matter of ‘if’… it’s only a matter of when. Be determined that attain what you want is inevitable. Be determined in every small day to day activity.

Commitment Turns Dreams into Reality

As I am walking my dog in search of the perfect spot for her to do some business, I decide to start picking up all the trash I see. The inspiration for this idea is a 16oz paper cup sitting upright on the curb.

Before I walk over to begin picking up garbage, I think about how gross whatever is in the cup probably is and decide this was a bad idea. Then I remember there is a way for me to throw out that cup without touching or ingesting whatever is in there, which may be $100 bills for all I knew at this point. I remind myself that if left untouched there is a great chance that that cup would eventually end up in our sewers and ultimately ocean, lakes, and rivers.  I recommit to the garbage pick up challenge and walk over to the paper cup.

It was indeed filled with something incredibly gross. I quickly decided this was a task that required a large garbage bag, not the backup doodie bag. As I walked away to continue the hunt for Annie’s poop spot, I remembered what I had just committed and recommitted to doing and noticed how easy it was to turn back on that based on a little pestilence fear popping up. I went back and picked up the cup.

We talk about how what you look for you will find. If you look for positivity you will find positive things more often. When I was looking for trash, I found it; a lot of it. I started negotiating with myself about what was going to be picked up or not. Rules were established and renegotiated as the walk progressed. The first renegotiation was not picking up cigarette butts. There are so many it’s really astonishing. Imagine a compilation video in fast motion of all the people, all over the world throwing a cigarette butt on the ground in one day.

Every time I didn’t pick up something that was on the “pick up list”, it became an opportunity to abandon the whole project. As if missing one piece of garbage negated the entire effort. Like how missing one workout after setting a goal to go every day leads to no more working out at all. This is a great example of less than effective goal setting. The real goal is not to go every day or pick up every piece of trash but to make a positive difference in our lives.

In looking at the overall goal of completing the garbage pickup challenge we get two categories of thoughts: those that support me in getting this done (positive) and those that do not (negative). The positive and negative thoughts swirled but by constantly going back to focusing on what I wanted rather than what I did not want I prevailed… well, not prevailed in terms of the original goal to pick up ALL the trash on the walk… at that I technically failed. And that’s ok. But did prevail at listening to my heart and being mindful of my thoughts and actions.

So what’s your garbage pickup challenge for the day?

Think Positive Apparel's Buddha Design Made of Buddha Quotes

Here are the Buddha quotes that make up our Buddha design:

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.

Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.

You will not be punished for your anger, you will be punished by your anger.

The mind is everything. What you think you become.

You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.

Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.

To understand everything is to forgive everything.

We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.

Buddha design screen printed on a indigo men's crew neck t-shirt

The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.

You cannot travel the path until you have become the path itself.

An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.

A jug fills drop by drop.

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.

The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart.

Have compassion for all beings, rich and poor alike; each has their suffering.

Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.

Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.

Hatred ceases through love. This is an unalterable law.

Whatever words we utter should be chosen with care for people will hear them and be influenced by them for good or ill.

Every human being is the author of his own health or disease.

There is nothing so disobedient as an undisciplined mind, and there is nothing so obedient as a disciplined mind.

What we are today comes from our thoughts of yesterday, and our present thoughts build our life of tomorrow: Our life is the creation of our mind.

He who experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye.

In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.

Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.

The mind is the source of happiness and unhappiness.

Buddha screen printed on a burnout racerback tank top in teal

As the fletcher whittles and makes straight his arrows, so the master directs his straying thoughts.

To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one’s family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one’s own mind. If a man can control his mind he can find the way to Enlightenment, and all wisdom and virtue will naturally come to him.

Meditation brings wisdom; lack of meditation leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what hold you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.

Meditate. Live purely. Be quiet. Do your work with mastery. Like the moon, come out from behind the clouds! Shine.

Look within, thou art the Buddha.

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.

If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, our whole life would change.

You have no cause for anything but gratitude and joy.

Until he has unconditional and unbiased love for all beings, man will not find peace.

A family is a place where minds come in contact with one another. If these minds love one another, the home will be as beautiful as a flower garden. But if these minds get out of harmony with one another it is like a storm that plays havoc with the garden.

Always be mindful of the kindness and not the faults of others.

Life is so very difficult. How can we be anything but kind.

Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.

A noble person is mindful and thankful for the favors he receives from others.

He is able who thinks he is able.

Endurance is one of the most difficult disciplines, but it is to the one who endures that the final victory comes.

Master your words. Master your thoughts. Never allow your body to do harm. Follow these three roads with purity and you will find yourself upon the one way, the way of wisdom.

Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care.

If you light a lamp for someone else it will also brighten your path.

Buddha design screen printed on a grey heather tank-dress

You only lose what you cling to.

There is no fire like passion / No crime like hatred, / No sorrow like separation, / No sickness like hunger, / And no joy like the joy of freedom.

You are the source / Of all purity and impurity. / No one purifies another.

It is better to do nothing / Than to do what is wrong. / For whatever you do, you do to yourself.

To share happiness / And to have done something good / Before leaving this life is sweet.

The fragrance of sandalwood and rosebay / Does not travel far. / But the fragrance of virtue / Rises to the heavens.

It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.

On a long journey of human life, faith is the best of companions; it is the best refreshment on the journey; and it is the greatest property.

The greatest prayer is patience.

The wise have mastered / Body, word and mind. / They are the true masters.

Think: Happy, at rest,/ may all beings be happy at heart. / Whatever beings there may be, / weak or strong, without exception, / long, large, / middling, short, / subtle, blatant, / seen & unseen, / near & far, / born & seeking birth: / May all beings be happy at heart.

A jug fills drop by drop.

There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.

Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it.

To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others.

Better than a thousand hollow words, is one word that brings peace.

To keep the body in good health is a duty…otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.

Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.

I do not believe in a fate that falls on men however they act; but I do believe in a fate that falls on them unless they act.

In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves.

On life’s journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him.

The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground.

The wise ones fashioned speech with their thought, sifting it as grain is sifted through a sieve.

Unity can only be manifested by the Binary. Unity itself and the idea of Unity are already two.

Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.

It is better to travel well than to arrive.

To live a pure unselfish life, one must count nothing as one’s own in the midst of abundance.

You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere.

If you knew what I know about the power of giving, you would not let a single meal pass without sharing it in some way.

Anan, Anan, be a light unto yourself.

Let us rise up and be thankful; for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.

There is only one time / when it is essential to awaken. / That time is now.

If it is not truthful and not helpful, don’t say it. / If it is truthful and not helpful, don’t say it. / If it is not truthful and helpful, don’t say it. / If it is truthful and helpful, wait for the right time.

Your work is to discover your world / and then with all your heart give yourself to it.

Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.

Your worst enemy cannot harm you as much as your own unguarded thoughts.

In what is seen, there should be just the seen; / In what is heard, there should be just the heard; / In what is sensed, there should be just the sensed; / In what is thought, there should be just the thought.

He should not kill a living being, nor cause it to be killed, nor should he incite another to kill. Do not injure any being, either strong or weak in the world.

These teachings are like a raft, to be abandoned once you have crossed the flood. Since you should abandon even good states of mind generated by these teachings, How much more so should you abandon bad states of mind!

Conquer the angry man by love. / Conquer the ill-natured man by goodness. / Conquer the miser with generosity. / Conquer the liar with truth.

Let your love flow outward through the universe, / To its height, its depth, its broad extent, / A limitless love, without hatred or enmity.

Just as a mother would protect with her life her own son, her only son, so one should cultivate an unbounded mind towards all beings, and loving-kindness towards all the world.

Knowing how to be forbearing alone makes one victorious.

Things are not what they appear to be: nor are they otherwise.

Earth - Photo by Apollo 8 astronauts in late December 1968

Let us not be immobilized by concern for the how or what that specifically looks like. Let us be mobilized by the certainty that there are solutions. Let us be inspired by this certainty to create the solutions.

Imagine if a friend came up to you with a small but deep cut on their arm.
You: You going to go to the hospital and get that looked at?
Friend: No. Look how tiny that cut is compared to the size of me.
[Couple days later]
You: That cut looks infected. It kind of smells… maybe you need to go to the hospital.
Friend: No. It’s fine. My body will take care of it.
[Couple days later]
You: It sucks that my friend died from an infection that could have been avoided.

Our planet has many “tiny” man-made wounds. There are signs of this all over the planet; especially in our waters. We can heal these wounds and stop the source of them with better, “greener” technology. Believing that humanity is capable is the first step. We are capable. The question is not if we can reverse the harm we are doing to our global ecosystem. The question is how long are we going to wait to do it.

The planet, in a grand universe sense, is going to be fine. It has been here for billions of years. Until the Sun goes, the planet will be fine. Whether it is fit to sustain human life, is a different consideration.

From space Earth is a tiny blue planet. That is because what makes this planet special and perfect for human life is all of the water, which covers 70% of the globe. Among many things the ocean gives us the air we breather, allows for rain to “magically fall from the sky”.

So does it concern me that I learn something like this: “But there’s not a drop of seawater in the ocean, all the way down to the very bottom of the Mariana Trench, that we haven’t, in some way, affected, chemically polluted.” from Dr. John E. McCosker the Senior Scientist and Chair at the California Academy of Sciences? Yes. Yes it does.

Let’s get passionate about being stewards of the Earth. This is our watch. Let’s not be the society or group of humans that drops the ball and ruins the party for the rest to come…

Doing better for the planet is easy when you commit to getting better at it. What small steps can you take immediately to start making a positive impact on Earth? Switching to natural cleaning products? Eating more locally grown food? Biking more? Switching to re-usable grocery bags? Turning lights off? What advice and tips do you have for others?

Happy Earth Day.

Honor Presidents' Day by being a great leader

Yes, you are a leader. Every decision you make or do not make is a leadership move that affects you, your family, and your community. Like it or not, your actions have a rippling effect.

The question is what are you leading towards? Some people have a clear destination. Others, let the flow of life guide them with less clarity but just as powerful results. And still others do not even consider the option of having a goal or not. They do not even see their own role as a leader. But it matters not. We are all leaders; whether we follow, or stand at the front of the pack.

Even following is leading. As a follower you empower others to join you in following another leader. Be careful what you follow.

When no one is watching, you are a leader. First off, someone just may be watching, especially if you have little kids around. But just as important is the fact that you are watching. Peace of mind is crucial and living in harmony with what you believe in is a big part of that.

So I encourage you to stand up and lead in a positive direction. Help yourself, your family, and your community. Make a positive difference in every thing you do. And think of some of the greatest leaders that came before you in what they accomplished. So what did you do, are you doing, and will you do to celebrate great leaders?

Happy Presidents’ Day!

Squaw Peak as seen from Camelback Mountain in Phoenix, AZ

Where in life do you allow one wrong step to overshadow all the amazing things you have going on? Where in life do you allow one wrong step to stop you in your tracks and focus on the negative rather than continue racing forward? Leave a comment below and let us know!

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." -Winston Churchill

Erin Schurenberg from inc.com wrote a fantastic article called, “What’s an Entrepreneur? The Best Answer Ever”. In it he relays this definition from Howard Stevenson, a Harvard Business School professor, 37 years ago:

Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled.

This is how exciting and liberated lives are lived! Going after what you want (opportunity) without letting your fears, limiting beliefs, or lack of a clear path get in the way? Imagine a world where people only pursued opportunities that their current resources logically allowed for.

Dream big and chase opportunity with a passion! The resources you currently control are simply a means to and end of the life you want. There are a multitude of potential solutions to resource issues. Resources are only a mechanism to get what you want. The key is knowing and going after what you want!

Like any company you have to have a vision, set goals, surround yourself with and make proper use of the right talent (friends, partners, family members), install systems that make you effective (meditation, exercise, creative endeavors), take action, learn from results, adapt, and take more action.

“Entrepreneurs are simply those who understand that there is little difference between obstacle and opportunity and are able to turn both to their advantage.”
-Niccolo Machiavelli

So, I encourage you to hold on to this Entrepreneurship definition. Recognize in your own life where you are pursuing opportunities and where you are limiting yourself because of regard to resources you currently control…. Thinking positively means that you believe you are capable of finding the resources (solutions) to allow you to accomplish anything possible that you desire. You are capable of being the greatest entrepreneur of your life. Do it.

What do you think of the analogy that your life is a company and you are the entrepreneur? Leave a comment below and let us know!

Martin Luther King Jr made from some of his most famous speeches

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr was undoubtedly a positive thinker. Here is how our 6 steps of Positive Thinking would relate to Dr. King’s accomplishments:

Step 1: Clarify your objective.
He had a dream which is the first step to accomplishing anything big or small. Imagine, dream, and think of what you want.

Step 2: Do you believe it is possible to achieve?
Notice that we are not asking if it is probable, only if it is possible. Dr. King most certainly did believe. “Deep in my heart I do believe we shall overcome. And with this faith we will go out and adjourn the councils of despair and bring new light into the dark chambers of pessimism.” -Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘We Shall Overcome Speech’, June 17, 1966.

Step 3: Think about what it looks like to achieve it.
How would you have to be? What type of characteristics would be beneficial? Dr. King was detailed in what he saw for the future of blacks and whites getting a long. “I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit together at the table of brotherhood.” (Martin Luther King, I Have a Dream Quote) Dr. King saw in detail that peaceful means were crucial to success.

Step 4: Breathe.
We use the breath to ground ourselves. With a calm mind we operate more effectively. “No matter how emotional your opponents are, you must be calm.” (Dr. King’s autobiography). Be calm in the storm requires control over your breath and mind. We often talk about the analogy of the bolder rolling down the hill for an emotion running rampant. The closer to the top you can recognize the bolder moving the easier it will be to stop or redirect it rather than being victim to its path and gravity. One night in 1956 someone bombed Dr. King’s home. “I was once more on the verge of corroding hatred. And once more I caught myself and said: ‘You must not allow yourself to become bitter’.” (Dr. King’s autobiography)

Step 5: Check in Physically.
Take on the appropriate posture. Look the part. Dr. King carried himself with great dignity. His posture was strong. He moved passionately during his speeches. He looked comfortable during interviews. Dr. King did not show up for demonstrations or speeches looking like he just got out of bed. He dressed in appropriate suits and looked all the part of a powerful and peaceful leader.

Step 6: Perform naturally.
Dr. King was a natural leader and orator. When we gives these famous speeches or philosophizes on non-violent protests as a catalyst for change, he is acting naturally. He is not caught up in regrets of yesterday or worries of tomorrow. He is immersed in the moment of now. Yes, he is talking about a better tomorrow but HE is totally present in the moment. It is through these moments of being present that he was able to move a nation and lead America to a better, more just democracy and lead us all further down the path of equality.

Thank you Dr. King.

Set SMART Goals to bring more of what you want into your life, rather than being a victim to circumstances.

This is where SMART goal setting comes in… In order to set a goal you have to be aware of what you want. The SMART acronym is a system that provides awareness of how to set a goal in such a way that you are more likely to achieve it and to bring more of what you want in life into your life.

The SMART acronym provides structure for effective goal setting. By going through the SMART technique I am creating an easy to follow roadmap that leads me to successfully achieving my goal.

So, without further adieu, here is simple breakdown of the simple SMART Goal Setting system.

Specific – A goal needs to be clear and laser focused. Rather than saying “I will travel more” a specific goal would be “I will visit Italy, France, Fiji, Japan, and New Zealand”.

Measurable – It must be clear when you attain your goal. To simply set a goal of “I will be more healthy” does not make it obvious if you have hit your goal. Measurable would be things like “I will lower my cholesterol by 10 points, release 20 lbs, lower my body fat percentage by 5%,”

Attainable – I love football but it is not possible that I am going to be a starting Quarterback, or any other position, in the NFL no matter how badly I want the goal or how hard I dedicate myself. Thinking positively is not about turning a blind eye to reality. There are limits in life and some of them are found in the physical realm. An attainable goal means one that is possible… not to be confused with probable. Be careful not to aim your goals too low under the pretense that what you really want is not attainable… you are capable of incredible things! Just not impossible things… if you have any doubt of whether something is impossible, then it probably isn’t!

Risky – A goal worth committing to is a risky goal! Staying comfortable will get you what you already have. Taking a risk means growth. A risk does not necessarily mean jumping off of a cliff, although it could. It means that you are stretching, getting uncomfortable, and facing your perceived limitations head on!

Timely – When are you going to have your goal completed by? This also falls in line with the concept of the goal being measurable. You must know when you hit your goal. If you want to quit smoking but you give yourself an unlimited amount of time you will never have to face the fact that you are not accomplishing your goal. Time will support you in holding yourself accountable.

Also note that the concept of attainable plays into time setting. If you have never played piano before and you want to be able to play Ravel Scarbo’s Gaspard de la Nuit, then you better set the goal to expire in longer than a day…. Maybe that’s a bad example for the concept of attainable, but you get my point.

So that is the SMART Goal Setting technique in a nutshell. Start, or continue, to bring about world peace by setting SMART goals! What are some of your goals? We would love for you to share them and breakdown the SMART technique! Leave a comment below or send us a message 