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.
It seems your stress never stops. And you’re thinking the same might be said about your eating.
Today GenuLines chips in with some ways to delete the caloric part of this equation. .
5 Tips To Stop Stress Eating
Stress eating can happen to any of us during any stressful situation. We turn to food for comfort.
This is not a healthy way to deal with stress and will cause weight gain, depression, and low self-esteem. Here are 5 tips that can help you end stressful eating.
Food Choices
We often turn to junk food for comfort such as chips, chocolate, candy and anything sweet. You can create a food diary to track your eating progress.
Keep track of what you eat, when you eat, and what times you’re hungriest to figure out what is your trigger food.
You don’t want to throw out every one of your favorite foods because this will only tempt you more. Instead, make healthier food choices.
You’ll feel better. and healthy eating helps decrease your appetite and improve your health in general.
Exercise
The second tip is to exercise. .Stress can bring on depression and overwhelm.
Exercising will help manage stress and keep you healthy. You don’t need to run to the gym or a treadmill.
You can work out at home, go jogging, running, play a sport, or go for a walk.
Mayo Clinic studies found a positive connection between exercise and feeling better. They found that your brain receives feel-good neurotransmitters called endorphins.
Meditation
Meditation is a powerful tool used for stress, anxiety, and depression. It brings you into a relaxed and soothing mood.
Even if you only meditate for 5 minutes, you’ll feel a difference. It’s best to meditate every day to help cope with stress.
Prevent Boredom
The fourth way to end stressful eating is to prevent boredom. Many people don’t realize they turn to food because they’re bored.
To prevent boredom, keep active throughout your day. Buy some art supplies from your local art store. and you can paint, draw, try out pottery, knitting, or even sewing.
There are so many things you can do to fill up your day no matter where you live. You can go into the city.
Visit an art gallery, learn a new language, read a book, visit family or friends to help prevent boredom.
Your preoccupied mind will keep your thoughts away from eating unless necessary.
Support
Call calling a friend or family member for support. It’s a great option to help overcome stressful food intake.
In fact, some other options such as joining a support group or signing up for therapy will help you even more!
Talking with a professional will help you identify your stressors and triggers. And you’ll come away with a plan that works best for you.
Joining a support group partners you with others facing the same challenge. It’ll be inspiring and uplifting!
Motivation is like a muscle, and it can get flabby over time. There are ways to deal with this.
Let these GenuLines pointers be your strength coach and motivator.
5 Steps To Boost Your Motivation Skills
Life can sometimes feel like nothing more than one struggle after another. This is especially true for anyone set on living a life of fulfillment and achievement.
Motivation is the one variable that allows you to push yourself when those around you give up.
Today’s post is worth your attention. Even if you’ve never thought of yourself as driven , but would like to change that.
We’ll look at 5 helpful steps, in no particular order, to help boost your motivation and drive.
Know Your Why
When you first set out toward a goal or achievement, your “why” for doing so tends to be pretty clear. But as you work toward your goal, the foundation can become obscured.
No matter what you pursue there WILL be days on which you feel less motivated than others. Stay aware of why you started in the first place.
It will serve as your second (or third, or fourth) wind to get back up and keep pushing.
Know Your Direction
Extreme motivation has a tendency to cause you to put your head down and work like a maniac. At times this mindset is beneficial.
You want to maintain some sense of direction.
Big goals rarely consist of point A and point B. Instead, it’s important to have a general outline in mind of each step toward your destination.
So yes, keep your nose to the grindstone.
But look up every now and then. Adjust and begin the next phase of your blueprint.
This is the way to continue heading in the right direction!
Allow Small Victories
Make sure you enjoy small successes in pursuit of the finish line. No matter how much (or little) motivation you have towards your goal.
You won’t run out of gas before you get there. Take some time to reward yourself when you do one of the (often many) small steps along the way.
And remember: You Versus You, not You Versus Them
Keep in mind that your goals are YOUR goals. Letting other people’s pursuits dictate what you strive for is counter-productive.
You won’t find the motivation to achieve great things without personal conviction. Whatever it is you want, the only comparison to consider is to the person you were the day before.
Controlled Tunnel Vision
Consider this: whatever you’re after most likely involves only one facet of your life. Career, athletic, personal and other areas won’t stop while you go after it.
Balance is always key. Don’t let the rest of your life fall to the wayside while you pursue your dream!
Why are you here and what is your purpose? Don’t spend your life struggling with this question, as many do.
Explore the possibilities with GenuLines and start finding some answers.
5 Factors That Keep You From Finding Your Life’s Purpose
A great way to find your true purpose in life is by living what I call your ‘genuine life.” You live your life without needing approval from other people.
You explore your interests and passions. And when you discover that passion, you have to listen to one voice only.
The voice that lives inside of you. That voice which is your True North.
The voice that will tell you to keep trying, keep moving, believe in yourself, and to stay true to your purpose.
Unfortunately, few people find their true purpose in life. They’re living a life someone told them they’re supposed to live.
Or they follow the misguided notion that finding your true purpose takes years and years. Which may not always be the case.
Here are 5 things that are hindering you from finding your true purpose in life:
1.You don’t know where to begin
To find your calling know where to begin searching. And the best place to start is inside you.
What are you passionate or excited about? What are you so good at that people come to you for help or advice?
That could be your true purpose.
2.You rely on other people to dictate your life purpose
You miss your calling when you become accustomed to people telling you how to live. And what you ought to be doing.
Close friends or family may have the right intentions when advising you. They’ll tell what you should be pursuing.
But because they have good intentions doesn’t mean they’re right. They may have a picture of who and what they want you to become.
But that doesn’t mean it’s what you must become.
3. You’re busy comparing your life to that of others
Don’t spend your time focusing on “If only I was that smart.” Or “I wish I could do that.”
You won’t appreciate what you’re already great at. Get rid of negative thoughts, and replace them with “I was born to have an impact and I will find out what that is.”
4. You already have a “picture” of what your purpose is
We all have an “idea” of what we’re meant to do. Or which line of work we’re supposed to be in, particularly during our adolescent years.
Not to generalize but more often than not this is an idealized “picture.” This picture from our younger years turns out to be the wrong picture.
5. You are not seeking guidance from the right people
While discovering your true purpose on your own is the way to go, seeking guidance from the right people won’t hurt. It will speed up the process of finding out what your calling is in life.
It will give you ample time to look for ways of staying true to your purpose. And working on becoming who you’re meant to be.
Working on problems and dealing with the resulting stress is a delicate balance. It can derail an important project.
GenuLines looks at the problem for ways you can keep everything “on the rails,”
Why Stress is Terrible for Problem Solving
Got a challenging problem that’s causing you stress? Is it preventing you from working to the best of your abilities?
Then take a lie down!
Lying down on the job might sound like the worst thing you could do when you have a problem. But it’s actually one of the very best options of all.
Let’s take a look at why…
Neurochemistry and Problem Solving
When we’re stressed, our body assumes that we are in immediate danger. And it responds by putting us in the ‘fight or flight’ mode.
This means that we’re flooded with norepinephrine, dopamine and cortisol – stress hormones.
These have some effects on the body. From contracting our muscles, to clotting our blood (so we can better survive injury).
Another effect is intense focus. The resulting ‘tunnel vision’ helps us escape from the threat we’re facing.
This is very useful if you need to keep your eye on the terrain while you run from a leopard that’s chasing you. But it’s not very helpful when facing down the kinds of problems you encounter in the office.
Creativity and Problem Solving
This is because problem solving in the modern world requires creativity. It requires us to be able to think outside the box and to make connections between disparate ideas.
That’s why we’re actually at our most creative when we’re relaxed – even when we’re close to sleep.
The ‘hypnagogic’ brain state is what we slip into right before we nod off. It’s actually considered responsible for many creative works and scientific breakthroughs.
Studies say this is also why sitting in a more supine position at work boosts creative thinking. Likewise, exposure to the color green is enough to increase creativity.
Our subconscious mind associates it with being in natural environments.
Next time you’re facing stress, know that your stress will only make it more difficult to find the answer. So relax, take a breather and come back to it when you feel calmer!
You’re living a pretty good life. But there’s room for improvement.
Ratchet things up a bit with this GenuLines look at where you’re putting your focus.
Live Your Best Life: Focus On What Matters Most
Have you ever noticed how fast our days seem to race by? We wake up, bombarded with an insane amount of things we have to get done.
Then, before you know it, the day’s done. Having the world at your fingertips doesn’t help to slow things down.
It only adds to the chaos.
Today, I want to focus on what matters most in our lives. That could mean different things for different people.
Still, each one of us has certain things we value more than others.
So, read ahead to find out how you can live your best life by focusing more on the things that matter.
The Most Important Things in Life
Having status and designer shoes are great and everything. But having them won’t make you any happier or healthier than the average person.
Another thing we tend to obsess over is what we don’t have. Sometimes, it becomes our driving force that can lead to negative habits and behavior.
Let me ask you this: do you want to live your best life today and every day? This is what you can do:
Identify What Matters the Most to You
First, take a step back and look at your life from a different vantage point. Next, try to dissect each aspect of your life.
Which areas should you pay more attention to? Which should you cut back on?
To lead a balanced, well-fulfilled life, consider having one, or all, of the following. You might even add a couple of our own to the list.
A healthy body and mind
Family and friends
Money in the bank
The drive to always learn new things
A place to call home
Realistic goals and a purpose in life
So recognize that what matters most in life has nothing to do with material possessions. Better to appreciate what you have.
Reconnecting with these things can lead to a better, happier, fuller life. It can also boost creativity and lower stress.
It also gives you control over your happiness. This is much better than allowing external factors to affect your inner peace.
Listen and Pay Attention
While it’s important to listen to those close to you in life, it’s much more than that. It’s also about listening to yourself and paying attention to your likes and dislikes.
This is a measure of your true worth and how much you love yourself.
Self-love requires practice, but it gets easier with time. When you’re at peace with yourself, you love others in a healthy, mature way.
The takeaway: Show yourself the same kindness and compassion you show others. When you look in the mirror, focus on the good rather than the bad.
Treat yourself to nice things and be happy with who you are.
Be in the Present
Too often, we find ourselves regretting the past or worrying about the future. But, what matters the most is the moment we’re living right here and now.
Connecting with the world around you makes you appreciate what you have. The more you’re in tune with your ‘present,’ the more you’ll realize how precious life can be.
As Earl Nightingale said: “Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Think how very precious the time is you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.”
The takeaway: Being self-aware helps bring tranquility and happiness into your life. In turn, the happier and calmer you are, the more things you’ll find to be thankful for.
Find a Hobby
Hobbies are the things you do for fun in your free time. They can range from knitting to deep-sea diving to jumping from airplanes.
Your experiences in life are what make it worth living. They give it meaning and shape the way you see others around you.
Doing something you enjoy can be one of the very best stress reducers. You can also use it to push your boundaries a bit and step out of your comfort zone.
Sometimes, the idea of doing something new can be terrifying. If this happens to you, recognize your fear.
Then, tell yourself it’s okay to be nervous about something new.
The takeaway: Live your life. Be eager to try out new experiences. They’re what add fulfillment and richness to your life.
Practice Positive Habits
Identifying positive habits and carrying them out daily brings order to your life. Good habits also result in good physical and mental health.
Stay with routine. You can reduce distractions that stand in the way of your accomplishing things.
They also help steer you towards making better decisions.
Studies show that routines and good habits boost your life, health, and well-being. The trick is to be authentic to your values and beliefs.
Let’s be honest, that can be hard to do in this media-frenzy world we’re living in. Yet, having confidence in who you are can help shine the light on what matters most in your life.
The takeaway: Your words express your thoughts and, down the line, your actions. Those actions turn into habits, so make sure you stick to enforcing positive habits in your life.
Final Thoughts
These five things are some of the ways you can focus on what matters most in your life. At the end of the day, what it boils down to is that to live your best life, you have to focus on certain things over others.
Remember, what matters more to you may not be as important to others. So, stay true to your values and hold on to the things you treasure more in life.
They say success leaves clues, but for you the trail has run cold. Or has it?
Join GenuLines for this investigation into ways your success might be hiding from you in plain sight.
The Many Shades And Flavors Of Success
Webster’s dictionary defines success as…
a: degree or measure of succeeding
b: favorable or desired outcome.
also : the attainment of wealth, favor, or eminence
Have you ever stopped to think about how successful you are? For some reason we tend to look at success as it pertains to work and money.
But what about all the other successes that we achieve throughout our lifetimes?
Consider one part of the Webster definition above, favorable or desired outcome. Now realize that you’ve no doubt had lots of little successes that you’ve overlooked.
This could be finishing a report at work, or a school paper. Did your husband send you flowers for no special reason?
Did your child say she loves you because you’re the best mom? These are all favorable outcomes that result from our own efforts.
Effort And Achievement
Whenever you put effort into something you achieve, consider it a success. We don’t have to build a Bill Gates empire to consider ourselves successful.
“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” – Henry David Thoreau
How about personal success? Consider for a moment how you live your life.
Do you take good care of yourself? If so, you’ve experienced another great success that eludes many people.
How many times a day or a week do you actually succeed without even thinking or planning to do so? It’s who you are.
You might even say that being who you are makes for success in its own right.
For example, a good friend needs help and you drop everything to be there. Color this a success.
What’s better than being there for the people we care about?
Acknowledgement
I’ll bet there are achievements in your week that you don’t notice. Why is that?
Wouldn’t it boost your emotional and psychological wellness to do so? Sure, it would.
Sometimes we miss the big picture. Those every day successes are some of our biggest.
It’s time to stand up and take notice of all that you do, every single day that makes you a success. Consider all the different shades and flavors of success in your own life, and celebrate them!
The Many Shades And Flavors Of Success
*Setting and following through on a fitness plan
*Being a loving and supportive parent
*Raising responsible kids• Eating healthy
*Taking good care of your mind, body and spirit
*Being a good friend
*Looking out for an elderly neighbor
*Taking good care of your family
*Being a responsible citizen
*Being a good friend
*Working a full time job and still coming home to cook dinner and do homework with kids
*Forgiving someone that wronged you
*Introducing a friend to her future husband
*Being honest when it’s hard to do so
*Saying sorry when it’s hard to do so
*Being your real self and living an authentic life
*Sticking with goals you set
*Giving your time and being of service
These are a few examples of the many shades and flavors of success.
Final Thoughts
Next time you consider whether you’ve succeeded in your own life, realize that big dreams and long-term goals are great. But there are many shades and flavors of success, and they all have value and meaning.
Overheard: “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best of which you are capable.”
Ever think about how negativity might be hurting you at work? It can weigh you down in a big way.
But GenuLines reminds you that this bad energy can be re-worked with you as the winner!
How Negativity Affects Your Job
When you have a negative mindset, it’s going to affect every aspect of your life. Your energy impacts those around you.
So, if you bring a negative energy into the workplace, it’s going to have several repercussions.
We’re going to look at how negativity affects your job. You’ll also see how you can start to reduce your own negativity in the workplace.
Negativity’s Impact
There are a lot of ways negativity can impact your job. A negative mindset can affect your performance, work relationships, and wellbeing.
The trouble with negativity is that it attracts more negativity. So if you go into work with a negative attitude, it’s going to rub off on your colleagues too.
This will lead to a toxic workplace where nobody is happy and stress levels rise.
Performance
A negative outlook can also cause issues with performance. You may not apply for new opportunities as they open, forcing you to miss out on what could be a better job.
You’ll also notice your energy levels aren’t great, and the quality of your work will suffer.
These are some of the ways negativity can impact your job. So, how can you fix it?
Ways to become less negative at work
There are ways you can become a more positive person at work. But it might take quite a lot of effort to overcome your negative thinking.
The best ways to combat negativity at work include:
Identify the cause
Think of something you are thankful for
· Talk to your boss
Distance yourself from negative colleagues
Origins
Identifying the cause of your negativity is crucial. There could be lots of reasons why you have a more negative attitude at work.
You keep getting passed over for a promotion, or you’re bored with your current position. enables you to figure out the best ways to combat it. Identifying the cause enables you to figure out the best ways to combat it.
If you’re slipping into a negative mood, think of something you’re thankful for. After all, it’s difficult to remain negative when you are thinking of something positive.
You may also find it useful to talk to your boss if you haven’t already. If you are unhappy with something, let them know.
Ask them for a promotion, rather than waiting for one. You could also ask for further training opportunities and more responsibility.
A Little Separation
If you have colleagues who are negative, make sure you distance yourself from them. This can help you maintain your energy and your positivity.
If they see you with a more positive outlook, it will also help them to develop one too.
As you can see, there are several ways you can address your negativity in the workplace. Identifying the root cause is key to finding the solution.
If negative is the default way you roll, work on developing a more positive mindset. But remember, this will take time so don’t expect results overnight.
Nothing stings quite like criticism. And that sting can last a long time. Let GenuLines provide some relief, and a way to turn the situation around.
Criticism Is Not Always Meant To Be Negative
Do you struggle with criticism? Some of it comes from a negative place, but most of the time it’s meant with good intentions.
Unfortunately, even if the person criticizing you is coming from a good place, it can still hurt.
Differentiating Between Negative and Positive
There are a few ways to determine whether criticism is coming from a positive or negative place. Is your usual reaction to it negative?
If so, the first step is to tame that initial negative reaction.
Try to view the criticism with an open mind. Could there be any truth in what the person is saying?
Also pay attention to their delivery method. Is there a reason for their feedback, or does it appear that they are nit-picking only to be difficult?
Criticism can come from a negative place, but often it’s given to help us improve. Knowing the difference between helpful and negative is important.
The Role of Self-Esteem
Your self-esteem will go a long way toward determining your reaction. The more confident you are, the less likely criticism is to affect you.
If you have a healthy dose of self-esteem you’ll be able to learn from any feedback you get. You won’t personalize it.
Think about your own self-esteem. Could it use some improvement?
If so, focus on ways to build it up and you’ll notice this has a direct impact on your ability to handle criticism. You’ll find a lot of awesome self-esteem building tips online.
Top Tips to Deal with People Who Criticize Instead of Critique
We’ve all heard criticism when what we needed was an honest critique. So staying calm is important.
You may find that your first reaction to criticism is anger. But if you express anger, it isn’t going to help the situation.
In fact, it could work in your critic’s favor! Remaining calm helps you know where the criticism is coming from.
You can deal with it much better.
If the problems are coming from your boss, try and get to the bottom of where the feedback is coming from. Need to know more?
Ask to speak to somebody higher up in the company. Sometimes we need an outsider’s view to help us know what’s happening.
To Sum Up
Criticism is never nice to deal with. But, it isn’t always meant to be negative.
Sometimes it will help you to grow and become a better person. So, don’t be quick to dismiss it when it comes your way.
Think about it with an open mind and decide whether there is something you can learn.
Overheard: “Prosperity of wicked men runs like a torrent past, and soon is spent”
RSS - Posts