A Great Way To Increase Your Positive Energy

I have always admired people who have a constant, positive energy about them. It is contageous, and you can often feel their positive energy without them saying a word. This is the type of person I desire to be. When I am at my best, I exhude this quality. The challenge is for it to be an everyday, all the time thing.

I also continue to read how, the higher our positive energy level is, the more we open ourselves up for high level opportunities and blessings in our lives. When we are at this high energy level we become that magnetic person that lights up a room with our presence, and that people instantly know they can count on for positive energy and results, If only there was a consistent way to maintain this high, positive energy.

I received an e-mail from Dr. Robert Anthony today. It talked about this subject of maintaining positive energy. His idea was so powerful that I felt the need to share. His suggestion is this…the best way to maintain and increase our positive energy is to go out of our way to increase the positive energy of others. The more we do this, the more we keep our positive energy high and experience those desired blessings.

In his message, Dr. Anthony gives some simple suggestions. Besides doing acts of service lovingly, he says we can do this without even saying a word. I love this next suggestion, even though many would never even think of it. He says to project postive, loving thoughts to every person we come in contact with, whether we know the person or not. Simple things he suggests are a smile, or a silent saying of “I hope your day goes great”, or “God loves you”, or anything like that. If you do this in a sincere loving way, and invite God to get in the middle of it, great things happen. The other person will be blessed (even though you may not see or realize it), and it works to maintain and increase your own energy level as a result of the love that you are sending.

I believe this is a great way to, not only increase your own positive energy level, but to positively impact your entire environment. That is a constant goal of  mine, and if such a simple step can be used to do that, I am all for doing it. I’ve already seen how this works in my life. As mentioned, it is when I most love myself and those around me that I most feel the positive energy and receive the most blessings in my life. These are the times where I can just walk into a room and know that the positive energy is there with me and all of those around me.

Don’t let the simplicity of this idea prevent you from doing it. If you do it regularly and sincerely, you will be blessed beyond belief. Have an awesome, positive energy day!

What Are You Worried About? – 3 Ways To Turn Worry Into Faith

Many of us do it. It’s a fact and a reality that many of us worry. Even those of us who look on the bright side of things and whose lives are under control still sometimes spend time worrying. Is it wrong to worry? I don’t know if I would say wrong, but I do know that it does us no good at all. Matthew 6:34 says…”Do not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it’s own.” If you go back to verse 27 it says…”who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?”

I have found that it does not pay to worry. Instead, there are numerous verses throughout the Bible that describe how faith (the opposite of worry) can add so much to our lives and to those around us. As I continue to study ways to bring life to a higher level, I have found several ways to turn worry into faith. Here are the top 3:

1. Seek God first – In my opinion, this is the key to all success in life. In the same Bible chapter, verse 31 says…”So do not worry saying ‘What shall we eat or what shall we drink?’ …For your Heavenly Father knows that you need these things. But seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be given to you as well” When we focus on God and His power that is in and around us, we focus on the positive things instead of the negative obstacles in front of us. Instead of worrying about the negative things that may happen to us, we focus on the accomplishment of the goals we have in our lives. Also, when we are consciously aware of the presence and power of God, we have an enormous peace, and we will be led to the right people and the right areas to take action. More about that coming up shortly.
2. Focus on the present – If we are placing our full attention on the present moment, it is impossible to worry. This is because we are not thinking about things that can possibly go wrong in the future, even if that future is only a few minutes away. The present moment is what we have to work with, and is the only time frame that is fully in our control. If we make the most out of every present moment, it secures our future, giving us even less of a reason to worry. It is the people who best take advantage of present moments that receive the greatest future rewards.
3. Take action now – This step goes had in hand with the first two. As mentioned, when we seek God first, He leads us to the people who can help us and places and situations where we need to act. However, it is up to us to follow through and take that action. As mentioned in step two, it is when we focus and act fully on the present moment, and do the best we can at that time when great blessings take place. The even better thought is this…when we follow the first two steps, taking action is so much easier. This is because we are taking God-inspired action, we know His power is with us, and we have the peace of knowing it is His will because it is for His kingdom and glory. This is when miraces happen.

In my opinion, these are three very simple steps to take, especially knowing what the rewards are. This philosophy is great too because it doesn’t take weeks or months to implement. It can be done in minutes, and as we continue to focus on God first, keep our eyes on the present, and do our best in everything at that time, it will be a habitual way of life. The result is great faith and blessing instead of worry, doubt, and procrastination. It can be effective for anyone. Let it be you today. Have a blessed day : )

God Does Not Hold Back

I will start this article with one of the most famous Bible verses in the entire Book…For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.

I share about a message I’ve heard in several places lately. Do you think God is trying to tell me something? The messsage is this…if God would not hold back from giving His only son for us, why would He hold back anything else? I’ve reflected on this a great deal in the past few days. God loves us so much that it goes far above anything we can imagine. The more we focus on this love the more empowered we are.

I ask the question again…If God did not hold back His only son from us why would He hold anything else back? I’ll add this too. Matthew 7:7 says ask and you shall receive. So why are so many not asking?

I believe it’s time to take Him at His word. God has more great things in store for us than we can even ask or imagine. Ask for blessings according to His will for your life and then expect them. Consciously remain aware of His love and share it with others. It’s a simple equation. When we pray, believe, dwell on His love for us, and share it with others, we live a successful life full of blessings. God will not hold back!!

From Mind Success to Life Success

One of the most powerful quotes I learned last year is from Joseph Murphy’s book, “The Power of the Subsconscious Mind”. He says..”Any thought fixed firmly in the mind, backed by faith will come to pass”.

The above quote came to mind recently as I had a conversation with my parents. We recalled a situation that came up during a family visit in Florida last year. My father is 68 years old and plays in a softball league with men his age, and some who are 10-15 years older than that. The quality of play in this league is top notch. I was invited to play. I consider myself a fairly good softball player. However, I was nervous about this opportunity. It was February, and I hadn’t played since July. And I didn’t play too well during that season. I was looking forward to playing, but I was also nervous that I would be inferior and embarrass myself in front of these players that were 25-30 years older than me.

I decided that, in order to do the best I could and avoid embarassment, I needed to do two things. One was to pray. The second was to fix my mind on success. What I did was imagine myself catching the ball over and over again. Fly balls, ground balls, line drives, etc. I then imagined myself continually hitting the ball solidly. In my mind I didn’t even imagine hitting the ball over everyone’s head, but just solid, hard hits.

What was the result? From the time I took the practice field, I caught every ball. I ended up having  one of the best softball games of my life. I felt very confident, caught every ball, and even hit a home run! It wasn’t a far home run, just a  solid line drive that got past everyone. It was the same type of hit I imagined!

I share this to discuss something I wish to make a main theme of this blog, and my life this year. That is, the power of our mind to help us succeed. This was done in a simple softball game. If it enabled success there, it could do so anywhere. Whatever area of life you are looking to succeed in, see yourself doing it and doing well over and over again. Watch it happen, and feel how good it feels. You will experience the same success I had during my softball game. I made no extra efforts to succeed. Instead, I was confident because I had already “experienced” success. Everything on the field seemed so natural, and I just went about doing things that way.

When you experience success in your mind, you will live your life confidently and naturally. Then you will continue to build on that success. Once that happens, you will look back and be amazed at the trail of victories you encounter. Enjoy the blessings : )

A Powerful Way To Move Forward

As we enter a new year, many of us seek to grow, move forward, and accomplish unrealized goals. We long to take advantage of this annual fresh start we are granted and take our lives to a higher level.

As I seek Heavenly guidance on how to accomplish these new feats in my life, I am continually receiving the same message. I feel as if God is revealing the key to moving ahead in life. That key is…be fully content exactly where you are. What??!! How can I ever move ahead if I’m being told to be happy where I am now? It’s an interesting question, but one I think we need to pay a great deal of attention to.

I have found two Bible verses that summarize this concept. The first is from I Timothy 6:6, and it says: Godliness with contentment is great gain. One version says the combination of Godliness with contentment is great and abundant wealth. This tells me that those of us looking to grow and advance need to do two things. One is to rely on God and obey His commands. The other is to be consciously thankful on a regular basis for the blessings we have already received. Also, this tells me that, no matter how much we want to move ahead, we must place our full focus on our current situations and responsibilities.

The defintion of contentment from another Bible version leads me to our next verse. The simple definition according to the Amplified Bible is a sense of inward sufficiency. I see this as being a constant satisfaction with my self and circumstances, even when things may not be going according to my desires. Another excellent verse is Philippians 4:12-13. The apostle Paul says, “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want”. The key comes in verse 13…I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.

Remember that defintion of contentment…a sense of inward sufficiency. When we rely on God’s strength, He who lives inside us provides all of the inward sufficiency we need! Knowing this, we can move in step with HIm, and be led to the places and opportunities that will move us ahead. However, that can only happen if we focus on and appreciate our current situations.

I live with the firm belief that, the more thankful we are, the more blessings we will receive. When we are content in our current circumstances, we continually maintain an attitude of gratitude that will bring us to the situations to take us to the next level.

In conclusion, if you are looking to move ahead in life, the best way to do so is by appreciating your current circumstances, devoting your full energy to them, and trusting in the God that does all things for our good. If you follow this formula, you will soon be in the higher place you are seeking, and enjoy blessings beyond your imagination. I’m sure that’s something you can definitely be content with. Have an excellent day : )

2012 New Years Intentions

It’s that time of the year again. We reflect on what was, and determine what is to be. Here’s that take from this author’s perspective…

As I look back on 2011, I say it was good. Nothing great, nothing horrible. The negative is that several of the goals set at the beginning of the year still remain unaccomplished. The positive is that I learned a lot. As in more than I have in a long time. Now it’s time to apply that knowledge to enable all of 2012’s goals to be realized.

So here we go. My intentions for 2012. I call them intentions because I don’t like the word resolution. To me, a resolution is something to try and that we hope to accomplish. It works for a month, and then we are often back to the old habits. An intention is something that is going to get done. Period. I believe we need to approach our goals with that attitude. Here now, the 2012 intentions:

• Seek God first. It’s the obvious choice for number one. However, it’s something I often lost sight of in 2011. In order to succeed, I need to see things from His point of view, not mine. The more I am consciously aware of His presence and stick to His agenda, the more successful I will be.
• Double my income. Yes you heard me. No I am not naming it and claiming it. I am constantly told to have faith and pray big. I often recommend it myself. Well here goes. I pray that God forgives me for my financial mis-management and poor stewardship. I pray that He shows me the way to make this happen. I feel that, if we’re not going to pray big, what’s the sense in doing so?
• I intend to have faith and banish all doubt. I’ve taken no for an answer long enough. Now it’s time to believe that my time has come, visualize success, do my part, then know God will make it happen.
• I intend to be content and enjoy the moment. Time moves quickly, and I sometimes allow it to go by without savoring the positive experiences of life. Also, sometimes I am too caught up in future events and goals that I don’t focus on and appreciate present day successes. Life is so much better when we enjoy present moments and victories, regardless of how big or small they are.
• I intend to serve others. There are several great examples in my life of people who make a habit of selflessly serving others. It is a fact that, as we determine what people want and help them get it, we experience major blessings in our own lives. Besides this, I believe it is simply what God wants me to do, and I willingly obey.

So here you have one man’s intentions for this year. Can you relate to any of them? If so, please share. Perhaps we can experience success together. Or, if you have any other goals I would love to hear  about them. Either way, I wsih my cherished readers a very happy and successful 2012. Enjoy the blessings : )

The Power of Beginnings

What do you think of when you see or hear “the beginning”? For me, it’s one of the most refreshing, optimistic phrases in our language. For example, we have entered a new year. Whatever happened last year or in any past year is done. Whatever mistakes I have made are buried. In this new year I have several goals I wish to accomplish. At this time I feel nothing but optimism. No obstacles have moved in my way. I haven’t failed or procrastinated yet. There is nothing except the feeling of optimism that I will accomplish these goals.

This same concept is true in any area of life. I am a big sports fan, and especially like baseball. One of the grandest days in sports is opening day of the baseball season. The feeling of optimism exudes. Every team has a fresh start and the belief that they can win a championship. This feeling exists for teams and players, regardless of how much they have failed in the past or what the so called experts are predicting.

Let us take this same optimism with us as this new year begins. More importantly, let us maintain this feeling of optimism and allow it to snowball to greater successes and victories. Let no one (especially yourself) say it can’t be done; when obstacles arise (and they certainly will), keep your mind fixed confidently on the desired outcome, knowing that it will still be accomplished.

One of the things I am most thankful for, is that God gives us this new beginning every 365 days. Now matter how much we believe we haven’t accompished yet (please know you’ve already accomplished a great deal), we are allowed a new start. In fact, God is even more generous than that. He allows us a new chance every 24 hours! The key is to take advantage of each of these time slots to move ahead to the accomplishment of our goals.

As this new year begins, I find it helpful to do two things. One is to thank God for the great blessings we have received in the past year, and previous years. Second, is to thank Him for this wonderful beginning and fresh start. Keep your mind fixed on the successful accomplishment of your goal, and the God that will help you get there. That combination has the makings of a very successful 2012. Enjoy the blessings : )

P.S. As always, I would love to hear about your goals for this upcoming year and other suggestions to help people reach their desired outcomes. It is very much appreciated : )