Need Motivation? Find Your WHY

                                    "You can look for external sources of motivation 

                             and that can catalyze a change, but it won't sustain one.

                                            It has to be from an internal desire."

                                                          - Jillian Michaels

According to statistics this it about the time of the year when most people give up on their New Year's resolutions or the goals they set for themselves to change their ways in the new year. 

This doesn't have to happen. But first we got to realize a few things to be able to stay on track and accomplish our dream for this year and also for the future.

Having some kind of external stimulus isn't enough. Like a fun event that gives us energy and a burst of emotion, will unfortunately fade as time goes by.

Self-awareness alone isn't sufficient enough for us to get inspired and motivate ourselves to make the changes we truly desire and dream of.

I also believe that most of us can identify our self-defeating behaviors and then plan strategies for eliminating them.

It's easy to turn over a new leaf, but what isn't so easy is to sustain change for a long enough period of time, for our new behavior or habits to become part of who we are, just like the old habits were.

Most of us set goals and then we create a road-map on how will get to our desired result. We can all do this. But we all need more than goals and a road-map.

We got to develop self-discipline and also the power to persist and persevere to pursue a long-term goal without giving up until the goal is achieved

Self-discipline is a learned behavior... but what is the fuel to pursue a goal until it's completed, no matter what?

We must have FUEL. The fuel of internal motivation.

We all need fuel to sustain ourselves in our pursuit of our ultimate goals.

What is your fuel to continue on the road to want you truly want to create for yourself, no matter how many obstacles that you will encounter and no matter how many setbacks and storms that will knock you off track?

What is your WHY?

Reasons come first. And the more reason the better and the more likely you will be to be able to accomplish your VISION for your life.

What is the VISION for your life and WHY do you want it?

                               "Hard work and diligence are essential for success, 

                                         but they require an internal motivation. 

                                             The internal motivation is Vision."

                                                         - Myles Munroe

 

                                                       www.karinglannstam.com

Beliefs Create And Beliefs Destroy

                                                "If I have the belief that I can do it,

                                           I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it,

                                          even if I may not have it in the beginning."

                                                           - Mahatma Gandhi

What usually keeps most people from what they truly want in life is the story they tell themselves. Why it won't happen for them. Why they can't have what they want and why it hasn't happened yet.

Most of the time the story isn't true and it usually creates unnecessary suffering, anxiety and fear.

The story got to change. Change your story, change your life. Suffering, anxiety and fear doesn't come from what is actually happening or happened. Suffering is the perception of what happened or what is happening. 

What makes us continue to suffer is our own beliefs. Our own story that we are constantly telling ourselves.

Have you ever tried to accomplish an important goal? Did you succeed the first time you tried?

If you didn't succeed the first time, did you try again? And again? And again?

How many times did you attempted to accomplish the goal before you quit?

                               "The only limits you have are the limits you believe."

                                                           - Wayne Dyer

What sometimes will happen after trying to accomplish something that is important to us, we don't want to feel disappointed anymore so we start developing limiting beliefs about what happened. We are now allowing the limiting beliefs to destroy our dream instead of us destroying the limiting beliefs. We have been disappointed so many times that we finally start to believe that there is no way we will be able to accomplish our goal or have our dream

Here are a few things to remember. A problem is never permanent. Everything changes. When something ends, something new will begin. After winter comes spring. It always does and it always will. If you are in the middle of winter right now, spring is around the corner. There are seasons in nature and there are seasons in life.

Maybe one area in your life isn't working right now. But just because something happened in one area of your life doesn't mean that your whole life isn't working. Focus on what is working right now. Be grateful and remember that your life isn't over just because something happened. This too shall pass.

Stop taking everything so personal. Nothing is wrong with you. Stop telling yourself that you are not good enough, too old/young, not educated enough, not pretty enough, don't have what it takes to succeed, don't have the right connections, that you always mess up or that you are not smart enough. We can always find ways to justify these beliefs. Beliefs create and beliefs destroy.

                                               "Our beliefs determine our actions

                               and it's our consistent actions that will produce results."

                                                                - Billy Cox

Here is a few important questions to ask yourself... 

What is this belief costing me right now?

What has this belief cost me in the past?

What might happen in the future if I don't change this belief right now?

What is the opposite belief of my old one?

What is a new belief?

What is the truth?

Time to change your beliefs and your old story. 

Divorce the lies and marry the truth.

                                                         www.karinglannstam.com

The Power Of Words

                                                          Words are powerful.

                                            They can create or they can destroy.

                                                 So, choose your words wisely.

Change your vocabulary and you will change your life.

Our words shape the way we think and they also how we feel. If we want to make positive changes in our life we must take a closer look at the words that we use on a daily basis. 

Our words will make us feel a certain way and that will also determine what kind of action steps that we will take in our life. The action steps we take will determine what kind of results we will get.

Have you noticed how certain words will make you feel happy, joyful, excited, positive and unstoppable?

How about the words you use when you are angry, upset, frustrated, disappointed and fearful. Those are very different than when you are happy and excited.

If we consciously pay attention to the words we use and then change them, we can start having control over the way we feel, the actions we take, and then the results we get, simply by changing the words we use most of the time. 

We can stop using words that make us feel down and then replace them with words that make us feel up.

                                           The words that we say over and over again

                                    in our heads can either be our biggest cheer leader,

                                                          or our biggest enemy.

What are the words you use that will put you in a lower and negative state?

Become aware and then write them down.

What words do you use to put you in a positive state?

Pay attention to those. Write them down and start using them more often to put yourself in a more empowering state.

 What words MUST you eliminate in your life, right now?

                               Harsh words can hurt a person more than physical pain.

                                      Taste your own words before you spit them out.

                                         Words, hurt and scar more than you think.

                                                   So, think before you speak.

                                                     www.karinglannstam.com

Everyone Has A Purpose

                                                "Find your purpose and incorporate a mission. 

                                                   Your mission is the vehicle that drives you 

                                                        to fulfilling your purpose and vision."

                                                                         - Bob Choat

I have a great question for you today.


What exactly are you doing in this world?


Have you even thought about this question?


If not... why don't you take a few minutes right now, to ponder on this question.


You know, we all matter and what we do matters.


We are all unique individual. Everyone has been created with a gift or a talent. That gift/talent is unique to you. It's also up to you to utilize that gift/talent that has been given to you.

If you incorporate your gift/talent into your life and share it with the world it will give you happiness, success, purpose, meaning, passion and it will make you feel alive.

What do you want?

Figure out what is good for you and do more of that.


Realize the stupid things that you do that are probably going to prevent you from succeeding in life, and stop doing them.


Ask yourself... what am I doing right now that are not in my best interest?


Figure out what you value in life.
Set up some goals.
Put in some effort in life.

What inspires you and motivates you?

                                                "The greatest tragedy is not death, 

                                                        but life without purpose."

                                                               - Rick Warren 

You must have a valuable goal or you won't feel motivated and if you won't feel motivated, you won't take action.


We must have goals in our lives to be happy. Create a goal that makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning, excited and ready for the day to begin.


Figure out a goal and then figure out a game plan how to get there.
Realize that with some effort from you, this goal can actually happen, and it will be worthwhile for you to pursue it.


Why should you do something?
Just sitting around and do nothing is easy. But will it give your life meaning?


Be determined to find a worthwhile goal so that you don't just sit around.


Who do you want to be?


Figure it out and then start building that person


Create a vision for your life. Something that gives you purpose.
Never allow the past to stop you from living a fulfilling life. Never allow the limitations of others to limit your own vision. Believe in yourself and you can achieve amazing things.


Are you doing something with your life?
Are you doing all that you need and can do?

Are you the person that you want to be? 

                                                          www.karinglannstam.com

Success Is About Having Great Fundamentals

                                                          "Success is all about

                                          consistency around the fundamentals."

                                                            - Robin Sharma  

Have you got a strong and secure foundation for yourself and your life?

What foundation... you might wonder?

Let me explain.

We all need to have a set of daily habits, rituals or fundamentals that will keep ourselves healthy, happy, energized and that will allow us to make progress in our life.

Here are four excellent fundamentals.

Mind

Exercise

Diet

Sleep

Let's start with...

Mind

Nurture your mind. Give your mind a fresh glass of water every morning. Make it part of your early morning routine to feed your mind something positive, inspiring and empowering on a daily basis.

Garbage in, garbage out. Don't let this happen to you. Instead of feeding your mind with garbage, make sure that you feed your mind with a glass of clean and healthy water every morning. 

Easy to do, and also easy not to do.

Exercise

Commit right now to a regular exercise routine. Something you know that you can maintain every day and also all year long. Nothing that you make as a New Year's resolution, but something that you can start doing today and that you will continue to do every day, no matter where you are in the world and what is going on in your life.

Decide what it is, and commit to it.

Diet

Cut out all the unhealthy things. I don't have to tell you what they are. You already know. 

Let go of foods that doesn't energize you and feed your body and mind in a healthy way.

Commit to eating real food and pass on all the fake food.

Sleep

Try to get to bed early. Figure out a routine that will allow you to go to bed a little earlier every night. No more excuses. 

Get you 7-8 hours of great sleep and then get up, fired up.

The 4 MEDS I mentioned are all easy to do, but they are also easy not to do. 

Often they get neglected.

It's all up to each and everyone of us to create a great and strong foundation for ourselves and for the life we have envisioned for ourselves and our future.

                                      "Get the fundamentals down and the level

                                                 of everything you do will rise."

                                                           - Michael Jordan 

You Got This!

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How To Find The Most Productive Time In Your Day

                                        It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants.

                                          The question is; what are you busy about?
                                                          - Henry David Thoreau

Don´t be busy being busy.

Be busy being productive.

But how do we become more productive?

How can we work smarter not harder?

Answer
By focusing on finding a way to be able to do more work per hour instead of working more hours.

We all have a time in our day when we are a lot more productive than any other time of the day. Call it "productive time" or "magic time". 

It is a time of the day when you are able to concentrate the most.

Everything has a rhythm to it. Days follow nights. Spring follows winter. Ebb and flow. Your body has its own rhythm.
Know yourself enough to realize when you are the best at doing something. In the morning or in the afternoon or even in the evening. Figure out what time is best for you and then schedule the most important task for that time of the day.
Make your own rhythm work for you.

For me my "magic time" or my most "productive time", is during the midmorning. If I have to write a newsletter or a blog or something else that I need to concentrate on, my best time to do this is from 8 am to around noon.

In the afternoon I am having more trouble concentration and my brain isn´t as sharp. In the morning I can get the same task done in about half the time that it will take for me to do it at any other time of the day. In the afternoon I will check and answer emails instead. Make phone calls, read articles and books. Things that doesn´t need as much concentration on my part.

Same thing goes for exercise. I have to do it in the morning. If I wait until late in the afternoon or evening, I have to use a lot more willpower to exercise. Besides, if I exercise in the morning I will feel the benefit of that exercise routine all day by flooding my system with healthy hormones, and a lot of positive mental energy that will last all day long.

To make this "magic time" or "productive time" work, you must shut down all your email alerts, turn off your phone. Make sure that you turn off all your distractions and interruptions. This time is your number one priority because you can get a lot more done, up to 3 times more in a lot shorter period of time. But you have to protect yourself from the energy-vampires, who will try to suck your time away from you.

Figure out what will work for you. Just because I do my most important work during the morning hours, doesn´t mean that it is right for you.

Your job is to figure out, what time of the day that you are the most productive.

                                                     www.karinglannstam.com

Slow Progress Is Still Progress

                                                                
                                                  "Some quit due to slow progress.
                                          Never grasping the fact that slow progress,
                                                                    is progress."

I don't know about you...

But sometimes I feel really frustrated with the slow progress I am making in my own life and with my own vision and goals.
I know change is difficult and it takes commitment and often it takes and a long time. 

It also takes a lot of dedication, persistence and perseverance to make big and lasting changes in our own lives. 

                                 "Don't worry about how slowly you feel you're going, 

                         or how many roadblocks you find, or detours you need to take, 

                     you're still cruising far ahead of anyone who's too afraid to even try."

                                                             - Karen Salmansohn

I try to tell myself that it will take some time to change behaviors and thought pattern that I have had for a long time. It won't happen overnight. I have to learn to be patient with myself. But often I run out of patience and I want it to happen now.

How about you... have you ever felt this way about something that you really want to change or with something that you want to make progress with in your life?

                            "Never discourage anyone who continually makes progress, 

                                                             no matter how slow."

                                                                      - Plato

A couple of weeks ago I came across these wonderful words and today I want to share them with you. 

If you are trying to make some changes in your life right now and are feeling frustrated with your slow progress... you will probably find these words soothing and encouraging.

Because of the many years of past conditioning and the intense training you have in holding on to toxic thoughts, behaviors and unhealthy relationships, giving up on, all that toxic in your life won't be easy and it won't happen overnight.

Chances are that you won't see major improvements in your life immediately, and that's okay

Be patient and gentle with yourself while working on rebuilding your life and remember to enjoy the journey.

Always focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing the activity but doing it.

Remember to take one step at a time.

                                                        www.karinglannstam.com

What's Your Excuse?

"Excuses are tools of incompetence,

used to build monuments of nothing."

- Thomas J. Smith

This morning I didn´t feel like going out on my daily morning walk. It was wet, gloomy and cold outside. I was trying to come up with every reason or should I say...EXCUSE  in the world, why I shouldn´t have to go walking.

Well as it turned out I couldn´t come up with a good enough reason or excuse why I 

shouldn´t exercise and besides that my dog Lady was ready and excited  to go for her walk. 

Discipline is what we are going to talk about today.
It is a dreaded word by a lot of people.

So what is discipline?

Discipline is simply doing what you know needs to be done even when you don´t feel like it or want to do it.

A few great quotes

"With self-discipline most anything is possible."
- Theodor Roosevelt

"Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishments."
- Jim Rohn

"The first and best victory is to conquer self"
- Plato

We live in a society built around convenience. The downside to this is that it has made us lazy, both mentally and physically. 

The desire to set a goal and to accomplish it is there, but the self-sacrifice needed to make the goal into reality, isn't.

If you attempt to accomplish a goal based on when it is convenient for you... you will be running around in a giant hamster wheel chasing your goals and your dreams without any chance of ever accomplishing them.

A great way to develop self-discipline is to make a habit to do things you should be doing when you feel the laziest. Every time you feel really lazy, do the opposite of what you really feel like doing.

Isn´t it about time you stopped making excuses... and if you don´t do it NOW ... "later" is not going to happen.
Excuses mean that you are not committed. It also means that you are not taking responsibility for your own life.

I think Jim Rohn said it best....

"Everyone must choose one of two pains:
The pain of discipline or the pain of regret."

I don´t know about you... but I don´t want to ever live with regrets, so I will choose the pain of discipline.

At the end of the day, our excuses are what is keeping us from accomplishing our goals that we said we wanted to accomplish.

                                                         www.karinglannstam.com

Stop Worrying And Focus On What You Can Control

                             "Understand that not everything is meant to be understood.

                              Live, let go, and don't worry about what you can't change."

Where do you spend your time, your emotions and your focus?

Are you doing things that are urgent or important?

Make sure that you are you spending your time, emotions and your focus on things you can control.
Not on things you cannot control.

There is one thing that you can absolutely control... YOURSELF, and what you focus on and what you feel inside.

You get to determine what you feel inside, no matter what is going on, or what someone says or does in your life.

There is nothing in your life that you are going to feel that you are not creating, and that you can´t change immediately... if you want to.

Here is another thing that you can control... YOUR ATTITUDE about something.
You can control what things mean to you. 

                                      "At the end of the day, you can't control the results; 

                                      you can only control your efforts and your focus."

                                                                     - Ben Zobrist

If you feel like the weather, events, the world and other people are out of your control, stressing about it won´t make it any better.

Another thing that you can´t control is... THE PAST.
You can´t control it and you can´t change it. So stop wasting time on it.

It doesn´t matter how stressful your past was, you can never change it. Since you can´t change the past why would you spend any time there?

If you stay in the past, you will become stressed, and it will keep you from being in the present and it will prevent you from important things that matter to you in a positive way, like creating an amazing vision for yourself and the future.

Spend your time on what you can control... YOURSELF and your ATTITUDE.
Focus on what matters to you and stay away form spending time in the past.
Learn from the past. Use the past as a school... but then move on.

Do not stress out about things you can´t control or change.

Instead of obsessing over the things you can't change, focus on what you can:

Your Attitude

Your Mindset

Your Energy

                                                     www.karinglannstam.com

It's My Job To Like Myself... Not Yours

                            "Self-love requires you to be honest about your current choices
                                          and thought patterns and undertake new practices
                                                             that reflect self worth."

We all want love, so a lot of times we will adjust ourselves to the person that we are with at the time. 

We do this so that we can get love.

In order to get love from our parents, we try to keep them happy and later we try to keep a partner or a friend happy, so in return we can get love.

But sometimes we don´t get love, no matter how happy we try to make them. 

What happens then? 

                                       "Your relationships with yourself sets the tone for 

                                                  every other relationship you have"

 

We try so hard to make others happy, that in the meantime we end up losing ourselves.

We try harder and harder to make them happy, but we get less and less back.

We try even harder because we don´t think or feel that we are trying hard enough.

What we don´t realize is that there might not be any love, to get from this person and that we better off moving on. 

                                            "You can never meet your potential until 

                                                     you truly learn to love yourself." 

                                                            - Teresa Collins  

What we must learn to do is to love ourselves, then we don´t need other people to love us. 

And if they love us, that is just icing on the cake, but we are OK without it because we love and respect ourselves and we won´t try to get love, from places where we can´t get it.

Don´t betray yourself when there is no love to be found. 

Just move on and the Universe will always love you and support you. 

                                        "In a society that profits from your self-doubt, 

                                                    loving yourself is a rebellious act."

                                                                    - Unknown 

Remember to always love yourself first.

                                                     www.karinglannstam.com