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Motivation | My Journey | Motivational Read | Keira Adams |

Meditation for Everyone

by admin August 31, 2019

written by admin

Life can quickly become overwhelming on any given day. The quickest way to rebound and redirect is through meditation. Many people combine meditation with spirituality. However, I am talking about the tool anyone, regardless of their spiritual affiliation, can use to quiet their brain. A means to become mindful in the present moment, and strengthen our ability to focus. Many find the spiritual components are another benefit of meditation. Regardless of what brings you to meditation, it is a necessary tool beyond your comfort zone on the road to your extraordinary life.

There are two main types of meditation we will focus on here. The first is mindfulness and the second is concentration two areas in which all busy moms could use extra help. What is mindfulness? According to Wikipedia, it is the process of bringing your mind into the present moment. I spend my days looking ahead to the next appointment on my schedule or item on my to-do list. During the summer holiday, it was easier to attain mindfulness, gardening, hiking, or being out in nature. Now the beginning of the school year is upon us, and our ability to focus is under siege. Our kids have school, extracurricular activities, homework, and childhood, and we have to coordinate it all plus running a household, a marriage, and our needs. Our abilities to focus and reduce stress are essential. The ability to pause and think before we act is extraordinary.

If like me, you have no previous experience meditating; taking a class or using a meditation app are an excellent place to start. I will try five meditation apps Calm, Headspace, Insight, Aura, Stop, Breathe, Think, 10% Happier, and Mindfulness. I initially found them on a list of the top free meditation apps, but none of them are free. Stop, Breathe, Think, and Headspace both have basic free options, but the rest are seven day free trials only. They ranged in price from $45 – $100 annually to access the full app features. I will take the next seven days to try each of these apps throughout the day. I will log my state before and after meditation, noticeable effects, and compare their effectiveness.

Benefits of Mindfulness

There are many sub-types of meditation, including Zen, Mindfulness, Loving-kindness, Compassion, Appreciative Joy, Transcendental, Equanimity, Gratitude, and Breath. We will concentrate on mindfulness, concentration, and breath meditation. Meditation has been known to help a variety of issues, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, PTSD, chronic pain, improve focus & memory, lower blood pressure, and increase energy. I have been meditating for three days, and I can already identify daily stress knots developing inside my body. I release them by doing stretches. Knotted muscles is a significant issue for me because typically my body becomes so knotted up that I have to go to Physical Therapy annually to resolve it. In only three days, meditation is already helping with my chronic pain and stress management.

Seven days from now, I will have a complete review of the meditation apps listed above. You have a list of the benefits achieved through meditation. The only thing left is to try it for yourself. Additional benefits from meditation include helping you to remain calm in stressful situations and strengthening your ability to be proactive instead of reactive. Meditation is an essential tool in the quest to find your extraordinary self.

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August 31, 2019 0 comments

SERIES: 10 SECRETS TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS – WORK HARD, WORK SMART

by admin August 29, 2019

written by admin

It may seem obvious, but it still needs to be said. If you want something, you need to work hard for it. As a mom, we know you can work hard. “Talent” will not save us from it. Most perceptions of talent are from ill-informed people who did not see the hours of work and practice that went into the ease and “talent” they observe now. Those who do have a particular talent still need to work hard if they want to be extraordinary. You don’t want it bad enough if you aren’t willing to work hard for it. It is as simple as that. Or is it?

You don’t wake up daily and say I am ready to work harder than ever. If you are like most moms, it is hard to drag yourself out of bed, and the busier the schedule ahead, the more difficult it is to get started. So, how are we expected to achieve the extraordinary?

There is a trick to get yourself up and moving when you don’t want to. This trick discovered by Mel Robbins is called the 5-second rule. She describes it in her book, “The Five Second Rule.”

The essence of the trick is if you have something you need to accomplish, count backward from 5 to 1 instead of thinking about it! The counting distracts your mind from talking yourself out of it. The method is golden. I have been using it for years, and it works. I have made progress on my novel and children’s book, and I got out of bed this morning and cleaned my messy house. The first ones were easy, but the last two were very difficult. I worked on my novel until 2:00 am, and my kids woke me up at 6:00 am. I do not do well without sleep, but I made it!

Mel Robbin’s book will teach you more about the brain science behind it. You will also learn how others have used it and to what extent it changed their lives. Regardless of whether the task is big or small, the trick works. Irrespective of whether you are energized or sleep-deprived, the trick works. If you believe in it or not, the method works. It seems silly that 5 seconds can make such a difference, but it can, and it will. Try it for one week and then tell me what it has done for you. It will not disappoint you.

Here is a list of additional tools to help you work smarter.

1. If you do not have the time to dedicate hours to something, try to spend shorter periods of 20-30 minutes with an intense focus on only the task at hand.

2. Measure your effort in the work you do. You will not see improvement unless your aim is measurable. For example, you can measure your writing efficiency using the time to write a blog post. Someone may initially need a day to write a blog post, but after six months, they can write a post in 2 hours—progress you can see and measure.

3. You should also automate or delegate. Your time is valuable. You can hire a Virtual Assistant to complete your least essential tasks or assign them to another family member, which frees you up to spend your time on the important stuff. Virtual assistants aren’t just for executives anymore.

4. It is essential to use technology to streamline your work. There is an app for practically everything, both personal and professional. You need to find the ones that work best for you. You can download grocery list apps that will send the last list to whoever does the shopping, apps to hire virtual assistants, online banking apps, social media syncing apps, exercise apps, etc. Use them and stop wasting your precious time.

5. Our final tip is to define processes to complete repetitive tasks. Establishing a defined method will help in two ways.

1) Processes will increase efficiency.

2) It will make jobs easier to delegate.

If you want to learn more about methods, check out The E-Myth by Michael Gerber

Increasing productivity is critical to working smarter. Here are some strategies to help boost productivity:

–Set clear goals: Define specific and achievable goals that align with your priorities. Break them down into smaller, actionable tasks to stay focused and motivated.

–Prioritize tasks: Determine the most important tasks and tackle them first. Use techniques like the Eisenhower Matrix (categorizing tasks as urgent, not urgent, or essential) to prioritize effectively.

–Create a routine: Establish a daily or weekly routine that optimizes your energy levels and concentration. Stick to a consistent schedule to reduce decision fatigue and increase productivity.

–Minimize distractions: Identify and eliminate distractions that hinder your productivity. Put your phone on silent or airplane mode, use website blockers to limit social media usage, and create a designated workspace free from interruptions.

–Time blocking: Allocate specific blocks of time for different tasks or activities. This helps create focus and prevents multitasking. Use calendars or time management apps to schedule and track your time.

–Break tasks into smaller steps: Overwhelming tasks can lead to procrastination. Break them into smaller, more manageable steps to make progress easier and maintain motivation.

–Practice the Pomodoro Technique: Work in focused sprints of 25 minutes, followed by a brief break of 5 minutes. After four consecutive work sprints, take an extended break. This technique helps maintain productivity and prevents burnout.

–Delegate and outsource: Identify tasks you can delegate or outsource to others. This frees up your time to focus on high-priority tasks and activities that require your expertise.

Stay open to adopting new methods and refining your approach to maximize efficiency. Everyone’s productivity strategies may vary, so it’s essential to experiment and find what works best for your unique circumstances and preferences.

Although working hard is an unavoidable step towards an extraordinary life, use our tips and tricks to help you work smarter and more effectively. Your dreams are waiting. So, make the most of what you can accomplish.

August 29, 2019 0 comments

SERIES: 10 SECRETS TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS – FIND YOUR PURPOSE

by admin August 28, 2019

written by admin

Usually, you would find the word passion instead of the word purpose. Don’t get me wrong, passion is good. It is terrific when you have it, but it can also fade. Passion is energy. It can push you further, faster, and beyond our standard capabilities. However, you don’t start with it. It results from doing work you find fulfilling AND meaningful. When passion grows, you know you found your purpose.

It can be very disenchanting if you start your journey looking for passion and can not find it. This lack of passion can happen for various reasons, mainly fear. If your dreams are big enough, they should scare you. However, fear does not facilitate passion. Success incites passion. Instead, start looking for something you find fulfilling and meaningful. Once you find the meaning and fulfillment, the passion will come.

The heart of human excellence often begins to beat when you discover a pursuit that absorbs, frees, or gives you a sense of meaning, joy, or passion.

-Terry Orlick

Your purpose is what you find when you are living life. Have you heard of the moms (MADD) who lost their children to DWI accidents? Look what they achieved. Maybe you have heard of moms whose children were born with a disease, suffer an injury, or have a disability? So, they work tirelessly to raise awareness and find solutions. How about all those moms who design solutions to simple everyday problems all of us mothers face? If you are under the illusion that moms don’t have time to find or have a purpose, you are mistaken. Having children led these women to their purpose.

My son grabbed my world and shook it to its core, then gave me an improved one where I found my purpose. My purpose is to protect and heal young children who have entered foster care. If you aren’t sure what yours is yet, watch this short TED talk by Adam Leipzig.

How do you find your purpose in life? According to Mr. Liepzig it is as easy as answering the following five questions:

Who are you?
What do you do?
Who do you do it for?
What do they want or need?
What do they get out of what you do?

Give it a try. Here is an example I wrote up for myself.

Who are you? Keira
What do you do? I show kids love, strength, and stability.
Who do you do it for? I do it for the kids who are separated from their families.
What do they need? A place where they can recover from the trauma of being taken from their families.
What do they get out of it? A chance to carry on a life with some normalcy, complete with love and support.

You also realize that you are not limited to only one purpose. I have many guiding me through life. The key is to know what they are so you know when you are veering off course.

Do not doubt what you have inside you. You have what it takes to find that purpose and achieve those dizzying heights you’re destined to succeed. You are a mom!

Finding your purpose can be a deeply personal and reflective process. Here are some strategies to help you discover our purpose:

What activities or hobbies bring me joy and fulfillment?
What are my natural talents and strengths?
What topics or issues am I most passionate about?
What values and principles are most important to me? What activities or tasks make you lose track of time?
What do you find yourself daydreaming or fantasizing about?
What activities or tasks make you feel energized and motivated?
What kind of impact do you want to make in the world?
What do you enjoy learning or reading about?
How do you want to be remembered by others?

Remember, finding your purpose is a personal and unique journey. It may take time and self-reflection, but by exploring your passions, values, strengths, and impact on others, you can uncover a sense of purpose that brings fulfillment and meaning to your life.

August 28, 2019 0 comments

SERIES: 10 SECRETS TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS – BE PROACTIVE

by admin August 27, 2019

written by admin

Proactivity is the key to achieving your goals. You can plan and prepare forever, but without action, your goal remains nothing more than a dream. Proactivity is action supported by a plan. It is the determination to tackle what needs to be done without pause or procrastination. Once you have the program, you take the first, second, and third steps.

Think proactively and dynamically. Be realistic, but set your sights high.
—Lorii Myers

TIPS TO BECOME MORE PROACTIVE:
1. Do not concentrate on the problems, but search for solutions.

2. Hold yourself accountable

3. Be Consistent

4. Review your goals and your direction regularly

If you start off looking at all your problems, you will never make a move. So, instead, look for solutions. If you can’t find a solution immediately, consider it while taking smaller steps forward. Often, the answer will come to you, or you will find someone else to help you.

You must hold yourself accountable if you stand in your way or discover you caused the problem. Once you accept your role in your life, you can truly grow. If you are the cause, then you can become the solution.

Keep moving forward every day. The size of the step does not matter as much as the fact that you keep moving. Every step brings you closer to your goal. You will get there if you consistently keep moving in the right direction.

It is essential to review your trajectory often. Things don’t always turn out how you expect, but they will be how you want if you regularly monitor your goals and path. You don’t want to find out at the end that you arrived at a place you have outgrown.

Being successful requires being proactive and not waiting for life to come to you. It means you’re on offense, not defense. You’re active, not passive.
— Benjamin P. Hardy

A planned action is the key to making your dreams a reality. There is no way around it. You start with small steps but keep moving forward. Problems or obstacles are nothing more than an opportunity to learn. Do not let them stop you from pursuing your ideal life. Finally, keep reviewing your process and plan. You will need to adjust as you learn because if you knew everything, you would have reached your goal already.

Proactivity, grit, and drive are the powerhouses of personal motivation and success. They are interconnected:

–Personal agency: Proactivity, grit, and drive all involve a sense of personal agency and taking ownership of one’s actions and outcomes. Individuals with these qualities are proactive in seeking opportunities, taking initiative, and actively working toward their goals.

–Motivation and determination: internal motivation and determination fuels Proactivity, grit, and drive. Individuals with these qualities are self-motivated, have a strong desire to achieve their objectives, and will put in the effort required to succeed.

–Resilience and perseverance: Grit, drive, and proactivity require resilience and persistence in facing challenges and setbacks. Obstacles or failures do not easily deter individuals who possess these qualities. They show resilience by bouncing back from setbacks, learning from their experiences, and staying focused on their goals.

–Goal-oriented mindset: Proactivity, grit, and drive are all associated with having a goal-oriented attitude. Individuals with these qualities have a clear vision of what they want to achieve and are driven to progress toward their goals. They establish high expectations for themselves and dedicate themselves to ongoing growth.

–Action-oriented approach: The action-oriented approach characterizes individuals with proactivity, grit, and drive. Individuals who possess these qualities are not passive observers but are engaged in taking steps toward their goals. They will take risks, decide, and take responsibility for their actions.

In summary, proactivity, grit, and drive are interconnected qualities that contribute to personal motivation, resilience, and success. They involve taking ownership of one’s actions, being self-motivated, persevering through challenges, and maintaining focus on goals. These qualities often work together to drive individuals toward achieving their desired outcomes.

As with proactivity, you need to develop your grit and drive. These characteristics require discipline, perseverance, and a strong sense of purpose. Here are some strategies to help cultivate and enhance these qualities:

–Set challenging S.M.A.R.T. goals regularly: Break down your goals into smaller, achievable targets. Set specific, measurable, and time-bound goals that challenge and push you outside your comfort zone.

–Cultivate resilience: Develop the ability to bounce back from setbacks and adversity. View failure as a learning experience and use it as motivation to keep going. Practice perseverance and see obstacles as temporary roadblocks.

–Create a routine and stick to it: Establish a consistent routine that supports your goals and maintains your focus. Prioritize your tasks, allocate time for essential activities, and eliminate distractions that hinder your progress.

–Practice self-discipline: Train yourself to delay gratification and work consistently towards your goals. Develop habits and rituals that support your drive and discipline, such as setting daily or weekly targets and holding yourself accountable.

–Find intrinsic motivation: Connect with the intrinsic motivation within yourself. Identify what truly drives and inspires you, and use that as a source of energy and commitment.

–Seek new challenges: Continuously seek new challenges and growth opportunities. Step outside your comfort zone regularly and embrace discomfort as a catalyst for personal development.

–Celebrate progress and small wins: Acknowledge and celebrate your progress, no matter how small. Recognize the efforts and milestones you achieve as they contribute to building your grit and drive.

Remember that developing proactivity, grit, and drive is a continuous process. Be patient, embrace the journey, and stay committed to your goals. As you grow your grit, proactivity, and drive to achieve your aspirations, these qualities will become second nature, and you will become the extraordinary version of yourself. The version that carves out a clear and achievable path to your wildest dreams.

August 27, 2019 0 comments

SERIES: 10 SECRETS TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS – DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET

by admin August 25, 2019

written by admin

Now that we understand the brain can build new pathways based on our behaviors, it is time to look at exciting things the mind can do. Mindset has proven to be the number one indicator of future success. Growth Mindset is the most critical concept in this series. Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D., discovered the idea of mindset in the 1970s. Since then, Dr.Dweck’s research has proven that those who aspire to become extraordinary must first look at their mindset.

What is mindset? It is a perception that affects one’s behavior. Dr. Dweck found two predominant mindsets: a fixed mindset and a growth mindset. A fixed mindset is the belief that a person’s potential is set and does not change. The growth mindset is that a person’s potential is undetermined and changeable by hard work. This means that by merely shifting your perceptions from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, you open up a world of possibilities for yourself where the sky is the limit.

Dr. Carol S. Dweck’s TED talk on Growth Mindset

According to Dweck, we each have a combination of fixed and growth mindsets. The goal is to identify where you have a fixed mindset and what triggers it and try to replace it with a growth mindset. To learn more about mindset and its link to success, read Dweck’s book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

HOW TO ADOPT A GROWTH MINDSET

How do you adopt a growth mindset once you understand the concept and its importance?

1. Listen to your internal dialogue. Write down your fixed mindset messages for a week.
2. Determine when the fixed mindset creeps in.
3. Write down a growth mindset response to each fixed mindset response you recorded.
4. Determine where your fixed mindset is holding you back from your goals.
5. Concentrate on catching and replacing those fixed mindset responses to growth mindset responses. 6. It will feel awkward at first, but keep at it. The more you do, the easier it will become in the future.

Here is a personal example from my life. I am currently writing my first fiction novel. I have always thought of writing as my “talent.” However, feeling extremely protective of my work, I rarely shared it with anyone. It felt so personal. I did not want to discover that my writing was terrible and had no talent. I eventually signed up for a course in which an editor reviews the first ten pages of your manuscript, gives you feedback, gives you a chance to make changes, and then you submit it for a final review. If the editor liked your book enough, they could request more pages to read. I am petrified of criticism, so the entire process was honestly excruciating. To this point, very few people had read my work. It had been a labor of love for over a decade. However, I held on to the hope she would request more pages.

What I received was a lot of constructive criticism. Initially, I felt horrified. I blamed myself for picking the wrong editor. I had chosen a junior editor in my genre, and I should have picked an older, more experienced one. I blamed her for not understanding what I was trying to do. I blamed myself for submitting it. I had embarrassed myself. However, I stopped and took a deep breath. I threw myself into making the corrections. I eventually convinced myself that if she was unhappy with this, I could make the changes, and she would ask me for more. By the time I resubmitted the manuscript, I felt giddy. I had to get a request for more pages now!

It was not my moment. My final review did not arrive with a request for more pages. It came with something even better. It came with an ah-ha moment. The editor told me what my writing was missing. I could not put my finger on it for years. The book was off, and I knew it, but I did not know why. It was liberating in one sense but frustrating in another. I did not know how to fix the problem. I made some initial attempts, but I couldn’t seem to crack it. So I eventually put my book back on the shelf.

I realize it is time to take that book off the shelf and start working on it. I have nothing to lose and a lot to gain. I am not scared of hard work. My passion will get me through. I fear looking back and realizing I never took the chance.

August 25, 2019 0 comments

SERIES: TEN SECRETS TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS – DO WHAT OTHERS AREN’T WILLING TO DO

by admin August 26, 2017

written by admin

You have big dreams; millions of people do; what makes you different? What sets you apart is your ability to do what they aren’t willing to do. They quit at 5 pm and go home to watch TV. You put the kids to bed, count backward from 5, sit in front of your computer, and get to work. They fail and move on to something else. You run into a setback and use it as a chance to learn and approach the problem from a different angle. They miss the million-dollar opportunity because they are too busy putting out fires. You boldly step forward and claim it. These are the things that will set you apart from everyone else. Your ability to use these tips and tricks to do what others are unwilling to do will lead to your success.

To be successful, you must be willing to do today what others aren’t in order to have the things tomorrow others won’t have.
-Les Brown

Another way to look at it is to picture two versions of yourself. The version you are now and the successful, energetic version you will become. Now ask yourself, what would the successful version do? For example, the old me would have slept yesterday until the kids woke me up at 6:30 or 7:00 am. The new me climbed out of bed at 4 am, wrote a blog post, sat on the deck drinking coffee and watching the sunrise over Puget Sound, and then watered my plants while listening to an audiobook. It was damn close to the perfect morning for me.

If it helps, start small. You need to practice these skills until they become second nature. Make a vision board with your tools listed on it, and post it anywhere you will see it every day. It helps keep them fresh in your mind. Don’t get me wrong, getting out of bed at 4 am the first time was excruciating because I am not a morning person. However, I have done it for years now. I had never made it four days before! Once, I broke my record of two consecutive mornings. It became easier to get up. Currently, I am working on creating an efficient morning routine. Once I do, I will apply the 5-second rule until it is easier. Where is your future self going to take you? What are you going to tackle first?

You now have four powerhouse tips to set you apart from millions: the growth mindset, controlling your fear, the 5-second rule, and working smarter, not harder. We could stop here, and you would have all the tools you need to conquer those big dreams. However, we still have a few more to ensure your success.

August 26, 2017 0 comments

Motivation | My Journey | Motivational Read | Keira Adams |

Meditation for Everyone

SERIES: 10 SECRETS TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS – WORK HARD, WORK SMART

SERIES: 10 SECRETS TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS – FIND YOUR PURPOSE

SERIES: 10 SECRETS TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS – BE PROACTIVE

SERIES: 10 SECRETS TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS – DEVELOP A GROWTH MINDSET

SERIES: TEN SECRETS TO ACHIEVE YOUR DREAMS – DO WHAT OTHERS AREN’T WILLING TO DO

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