Monday, October 30, 2017

Knowing Is Not Enough - We Must Apply

                                                       Wisdom is knowledge,
                                                             rightly applied


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.



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???

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?

Most people have.

First we get excited about the new information as we read it and then 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.

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.

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


                                                         www.karinglannstam.com

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

There's A Rainbow After Every Storm

                                                               "After rain
                                                          there's a rainbow
                                                            After a storm
                                                             there's calm
                                                            after the night
                                                           there's morning
                                                        and after an ending
                                                     there's a new beginning."
                                                              - Unknown


A couple of weeks ago I was working in another city during the day and I had to take the commuter train in the morning to work and back home in the afternoon.

It had rained and been cloudy almost all day but just about an hour before I was going back home the sun came out. It was great feeling because the sun had been absent for many days.

As I got on the train and sat down I happen to glance out of the window and I saw the most beautiful rainbow appearing. I was thrilled because I hadn't seen a rainbow in a very long time.

It was huge, colorful and it stretched all across the sky.

As the train got started I kept on watching the rainbow. I could see it almost all the way back to where I was getting off the train. It was absolutely gorgeous and I felt so happy watching it.

The rainbow got me thinking about storms.
There have been a lot of natural storms lately all over the world.

But we also have storms in our own lives.
Setbacks, crisis, problems and obstacles are always part of our journey.
It isn't sunny all the time.

But isn't it true though.....that after every storm there will be a rainbow?

No matter of what is going on right now......it will eventually go away and a rainbow will appear.

This too shall pass.

I think it's comforting to know that even if I am going through a crisis or having a huge problem right now.....it won't last forever. It will eventually change.

Good or bad....things will always change. It always does.

So if you are going through a difficult time in your life right now......
remember that there will eventually be a beautiful rainbow appearing.


                                             Karin Glannstam - Personal Success Coach
                                                           www.karinglannstam.com


Monday, October 23, 2017

Are You Feeling SAD This Time Of The Year?

                                             "They say that a few minutes each day
                                                            of petting your dog,
                                                 can raise your serotonin levels."
                                                            - Neil S. Plakcy

Are you feeling a little sad this time of the year?

I am definitely feeling a lack of energy and some sadness at this time of the year.
It is getting darker, the days are getting shorter and there is less sunshine during the day.

Right now as I am spending time in Sweden, I am really being affected by the weather and the lack of sunlight and daylight. Most days are very gloomy over here and they are also rapidly getting shorter and shorter.

Today I am going to talk about SAD - Seasonal Affective Disorder.
SAD is a form of depression that is triggered by changing seasons.

Sunlight and darkness trigger the release of hormones in our brain.
Exposure to sunlight is thought to increase the brains release of the hormone serotonin.
Serotonin is affecting our mood, our energy level, memory, focus, mental sharpness and the way we look at life.



Without enough sunlight exposure a person's serotonin levels can dip low and that is associated with the risk of SAD.
Both SAD and the winter blues is related to the lack of sunlight.

Serotonin is helping us to regulate our moods and when the level goes down we are at risk for depression.

Women produce serotonin only half as fast at men do and that can explain why more women then men get depressed.

Sunlight has been proven to boost positive moods and diminish tiredness. Getting minimal periods of sunlight can negatively impact our mood.

There is no wonder that I prefer the sunny and warm weather in Texas to what we have going on right now here in Sweden.
Not only does it affect my mood but I feel like I can sleep all the time.
The reason for that is that the hormone melatonin (the "sleepy" hormone) increases with decreased light and that explains why we get a tired feeling as early as four in the afternoon when it begins to get dark outside.

Anything that is affecting our mood will also affect our behavior.
On rainy days people are less satisfied with their lives.
I know when the sun is shining I feel like I have less problems and it is easier to deal with anything compared to a rainy day when just going for a walk with the dogs can sometimes feel like a uphill battle.

Another thing that can deplete our serotonin levels is prolonged stress. Stress will wear us out!
Stay away from stressful situations as much as possible.


Here are a few TIPS to boost serotonin!

Get enough light
Spend time outdoors. Make sure that you go outside for at least 30 minutes per day.

Eat healthy fats
Omega-3 fatty acids. Salmon, fish oils, nuts and flaxseed oil.

Exercise regularly
A great way to boost serotonin levels can be as simple as a daily 30-60 minute walk.

Dark chocolate
This is my favorite tip!!!!!

Interact with others
Make sure that these people have a positive outlook on life

Reduce stress
Try meditation, yoga and deep breathing exercises and spending more time relaxing.

Happy memories
Like pictures in a photo album might give you a serotonin boost.

Hang out with your pets

                                                            www.karinglannstam.com








Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Putting The Pieces Back Together

                                         "When the storm rips you to pieces,
                           you get to decide how to put yourself back together."
                                                      - Bryant McGill


This past Monday I was writing about storms that are happening in our lives.
No one can avoid storms. If you live long enough you will have to deal with crisis, setbacks, problems and obstacles. They are also part of this journey that we call life.

If you missed Monday's blog here it is.............The Perfect Storm
http://karinglannstam.blogspot.se/2017/10/the-perfect-storm.html

I don't know what is going on in your life right now.
Maybe you have just come through a crisis or storm and you are on your way to recuperate.
Maybe you are in the middle of a storm and your can't seem to find your way out of it at this moment. Or maybe you are about to enter a crisis right now.
If you haven't dealt with any crisis in your life yet......don't worry......they will show up.
No one can escape.

The important thing isn't trying to avoid the storm. Instead we must learn how to dance in the rain. We must learn better tools and strategies for dealing with crisis when they occur.

I wrote the book Bounce Don't Break - how to successfully get back on track..... last year and it was published in late Dec of 2016.




In the book I share about how my own life totally collapsed in 2012. It actually started in 2010 but it took 2 years before it totally fell into a thousand pieces.

During a presentation I did a little over a week ago I shared some tools with the audience. And today I will share some of these tools with you.

These are the tools that I used myself when I had to rebuild my life back in 2012.

Ask for help
You can't do it alone. You need someone to talk to. I know it is hard to ask for help. You feel weak if you ask for help. But you are not. Quite the opposite. You are actually strong when you ask for help.
If I had not asked for help I would not have found out from my therapist that the man I was in a relationship with and had been for 5 years was a narcissist. Life changing information and it explained a lot. It also helped me with my decision to later walk away from this relationship.
Ask for help from a therapist, doctor, coach, mentor or trusted friend or family-member.
Don't suffer in silence.

Grieve
You must grieve what you have lost. It might be a loved one that died. Maybe you lost a job or a business went under. You lost your money or your house and all your belongings. Maybe you had to flee from a country in war and now you are living in a brand new place. You lost you health and now you are dealing with a serious illness. A lot of times we have to grieve the life that we had planned.
Back in 2010 I had so many wonderful plans for my future and none of them happened. Of course I was devastated and I had to grieve. I had to go through the process and the process takes time. How long you grieve is different for everyone. Only you can decide how long it will take.
Just remember that grieving is necessary to be able to move on with our lives.

Take Care Of Your Health
This is a tough one because carrots and broccoli are never as soothing as a  piece of chocolate or a glass of wine.
But your body is trying to heal and it needs healthy fuel to be able to get going again after the injury.
It's important that we pay attention to what we eat and drink.
I love sugar. Sugar is my best friend. Sugar is there when I am sad, happy, lonely, worried, angry, frustrated or disappointed. Sugar can keep me company on a lonely Friday evening as well as it can give me some quick energy when I need it. Both a pick-me-upper and a calm-me-downer. Sugar is always there for me. But unfortunately sugar won't solve anything and a lot of time it is just a temporary escape so it's better to not be trapped by it's promises and sweet taste.
Make sure you get moving. Go outside and get some fresh air. Walk in nature. Also make sure that you get good sleep. Around 7-8 hours is great. Not too much and not too little.
Fuel you body with good stuff. It's part of the healing process.

Create A Vision For Your Life
A new vision for your life will work as a magnet. It will eventually pull you through almost anything that is going on in your life.
Back in 2012 I decided that I was going to become a life coach and start my own coaching business. That was my magnet. Instead of focusing on all that I had lost I started to focus on how to rebuild my future. It was an awesome force and it helped my through the grieving process and also the daily stress of my life totally collapsing.
Create something with a purpose. Something new to focus on.

Let Go Of The Past
You can't drive a car by looking in the review mirror. If you do.....you will eventually crash. Same thing in life. You can't continue to live in the past and expect a new future. Learn form the past. Treat it as a school but don't live there. Start looking at what is possible for you right now and also what is possible for you in the future.
Create a belief that the life in front of you is going to be better that what you just left behind.

Celebrate Yourself And Your Progress
Every step forward that you take, must be celebrated. It doesn't matter how tiny it is....you must celebrate. In the beginning it will feel like one step forward, and then two back. This will go on for a while. A lot of times it feels like there is no progress. But as long as you keep on trying and keep on working..... you are making progress.
Little achievements are just as important as big ones.

Gratitude
Today I am grateful for what happened back in 2012. I was on the wrong path and I had lost the connection to myself. I needed to find myself again.
The crisis stopped me from continuing on the wrong path.
Be grateful for what you already have. Be grateful for family and friends. Be grateful for your body
Be grateful for your wounds. They have hopefully taught you a lot. Be grateful for the person you are today and what you have gone through. Be grateful for your bright future.
You are alive today.....you made it.....that is something to celebrate and to be grateful for.

Thank You..... Nikki and Lady!

                                                       www.karinglannstam.com










Monday, October 16, 2017

The Perfect Storm

                                          "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
                                                It's about learning to dance in the rain.
                                                             - Vivian Green





There have been a lot of storms in the world lately.
Hurricanes, wildfires and earthquakes just to name a few.
These are all natural storms or disasters.

But there are also other kinds of storms happening in our lives that we have to deal with.
A death of a loved one, divorce, financial loss, job loss, a business failing, moving to another city or country, forced to leave a country because of war, loss of health due to cancer or other illnesses or a loss of a life that we had planned.

These are also storms, setbacks and crisis in our lives. Things we didn't exactly plan for but they happened anyway.

A big problem with people is that we think we shouldn't have problems and crisis in our lives.
For some reason if we work hard and do everything that we are suppose to do we should be exempt from dealing with any kind of crisis and problems.

But this is not the way it works. We all have to deal with storms. It doesn't matter if you are rich or poor. Young or old. Man or a woman. American or European. We will all get our fare share of difficulties, setbacks and obstacles in life.

Problems are like the waves of the ocean.
Some are smaller and some are bigger and sometimes it might feel like a storm is the size of a tsunami.
Often a storm might come along and then it might be a couple of years before you will have to deal with another one. At other times they might hit one after another and you might feel like you can't even catch your breath.

There are two ways of looking at a problem or a crisis.
Something to overcome and get through or.....
A possibility of learning. A message from your true self.

Don't wish for no or less problems.
Instead wish for more knowledge and experience to solve the problems when they occur.

Storms don't happen in our lives to break us. They are often here to help us and make us stronger internally. To guide us.
Sometimes we might be on the wrong path here in life. We might have taken a detour.
Maybe it is a path that isn't truly our own. Then the storm might be here to stop us from keep on going in the wrong direction. It might be a wakeup call for us to stop for a while and examine ourselves and the life we are living.

This is exactly what happened to me back in 2012, when I lost almost everything. I felt like I got hit by a tsunami. Actually I was hit by three storms within a three month period.
It completely knocked me down.

Looking back on it now.....over five years later......I am very grateful that it happened.
I was on the wrong path in life. I was not living the life that I was suppose to live. I had lost myself and I was lost in life.

It took a huge storm to wake me up.
In 2012 I started a journey inward to find out who I was and what I was to do on this little short time that I actually have here on earth.
Has this journey been easy? Absolutely not.
It has been a lot of hard work....almost very day. But I have learned a lot about myself, others and about life.....and that makes me very excited.

A lot of people will wake up a little and for a short period of time but the they unfortunately they go back to sleep again.

But I know that I could never go back to the life I had before 2012.

If it hadn't been for my own storm I would not have become a life coach and started my own coaching business helping people with their lives. I know that because of my experiences in my own life I am now better equipped to help other people.

I wouldn't have started writing newsletters, blogs, postings on social media and YouTube.
And I would not have written my first book "Bounce Don't Break" last year.

Stop wishing for less problems and storms and instead learn how to dance in the rain.

What happened to me back in 2012 was..... The Perfect Storm
and believe that my dance moves are getting better and better!!!




Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Are You Willing To Do What It Takes?

                                            If you are not willing to do the work,
                                              don't complain about the result


We all want changes in our lives.

We want to be healthier and in shape.

We want to have more energy. Both physical and mental.

We often want a job that fulfills us and we usually want to make more money.

We want passionate intimate relationships with our partners.

We want great relationships with our children and our parents.

We want to have more time for our friends and for our hobbies.

We want to have more money saved.

And the list goes on and on.





Most of the times we all know what to do to create this in our lives.

If we want to have more energy and a slender body....most of us know the steps that we need to take to make it happen.

Most of us also knows what it takes to create better relationships in our lives.

Most of us knows how to save money for a rainy day or retirement.


So why doesn't more people create what they want in their lives?

It usually comes down to one question......

Are you willing to the work that it takes to create whatever you want...... in your life?

Are you WILLING?


Are you willing to get up an hour earlier so that you can go to the gym before you go to work?

Are you willing to turn off the TV or the internet and read instead so that you can learn something new ?

Are you willing to save your money instead of buying the latest purse or shoes?

Are you willing to cook instead of going out to eat?

Are you willing to change your eating habits?

Are you willing to start saying NO to people?

Are you willing to do the work that it takes to loose the weight?

Are you willing to get out of your comfort zone and do new things that will make you feel awkward in the beginning?

Are you willing to start a new business even though you don't know if it will ever be successful?

Are you willing to go to school in the evenings to learn a new skill?

Are you willing to find a new job that is more in alignment with who you are and what you want to accomplish in life?

Are you WILLING?

For anything to change in our lives.....we must be willing to do the work that will be involved in making what we want into our reality.
We can dream and plan all that we want but if we are not willing to back it up with some kind of action.....nothing will  ever happen.


                                                            www.karinglannstam.com






Monday, October 9, 2017

Turn Your Fear Into Excitement

                                                                If it scares you,
                                                      it might be a good thing to do




Are you afraid of public speaking?

I know I am.

Yesterday I had to face that fear and just do it anyway.

I was doing a presentation....."The Perfect Storm" based on my book and my own life.

It wasn't a large presentation. Around 40 people and the presentation lasted about 45 minutes.

Was a scared? Yes.....I was.
But after I got started and I had spoken for a few minutes the fear went away and was really enjoying it.
After I was through with the presentation I realized that I want to do this more often.

Often we let this feeling or sensation of fear stop us from trying new things.
It will often prevent us from getting out of our comfort zone so we can grow and expand.
Most of us hate feeling awkward and that we might not be in control.

I told myself "I am going to die if I don't do good during this presentation?"
And of course the answer was NO.
Yes..... things can go wrong but if you prepare as much as possible ....things can also go right.

But I know that this feeling that you do have when you are going to do something new....the feeling that we usually call fear....is it possible that it can be something totally different?

What would happen if we look at fear with a new perspective?

What would happen if we turned the belief that we are afraid into something completely different?

Maybe it is excitement that we are feeling instead of fear???

The feeling of fear and the feeling of excitement are very similar to each other.

Can you imagine if we tell ourselves before we are going to do something new....that we are excited instead of fearful?
Do you think that we will perform better? I believe we will.

This is exactly what I told myself yesterday when I was feeling that sensation of  nervousness and fear. I knew I was excited and I had been looking forward to doing this presentation for a month.
I was actually ready to go.
And the sensation I was feeling was excitement instead of fear.

Next time you are trying something new and you are getting that "uncomfortable" feeling inside.....tell yourself that you are feeling excited..... and that you are ready to go.


                                                             www.karinglannstam.com

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Stress Is Highly Contagious

                                                 "Stress is caused by being here
                                                        but wanting to be there."
                                                             - Eckhart Tolle

When we are feeling stressed we usually think that it all about us.
Our problems and our stress.
We often think that we are the only one with these problems and that it's only affecting us and no one else.
You might want to think again.



Stress is highly contagious and it will eventually impact the people around you.
Making their lives more stressful too.

If you are in a intimate relationship with someone and they experience a high level of stress for a long period of time, it will put a strain on the relationship and it might even fail.
When we are stressed, our perception of things are heightened and we become more sensitive, which can cause conflict and communication issues.
And if you don't know how to help someone that is highly stressed, you will start to feel disconnected it will eventually make you feel stressed too.

If you have stress at home it will affect your work.
And if you have a lot of stress at work it will make an impact on your life with your family and friends.

When we are stressed we also make more mistakes.
Stress will shut down the more logical part of our brain and it will activate the "fight or flight" mode instead.
Stressed people will usually make more mistakes at work, in traffic and at home.
Your mistakes will absolutely affect those around you.

Stress will also affect your nutritional decisions. It's easier to opt for junk food instead of cooking a healthy meal. It's faster..... because most of the time we feel too tired to actually cook.
Or we eat out a lot, which will eventually take its toll on our health.

                                                               www.karinglannstam.com

Monday, October 2, 2017

Random Acts of Kindness

                                                           No act of kindness,
                                                             however small,
                                                              is ever wasted


Today I want to share a great and quite simple idea that will make you feel a lot better and also happier.
It's very easy to do.

When we do something nice and kind for someone else without expecting anything back, it will automatically make us feel happier.
And who doesn't want to feel happier?



Here are a few examples of things that you can do

  • Hold the door open for someone.
  • Buy a flower or some candy for your neighbor.
  • Let someone go in front of you at the line at the grocery store or any other store.
  • Give a stranger a compliment.
  • Give a friend a compliment.
  • Give blood.
  • Say "Hello" to  someone you don't know.
  • Ask someone "How are you today?" and then listen and pay attention to their answer.
  • Pick up some trash at the park or at the beach even though it isn't your job.
  • Smile.
  • Allow a car on the highway to get in front of you.
  • Send a beautiful card to someone you like.
  • Smile and say "Thank You" to the checker at the store.
  • Pay for the coffee for a stranger when you are at Starbucks.
  • Call a friend that you haven't talked to in a long time.
  • Pay for someone's meal at a restaurant.


Try to do at least five good deeds in one week and pay attention to how it will affect the way you feel.

                                                            www.karinglannstam.com