My Secret for Mortgage Reduction is Living in the Future

Your brain has two choices.  Live in the past where all your mistakes, miscues and failures are present or create a new life in the future where your hopes, dreams and aspirations are waiting for you to catch up.  I created this game I'm playing called Par for the Course.  It's really simple – hit the financial goal for the month and make par.  Miss the goal and put a bogie on the scorecard.  Excel and record an eagle.  I played the game for seven months and got seven bogies.  Something happened this month.  I got a grip on my daily spending choices and made par.

I'm doing something radical.  It's called living in the future.  That's where all my dreams of financial freedom are.  In my future, I see a life of flying like an eagle.  All my bogies are in my past and I don't look back except to give myself a good laugh for my stupidity.  Visualization and meditation are helpful tools.  These ideas can be applied to any area of your life where you want to improve.  Make it fun.  Create a future where you can enjoy a great quality of life.  Have a great day.

Protect Your Energy Field

Have you ever noticed how certain people you meet lift you up while others drain you?  I'm not an expert on this topic but I'm pretty good at noticing how I feel around others.  There's a pattern.  Some people, like my tennis teammates, pump me up.  There are others who drain me.  It's the same people.  I do my best to avoid the negative people because they seem to transfer their energy into my spirit.  No bueno.  It takes a significant amount of work to recover from these encounters.

Strive to protect your energy field.  Treat the space around you as valuable real estate.  Remember the  most important part – location, location, location.  If you are in a location where the energy around you is negative, move.  I'm serious about this.  Your health may depend on this.  I'm thankful to be living in a part of the world where people are generally happy and treat others with kindness.  This is great for my energy field.  I recommend you take a look at your surroundings and make sure you protect your energy field.  Have a great day.

Celebrating 10 Years of Blogging Today

This is blog post number 3655.  With the exception of one day when I was asleep at the cyber wheel, I've been writing consistently every morning when I wake up for ten straight years.  It's been a pleasure to serve you daily at 8:08 AM.  This activity brings me so much joy.  Maybe it's because I believe I can make a difference by sharing my stories.

The longer I live, the more I realize the importance of simplicity.  Think about the things you do every day.  Some of them may be good and some not so good.  If you want to change your life, all you need to do is work on your habits.  Cease the habits that are not so good and create habits that make you a better person.  The key is to be consistent.

My daily habits look like a stack of pancakes.  It didn't start that way ten years ago when I wrote my first story.  I needed to get consistent with my writing first.  Slowly, I introduced new habits, one at a time, until I got solid momentum.  What is your first pancake?  Today is a good day to get started.  The process gets easier as you solidify your habits.  Go for it.  Have a great day.

Why Turning Off the Negativity Isn't Easy

We all have our ruts, a series of habits that are so engrained we don't even think about them.  Breaking out of them is almost impossible.  In my opinion, it's because the negative forces in our lives are rampant.  Is there a way out?  Yes.  It comes with a price.  You must be willing to change.  Some wait for bad news to do this.  I'm not waiting.  I want a positive life now.

You may not even notice all the negativity you are bombarded with because it seems so normal.  When was the last time you went on a hike?  A trip to the lake?  Maybe a beach experience?  Sadly, time in front of a TV takes us away from the kinds of experiences we should be having.  Time fighting about who is right and who is wrong on social media is time that could be spent with a loved one.

Turn off the negativity now.  Abandon your TV.  Read books that teach lessons and bring you good vibes.  Be with people you love.  Meditate.  Look for the positive.  Hint:  the more time you spend with Nature the easier it will become for you to see the positive.  Exercise.  Choose foods that boost your energy.  Seize the day.  Have a great day.

Home Sweet Home

There's no place like home.  I'm returning home after an amazing experience, first playing in a tennis tournament, and then visiting my mother and brother.  The time spent with them is something more precious than gold.  Now it's time to reunite with my wife.

I'm a huge travel advocate.  It's the best way I know to refresh my soul.  My heart is filled with so much gratitude to have all these wonderful experiences.  Have a great day.

Iowa Ladies Win Big in Oklahoma

I would like to give a shout out to the Iowa ladies who won it all yesterday in Oklahoma.  They are coached by my teammate, Fred Pedersen, assistant tennis pro at the University of Iowa.  Congratulations, ladies.  Good luck at Nationals in Las Vegas.

Meanwhile, it's back to the basics for our men's team.  I promised them I will train hard while I'm away on another assignment at my day job.  The best way to keep a dream alive is to do the work.  My teammate, Fred, tells me, "It's all about attrition.  Winners never quit.  We need to stay in the game."

Speaking of never quitting, I'm spending time with my mother, the champion of personal growth and top notch motivator.  I still remember the pep talk she gave me when I was struggling with some setbacks at age 50.  She painted a beautiful picture of what my life could be if i stayed in the game.  Thanks, Mom.  Thanks, coach Fred.  Thank you, ladies of Iowa, for showing me the way.  And thank you for visiting this blog today.  Have a great day.

Tennis Dreams Fall Short in Quarterfinals

I'm looking in the mirror today and I see why our dreams of becoming midwest tennis champions came up short.  It was a heartbreaking loss.  A win on my court would have put our team in the next round.  I know what I need to do.  It's back to the basics.

I would like to salute my teammates for an extraordinary season.  Have a great day.

Our Iowa Tennis Team is Looking Strong

It's day 2 today in Oklahoma at the sectionals.  The 8 teams are divided into 2 pools.  We're 2-0 after two team wins yesterday.  A win today gives us a bye into the semifinals tomorrow morning.  It's getting exciting.  All the midwest teams are evenly matched.  Each team win so far has been decided by a couple of points.

I'm super excited for this day.  We have exceptional weather and my teammates are well prepared for what's ahead.  We have the opportunity to play in the morning before it gets too hot.  I'm also thankful my first Airbnb experience is going so well.  What a great way to travel and meet new people.  This is entrepreneurship at its finest.  Have a great day.

It's Tournament Time

I woke up in Oklahoma City this morning to some light rain.  The cool temperatures surprised me.  This time of year it gets so hot that the heat rule goes into affect forcing match play to be altered.  My Airbnb host stayed up late to welcome me into his home, a 3 bedroom single family residence in a quiet neighborhood close to restaurants and tennis courts.

We will be playing lots of tennis the next three days and hope to win our pool and advance.  I'm thankful for a good night of sleep and a great breakfast at Denny's.  Being 55+ has its advantages.  Have a grea day.

Airbnb Experience Ahead

My first Airbnb experience has been a 10 so far and I haven't even checked in yet.  I'm referring to the ease of use, the signup experience and a great selection of places.  My super host has already messaged me a couple of times to welcome me to his home.  He had no problem with the late check-in I need due to my late flight.  The total price tag for three nights including taxes and cleaning fees is $115.  This includes my own bedroom and a private bath in a single family home.

If you're looking for a way to maximize your travel, consider Airbnb.  If this adventure works out, I'm definitely going to do this more often.  What a great way to see the world on a budget.  Come back soon and I'll share more about Airbnb.  Have a great day.

What's Your Definition of Crisis?

The Chinese have an interesting way of looking at crisis.  They define it with two symbols, danger and opportunity.  I like their perspective.  Most people only see the danger in our society.  I think of my grandparents on my mother's side of the family who saved their money for a rainy day.  That day came when the Great Depression hit.  They used their savings to pay cash for a home and they never looked back.

I'm fairly certain we will all see a crisis at some point in our lives.  Yes, danger will be present.  So will opportunity.  What's your definition?  How will you respond?  Whatever you do, don't look back.  Have a great day.

The Truth About Desire

What you desire is what you do.  Sitting on the couch eating nachos is one man's desire.  Running at 5am every morning is another man's desire.  Let's suppose the man on the couch pays a visit to his doctor and discovers his obesity is going to kill him if he desires to remain on the couch for the rest of his (short) life.  Suddenly, he desires to get up at 5am every morning to run.  What changed?  The desire to change became greater than the desire to stay the same.

Show the world what you desire.  Dream big.  Toss out the nachos.  Cut the cable on your TV.  Get up at 5am every morning and do something with your life.  Have a great day.

I'm Giving Airbnb a Try

I made my first Airbnb reservation a couple of nights ago and it was quite easy.  My super host already reached out to welcome me to his place, a single family residence with my own bedroom and a private bath.  The sticker price shocked me.  I'm paying $25 per night.  If this experience is similar to what my friends are telling me, I'm all in for future trips.

The world is changing fast.  For those of us willing to embrace new technology, we can count on improved ways to see the world.  I will share more about Airbnb once my trip is complete.  Have a great day.

What it's Like to Live Outside Your Comfort Zone

If you're comfortable and want to stay that way, please stop reading this and move on to something else.  Today's story isn't for you.  In fact, I'm pretty sure my message will have a target audience of only one.  Dave Ramsey is famous for teaching people to "live like no one else so you can live like no one else."  It's short term sacrifices for long term living.  This is where I live, however, I go to the extremes in order to achieve maximum potential.  If you're still reading, maybe you're the one in a million.  Just remember, I warned you in advance.

My journey to the uncomfort zone began when a friend and co-worker asked me to join her for coffee.  I told her, "I don't drink coffee but I will listen to what you have to share."  We sat down at our neighborhood coffee shop and I sipped on my hot chocolate while she talked about her dreams to be a champion network marketer.  "Watch me," she said.  "I'll be driving my Mercedes on these back roads." I had zero interest in what she shared.  In fact, if it's possible to measure in the negative, my thermometer was somewhere in the frigid zone.  Ice cold.  I was headed back to my comfort zone after politely declining her offer to join her team when she asked me, "what shampoo do you use?"  The look on her face signaled trouble.  She kept questioning me like a prosecuting attorney conducting a murder trial and I was guilty of a major crime – consuming products that have known links to cancer. "The products I offer my customers are safe and you should give them a try."

Are you uncomfortable yet?  You know where this is going, right?  Yep.  I ordered some products from my friend.  That's the easy part.  My wife jumped in and started using the products with me.  I decided to join my friend's team.  The next thing I knew, I was interviewing her friend, an executive vice president, on Facebook about the company and sharing it with my friends.  Yep.  Super uncomfortable.  Especially because 99.9% of the world has a negative opinion of network marketing.

Maybe you're asking, "is this crazy guy going to be driving a Mercedes on the back roads like his friend?"  I don't think so.  My dream is different.  I have a day job that I absolutely love.  My dream is to help others live their dreams to their full potential and that means guiding them through situations that can be very uncomfortable at times, like inviting others to join your network marketing team.  It means learning new technology.  It means living like no one else so you can live like no one else.  That's my story for today.  Thank you for allowing me to share the most uncomfortable part of my life with you.  If you want to learn more about this topic, reach out to me.  By the way, you can find a link to order your own healthy products at the top of my blog.  Have a great day.

The Best Medicine

Every year when I have my annual review at my day job there is usually a comment about my zero absences.  My peers want to know my secret.  It's really not anything special.  Laughter is pretty good medicine.  I love to laugh at my mistakes.  Eating healthy makes a difference.  Surrounding yourself with positive people also contributes to great health.  The best medicine of all is gratitude.  Gratitude has a way of multiplying your blessings.

I recommend heavy doses of gratitude medicine.  There is no limit.  The more gratitude you have, the healthier you will be.  You will find yourself living in abundance.  Be healthy.  Choose gratitude.  Have a great day.

Remember This When You Feel Lost

The verse above is from Jeremiah 29:11.  This is the verse I turn to when I feel like I'm off track.  There are those who feel so lost that there is absolutely no way to recover.  As someone who was once one of "those" people, I can call bs.  Jesus can find you and he has the power to bring you back. In verse 12, it says Jesus will listen when you call upon him and come to pray to him.  Verse 13 gets even better:  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Think about all the times in your life when you ask for help.  I bet you don't ask for directions when things are going well in your life.  That's why the wrong turns are so powerful.  Only the lost ask for help.  No matter how confident you are, strong you are, and well thought out your plans are, I promise you that you will never find the way to Heaven without Jesus.  He has the road map. He has the plans for your life.  He wants to give you hope.  Go ahead.  Ask.  Have a great day.

Blog Reader Offers Encouragement

I would like to thank one of my blog readers for reaching out to me yesterday.  She is a retired teammate who happens to be in my inner circle of prayer warriors.  I have a special private group where I share my personal requests for help and this person went the extra mile by visiting me at my day job.  "When I read your post about needing permission from the movie studio, I knew I had to pay you a visit because I went through the same experience and it took me a year to get my approval.  Don't give up,"  she said.

I promised my friend I will never give up.  This journey I'm on right now is part of the story.  It's part of the adventure.  The travel calendar is filling up fast.  Wilson and I may be in your city soon.  Have a great day.

Wish List

Be careful what you wish for – you may get it.  I like the wish list above from Jim Rohn.  Yes, there are many times in my life when I wish it was easier, there were less problems and less challenges.  There's no growth there.  I'm going the extra mile.  I'm working on making myself better.  There are days when the wind isn't blowing.  Maybe those are the days God wants me to work on patience.  Those days are also great days to work on my prayer life.  I'm going to work on my wish list today and see if this helps.  How about you?  What's on your wish list?  Have a great day.

Family Day Today

Our youngest son is getting ready to go back to college soon.  Before he departs, he has this checklist of things he would like to accomplish and it's almost done.  The number one item is repairing his nose.  Surgery is this morning.  His doctor says his life will significantly improve.  Today his medical team will correct damage from years of wrestling, football and serving in the army.  He was unaware that the blockage in his nose is at about 95%.

Please keep our son in your prayers today.  The recovery time is about three days.   Have a great day.

Keep Track for Success

I'm learning some valuable lessons about achieving goals and they apply to any area of your life.  Weight loss, debt reduction, saving for retirement and getting in shape all need one necessary component to help you win – tracking.  The simple act of stepping on a scale every morning will help you lose weight because your brain is observing everything you do.  The more you pay attention to your daily choices, the better choices you will make.

Your brain needs feedback if you want it to be your ally.  Commit to daily tracking.  I'm applying my Par for the Course game to other areas of my life besides mortgage debt reduction and it's working.  Pick an area of your life you want to focus on and give this a try:

Goal: (Fill in the blank.  Example:  Lose 9 pounds in 9 months)

Month 1:  Goal 1 pound.  Actual: (Eagle, Par, Bogey)  Circle and write down results here:
Month 1:  Goal 1 pound.  Actual: (Eagle, Par, Bogey)  Circle and write down results here:
Month 1:  Goal 1 pound.  Actual: (Eagle, Par, Bogey)  Circle and write down results here:
Month 1:  Goal 1 pound.  Actual: (Eagle, Par, Bogey)  Circle and write down results here:
Month 1:  Goal 1 pound.  Actual: (Eagle, Par, Bogey)  Circle and write down results here:
Month 1:  Goal 1 pound.  Actual: (Eagle, Par, Bogey)  Circle and write down results here:
Month 1:  Goal 1 pound.  Actual: (Eagle, Par, Bogey)  Circle and write down results here:
Month 1:  Goal 1 pound.  Actual: (Eagle, Par, Bogey)  Circle and write down results here:
Month 1:  Goal 1 pound.  Actual: (Eagle, Par, Bogey)  Circle and write down results here:

When your 9 months is up, tally your score.  Play again for another nine months and don't stop until you hit your goal.  Have a great day.

Celebrate Your Bogeys

If you've been following my debt reduction journey, you know my three year plan started out with a whole bunch of bogeys in a row.  That's okay.  I realize I'm not an expert when it comes to budgeting.  Think of me as a recreational player who wants to improve but lacks the skills of an expert.  Sure, any financial guru would look at me and laugh.  I'm laughing too.  Why?  Because I'm looking at my life through the eyes of a marathon runner and I understand the first eight months were really practice swings.  Yes, I'm counting my strokes as I go and I know if I keep playing this debt reduction game, eventually all the debt will be gone.

I want to make a distinction between the blame game and personal responsibilty.  The truth is I own my score on the debt reduction course.  There are daily choices and I'm the one deciding how to play the game.  I want to savor every moment – the sand traps, the lakes, the rivers, and the bunkers.  They appear as the washing machine breaking, an unexpected bill from the hospital after I thought I was paid in full, or a rate increase on my auto insurance.  Yep, the hazards are all part of the game.  The key is to keep improving until you make par consistently and achieve your objective – financial independence.

Most experts would probably consider my debt reduction game as a bit unorthodox.  Who in their right mind would take four vacations during the first year of a hard core debt reduction plan?  Well, I know I'm not in my right mind and I refuse to conform to something that's so rigid that I feel like I'm stuck on Alcatraz.  Nope.  I'm choosing to celebrate the bogeys.  I will keep working on my swing until I learn to make par for the rest of the game.  Don't count me out.  Yes, I will need a few eagles in the final round to hit my target but some day I will get financial freedom right, even if I'm a hacker who is playing the game left-handed.  Stay with me.  It's just starting to get interesting.  Have a great day.

The Penalty Box

Nobody really wants to be in the penalty box.  Hockey players see it as a hindrance.  They want to be on the ice doing what they do best.  In marriage, the penalty box may be the doghouse or the couch.  In a way, we're all in the penalty box but don't really think about it because it seems normal.  We lost paradise and got sent out of the garden.

What are we supposed to do once we recognize that life is confined to a penalty box?  I believe that the first step is to see our world as one giant penalty box.  The only way out is Heaven.  There's no way we can ever earn our way out of the box.  I'm thankful that Jesus volunteered to surrender his life so we can all get free passes out of here some day when our number is finally called.  Until that time, the best thing we can do is be thankful there is a door out of here and into eternal life.  The clock is counting down.  I'm going to use my time in the penalty box to correct my errors, ask forgiveness for all the times I failed and make sure I express gratitude for the life I have.  How about you?  Where do you want to be with your life?  Have a great day.

Do This When You're Figuring Out God's Plan for Your Life

Figuring out God's plan takes patience, a lot of patience.  If you're an engineer, you need to do some reverse engineering.  If you're a talker, you need to become a better listener.  If you're a teacher, you need to become a student.  Jesus says you need to become like a child.

Remember when you were a kid and everything seemed exciting?  That's what you need to discover.  Be willing to go places where you feel uncomfortable.  Pay attention to your specific gifts.  They are clues.  Listen to the people around you who can help you go in the right direction.  Be willing to pray for guidance.

What does a child do when he's stuck?  Crying gets attention.  That probably won't work if you're fifty something.  What does work is trying something new.  Stand up for the first time.  Stand up again when you fall.  Roll over.  Walk instead of crawl.  Explore.  Try a new approach.  Work well and play well with others.  Love everyone, including the people who interrupt your play time.  Share. Smile.  Rest.  Keep searching until you discover where God wants you to go and what he wants you to do.  Expect obstacles.  They are part of your journey.  Have a great day.

Why 808 is Significant

For me, 808 is more than a number.  It's more than a time slot in a crowded cyberspace where billions of people are all speaking at once.  808 is my personal link to my friends, family and others.  It's my own personal lighthouse I use to publish stories that may help someone who is lost at sea.  808 is my way of holding myself accountable to a promise I made to my Creator nearly ten years ago in late August, 2009 – Publish all the good Jesus is doing in my life every day.  It's a promise I broke only once in 3,633 attempts at publishing every morning at 8:08 AM when I simply forgot to turn on the light at my lighthouse.

808 started out as a dream.  I asked the love of my life to marry me while we were vacationing in the 808 area code.  It became a philosophy when one of my business partners collaborated with me many years ago about creating a plan to work 80 days and then take 8 off.  It's my foundation for my mantra, "work less and travel more."

Spiritually, 808 is how I see myself connected to God.  I represent the 0 in the center of the 8's.  The 8's, when rotated 90º represent Jesus, the beginning and the end, the alpha and the omega – infiniti.  When we are connected to Jesus, all things are possible.  We become significant.  Our tiny voice in cyberspace becomes meaningful.  We are complete.  Thank you for visiting every morning at 8:08.  Have a great day.

On Fire

The small changes are making a difference in my life.  I just started my fifth book of the year, "On Fire," by John O'Leary.  Click here to get your copy on Amazon.  They say if you want to get something done, give it to a busy person.  Well, I'm just about tapped out on my level of busy.  The only way I can take on something new is to give something up.  Watching TV is pretty much a thing of the past now with the exception of an occassional movie with my wife.  I prefer reading books that help me improve my mind.  This new habit also comes in handy on long layovers at the airport.  For me, there's no such thing as down time unless I'm sleeping 8 hours a night to restore my body.

Every morning when you wake up you have a decision to make.  Do you want to be on fire or just go through the motions?  I know the answer to this question in my life.  For me, it's about breaking through those barriers that prevent you from becoming the person you are created to be.  I ask myself, "How is it possible to go an one more vacation without breaking my promise to pay our mortgage off early?"

Make wise choices today.  Keep in mind that those small choices that may appear as insignificant are the ones that can provide the kindling you need for a life that's on fire.  Have a great day.

Combine Your Goals to Experience Supernova

One goal all by itself won't do it.  Two goals aren't enough either.  I don't really know the exact number of goals needed, but I do know that when you get it right, you will experience some kind of explosion similar to a supernova.  It takes hard work and determination.  You will want to quit.  All I can say is stay in the game.

My supernova experience already happened.  It wasn't some specific moment on a calendar, although the preplanning and preparation helped.  It had more to do with setting goals for each area of my life and then pursuing them with every fiber of my being.

When you go supernova, people around you notice.  They ask questions.  Don't tell them.  Show them.  Be the example.  Your first step is to decide you want a better life.  Set goals.  Achieve them.  All of them.  Let the world see your light.  Have a great day.

My Dream of a Debt Free Hut

Eight months ago I shared my dream to pay off our mortgage in three years.  It was definitely a stretch outside our comfort zone.  I created a game called Par for the Course.  I made fancy charts to help me keep track of the progress.  The goal seemed borderline impossible but I added something to the mix that the original Mike Mulligan (& his steamshovel) did to help him do the impossible – spectators.  For those of you who don't know the story, Mike Mulligan operated a steam shovel named Mary Anne.  He challenged himself to dig a hole for a new town hall by sunset to prove Mary Anne's worth.  The more people that watched, the faster Mike Mulligan dug.  He made the goal by sunset.  Unfortunately, he dug so fast that he forgot to leave a way out of the hole.

All of you on this blog are my spectators.  I'm digging.  The goal is to finish this job by December 31, 2021.  When I say digging, I mean I'm digging my way out of the sand traps on the course.  I'm also swimming underwater for my balls that managed to land in the hazards on several of the first holes.  The first seven months of the game have been mostly bogeys.  That's okay.  As the game progresses, I'm learning how to budget better and improve my golf swing.  Like the original Mike Mulligan, I'll need to pick up the pace in order to win the game by sunset on New Year's Eve in 29 months.

The most important lesson I learned about goals is that you must stay in the game no matter how many times you find yourself in the sand traps.  If you choose to quit, you lose.  There are no shortcuts.  My dream of a debt free hut remains alive as long as I keep swinging.  This Mike Mulligan has a plan to find a way out of the hole.  Spectators are welcome.  It may look ugly now but I promise you the game will get really exciting by sunset on the last day of the game.  Stay tuned for more progress reports.  Have a great day.

Caveman Choices Help Improve Your Health and Wellness

There's a reason I've cut back on many of the modern conveniences in my life.  Some of them are actually harmful.  The chair, for example, seems like a nice improvement.  Sit too much and you may find yourself overweight with added aches and pains in your back.  There's something else our caveman ancestors did that helped them with their health.  They walked.  It wasn't something reserved for the lunch hour.  Walking was a way of life.  They didn't need gym memberships either.  Everything they needed for a good workout was in their natural surroundings.

When I'm making my food choices, I ask myself, "Is this God made or man made?"  The caveman didn't need to do this because everything he ate was free of those labels you find in the grocery stores.  God made was the only choice.  The more God made food choices I make, the better I feel.

Try living like a caveman for 30 days and see what happens.  Have a great day.

The Secret Ingredient to Help You Get Healthy

How is your exercise routine going?  Is is working?  If not, you need my secret ingredient – fun.  Yes, fun.  If your workout program is boring, you will soon lose interest and miss out on the long term benefits of a healthy life.  I found this ingredient by accident in Aruba and everybody I met is consuming it in megadoses.  They don't even know they're exercising because they're having so much fun they don't consider their activity as fitness.  They play beach tennis, a variation of something I've been doing since before I entered high school.  You don't need to go to Aruba to find your ingredient but you do need to discover something fun in your life that will help you get more active.

You probably already know deep down what kind of activities bring you joy.  Please don't tell me you are missing out because you're too busy.  I promise you that if you make the time for something fun that also helps you get more fit, the time you invest in yourself will somehow help you get more efficient with all your other tasks.  Happy people tend to have healthier bodies.  It works like vitamin D.  Spend time in the sun and see how your body responds.  Spend less time outdoors and observe how your body becomes more lethargic.  The bottom line is to make sure you put more fun in your life and find activities that bring you joy.  Have a great day.

A Simple Method for Eliminating a Bad Habit

The urge to watch TV is so engrained in our life style as Americans that we don't even think about it anymore.  In my opinion, the worst bad habits are the ones we believe we have no control over.  Don't fret.  I found a way to get rid of it and it's working.  My TV time has been reduced by over 90% since late April.  If you're serious about doing this, decide on something you would rather do instead of your current bad habit and then focus all your energy on what you are replacing.  For me, it's reading self-help books.  My TV time is now reading time.  The ideas in the books are helping me to improve in every area of my life.

Bad habits don't really need to die.  Just upgrade to something better and your old habit will be out of your life.  Give this idea a try and stick with it for 30 days to make your replacement activity a permanent habit.  Have a great day.

Today is a Good Day to Start a New Habit

Why wait until next year to reflect on the changes you want to make in your life?  Your new habits don't need to depend on a calendar.  Personally, I like the first day of the month as a starting point because I know if I stick with my new goal until the end of the month, I have a new habit for the rest of my life.

Choose something that will make you a better person.  Remember, it doesn't have to be something big.  The small habits can be life changing if you don't give up.  Go for it.  Have a great day.