We’re told to keep an open mind, but it this really necessary? I mean, there are plenty of closed minded people in society, and they seem to do okay.
Here’s a GenuLines look at both sides of the question.
A Closed Mind Versus An Open Mind
There are two different mindsets that pretty much determine how you look at life. They’re at the root of belief systems, opinions, and thought processes..
We’re talking about open-minded and close-minded approaches.
People under almost the same circumstances can have differing attitudes about a situation. One person can feel devastated and sorry for themselves.
The other can see the problem as a learning opportunity. And they may use it to improve themselves in some way.
Or, something that seems positive can leave a person ungrateful or unsatisfied.
Living life with an open mind is the better way of navigating through life’s ups and downs. This mindset put you in a better position to enjoy the good times and to cope with the bad.
Today we look at common examples of how keeping an open mind is the better choice.
Conflict
We experience conflict in the workplace and at home. It touches our relationships with friends and family alike.
During their interactions people bring differing opinions and perspectives to the table. Let’s say a group wants to reach an agreement.
The closed-minded individual tends to see things from their own viewpoint only.
This way of thinking ends in a stalemate. Not only does progress stop, but there’s damage to relationships.
But, the individual with an open mind can empathize with others in a way that moves everyone to a middle ground. Having an open mind is an important approach when working through disagreements.
Struggle Sessions
How often do we see people struggling with the same issues over and over? Yet they never seem to resolve them.
There are plenty of examples of this.
The person who gets into and out of relationships on a regular basis. The coworker who fails to progress in a company after years of grinding it out at the same position.
Or the person who falls off the wagon despite the same new year’s resolution made every year. Usually this failure pattern results from approaching these situations with a closed mind.
Closed minders find it tough to change their tactics to deal with the issue. They make the same mistakes over and over again, failing to learn from them.
Taking Responsibility
Maintaining an open mind helps you to own up to your mistakes. This helps you adapt to similar situations moving forward. An open mind powers your progress in any situation.
These are far from all the examples that show the superiority of an open-mind. But the message is loud and clear.
The neutrality of your circumstances is open to your interpretation. Having an open mind enables you to find the silver lining that the closed mind doesn’t see.
The idea of failure can send a shiver up your spine. But it’s time to give it a second look.
This GenuLines look at failure flips the script in your favor. .
Failure Is Your Friend
There’s no shortage of content about success. A quick search about any business-related subject will show you a slew of stuff.
Search Amazon using the word “success”. What are your search results going to be?
Hundreds and hundreds of books whose subject revolves around being successful at something.
Now, this is not actually a bad thing. Everyone wants to be successful at whatever it is they’re doing.
This is especially true in a business environment.
Good Business
In business, success means a satisfied and happy customer base. It means demand for your product or service exceeds supply.
It means having a lean and flexible organization. Most of all, it means a comfortable profit margin.
The thing is, success isn’t all about success. Let me put that another way.
When all you do is concentrate on the positive end results of being successful, you miss the point. You see, it’s ironic, but real success isn’t about succeeding.
Instead, it’s about failure.
Hush Hush
No one wants to talk about failure. People tend to avoid both the word and the concept.
Listen to talk about failure and you find it’s treated as a moral lesson. The person who failed becomes an example of how not to do things.
Could some internal personal flaw have caused the failure? This kind of thinking can be damaging.
It perpetuates the myth of winners who succeed with almost no effort. That their win was due to some sort of superior moral compass.
The truth is that you must fail to succeed.
Oscar Wilde said that experience is the name that we give our mistakes. Nothing could be truer.
Learn From Your Mistakes
Failing teaches you the lessons that you need to learn on your way to your goals. The most successful people understand this.
They have internalized the lessons of their own failures. They have used these lessons to get where they are today.
Real success isn’t a game. It’s not a reality show.
It doesn’t fall upon the shoulders of the chosen few.
Real success comes from failing, often more than once. It’s in these moments of failure that you learn how to avoid future mistakes.
You’re in charge of your life, but it doesn’t exactly come with an instruction book! Feels like a Rubik’s Cube sometimes.
It’s a puzzle that GenuLines will do it’s best to help you figure out.
What Am I Doing with My Life? Tips for Figuring Things Out
Do you often find yourself wondering what you are doing in life? Many people reach a point where they feel they lack direction in their lives.
Instead of living life to the fullest, they only go through the motions.
If this sounds like you, there are things you can do to help you get out of the rut you’re in. Below, you’ll discover some useful tips for figuring out what it is you want from life.
Consider Your Passions
If you want to know what direction to go in, it’s helpful to think about the things you’re passionate about. The things that motivate and inspire you will change on a frequent basis.
For example, what you want today may look very different to what you wanted a few months ago. You change and adapt over time according to your experiences.
You want to keep assessing what it is you want.
Figuring out the things you’re passionate about will help you to understand where to go next. And what you need to do to get there.
Address Your Fears
Even if you know what it is you want to do, you might be stuck in fear. It’s one of our most powerful emotions.
Fear can stop you from going after the things you want in life.
So, if you’re going to move forward and figure out what it is you’re doing in life, you’re going to need to address your fears.
Figure out where the fear is coming from. Then, be willing to work through them so you can stop them controlling your life.
Assess Your Current Goals
Do you have any goals you’re working on right now? Chances are, if you aren’t sure what you’re doing in your life, you won’t have any goals to work towards.
This can contribute to the problem.
You need to set goals to keep motivated and positive. When you have things to work for, it gives you a purpose each day.
As you see yourself progressing you’re more motivated to get where you need to be, Make sure you set small, specific goals that are easy to achieve.
You Don’t Need To Have It All Figured Out
There will always be doubts and things you want to do better. You don’t have to have it all figured out all the time.
In fact, going with the flow can open you to a lot of opportunities you would otherwise miss.
Feeling like you don’t know what you’re doing in life can be lonely and frustrating. The above are only some of the things you can do to figure out what it is you want..
You’re serious about making your life a success. But is all that effort really paying off?
Today GenuLines looks at some indicators that help you answer that question.
10 Signs You’re On The Road To Success
The meaning of success can be a bit tricky because it’s so subjective. Rarely do two people share the same exact experiences.
But there are certain milestones that are general enough to help give us a sense of direction.
These milestones help pick us up when times are hard, lift our morale. They serve as a reminder of how far we’ve gotten and how much we’ve accomplished.
They also act as a beacon to help guide us if ever we stray from our goals and objectives.
Here are 10 of the most common signs you’re on the road to success:
1. You have plans and you’re passionate about them
Most people think success is all about the goals. And while that’s true, the bigger part of success is having a framework.
Something that will help navigate you until you reach those goals. You don’t want to let others’ definition of success influence your vision.
2. You learn from your mistakes
Acknowledging your shortcomings can be tough. But looking at things from a wider angle will give you mental clarity.
You’ll be able to try things in a different way next time around. Plus, being able to adapt means you’ll find more creative ways and insights to achieve your goals.
And learning from others’ mistakes make gives you valuable knowledge from their experiences.
3. You strive for more
Having constant goals that you’re trying to reach is a sign that you’re motivated and excited about life. Seeing the future before it plays out is an important trait of successful people.
They know what they want and make plans to get it. And they treat obstacles as learning experiences.
4. You welcome feedback
Criticism can be harsh, especially as you get started. But you need to see it as helpful advice, instead of personalizing it. Use it as a guide to help improve yourself.
5. You spend your time wisely
Planning your schedule in an efficient manner helps you get as many things done as possible. You don’t often get sidetracked.
You’re focused and punctual. If you’re an early riser you get excited about what the day has in store for you.
6. You have initiative
You aren’t afraid to get your hands dirty, and work outside your comfort zone. You’re aware that no one will turn your dream into a reality except you.
So be willing to roll up your sleeves and jump right in. Always look for better and newer ways to achieve your goals.
7. You’re excited about learning new things
Be curious about everything. You’ll gain a little bit of knowledge that you didn’t have yesterday.
8. You work well with others
When you work well with others and play on each other’s strengths, you all come out winners. And best of all, you reach your goal faster and with better results.
One negative aspect of working with others is that it’s easy to assign blame. But confident people step up, take responsibility.
They work hard at finding an alternative solution. And they’re happy when others are successful
9. You know your weaknesses and strengths
Working to improve your weaknesses and polish your strengths is itself a sign of success. You exude confidence and a sense of inner stability.
And who wouldn’t want to work with someone like that?
10. You’re tenacious and not quick to give up
Even when things aren’t going your way, you don’t see giving up as an option. You have goals in mind, and plans to follow to reach those goals and nothing can stand in your way.
You stay positive in the face of adversity, and you don’t settle for less.
Keeping a good attitude helps you stay on the road to realizing your dreams. Kinda hard to argue with that.
Today GenuLines examines how your mental attitude can take some of the bumps out of that road.
How Your Mental Attitude Helps You Prosper
You’ve heard the one about ‘The Power Of Positivity’ right? Yes, it’s a famous book that made someone famous.
And it’s become even more famous because other famous people agree with this famous saying. And they live by it, or at least that’s what they tell everyone that they do.
Let’s find out for ourselves.
Being Positive Helps You To Be More Positive
Positivity has a wonderful characteristic. It’s a feedback loop of positivity.
When you’re more positive you feel better about yourself and your life. And that positivity builds on itself.
Unfortunately, negativity works in exactly the same way. But that’s for miserable people and we’re not going to be like them, are we?
To some, this will make complete sense immediately. But I can already hear some ‘Negative Nellies.’ They’re saying, “How can I be positive about my life when it’s so bad?” There’s a simple answer. It’s loved by children, and it’s called ‘Let’s Pretend’.
The Prosperity Of ‘Let’s Pretend’
Your brain doesn’t know the difference between what’s happening to you and what’s imagined. Think about spending all day imagining that everything was great.
You felt happy about yourself and your life. You would think that everything was great and that you were happy about yourself and your life.
Isn’t that great, and a positive thing to know?
But if things aren’t particularly great you can pretend and make your brain think that they actually are. But how does this apply to prosperity?
If you feel and think you’re prosperous, who on earth is there to say that you’re not. You might not have the biggest house or newest car.
Yet if you don’t need those things to be happy and peaceful in your life, then what do they have to do with true prosperity? If you’re in an internal state of happiness and peace, then you are more likely to be open to opportunities.
Your internal state influences your external state. Have a go at making yourself more prosperous by being more positive.
Mentors can help you find your way through life. But how do you go about finding the mentor?
Use these directional guides from GenuLines to better get your bearings.
Do You Need Mentors?
You can’t know everything there is to know about how to get where you want to be in life. While it’s possible to learn the needed skills, this will take time and likely a lot of money.
Instead, what if you had someone (or a group of people) who can help guide you to success?
A mentor is someone who right now is where you want to be. The relationship you have with a mentor can be an official one.
Or it can be informal such as following in the footsteps of someone you admire.
Mentors have experience and have gone through the growing pains towards success. They will know what kinds of training you may need or skills to develop.
Feedback
Best of all, mentors can provide feedback. They’ll let you know what you’re doing right and wrong during your development.
This kind of advice is invaluable.
You don’t want a mentor who will hold back. Make sure you give them full permission to be completely honest with you.
Most worthwhile mentors will have no problems doing this for you. It may be a hard pill to swallow, but you’ll be better off than having mentors who sugarcoat your progress.
That won’t help you in any way.
Matching up
The mentors you choose should have the experience or skills you desire to learn. Be sure to ask lots of questions about what they expect from you and ask what you can expect from them.
This expectation is important.
Otherwise, you won’t know whether the mentoring relationship is working. Someone you’re considering to mentor you may take issue with these questions.
If so, this is a sign they may not be right for you. It can also be more difficult to sever the relationship once it’s begun.
Should you pay for mentors?
It depends on what you currently have available at your disposal. And what you intend to receive from this kind of arrangement.
If mentorship is available free of charge then consider going ahead with it. Then again, paying for someone to help you lets you hold them accountable.
This is a crucial aspect of mentoring.
Without it, you could be spinning your wheels, going nowhere. You don’t want to waste time.
The whole reason to take on a mentor is to save time and get you further in your development.
It’s tough to feel positive these days. A lot of us need what I call an “atti-tune-up.” Today GenuLines takes a look under the hood to help you run on all cylinders.
6 Effective Ways To Change Your Attitude Towards The Positive
Your attitude reveals how you live your life, how you treat others, how others treat you, and a whole lot more.
It can help you be successful at home and work.
At the same, you’ll enjoy a sense of inner peace and confidence.
If you’re looking for ways to boost your optimism, these six effective ways can help you.
Have the Desire to Change
Change may be scary. But if you want a more positive attitude, you have to embrace change.
You’ll find you become a calmer, more accepting person. Your self-confidence will also get a nice boost because fewer things bother you.
Personal growth is a slow and steady process. Yet, it goes hand-in-hand with change and all the good that can come of it.
Find a New Vantage Point
Life shows us both a good side and a bad. They’re always there, co-existing. Which one you see depends on your perspective.
The next time something happens, try to look at it from more than one angle. If there are other people involved, try to picture it from their point of view.
Being aware of other people’s vantage points gives clarity and puts things in their right place. It also helps you see both the good and bad in everything.
To develop a more positive attitude, direct more of your energy to the good.
Develop Good Habits
Negative thoughts and beliefs lead to negative habits. A habit is a learned behavior that, over time, becomes reflexive. Start doing more of the good habits.
Develop one good habit at a time. For example, start with taking a 10-minute walk during your lunchtime.
Add 10 minutes each week. You may even find yourself waiting in anticipation for your daily walks.
Other good habits to try could be: Getting quality sleep each night. Cutting back on processed food, alcohol, or smoking
And being a more effective manager of your money.
Take some time to re-energize and de-stress. Give back to your community.
Practice self-reflection through meditation, journaling, or prayer. Find a hobby that indulges your creative side
Spend Time with Positive People
Positive people seem to find a way to see the silver lining in a situation. Their presence will lift your mood.
Their can-do attitude will remind you of your accomplishments and life lessons.
Hanging out with people who have a positive attitude can help you see things in a brighter light. It’s a scientific fact that, after a while, you’ll start to think and act like them.
You’ll start to be more optimistic and self-assured.
Focus on Solutions
Rather than spending so much time and energy focusing on the problem, try to focus more on the solution. Brainstorm one, or ten, ways to solve a certain prickly situation.
It could get difficult in the beginning. But soon, finding solutions will become an automatic response.
Live in the Present
The past contains all life lessons that have helped shape the person you’ve become. In the future your goals and dreams are lying in wait.
While they’re important, they’re both out of your control.
The only thing you can control is the present moment. You can either make it the best it can be or you can let it pass you by, causing you to spend the rest of your life feeling regret.
One great way you can live in the present is to practice mindfulness. Sit somewhere quiet for a couple of minutes.
Let your eyes wander to absorb everything going on around you. Whatever it is you’re seeing, take a few seconds to look at every detail.
Mindfulness meditation doesn’t only reduce stress by allowing you to live in the moment. It also teaches you gratitude for all you have and all you’ve accomplished.
You want your savings to last. But you don’t want to spend your days and nights worrying about whether they will.
Here’s a GenuLines look at money management that will let you sleep at night.
Put Your Savings On Autopilot
Putting a little money away for a rainy day isn’t always easy. You may have some good intentions, but at the end of the day, there isn’t any money left.
Somehow whatever you make is spend before you get it to the next paycheck.
Start by making a personal budget. Take a look at what you bring in each month. Next, write down your fixed expenses.
These are things like rent, car payments, utilities etc..
Figure out how much you need each month for groceries and other essentials. This is your bare bones budget.
It’s good to know what you need each month to get by.
Do the math
Next it’s time for a little bit of math. Start with what you bring in each month and subtract all your core expenses.
What you’re left with is your discretionary income.
This will pay for entertainment, clothes, and other things. And from this point on, part of that income will go into a savings account.
Pick a number you’re comfortable with. It could be a mere $20 per month, Or $500.
Put it in your budget and treat it like any other bill.
It won’t take you long to get into the habit of setting aside that money for savings.
Bank on it
To make it even more hands-off, talk to your bank about opening a separate savings account. Set up an auto-deposit to have the savings transferred to the new account.
This will happen as soon as your pay check comes in. If you don’t see it, you’ll never miss it and your savings will run on autopilot.
Don’t forget to audit your nest egg from time to time. Take a second look at your budget.
Can you increase your savings a little more?
Another savings booster involves things like birthday cash, tax returns, and bonuses. You’ll put those straight into the savings account
Again, you won’t even miss the money, but it will give you a quick savings buildup.
Don’t lose interest
Make sure your savings are sitting in an interest bearing account. Since you won’t be touching this money unless it’s a dire emergency, you should be able to earn at least a little interest.
Talk to your banker about your best options and start putting your savings on autopilot.
One last tip: Talk to your employer about matching 401K funds. Their contribution can help you reach your goal even faster.
Prosperity isn’t guaranteed in life. First you have to know what it is, then know how to get there.
The following is a GenuLines road map aimed at getting you to your destination.
What Is Prosperity? ( And How Do You Find It?)
Okay, let’s have a look. The dictionary definition is – ‘The state of being prosperous’
Well that wasn’t much help. So, what is the definition?’
Prosperous means – ‘successful in material terms, bringing wealth and success.’
Okay now we’re getting somewhere. We know what prosperity is, but how do we go about finding it?
Let’s Talk About Prosperity
Although we have the dictionary definition above, I’m not real happy with it.
Yes prosperity can apply to material wealth and success. But it can also take in mental, emotional, and even spiritual wealth and success too.
But what if it doesn’t reach into every facet of our lives?
To find prosperity in all areas, we have to be very clear about the things that we want in our lives. And the things that we don’t want.
We must also make sure that we’re living a way of life that removes anything that doesn’t serve us. Examples include addictions to negative behavior or people.
Internal & External Prosperity
You can’t consider only your external environment or external resources.
You want to secure your external and internal prosperity. We do this through the means of internal mental and emotional mastery.
So even if you do lose your material wealth you won’t lose your ability to be happy. You can stay in a state of internal peace.
Bull’s-eye!.
To summarize: know yourself to the best of your ability. Then develop a better mindset and way of life.
One that supports, encourages and cultivates this innate capacity for prosperity. For you and for others, too.
You’ll become a force for good. The world, your world¸ will be a much brighter place if you can do this.
So, get to work. At the end of the day, true prosperity comes from you.
No one in the world can give this to you. You’re going to have to forge this one for yourself.
You’re making positive changes in your habits. Have you included the wellness habit?
You can make this second nature as GenuLines will show you today. .
How To Make Wellness A Habit In Every Part Of Your Day
You can become distracted by what life throws at you. This leads you to neglect your own well-being.
Days can be fast paced. But seldom do you slow down to think about the importance of maintaining your well being.
Stress is commonplace in this scenario. Driving to work in gridlock traffic can make you a basket case.
But you can make better choices and develop good habits to make wellness a part of your every day routine…
Make a Decision and Stick to it
First, you’ll need to make the decision to live a healthy lifestyle. This is a step that many people avoid.
They end up giving up and reverting back to their original way of everyday living. Wellness is a decision (As simplistic as it seems) and it’s a necessary one.
How Can We Make Wellness a Habit?
Doing something over and over again until it becomes ingrained within makes it a habit. It’s like you’re rewired to now make choices without thinking.
So, here’s a few ways you can make wellness a habit every single day…
Set an alarm clock.
Make healthy diet choices.
Plan an exercise routine.
Make time every day to do one thing you enjoy.
Spend more time with friends and family.
If you do this every day as often as you can you’ll notice improved wellness. Being disciplined is the best way to go about it.
Especially in the fast-paced world we’re so accustomed to.
Alarm clock
Setting an alarm clock to wake up early is a good way to start your day. You’ll know exactly why you’re waking up early… to get things done!
Diet
The nutritional choices you make are crucial to physical wellness. Feeding your body live foods (Vegetables, fruits, lean meats, grains etc.) will make you feel good.
And they’ll give you energy for the days ahead.
Daily exercise
The benefits of exercise are wide ranging. From improving mental health to creating stronger and more capable bodies
And there’s more. Exercise helps prevent chronic disease like Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Disease and Osteoporosis.
Enjoy life
We tend to get too focused on things like work, personal issues, relationships etc. . But why can’t we take the time to laugh and enjoy being in the moment?
It’s so important to relieve stress by putting worry aside for a little bit each day to focus on leisure activity. We’re not meant to always be in fight or flight mode.
Having leisure time can bring down accumulated stress levels.
Have healthy relationships
The relationships we develop and maintain in life are essential for wellness. Having a sense of worth often comes from the love and appreciation of others.
We want to get along with others and function as a society. Friends and family can give a nice boost to our self-confidence and happiness, too.
Make Wellness a Daily Habit
Make a decision to live every day in a state of wellness. At the very least, you’ll have a good start in creating healthy everyday habits.
Good habits can take you far. Wellness is a determining factor in your ability to be productive and effective.