Sunday, March 17, 2024

Get Off The Fence

                                     "Self-study, in a sense of learning by yourself 

                   without anybody teaching you anything, has enormous value." 

                                                                   - Robert Kraft




Don't remain on the fence. 

By jumping off the fence and into the game you will learn, but if you stay on the sidelines or the fence... thinking, planning, ruminating, getting-ready, having the perfect plan before you get started... then you will miss the chance to learn, expand and grow, and respond to the world. 

Have you ever told yourself that you will will start tomorrow? Or next week? Or on Monday?

What is wrong with starting today?"


"Learn by doing. Theory is nice, but nothing replaces actual experience." 

- Tony Hsieh


Stop delaying. It's not going to feel better to start next week or next month. You won't be more prepared a week from now or after you read another book or attended another seminar. 

Often we learn by just starting and then learn as we go.


"For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them." 

- Aristotle


Get out of your comfort zone. Get a little uncomfortable for a while... you will be surprised how much you will learn by taking a few small steps out of your comfort zone. 

You learn by doing! 

Nothing new will feel comfortable in the beginning, but after a while you will get used to it and get comfortable with it.


"Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn."

 - Benjamin Franklin



You don't have to have the perfect plan to get started... just jump in it... get going... the rest will come to you when you need it.

How can you get off the fence today?


Never stop learning, because life never stops teaching.



                                                                   www.karinglannstam.com



Sunday, March 10, 2024

Knowing Yourself Is True Wisdom


                            "Find yourself first, like yourself first, love yourself first, 

                                    and friendships and love will naturally find you." 

                                                                      - Mandy Hale




You must know thyself.

You must know how you want to live your own life, and then you must live it that way, being proud of your decisions, and stop worrying about what others think.

In today's world we are so busy wanting to know everything about everybody else. We want to know what other people are up to all the time. We are staying in constant contact with people we know and also people we don't know, through all kinds of social media, the internet and TV. 


"Knowing others  is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. 
Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power. 
If you realize that you are enough, you are truly rich." 
- Lao Tzu


But in the battle of always wanting to know and learning about what other people are doing, we are forgetting one thing... learning about ourselves.
Learning and studying ourselves is so important, but instead we are studying everyone around us and we want to be more like them instead of being our authentic self. 


"First know yourself, then you will begin to understand why things are as they are, 
and why life is as it is." 
- Leon Brown


But the sooner you stop worrying about what other people think and what they are doing and not doing and start focusing on learning about "yourself" the better off you are going to be.
The sooner you can start to be believe in of yourself and to make decisions based on what you want and what you think... the better off you will be. And if you need to change something, then just change it. It is never too late to change and to get better. 


"Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom." 
- Aristotle


You can change. You can live the life you always wanted. You can live a life of your own design.
It starts with creating the rules for your own life. What you will accept from other people, but also what you will accept from yourself.

So stop following other people and their lives and dreams and put some energy into creating your own dream and vision for your own life. Never feel bad for putting yourself first and doing what is right for you.

A wise man travels to discover himself.


                                                                  www.karinglannstam.com


Sunday, March 3, 2024

Be A Doer

                          "Knowledge is not of value unless you put it into practice." 

                                                                   - Anton Chekhov




We all have heard that knowledge is power.

What you know can drastically improve your life.
It can help you create changes, give you more insight and understanding. Ignorance is not bliss.

But is it true that knowledge is power? Not really.
Knowledge is not power... it's potential power. 


"Knowing is not enough: We must apply. 
Willingness is not enough. We must do." 
- Johann Wolfgang Goethe


Knowledge is only power if you apply what you are learning.
You can study and learn all day long... day in and day out, but if you never apply what you are leaning then it's just a lot of learning. 

Most of us know what we should do with our lives, how to change, how to make our lives better,
but we still don't do it.

Do you know someone like that? Maybe it's YOU???


"Book knowledge is not enough. 
Experienced knowledge is essential for success in life." 
- Debasish Mridha


Having the knowledge is not enough, we have to get ourselves to follow through with what we are learning. We have to follow through with the new ideas, the new strategies and the new knowledge that we have come across.

Have you ever read a book that was filled with great ideas on how to make improvements in your life if you just followed a few simple rules and then applied them in your own life?  

Have you ever listen to a podcast, became inspired and decided to check out the new ideas and suggestions?

Did you ever attend a live seminar and then decided that you you were going to make some drastic changes to your life starting the following day?

Most people have.


It's not the knowledge we absorb, it's the knowledge you apply.


First we get excited about the new information. We tell ourselves that this time we are going to implement these simple strategies in our own life.
We might even get so excited that we put the ideas on a piece of paper and tell ourselves that "I will start on Monday."
Then Monday turns into next Monday. That Monday turns into next month and then we find ourselves saying "Someday I will."

Someday I will get my health-plan going.
Someday I will start saving money.
Someday I will change my job.
Someday I will change my attitude.
Someday I will lose weight.
Someday I will quit smoking.
Someday I will_________________ Finish the sentence.

Someday is not a day of the week.
Someday will probably not happen. It's the road to nowhere. 


The distance between your dreams and reality is called action.


Did this happen because you didn't have the knowledge to do something or make a change in your life?
No it didn't.
You had the knowledge but you didn't apply what you knew. 


Action is proof who someone is. Words just prove who they want to be.


So you see... knowledge isn't enough and it has little power until you apply it in your own life. 


Take Action! 
An inch of movement will bring you closer to your goals than a mile of intention.




                                                             www.karinglannstam.com




Monday, February 26, 2024

Rise Above Your Circumstances

                                                       "To hell with circumstances,
                                                              I create opportunities"
                                                                         - Bruce Lee





Have you found yourself getting discouraged and down about your circumstances?

I know I have.

Today I want to share a couple of great tips and hopefully they will help you, when you feel like nothing is working and you feel like you are the victim of your circumstances.


"I am not a product of my circumstances.
I am a product of my decisions"
 - Stephen Covey


If things are not working out right now, always remember "This too shall pass."
Write it down on a little piece of paper and put it somewhere, so you can see it often.
Say it out loud several times per day. Just remember... nothing lasts forever. It won't stay this way forever.

Focus on what is working in your life right now and what you are grateful for. Write it down. Start a gratitude journal if you don't already have one. When you start writing down all the things that you are grateful for it will give you energy to start creating some more things that you are grateful for. It will shift your focus


"A positive attitude gives you power over your circumstances 
instead of your circumstances having power over you." 
- Joyce Meyer


Stop talking about your problems. The more energy you give your problems, the bigger they usually become.
Everywhere we go, people are constantly talking about their problems. If it isn't problems at work it is problems at home or with their health or money.
If you do have a problem, try to focus on a couple of solutions to your problem. Write then down. Talk to some of your friends and get some feedback. Maybe they have a solution that you haven't even thought about. 


"Change the changeable, accept the unchangeable, 
and remove yourself from the unacceptable." 
- Dennis Waitley


If you don't have any goals, I suggest that you start thinking about creating some.
Goals are great because they make us focus on the future... on what is possible for us.
Remember..."without a vision people will perish"
We should be focusing on our goals and we should be moving forward


"Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success 
if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do." 
- Nelson Mandela


Read inspiring books, listen to webinars and podcasts. Attend seminars. Attend a workshop.
 Hire a mentor or a lifecoach. Get around positive like-minded people.

Stop focusing on your problems and start focusing on taking action towards your ideal future. Always remember that you present situation is not you final destination. The best is yet to come.



                                                                               www.karinglannstam.com

Sunday, February 18, 2024

Lessons Learned

                              "The most valuable lessons in life cannot be taught, 

                                                      they most be experienced."

                                                                    - Liam Payne




We are all enrolled in... Life or... Earth School.

Each and every day you will all be faced with the opportunity to learn new lessons.
Some lessons may be more enjoyable than others and some of the lessons you might even hate and wish you would never had to deal with. But they are all part of what you must learn in Earth School. 


Every experience in life serves a purpose.



Each and every person has their own unique purpose in life and they will have their unique life path, totally designed for them and very different from the life path of anyone else.

As you are enrolled in Earth School you will be presented with numerous lessons that you must learn in order to fulfill your purpose. The lessons are being designed especially for you, and only you.


Life is a journey with problems to solve and lessons to learn. But most of all, experiences to enjoy.



Learning these lessons is going to be key to discover the meaning of your own life.

Once you have learned the basic lessons you will move on to the next, more advanced lesson by your teacher... 
The Universe.

In every circumstance that surfaces in your life there will be a new lesson presented to you.

When you experience betrayal... there is a lesson.
When you experience loss... there is a lesson
When your experience happiness... yet a new lesson by... The Universe.


Sometimes painful things can teach lessons that we didn't think we needed to know.


For every event in your life, there is always a lesson that must be learned.

If you fail a lesson, it will be presented to you once again and again and again. The lesson will be presented to you until you understand and learn it.  Of course it is completely up to you if you want to learn from each and every lesson presented to you. 


The greatest lessons I have learned is life is that I still have a lot to learn.



As you travel through life on your path you will encounter lessons that others don't have to face and of course others will face their own sets of lessons, uniquely designed for them to deal with by... The Universe.

You must always stay on your own path and always learn the lessons specifically designed for you. Don't compare your path to other people's paths. Their lessons will be different than yours.

Remember you will only be faced with lessons that you are capable of learning and that are designed  to make you stronger and make you grow. 


Pain has taught me a lot more than what pleasure can ever teach me.



The process and lessons may not be easy, but the reward of learning these specific lessons will be well worth it.

As you are working on your "Life Lessons" and fulfilling your own true purpose you will discover amazing gifts within yourself that you never knew you had. 


In my life, I've lived, I've loved, I've lost, I've missed, I've hurt, I've trusted, I've made mistakes, but most of all I've learned.



                                                             www.karinglannstam.com


Sunday, February 11, 2024

It's Time To Level Up!

                                                           "To change bad habits,
                               we must study the habits of successful role models."
                                                                  - Jack Canfield






The level up is about improving not impressing. Show yourself that you can get better. It's You vs You at the end of the day.

It's a known fact that by the second week of February the majority of people have already given up on the goals they set for themselves at the beginning of the new year. But instead of giving up on the goals we want to accomplish for ourselves in 2024, it's now time to level up instead of giving up.


Surround yourself with people who force you to level up.

If you want to create a higher level of success, you are going to need to drop some of your bad habits. Not exercising, eating unhealthy food, watching too much TV, constantly surfing the internet, smoking or drinking too much, just to name a few and replace them with more productive and empowering habits. Whatever habits you currently have established are producing your current level of results. If you want to get to the next level you have to develop and stick with some higher level habits.


Every next level of your life will demand a different version of you.


Your habits determine your outcomes. Getting to the top requires focused action, personal discipline, and lots of energy every day to make things happen.

The habits you develop from this day forward will ultimately determine how your future unfolds.

So what habits do you need to drop right now?

And what habits do you need to start developing so that you can have a better future and life? 


You can't step up to the next level as long as keep your foot on the lower level.


Also remember that a lot of times the results of our poor habits usually don't show up until much later in life.


The person you will be in 5 years depends largely on the books you read, the people you spend time with, the food you eat, the habits you adapt and the conversations you engage in.



                                                       www.karinglannstam.com

Sunday, February 4, 2024

Take Back Your Power By Reframing Your Thoughts

                                                     "I am not what happened to me, 

                                                      I am what I choose to become." 

                                                                         - Carl Jung




A lot of times we are focusing on what is "wrong" with us. Unfortunately  we get plenty of help from people around us and also from TV, the internet, magazines and society constantly pointing out what is "wrong" with us.

There are plenty of ads everywhere telling us what we need to look like... what we should do to change... how we need to dress.. what to do to be more successful... what we need to do to fit in... what we need to do to find the "perfect love" in our lives... and what we must start doing, versus stop doing. 

Of course if we buy a certain product this will easily be fixed from the outside. We all know that this is not true. No new product will ever make us feel better about ourselves. It might for the moment but after a day or two the same old feeling comes back until we chase down the next shiny object to try to fix our life with. This will become a never ending cycle. 


"You don't have to defend or explain your decisions to anyone. 
It's your life. Live it without apologies." 
- Many Hale 


I believe a lot of us  have now come to realize is that the world is filled with messages telling us that we are not good enough or worthy of living an wonderful life. We should play small and don't stand out. Stick with the crowd, it's safer to belong to the group because then you won't get hurt. Conform to what society and others think you should do, have and become. Don't decide for yourself what you want and what you would like to do with your life.

Can we be truly happy and content with our life if we allow other people to decide what is best for us? 
I don't believe we can. We must all decide for ourselves and design the life that we truly desire and dream of. 


"The major key to your better future is you." 
- Jim Rohn


Seldom are we actually celebrating what is "right" with us.  A lot of us are feeling powerless and insignificant.
It is time to change this.
Today... it is time to start focusing on and celebrating  what is "right" with you.

We also allow old memories from the past defining who we are today.
Because this happened to me in the past... I can never be happy. 
Because  I was born into a dysfunctional family... I will never be able to find true love and a great career. 


Reframing empowers you to take a negative thoughts related to a problem and convert them into positive solutions.


Don't allow the past to define who you are today.
Focus on what you have learned from the past. Rather than focusing on the pain of your past. Quickly reframe hurtful and bitter memories into reminders how much you have grown. You are not the same person as you were 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 years ago. You are not the same persona as you were a year ago. 

We are constantly growing and learning new things. What happened many years ago it's not who you are. It's something that you went trough. It was an experience you had to go through to become the person you are today. 

Imagine an amazing future and a more empowered life and start living it with every step you take and every decision you make.
Remember... this too shall pass!
But not necessarily by itself. It might need a little help from you, and why wait. Start now, create memories now that will fill your mind with your own power to choose. 


"Our key to transforming anything lies in our ability to reframe it." 
- Marianne Williamson


And don't forget to always focus on... what is right with you!
You are a strong, empowered human being and you are capable of creating anything you desire and dream of in your own life. 
So, take your power back by reframing your thoughts and become the STAR in your own movie. 


"I am in charge. I take my own power back." 
- Louise Hay



                                                                www.karinglannstam.com

Sunday, January 28, 2024

Unlock Your Potential

                                           "Success is knowing your purpose in life, 

                                         growing to reach your maximum potential, 

                                               and sowing seeds that benefit others." 

                                                                       - John Maxwell




If you want to create and live your dream... or to be the star in your own movie, you have to step into your true potential. Here are a few tips on how to do this. 


1. Stop making excuses. Especially the internal excuses. We have all listened to that little saboteur in our head, our monkey-mind our limiting internal dialogue.

We say things to ourselves.... and it sounds something like this, 'I can't do it', 'I am not smart enough' or 'I am too young/old'. Does this sound familiar? The truth is that it is irrelevant and unnecessary. These limiting beliefs and internal excuses will hold us back from achieving our goals. 


2. Ask for help and express to people what you need. If you don't ask, you will never have it. Don't be afraid to ask people for help. No man is an island. We can't do it alone. You will  be surprised at how often people will respond positively to you when you honestly and clearly communicate what you want.


 "It's easier to limit yourself, but if you do, you will never reach your true potential." 
- Chris Witty


3. Dream - Believe - Achieve. It doesn't matter how big or small your dreams are. First you have to believe that you can achieve them.
Read inspiring books about people who rose above their limitations and blasted through the obstacles on their path and created their dreams. Listen to webinars, podcasts about people sharing their stories. How they made break thoughts in their lives. If they can do it... so can you.
 

4. Always have an open mind. Seek new opportunities and get out of your comfort zone. This will help you discover your unique and different talents. A lot of time we are stuck in a limiting thinking pattern. Having an open mind is crucial. Also surround yourself with the dreamers and the believers.


"To reach your potential you must grow. And to grow you must be highly intentional about it." 
- John Maxwell


5. Create a Game-plan . Create a few daily, weekly, monthly and yearly goals. Always write your goals down and read them out aloud every day. Hold yourself accountable to achieving your goals. If you need some extra support in accountability, talk to friend that can help you. Get a mentor or a coach.

6. Take Action. Nothing happens until YOU move. You can create the most elaborate game plan but if you fail to take action... well, it will just be the perfect game-plan. Taking Action is a must. No one else can do the work for you. 


"True success is reaching our potential without compromising our values." 
- Mohammed Ali


So what are you waiting for?


Take Action Today! 

Start Living up to Your Potential!

Be Courageous... Take Action... Make it Happen!


Do the things today that will guarantee you the life you want to live tomorrow.




                                                     www.karinglannstam.com

Sunday, January 21, 2024

Build Good Habits For A Successful Life

                                         "A bad habit never disappears miraculously, 

                                                     it's a undo-it-yourself project." 

                                                                - Abigail Van Buren 




What is a habit?

A habit is an acquired, learned behavior that we do without even thinking about it. It's almost involuntary because we have done it so much and it becomes practically second nature. Some habits are good, but some of our habits are really bad and they will prevent us from reaching our goals and destiny in life.

Many of our habits that we've developed stem from the environment that we were raised in. If our parents were neat and organized, chances are that we too have developed a positive habit of being organized. Same thing with health and fitness. If we were brought up living a healthy lifestyle including eating a balanced diet and exercising, chances are that we have also established healthy eating habits for ourselves and our family and we always include some kind of exercise on a daily basis. 


"Bad habits are our enemies 

because they hinder us from being the person we want to be." 

- Joyce Meyer


The environment where we currently live will also have an impact on our habits. Our family, the friends we spend time with, co-workers, what we read, listen to and watch will also determine some of our habits.

Sometimes we will do things simply beacause other people around us are doing something. It can be good or bad but the majority want to belong to the group, so they will do things and even develop habits just to belong and get along with what the group is saying and doing. So it's important to examine our habits and if the habits are leading us to where we want to go, or are we simply doing things so we won't rock the boat? 


"It's easier to prevent bad habits than to break them."

- Benjamin Franklin


Your habits, whether good or bad, will greatly determine your future. To become a better you, take inventory of your daily habits. Do you have a tendency to worry a lot? Are you mostly eating junk food? Are you spending your whole evening in front of the TV or on the internet or scrolling social media ? Do you regularly succumb to addictions?

The good news is... you can change. You can develop better habits. Most studies of habitual behavior indicate that a habit can be broken in 4-6 weeks. Just sit with that for a minute.
If you discipline yourself for a month or so, and be willing to suffer through the pain of change, you can rid yourself of a negative behavior, form a new healthy habit and create a new level of freedom in your life.

If you are willing to be uncomfortable for a while, you can press past the initial pain of change. In the long run your life will be so much better. Make a habit of being uncomfortable for some time. The pain won't last forever and once you develop a new habit, the pain will go away and you will enjoy your life a lot more. 


"Your habits will determine your future." 

-  Jack Canfield


If you have had the same habit for 20-30 years you might not be able to overcome these habits as quickly as within 30 days. But if you will make up your mind and stick with it, it won't take years to break it.

Just make a decisions and make a commitment to stick with it... no matter what.


It will get easier every day and eventually you will do the right thing automatically. You won't even have to think about it. You will succeed.

Just remember that it is difficult in the beginning to create a new habit. Often you will get tempted to cave in to your old habits, but you must not give in. Stay on track and focus on what you want and the outcome of your goal.

A lot of us will have plenty of excuses why we shouldn't change. We can find plenty of reasons to give up and continue to live the way we have always lived. There will be plenty of temptations out there. Just remember you can overcome all of those and just stay on your path to creating your new habits and life. 


"The only way to eliminate bad habits is to replace them with good ones." 

- Jeremy Hines


The truth is, in reality it isn't about breaking the habits as much as it is about replacing bad habits with good ones.

The key to success is to find something with which you can replace the negative habit. If you find yourself eating every time you feel stressed out, figure out something else to do. Maybe going for a walk or a jog. Just try to stay busy and out of the kitchen.

Repetition is key in creating new habits. Repeat the new habit until it becomes automatic.
Practice makes perfect.


Remember your habits today will the create your tomorrow and your future. If you have some habits that you don't like - Change them.


"Habits can either make you or break you."

Decide today to become a better you, and stick with it... NO MATTER WHAT!




                                                           www.karinglannstam.com