7 Steps to A Stronger Mind

This is a great article by Mark Victor Hansen, of the Chicken Soup for The Soul series. It discusses 6 steps to strengthen your mind. I’ve added some resources to help you with the steps he discuss as well as a 7th step of my own. The 7th step is what help me create the positive transformation in my life and I would love to share it with you. Enjoy!

“Our minds are all we’ve got. They are the source of who we, both
personally and professionally, are. They determine our success or
failure. They are our strength and our weakness.

With the quality of our entire lives resting on our minds, it’s unbelievable that we choose to fill them with so much garbage. The amount of negativity from television, newspapers, tabloids and other
media that bombards us on a daily basis is amazing. We would never
think to fill our bodies with only junk food, right? Heck no. We know that if we ate nothing but French fries and ice cream we would experience negative consequences like skin blemishes, weight gain and rotting teeth.

But with mental junk food we don´t see the physical consequences right away. When our minds are constantly filled with negativity and bad news, our minds begin to decay. That´s why we need to develop a strong, Herculean-esque mind.Developing your mental muscles will give you the power to accomplish anything you want in life. Sure, it takes some discipline on your part, but look at the world’s greatest bodybuilders. They don’t show up at the gym every once in a while. They create a workout schedule and they are at the gym every day, no matter what.Hire yourself as your “mental manager”. Figure out how much you’re going to pay yourself and make up a job list. Here are six jobs to assign to yourself to create a stronger mind.

1. Read Right:
How much good news do you see in the newspapers? Editors usually say,
“If it bleeds, it leads.” Not much chance of positivity there. So,
read something else. Read books – good books. Books that motivate you.
Books that inspire you. Look up some of the great inspirational
authors online or in your local bookstore. Read them every morning and/
or every night, before you go to sleep.Recommended Books:
The Power of Intention
The Power of Your Subconscious Mind
Secrets of the Millionaire Mind: Mastering the Inner Game of Wealth
The Secret

Positive News:
Positive News From Around the World: UK Edition
Positive News From Around the World: US edition

2. Share Your Mind:
Find someone, or a group of someone’s, who have the same desire to
share positivity. This is called masterminding. Great successes are
created when great minds come together and think about the same
things.

Masterminding Outlets:
Steve Pavlina Forum
Rich Dad Poor Dad
Relentlessly Positive
Email Me

3. Find A Mentor:
My mentor was Buckminster Fuller and I learned more from that man
about life than I ever hoped to. Who are the people you admire most,
whether you know them or not? Figure out whom you’d like to emulate
and study them. If they offer seminars, attend them. If they’ve
written books, read them. Just a few I´d recommend are:Jim Rohn,Tony Robbins,Dr. Wayne Dyerand Zig Ziglar or Email Me, I’d love to mentor you!

4. Listen to Motivational/Inspirational CDs and DVDs:
This is one of the most important habits you can create for yourself.
Find inspirational audio messages and listen to them over and over.
Earl Nightingale, one of the most brilliant thinkers of our time, had
this to say on the subject: “Tape listening is the most important
advance in technology since the invention of the printing press.” With
CDs speakers can reach 10 times as many people as the printed word
ever could.

The Secret DVD (Extended Edition)
The Power of Intention
Think and Grow Rich
Millionaire Mind Teleseminar
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams – The Complete Book on CD (Chopra, Deepak)

5. Sign Up and Attend Seminars:
The motivational messages you hear at seminars, and the inspirational
people you meet, reinforce your self-esteem and positive thinking. You
can search out seminars via the internet, newspapers or local colleges
and universities.

“Practical Spirituality: If life were to come with an owner’s manual for creating wealth, health, overall contentment and spiritual connection, this would be it!”

Secrets Of The Millionaire Mind Seminar

6. Turn Off the Television:
On average, the television set in an American home is on over 7 hours
a day. Just like any bad habit, it needs to be broken. I’m not saying
that all television is bad. Heck no. I’m simply recommending that you
cut back on your television viewing. Decide how long you’re going to
watch television and then turn it off when you’re time is up. Try
cutting back your television viewing one hour every day at first. You
can use that time to read a book, listen to a motivational tape, walk
your dog or spend time with your family. Positive Media Video Blog
The Success Training Network

7. Take on a Positive Lifestyle. (added by me)
Surround yourself with positive people and work towards a universal positive movement. 

Life Path Unlimited

Zaadz: Positive Social Network

After reading these six steps maybe you’re saying, “But Mark, I can´t
do it. I just don´t know if I can be this dedicated to bettering
myself?” Who else are you going to be dedicated to if not yourself?
Because when it comes right down to it, folks, you are all that you’ve
got. Jobs and relationships come and go. Children grow up, leave the
nest and get lives of their own. Then there you are, alone with
yourself. Why not create a “you” you can be proud of.

‘Amaze yourself; manifest your full potential.’”

Mark Victor Hansen

Business Quote by John Davison Rockefeller

“ A friendship founded on business is better than a business founded on friendship.” - John Davison Rokerfeller

This quote really resonates with me because I’ve been able to create some great friendships with those I’m in business with.  Being able to do business with a group of like minded people is just an amazing thing!  Not only are we like minded in the way we do business but also in who we are personally and that’s what allows us to create these life long friendships.  We are servant hearts, our passion is to help people succeed and transform their lives.  So, naturally many of our philosophies and belief come from a place of serving others.  We are all self-empowered individuals embracing our full potential and working constantly to improve our lives and the lives of those around us.  We are visionary who see and realize their is no limit to what we can achieve.

This is something I’ve always struggled with when it comes to my friends outside the business, even those I’ve known all my life.  They don’t see their full potential nor do they shoot for the stars, so they couldn’t possible understand where I’m comming from.  My friends are very intellegent, but the very fact that they don’t dream BIG, stops me from doing business with them.  I’m doing BIG things in business and if someone dosen’t have the vision to see the unlimited potential of what can be done, it’s a no match for me, no matter how dear that friend may be. 

Do business with those who share and understand your big picture, your True Vision and from that vision, beautiful friendships will be created. On the other hand, if you do business with those who don’t share your vision, beautiful friendships maybe destroyed.   Choose those like you.

If this article resonates with you, you may want to look into Life Path Unlimited

Quotes By Pema Chodron-understanding and learning Meditation

“Sometimes we find that we like our thoughts so much that we don’t want to let them go.” – Pema Chodron

Sometimes we do this with thoughts we don’t like so much. We must learn to let go of all thoughts, let them simply pass as you observe. Always return to that place of silence, the gap in between the thoughts.

Getting inside that gap is what meditation is all about. Dr. Wayne Dyer teaches this method of meditation in his book, Getting in the Gap: Making Conscious Contact with God Through Meditation (Book with CD), which comes with a guided meditation CD. If your looking for a clear understanding of what meditation is, this book will defenitely help to do that, as well as experience the meditative state. May Silence be with you!

Your Universal Divinity

Understand this life is far beyond YOU! Install an unwavering faith in the invisible, undivisible, omipresent Universe. When you have faith in that which you cannot recongnize with your five sense, you will understand who you really are. You are not human being having a spiritual experience, rather a spiritual being having a human experience. Any man who has found more to life has had an understanding and trust in the invisible divine. Be one with it and you will find all that you’ve ever seeked throughout these lives.

The Sun, The Moon and Love

Nature of Sun and Moon

If you ask the Sun or the Moon, “why do you shine so bright everyday?” They will respond, “it is in my nature to do so.” Shining their light upon us is what they love to do, they do it happily and whole heartedly. Even if their light goes unappreciated, they still shine bright everyday!

We should learn to love this way…

Love, because it’s in your nature to do so….

Love, with all you’ve got….

Love, without attachment of appreciation…

Love everyone and everything. The sun and moon don’t discriminate, they shine upon all…

This is the true meaning of love.

True Happiness

“True happiness consists of making others happy.” – Hindu Proverb

Here’s a few way how to make others happy:

Make someone smile, by simply smiling their way.

Lend a helping hand.

Call someone you love.

Leave someone a note of appreciation.

Make someone laugh.

Do anyone of these things and you will realize how making another person happy, creates happiness in your life.

Always Say “Your Welcome!”

Many times we do something nice for someone and they show their appreciation by saying “Thank you,” often we make the mistake of saying “Ah, it was nothing,” but by not accepting their gratitude we cut off the flow of energy.

This is a give and get Universe. The Act of giving is an exchange of energy.

A gift, a smile, a thank you are all forms of emotional energy exchange.

A gift is not a gift when it’s given, only when it’s accepted. In return for the gift we’re given a thank you, when we don’t ‘welcome’ the thank you, it’s like the other person not accepting you gift.

Now if a gift is not a gift when it’s given, only when it’s accepted, the same goes for an insult. An insult is only an insult, when we choose to receive it. Choose not to receive insults, instead silently bless the person insulting you. This puts you in control of your emotions and that is true Freedom!

So keep the positive energy flowing and block the negative energy and you will experience freedom and happiness in all parts of your life.

The Secret To Happiness

The trick is in what one emphasizes. We either make ourselves miserable, or we make ourselves strong. The amount of work is the same.
Carlos Castaneda 

You choose how you feel, by choosing what to focus on.

There’s is positive and negative in everyones life, what you choose to focus on, will show up more and more in your life.

Choose to be positive and happy and that’s the simple secret to happiness, nothing more!

You, your own best friend

The primary sign of a well-ordered mind is a man’s ability to remain in one place and linger in his own company.
Seneca 

Be even minded. Accept neither flattery nor insult.

Be your own best friend, for this friend will be with you throughout your whole life.

No matter what this life throws at me, who comes and goes. I always know that I’ve got ME!

Are You the center of your own Universe?

If you are the center of your own Universe, you become a star who shines only upon himself. To be the brightest star, you must share your light with others.

This is a given and get Universe…

…the more you give, the more you get!

Focus on helping others shine and you will shine brighter than you’ve ever dreamed.

“No man is cheated more than a selfish man.” Live to give!