Taking A Break For The Holidays

One of the real joys of the Holiday Season is the opportunity to say Thank You.

Thank you for your continued support and for reading my blog posts.

I am going to take a break for the rest of this year to finish some project and to re-charge my batteries for 2018.

My next blog will be posted on January 8, 2018.

During this time I will also limit my presence on social media.


Here is a great exercise that you might want to check out.
Celebrate yourself and everything that you accomplished during this past year.
Big or small accomplishments...... it doesn't matter. You must celebrate!!!

http://karinglannstam.blogspot.se/2014/12/celebrate-your-progress-and-your.html

                             Wishing Everyone a Joyous Holiday Season.

                       Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

                                             Karin

                  www.karinglannstam.com        

Embrace Challange

I am willing to challenge myself, because I know I will grow.

When challenge comes up in your life, do you like it or do you feel it's a big inconvenience?

In today's society any inconvenience or challenge is many times a reason to complain and to moan and groan. Any little thing will freak some people out and often they get outraged.

We have lost the challenge mindset and we have instead adapted a complaint mindset or maybe we should call it a comfort mindset.

If you want to be good at anything in life you must learn to love and invite challenge into your life.

High performers love challenge. In a way they are addicted to learning new things and to growth.
They constantly want to get better.
Maybe it's because somewhere earlier in their life they were struggling and they learned that it's through learning and growing they will improve themselves and their lives. And the only way to learn and grow is through challenge.

When we stretch we get better. When we push ourselves we get better faster.

In today's world where convenience is everywhere it's easier to be comfortable than it's to challenge ourselves to push.

As soon as something gets a little difficult people quit. They quit on their dream for their future, they quit on their finance goals, their health and wellness plan and also their relationships.
They are gone as soon as it gets challenging.
At the first sight of hardship, people turn around and they run. If you want to adopt the challenge mindset you must be willing to go for it. Be willing to accept and anticipate challenges and obstacles. When you overcome a challenge, you will become better. Any challenge that happens in your life, you will see yourself overcoming it.

www.karinglannstam.com

Create Some Magic Moments In Your Life

                           "We wait, starving for moments of high magic to inspire us,
                                  but life is full of common enchantments waiting for
                                                    our alchemist's eye to notice."
                                                           - Jacob Norby


Do you like magic moments or memorable moments?

I know I do and I'm sure a lot of your do.

But often in life and in our relationships with others we have a tendency to get a little lazy.
We get caught up in busyness and we forget to stay in touch with family and friends.
This happens to most of us at some point in our lives.

But since it's soon Christmas why not create some of those magical moment yourself?
Don't wait for others to do it for you.
You can start today by thinking up a few ways how you can do something special for someone you love or care about. It doesn't have to be a big gesture.

How about going out for coffee, lunch or dinner?
Maybe invite them to your home and enjoy your Christmas decoration and some Christmas music while drinking some hot chocolate and catching up on what has been going on in their life?
Another great idea to bring some Christmas cheer or magic to someone is to buy them a nice flower or bake some cookies for them.
It can be as simple as a phone call and make sure that you will have some time to actually listen to the other person without talking about yourself and your life the whole time.

There are a lot of ways to create some magic in our own lives and also in other people lives.
Don't be lazy. Just because you might be busy there are a lot of people that are very lonely and alone during the holidays. When you do something nice for someone you will automatically feel better yourself. It's like the gift that keeps on giving.
All it takes is just a little effort on your part, but you will get so much in return.
And don't give me that crap that you don't have time, because it's not true.
You have time if you are willing to put in a little effort.

The good thing is that not only for the moment will you have fun and enjoy a great conversation with someone that you haven't talked to for a while but you will always be able to revisit the magic moment that you created for the rest of your life and it will absolutely bring a smile to your face.

I don't think that we need to wait for Christmas to come around to create these moments. We can do it all the time. But since it's soon Christmas, it might be a good time to start and then you can continue the habit all throughout the year or even the rest of your life.

And you can also create some magic moments with people that you don't know by volunteering your time to help others. A lot of magic can be created that way.

You don't have to be a magician to create some magic in your life and other people's lives.
All it takes is a few simple ideas and some effort on your part.

Connect with people and create some magic moments together.

              

                                                     www.karinglannstam.com

How To Stay Excited About Your Big Dream

                                                     "The thrill is to keep
                                                    envisioning what can be."
                                                         - Oprah Winfrey


How are you coming along with your vison for 2017?
This year is almost gone. Only one month left.
Have you accomplished what you set out to accomplish in the beginning of 2017?

I believe that if you really want to have a great vision for your life and if you want to stick with making it happen, you better on a daily basis be excited about your decision to accomplish your dream.

The new year comes along and people have a huge ambition and they are excited about it.
They know that this time they are going to make it happen.
They are going to achieve their dream.
They are going to work towards it on a daily base.
But as we all know.....this ambition and the excitement is gone by March.

So how are we going to change this?
You don't want to start something in January and already be done by March.

What we know is that high achievers are excited all the time about their vision.
They stir their dream on a daily base to keep it alive.

It's like stirring the camp fire. When it's about to die down, you stir it a little and it comes alive again and starts burning.
But you don't want to wait until your desire and your ambition is about to die before you stir and get excited about it.
The trick is to keep it burning constantly. On a daily base you must stir your ambition in order to stay excited about accomplishing your dream for your life.

High achievers think about their dream more often than the average person does.
They think about their dream first thing in the morning as they wake up. And the think about it before that go to bed.
They think of what they want a little longer than most people do.
At the end of the day they usually reflect back on the day. Figure out what went well and what they need to improve on.

On Sundays they think of what they want for the upcoming week and then make plans to accomplish it. They are thinking about their dream and they create an excitement that will fuel their ambition to move towards accomplishing it.

If you don't think about what you really want and desire of life, you will never play at the top levels.

You must have a burning desire or a hunger to be able to accomplish your dream and it has to be stirred on a daily basis.
We are not going to be hungry to accomplish our dream unless we are thinking about it on a continuing basis.

What is your discipline for re-visiting your dream or ambition?

How are you stirring your dream, your ambition or desire?

What are you doing on a daily basis to move you forward towards accomplishing your dream?

Show me when and where in your life that this is showing up?

If I can't find it or you can't show it to me.....I don't believe you.

Get excited about your dream. Re-visit it on a daily basis.
Have daily disciplines that will more you close to accomplishing your dream.
Think about what you want and stir your dream often.

                                                             www.karinglannstam.com

Every Day Matters

                                                   Tell Someone They Matter


Do you believe that life is short and that every day matters?

I do believe this and yesterday I got another reminder why I believe this to be true.

Yesterday I was working together with some friends of mine, when one of them told me that another friend of ours husband had passed away. He was only 63 years old.
I know this person and I have worked with her, and I had also met her husband several times.
Last time I spoke with her was in the end of September. She told me that her husband was having back pain and was recuperating in bed.
Two months later I find out that this man passed away a few weeks ago.
All of this happened in less than two months.
I was chocked yesterday when I got the news, and today I'm still trying to wrap my brain around what has happened and in such short period of time.

Now......Do you believe that life is short and every day matters?

I have felt for a long time that I should stop wasting time and energy on things that don't really matter.

I believe that every day matters.... because I have lost a lot of days.

I also believe that every day matters because I have lost a lot of people that I care about.

I also believe that every day matters because I have lost opportunities and I have wasted a lot of valuable time.

A believe that a lot of you might feel the same way?

If you believe this I hope that it will give you some inspiration, motivation and hopefully it will give you some discipline to not waste time and to really believe that EVERY DAY MATTERS.

I am sure you heard a lot of people say...."Live today like it was your last day here on earth."

Think like a painter.....make each day that you are here on earth your masterpiece because you might not be at the canvas tomorrow.
You might not be alive to create more of what we call life.
Today is a special day.


If you believe that every day matters..... how can you be more mindful of the day that you have been blessed with?

Maybe you would get off social media and your phone and have dinner together with you family members.

Instead of watching TV.....maybe you would call a friend on the phone or even better meet for coffee.

Don't take on that extra project that might give you some extra cash but it will take away time from your children and your family.

Never leave on bad notes.

Don't go to bed angry at each other.

Don't leave for work without a smile, kiss or goodbye.

Since I am such an animal lover.....make sure you take time with your pets. They are precious.
Take your dogs for walks outside your own yard. It's good for them and it's also good for you.

Make sure that you always leave the last interaction  positive with someone..... because you might never actually see that person again.


I know that some of you have lost someone recently.
Somebody that you knew that is no longer here.

If we remember how important people are, maybe we can remember how important a day is.

If we can remember how important a day is, maybe we can remember to stop wasting time.

It's easy to waste a day.

But always remember that life is precious.....but it's also fragile.

www.karinglannstam.com

Progress Towards Our Goal Will Make Us Feel Better

                                          "Progress is impossible without change,
                                          and those who cannot change their minds
                                                   cannot change anything."
                                                    - George Bernard Shaw


Did you know that progress towards our goals will make us feel better?

Progress towards our goals will make us treat other people better. Isn't that fascinating?

When you have a vision for your life and moving towards it on a daily base you are being nicer to other people.
They actually know this from science.

People who sense that their life matters, people who have a vision of what is possible for them and people who are progressing in their life....many areas of their lives improve automatically.

Their relationships improve, their health improves, their finances improve, time-management improves and their ability to achieve other things improve.

Why?
Because something happens when you have a clear vision of what you want.
Take action on a daily base and then get some wind behind your back.
Your confidence is growing when you are knocking things of your daily to-do list.
You are feeling more capable.
You try new things and that will make your confidence grow even more.

Most people will have problems with discipline in their lives because they are not inspired by a big goal or vision. They don't have anything big to go for when they get out of bed every morning.

You must have a big dream to get your butt out of bed.
You must have a big vision that will pull you forward no matter what is going on in the world and in your life right now.

If you are relying on your mood to make you disciplined you are in big trouble.
Instead have a big dream that will pull you through all the daily drama.

People on a path of purpose or on a mission don't have time for drama and silly distractions.
Because for them, the bigger vision and their ambition, washes away all the distractions.
They don't get caught up in complaining, gossiping and stirring up unnecessary drama.

People who get caught up in negativity and drama are the people that don't have anything better to fight for.

Make sure that you have a compelling future designed for you. Something that will make you jump out of bed every morning.
Focus on your dream and work towards it every day.

                                                              www.karinglannstam.com

Take Advice......But Not Orders

                                                 I'm sorry I don't take orders!


Life is filled with challenges.
Challenging situations and also challenging people are everywhere.
Facing challenges and learning how to get through them will make us grow as individuals.
Many people will try to avoid challenges and difficult situations because these situations/people will make them feel very uncomfortable. Of course growth of any kind will makes us feel uncomfortable for a while until we get the hang of it.

A couple of months ago I was facing a difficult situation with a particular person that I had to work with once or twice a week. I only had to spend a short time with this person but she was a little bit on the difficult side. Very negative and pessimistic and also created a lot of drama by gossiping and talking bad about other people.
People like this are all around us.
Anyway this person was giving me a hard time and then she started to accuse me of things that I had not done.

I can deal with negative people creating drama but I have a hard time dealing with people who say things about you that aren't true. This I must learn to get used to because a lot of people will say things that aren't true about you. Often they don't even know you.
This is something that I definitely have to work on. Just learn to ignore certain people and their behavior.

I allowed it to upset me but after a few days I talked to a trusted friend about what had happened. This friend of mine also knows this person real well. We talked about my challenge and she gave me some useful insight. She also told me how she would handle the situation if she was in my shoes.
She never told me how to deal with this person or what to do when it came to dealing with this person. She only told me how she would do it if she had to deal with particular person.

I thanked her for listening and for her advice on how to handle the situation the next time I encountered this person.

That evening I sat down and really thought about how to deal with the situation because I was going to work with this person in a couple of days. How was I going to do it?

I liked my friend's advice but it didn't feel right to me. It felt inauthentic to do what my friend recommended. It might have been the right thing for her but it didn't feel right to me.

A lot of times we will allow other people to tell us what to do. The problem with this is that we are doing what feels right for them but not what feel right for us.
People look at the same challenge or difficulty in many different ways. And the reason for that is that we all have different backgrounds, experiences, knowledge and conditioning.

It's good to ask for advice and a different point of view.
But in the end we must go with the solution or the answer that feels right for us. Otherwise we won't feel good about ourselves and the decision. It might have been good for someone else but for you it might be totally wrong.

And in the end you are the one that is going to have to live with the result of your decision so make sure that the decision is yours. If you go against yourself just to make it easier for someone else you will probably feel disappointed with yourself that you wasn't honest and stuck to your own decision.

So what did I do?

The advice that my friend suggested didn't feel like the right thing for me and I decided to go with a different solution that felt absolutely right to me.
I could not have done what my friend suggested that I do. It felt totally wrong to me.
In the end I wanted to feel happy and OK with myself and what I decided.

So my advice is to be true to yourself.......and everything will be fine.

                                                            www.karinglannstam.com

.

Can You Go 7 Days Without Complaining?

                                      "If you have the time to whine and complain
                                         about something then you have the time to
                                                      do something about it."
                                                    -  Anthony J. D'Angelo



Do you know of someone who complains a lot?

Maybe it's YOU?

Are you a complainer?

It's easy to find something to complain about. I am guilty of it too.

We can either chooses to focus on what is working in our lives and what we appreciate or we can focus on that the world is going crazy and complain about it. Same amount of energy.

The difference is the way we feel in our bodies. Complaining will automatically lower our own energetic vibration.

Like attracts like. If you are a complainer you will likely attract other complainer and you will form a group and complain together.

Seldom will you find happy and content people hanging out with complainers and gossipers. They are too busy making things happens in their own life.

I complain too, but I am really trying to break this habit. I try to pay more attention to what comes out of my mouth on a daily base. But it's so easy to fall into the same pattern of complaining and the first key to changing it is to become aware of that you are doing it.

Also when you are around people who are complaining it's easy to fall into the habit of complaining together with them. The key is to either stay quiet and don't lean into the conversation or simply walk away.


Todays Challenge

Decide to not complain for 7 days straight.

No complaining verbally
No complaining in writing.....like on social media.
No complaining in your thoughts

Do this for one week and you will be amazed how much better you will feel after a complain free 7 days.

Are you ready for this challenge?
Let me know how it goes.

                                                                www.karinglannstam.com

Disciplining Your Disappointments

                                            "Adversity is a good test of our resilience,
                                                 our ability to cope, to stand back up,
                                                      to recover from misfortune.
                                                Adversity is a painful pedagogue."
                                                      - Charles R. Swindoll



It happened to me again last week. I fell into the ditch for a while.
I didn't stay there very long before I climbed out of there....but I fell.

When you are building new habits patters of thought and action, it doesn't matter if it's in business, health, sports or life, there will be times when you will end up off course or off track.
You will encounter adversity, setbacks and disappointments on the path to success.
They key it not to avoid adversity, but to learn how to re-direct your efforts, re-establish your successful habits and get walking again.

You don't want to end up in the ditch. But if you do you must crawl out of there as quickly as possible and continue on your path.

Some people will be so discouraged by adversity or a setback that they will quit doing what they were doing before it happen.

But you can start again.
It all comes down to your mindset, attitude and you willingness to go again.
You can decide to be discouraged by what happed or you can be inspired and learn from it.
Same incident but two different attitudes about what happened.

The magic is...... that you can turn it around..... but the mystery is.... that not everyone will.
Some people will use adversity or a setback as a reason to success and others will use it as a reason to give up.
Same circumstance.

What separates an amateur from a pro in business or in life is not that the pro is avoiding adversity..... but the pro quickly recovers from it.

The amateur loses a big game, business deal....it affects them for a long time. Sometimes a year or longer.
But a pro will shake it off, learn from it and then quickly recover and get back on track.
They might be angry and upset, but it doesn't last long. Tomorrow they will go again.
They won't allow it to affect them for a year or a lifetime.
An amateur and a pro are both affected the same way but the response is different.

The key to quickly recover is to have something to go for right away.
Try putting something together quickly. It might not be the total answer, but it's the answer for now and it will get you start walking again.

As for myself, I didn't allow the adversity to affect me too long. But it did affect me and I ended up in the ditch.
Next time I hope that I can prevent myself from falling into the ditch because it takes quite a bit of mental energy to crawl out of there and to get back on track.
Mental energy that I could have used for something better.

The key is to not fall in the ditch in the first place but sometimes it happens no matter how good you are. I guess I need to practice and learn a few more skills before I will be able to just walk on by and not fall into the ditch when I encounter this kind of adversity.

What helped me to recover quickly from the incident last week was that I shared what had happened with a trusted friend. She was willing to listen and also gave me some important feedback and valuable insight.

Yes....unfortunately I ended up in the ditch but the good things is that I was there less than 24 hours. More like 12 hours.
I have learned from what happen and hopefully I will be able to stay out of the ditch in the future.

                                                            www.karinglannstam.com

Four Important Questions To Ask Yourself

                                                 "Resolve to be a master of change,
                                                    rather than a victim of change."
                                                                  -Brian Tracy


Resolve - Promising yourself that you will never give up.

What is your dream?

What are you trying to accomplish with your life?

If you are not sure or maybe you haven't yet decided to go for it, here are a few questions that might help you decide and then take action.


WHY?
Why should I try?
Why should I work so hard trying to better myself and my life?
Why do I want to create a better future for myself and for others?

WHY NOT?
What else am I going to do with my time and my life?

WHY NOT ME?
Some people have done the most incredible things with a limited start.
Why not YOU?
You can do incredible things because you are an incredible person.

WHY NOT NOW?
Why wait?
Why postpone your great future any longer?
Get going today.
Decide and take action.

Embark on a journey to improve your life and the life of others.
Enjoy your life as you seek to improve it.
Seek knowledge, so that your value to yourself and others will increase.
Be a doer, not just a listener.

                                                       www.karinglannstam.com

You Can't Pull Yourself Up By Tearing Down Others.

                                                        "You never look good,
                                          trying to make someone else look bad."
                                                              - Unknown

What Would You Do?

If you had the tallest building in New York City for a while..... but after you built your building several other builders built taller buildings than yours....... what would you do to yet again have the tallest building?

A. You start tearing down all the buildings that are taller than yours.
You might get away with tearing down the first one but sooner or later someone will discover what you are up to and they will start guarding their buildings and telling you to not come around their building. They know what you are up to.

B. You could add more stories to your building or build a brand new one.
You focus on what you can do to create what you want instead of tearing down what other people have build or accomplished.

I know I would go for B.
It would involve more work on my part but in the end I would be proud of what I created myself and I know that I didn't create it by pushing or pulling someone else down.

The above example might not be such a great one..... but what I am trying to get to is that in life often people will rather tear down someone else or something that someone else has created instead of focus on what they themselves are capable of creating for themselves, in their own life.
It seems like it is easier to pull someone down than it is to pull yourself up.

Some people will become jealous or envious if someone else have what they themselves want.
Since someone else has what they want .....then there won't be enough for them. They will never be able to have it. This is a lack-mentality. Since you have it....they must take it from you instead of creating it for themselves.

There is plenty for all..... if you are willing to work for it.....you can have it too.
This is a abundant-mentality.

Sometimes people try to expose what is wrong with you, because the can't handle what is right with you.

Maybe someone has a lot of energy, they are happy and they live a healthy lifestyle. Automatically some people will get jealous of that and they will try to do things or talk bad about this person because they themselves lack energy, health and happiness in their own life. They have in other words chosen example A.
They tear into someone else, trying to bring them down to their own level. Or they try to take away what this person has so they can have it themselves.

Instead they can choose B. A much smarter approach. They can ask the person that is healthy, happy and energetic how they are able to create this in their life. Realizing that they can also create this in their own life. But of course that will require some changes in their own life and some work on their part.

If there is someone that you admire with someone or maybe they created something that you would like to have.....find out how they did it.
Ask them how they created the life and the habits that you want and then you model them and you can live like this person.

It doesn't matter if it has to do with money, wealth, a great career, great relationships, happiness, health & vitality or a lot of energy. If you got it.....some people want it and sometimes they will try to take it from you or they will try to tear you down to get to what they want. And if they can't have it, they don't want you to have it either.

Don't use that approach. Instead ask or find out how this person created great wealth in their life, or how they have such a happy marriage, how they have such a high energy level, how they were able to create a business career or how they can remain so peaceful and calm no matter what is going on in the world.

Just remember that you can never pull yourself up by tearing down others.
If you want to pull yourself up....you have to do the work yourself.

                                                            www.karinglannstam.com

Embrace Your Personal Power

                                                        You have personal power
                                                          that creates your world.
                                                                   OWN IT!


The source of personal power starts with YOU.

When you are in better shape physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually you are more capable of negotiating more effectively. You make better decisions. Your creativity flows. You are a better manager when it comes to people around you. Your relationships improve.

Changing yourself is the first step in changing your career, your relationships - both at work and your intimate relationships.
It starts with YOU.

Taking action is a way of building more personal power in your life.
Any muscle that you don't exercise on a daily base will eventually get weaker. Same thing with taking action.....it is also a muscle. Have you used it lately?
The way to build a muscle is to start small and then build.

Today I have a very simple exercise that you can do to immediately increase the quality of your life.  You will feel good and your self-esteem will soar..... because you actually followed through.

Right now think of two actions that you have been putting off for a while.
Two things that you should do. Two things you need to do but you are constantly putting them off.

Maybe it's making a phone call or two
Starting a blog
Quit smoking or drinking
Saying NO
Re-connect with a friend or family-member
Losing weight
Limit certain foods in your diet
Asking for a raise
Change job
Saving money

Pick two actions that would immediately change the quality of your life.

What are those two action?
Decide and commit to follow through. This is it!!!

There is tremendous power in making a decision and then immediately follow through on your decision.

You can start with something small - then build.

- Write down the two decisions that you made.
- Take action on them immediately - RIGHT NOW!

Don't put it off another minute. Do whatever it takes. There is power in momentum. Don't wait or delay.

Decision - Commitment to follow through - This will create PERSONAL POWER.

Go For It!!!

                                              Karin Glannstam - Personal Success Coach

                                                          www.karinglannstam.com

                                                              

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

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

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

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

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!!!

www.karinglannstam.com