Tag Archive for happiness

Powerful Goals Are Yours If They’re S.M.A.R.T.

May 20, 2020 Uncategorized No comments
The lockdown gives you time to make plans and set goals. When it’s over you’ll want to resume your life with a full head of steam.
 
GenuLines offers a list of steps to make sure your goals are powerful- and genuine!
 
 
microphone for speaking about goals

 

 

 

 

Powerful Goals Are Yours If They’re S.M.A.R.T.

There are smart goals and then there are S.M.A.R.T. goals. The acronym S.M.A.R.T. can help you set better goals.
 
The letters stand for Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Reasonable, and Timely. Let.s take a look at each one.
 
Rubik's Cube toward goals

 

S

Stands for specific. Be precise.

Use language that spells out what the goal is. 

Why you want to reach it. And how you will get there.
 
Detail is important here. Take the time to do this part right.

M

Stands for measurable. For example, you want to add 100 dollars a week to your income. So you decide to write 5 articles a week for buyers that will pay you for them,

A 

“A” can stand for several things, like actionable, assignable, or achievable. Actionable goals give you daily activity to get you closer to them.
 
Goals should also be achievable or you will only get frustrated. Be accurate about the time it takes to reach a goal, and what actions it takes to get there.
 
Also, know who will be responsible for doing it.

R 

This can stand for realistic or relevant, and either or both are important and are true. If you want your goal to succeed, it should be something that is realistic or you’ll fail.
 
It should also be relevant to your life’s vision and match with your values.

T

Various authors refer to the “T” in the S.M.A.R.T. acronym as time-bound, timely or trackable. These are all important parts of the goal creating and setting process.
 
If you don’t set a time limit and you can’t track what’s happening, your goal will be hard to count as achieved.
 
There are plenty of words you can use to help you craft your goals. The important thing is that you need to have a process to help you set smart goals.
 
The ones you know you’ll follow through on and know when you’ve met them.
 
JohnK 5-18-2020
 
Stick figure hears about goalsOverheard: “A goal properly set is halfway reached”
                                       ~Zig Ziglar
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for goals

Can You Learn To Be More Optimistic?

March 18, 2020 Uncategorized No comments

Optimistic outlooks are pretty rare these days. It’s easy to point to everything that’s going on in the world to back this up. 

GenuLines takes a look at some optimism building blocks and how you can use them to build a new outlook.

(You can listen to this article by clicking on below or scroll down to read it)

Radio for being more optimistic

 

 


 

banner to be optimistic

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Can You Learn To Be More Optimistic?

Door to optimismWe all know that one person who sees the positive in every situation.  Some of us hate that person. 
 
Some of us love that person.  And some of us ARE that person.
 
If you’re not that person, you may be wondering if you can actually learn (or teach yourself) to be more optimistic. While some people are inherently positive, others lean toward the negative. 
 
 
 
Are we capable of changing from one to the other?
There are many benefits to a positive mindset. Optimists tend to be healthier and they lead lives that are better in most ways.
Changing the Way you Think
It turns out that optimism is more than thinking things will be better and pessimism means they will not. Instead, we use these words to describe the way a person thinks about what causes adversity.
 
A pessimist tends to think about these things in a way that makes them feel powerless. For example, a pessimist might say their adversity is due to internal forces.
 
They’ll say it’s all their fault, and there’s no way they can change it.
 
It’s possible to change the way that you think about things. When adversity makes your first thought a negative one, take a step back.
Re-examine it from a different angle
Let’s say you’re studying for a test and you’re struggling to understand the material. It’s easy to fall into thinking that you’re going to fail.
 
Rather, think about ways you might better understand the material. Then work on learning and studying what’s needed to help you toward a good grade.
 
Re-route your pessimism away from making failure inevitable.
 
Change your thought process and study the material to boost your chances of success. Our attitudes toward things are somewhat inherent.
 
But it’s possible to change your thinking and be more optimistic in the process.
Don’t rely on clicking off positive quotations to yourself and nothing else.
 
Do teach yourself to look at every situation from different angles.
 
Do that and don’t be surprised when your attitude improves, too.
 
JohnK 3-18-2020
 
stick figure man hears about optimismOverheard: “Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree”
                                                                      ~Martin Luther
 
 
 
 
        
 
 
Article image by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
 
 
disclaimer about being optimistic
 

Should You Take a Chance On Finding a New Career?

February 26, 2020 Uncategorized No comments

Your career takes up a big slice of your life. It informs many of the decisions you make along your path. 

Today GenuLines helps you consider whether it’s time for a change of direction.

(you can listen to the article by clicking on the player below or scroll down to read it)

 


 

banner to help find one's career

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Should You Take a Chance On Finding a New Career?

When I was a kid we looked for jobs right out of high school or college. And we usually stayed with that same job for as long as we could.
 
Finding work automatically meant we were doing the right work.
 
Those of us who questioned what we were doing got an earful. Criticism came from friends, neighbors, and especially family.
 
You might be in a similar situation and disillusioned with your career. It just doesn’t seem to be what you thought it would be.
 
Change gonna come
You’ve thought about changing careers, but that sounds a lot like starting over.
It’s scary, especially if you’ve been in a certain career for several years, or you’re older.
 
Hey, you’re earning a decent salary and you’re even climbing the “corporate ladder.” Leaving means you’ll have to work for less money and no seniority!
 
You think to yourself “what if this affects the people in my life?”
Breaking it down
Sometimes, getting out of a bad situation is enough to overcome a salary hit. You can make money online, either by selling or working for others.
 
Being at a physical location is no longer necessary if you’re looking to make extra money.
 
The second factor with a lack of experience is the newness of it all. This can be exciting as well as scary.
 
Think back to when you first started in your original career. Any new achievement put you on top of the world.
 
The third factor concerns the lack of seniority. Remind yourself that you’ve got job and life experience that you bring to the table.
 
Any management experience that you have can work in your favor, too. And your age brings wisdom you can draw on in adverse situations.
 
Staying in a career that you’ve grown tired of can make you bitter and take years off your life. If you’ve thought about taking a chance on starting a new career, remember that many others have done it.
 
And they’ve made it work.
 
JohnK 2-26-2020
chiforyourself.com home
 
stick figure man looks for a careerOverheard: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle”
                                                      ~Steve Jobs
 
 
 
 
Article photo by kate.sade on Unsplash

 

 

 

disclaimer about your career

How to Set Powerful Goals You Can Achieve

January 7, 2020 Uncategorized No comments

Goals are a sort-of road map on your life’s journey. You want them to be satisfying, yes. But you don’t want them to be too challenging. 

In this first of a two part post GenuLines offers a map to guide you on a comfortable and rewarding trip!

Banner helps with goals

How to Set Powerful Goals You Can Achieve

Say you need a fresh start? O.K., you want to challenge yourself, but you don’t want to make things so tough that you fail.
 
target for goal reachingFirst we’ll look inside, at the things that are important to you. And we’ll make sure that these goals are even doable.
 
 
 
Match Your Core Values
Start with four main areas in your life. 
  • Family
  • Financial
  • Physical
  • Personal
The better you goal fits into one or more of these the more likely your goal is achievable.
If for some reason a goal doesn’t fit into one of your core values, it’s not likely you’ll experience much success.
 
Be 100 Percent in Control
Goals that rely on others are not necessarily wrong. But they can be harder to achieve.
 
A goal you control 100 percent is one that you can reach.
 
Make sure fear isn’t getting in your way. Be realistic about whether you do have control or not and give yourself more credit. And, don’t blame fate for your setbacks.
 
Don’t think you lack control over your financial future because “that’s just how it is,”
 
Be Able to Envision the Goal
If you can’t see the end result, it will be very difficult to move forward toward achieving the goal. If you need to draw a picture, make a vision board.
 
Or take a day off to fantasize about your big dreams. Imagine how it all fits together in the big picture of your life. You need to see the end to be able to achieve it.
 
Be Specific-Spell It Out
Every goal you set needs to be very exact in nature. If you want to be sure to reach the goal, you have to know when you’ve actually reached it. Instead of saying “I want to start a business,” state exactly what type of business you want to start.
 
Know who you want as your clients. Know all you can to make the goal more concrete.
 
JohnK 1-7-2020
 
stick figure talking about goalsOverheard: “If a man knows not to which port he sails, no wind is favorable.”
                                                          ~Seneca the Younger
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer about goals
 
 

 

 

 

 

2020 Vision For a New Year

January 1, 2020 Uncategorized No comments

So 2020 has arrived. You’ve looked forward to it. ‘Gonna make lots of changes. But will you actually make those changes?

GenuLines is here to take inventory of some of the most popular resolutions, and to add a few you may want to consider. 

We begin with a look back at a GenuLines post from 2011 

Ready..set..2020!

Happy New Year 2020We’re off to the resolution races- lose 20 pounds, move to a nicer address, take that tropical vacation.

As we move into another year I know that many of us are asking: What is it that really matters this year?

 

Are your New Year’s resolutions about the small things–getting organized, losing weight, getting in shape, being a little kinder…or about something wider and deeper?

There’s nothing wrong with making small commitments, but are they enough for you and who you intend to become, what you know you must do in this world?

Or are you ready to step into something bigger and more radical–daring to fulfill your passion to evolve not only a better self but a better world and a more enlightened future?

May I suggest some inward inspection to start the process? Ask yourself:

  • What is happening in my life?
  • How is my health?
  • How is/are my relationship(s)? Really, how are they?
  • How are my finances? 
  • Do I enjoy my work?

Just a few ideas to take care of the inner self so that the outer results might be more satisfying.

 

call to action for 2020

 

List of goals for 2020

 

 

Happy New Year!

JohnK 1-1-2020

chiforyourself.com home

 

stick figure listening for 2020 tipsOverheard:  “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.”

                                                         ~Seneca

 

 

 

 

 

Article Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

 

 

disclaimer about 2020

 

 

 

 

Angels Everywhere, So Are They Real?

December 25, 2019 Uncategorized No comments

If you’re celebrating Christmas today you’re probably in close proximity to angels. We see them on decorations, greeting cards, and tree ornaments.

Do you know that the majority of North Americans believe angels are real? In this interview we hear from Corin Grillo. She says angels are real, and they’re standing by to help you in your daily life.

picture of angel authorCorin Grillo is the author of The Angel Experiment: A 21-Day Magical Adventure to Heal Your Life.

Click on below to hear the interview. And, enjoy your holiday!

 

 

 

 

logo is angel button

 

JohnK 12-25-2019

chiforyourself.com home

 

 

 

 

 

disclaimer about happiness

Happiness Is More Than Thinking Positive Thoughts

December 24, 2019 Uncategorized No comments
 
Your happiness level isn’t what you’d like it to be. Someone in your circle suggests that you should think positive thoughts. That’s the answer, or so it seems. 
 
Today GenuLines looks at happiness as more than just staying in a positive mindset.  
 

Banner helps with happiess

Happiness Is More Than Thinking Positive Thoughts

The dictionary defines happiness as “the state of being happy.” Not a lot of information to go on there.
 
Let’s look at some different things that happiness can be. But realize that in truth, happiness is in the mind of the beholder.
 
smiley faces show happiness
 
Your Needs are Met
When a person is happy, they usually aren’t wanting for much. It doesn’t mean that they’re not having a tough time.
 
Rather, they’re making what they have fill their needs.
You feel satisfied
When you’re happy you tend to feel satisfied with your life. You think about your life and feel good about your good fortune.
 
This could include your living space, your life partner, or the fact that you live alone.
 
Contentment is a hallmark of happy people. Whether it’s their job, home, health, or things in general.
 
Happy people do experience stress. But they have a way of drawing on their contentment when things are less than perfect.
 
You Are at Peace
A happy person often feels a lot of peace surrounding their life and family. They tend to know that everything will turn out okay.
 
They’re pretty good at turning negativity into positivity.
 
Your Definition
You can set your own definition of happiness. It’s not necessarily about getting tons of stuff.
 
It’s not about finding a spouse unless you want that. Or about having kids, unless you want that.
 
It’s a Journey
Happiness isn’t a destination where you’ll forever dwell. It’s a lifelong journey that will have many ups and downs and struggles.
 
Still, you manage to feel good about it.
 
In the 1989 movie “Parenthood”, one of the main characters is a struggling mother. She says she loves “the roller-coaster” of life.
 
Her husband, though, is struggling and not as happy. He focuses on the downs instead of the ups.
 
It’s How You Act
When you’re happy your actions lean toward the positive. You eat better, you move more, you think better thoughts.
 
Know that you have it in your power to be happy where you are in your life right now.
 
Thinking positive thoughts is not the be-all and end-all of happiness. It’s having your needs met, yes.
 
But it’s not about having everything, or even the best. It’s about being satisfied with what you have while also being able to work toward the things you want.
 
It starts with your thoughts. And it manifests with your actions.
 
JohnK 12-24-2019
 
stick figure talking about happinessOverheard: “If thou wilt make a man happy, add not unto his riches but take away from his desires.”
                                                         ~Epicurus
 
 

 

 

Article Image by Gino Crescoli from Pixabay  
 
 
disclaimer about happiness
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The Power of Self-Belief

December 10, 2019 Uncategorized No comments
Self-belief makes you unstoppable. Don’t believe it?
 
Allow GenuLines to offer you a little reminder of how this works.

Banner helps with self-belief

The Power of Self-Belief

You’ve heard it before. If you believe in yourself, there’s little to stop you in whatever your pursuits.
 
superman's self-belefIt gives you the power to push forward and to defy the odds. You’ll be able to handle any roadblocks that come your way.
 
And you’ll brush off the naysayers.
 
It gives you peace of mind when you stick to your self-belief. To keep that self-belief strong, you need to define your goals.
 
 
 
You wouldn’t expect a general to fight a war without a map. You too need a map to guide you on how to proceed.
 
Too many people skip this step and wonder why they aren’t getting anywhere. Goals are your guidance, but carrying through with them is only done when you believe that it’s possible.
 
This belief is the energy you need to take action.
 
It helps you to focus on getting your tasks completed. You’ll also build confidence when you have self-belief.
 
It’s a powerful tool that will attract others to your confidence.
 
They’ll follow your lead, and you’ll help show them what is possible. When you run into any stumbling blocks (and you will), that confidence will help you see them through.
 
You’ll know how to take alternative action when necessary. The people following you will respect that as well. Several forces will try to beat you down.
 
You may even find yourself letting it happen.
 
You need to get centered on why you started your journey in the first place. Use affirmations to reinforce your message.

Be consistent with your affirmations

Unfortunately, many of the negative forces are going to be from your family and friends. They will see it as helping you avoid mistakes.
 
Many people will succumb to this negative pressure and give up. One way to prevent this is to join groups of like-minded individuals.
 
These can be connections to your business. Or they can be groups that focus on self-help.
 
These organizations exist to try and push the negative forces out. It’s great to go to meetings and get encouragement from the group.
 
These associations can lead to friendships that help you encourage each other. You may even form business partnerships from these friendships.
 
It’s good to know that you have this kind of support. They understand when everyone else around you doesn’t.
 
Your self-belief will get a shot in the arm, too.
 
JohnK 12-10-2019
 
stick man feeling self-beliefOverheard:  “Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit”
                                       ~E. E. Cummings
 
 
 
 
 
 

Article Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay

 
 
 
 
disclaimer about self-belief
 

Make a List of Everything You Are Grateful For

December 3, 2019 Uncategorized No comments
Business magnate Richard Branson says he’s “passionate about lists.” What’s on your lists?
 
GenuLines suggests making a list that proclaims your gratitude.
 
Banner helps with lists

Make a List of Everything You Are Grateful For

You may forget the little things that you’re grateful for in your life. But, if you keep them in plain sight, it can help you reinforce your gratitude.
 
check listSo why not write them down, and keep them close by?
 
If you find yourself overwhelmed by negative feelings, refer to your list. It can serve as a way to reset your negativity.
 
Think of all the things you’re grateful for and start listing them. If you get stuck, think about the people in your life.
 
 
 
Who gives you happy thoughts?
 
List the aspects of what those people do to make you happy. If you love the way your spouse smiles at you, write that down.
 
It can be something simple, such as reading the newspaper on the train. The point is, no item is too small to add to the list.
 
Do you love the jokes that the server tells you when you get your cup of coffee and your muffin? That goes on the list, too.
 
Your list should never be complete as you will find new experiences and people to add to it. Each day, there is potential for people to make a small difference in your life.
 
But, remember that you make differences in other peoples’ lives as well.
 
Try to make those experiences more positive than negative. If people around you bring you down either avoid them or try to help them to be more positive. 
 
If you are the one bringing people down, you need to try and reverse this.
 
The list will be a big factor in helping you. Negative and bitter feelings stem from not appreciating your life and all the things in it.
 
That’s one reason why keeping a list is so important.
 
You can choose to write this list on a piece of paper, or keep it on an electronic device. It doesn’t matter how you store it, but you want it to be accessible.
 
Commit to reading it and make regular updates to it. Add to it as you find more things that you are grateful for in your life.
 
Maintaining this list could be the basis for a book that you write about appreciating your life. By publishing your list, you may help others do the same.
 
Reading your ideas might spark them to be grateful, too.
 
JohnK 12-3-2019
 
stick figure talking about listsOverheard: “Lists today are a way of trying to get through the day because we are losing a sense of time”
                                                ~David Viscott
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Article Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

 
 
 
 
disclaimer about lists

Does Your To-Do List Work For You?

November 19, 2019 Uncategorized No comments
A to-do list can help keep order in your life. But does your list make the grade?
 
This GenuLines overview will help you get up to speed.
 
Banner helps make to-do lists

Does Your To-Do List Work For You?

picture of to-do list
 
The to-do list is a helpful tool. Something is satisfying about checking off an item when completed.
 
It can also be a reference when a boss wants to know employees’ progress. But, are you doing the right tasks to meet your longer-term goals?
 
 
 
That can leave you feeling as though you aren’t progressing.
 
Worse, you’ll be going through the motions of “doing something.” This will make the process of not getting anywhere that much more frustrating.
 
To-do lists are a good idea. But, you need to make sure they’re in-line with your goals.
 
You should consider taking a top-down approach to your tasks rather than bottom-up.

Start with your long-term goals

picture of to-do listWhere do you see yourself in a few years from now? If you can’t answer that question, you need to do some soul-searching.
 
Find what you want to accomplish at a high-level. Then, you can use that to break it down into granular tasks.
 
 
Finally, you use the mid-level tasks to help define the to-do list that you use daily. People put off setting long-term goals because the time frame seems so far in the future.
 
How can you be expected to know what’s going to happen five to ten years from now? It’s much easier to choose the shorter-term time frames.
 
You can measure what happens two weeks from now as it’s going to happen soon.

Commitment

picture of to-do listSome people believe that declaring a long term goal and chiseling it in stone commits them to it. Remember that circumstances can change, and goal adjusting may be called for.
 
Don’t be afraid to commit to your goals. You may want to create a few long-term goals.
 
 
As you’re working on what it will take to reach those goals, you can decide which path makes the most sense. You can take into account both feasibility and costs.
 
Some goals become unattainable for one reason or another, so prepare to change course. In fact, if you can project these possibilities, you can put them on your list of goals.
 
Set your goals and break them down into sub-tasks. Creating your to-do lists will become easier.
 
And, they’ll get you closer to accomplishing your goals.
 
JohnK 11-19-2019
chiforyourself.com home
 
stick figure talking about to-do listsOverheard:  “The best cure for a sluggish mind is to disturb its routine”
                                             ~William H. Danforth
 
 

 

 

 

 

disclaimer to fit with to-do lists

 

 
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