goal setting

Tag Archive for goal setting

Why It’s Important To Find Your Purpose

June 2, 2017 John Uncategorized No comments

Why It’s Important To Find Your Purpose

In the Day 1 GenuLines blog post we examined what it means to live with purpose and we got a brief look at why it is important to do so. Today, I want to dive a little deeper and talk more about it. Make the decision to live your life with purpose. Then see how your purpose can have a profound effect on your life.

It Gives Your Life Meaning
When you decide on your life’s purpose, it gives what you do a lot of meaning. Every step along the way and all the work you do towards reaching your goals serves to bring you one step closer. It becomes much easier to get things done when you do them with purpose and with a firm goal in mind.

It Creates A Value System
Living with purpose also helps you define and set a system of core values. This will guide you throughout the coming years. You don’t have to waste time and energy each day trying to figure out if what you’re doing is right or worth doing. As long as it aligns with your purpose, you know you’re on the right track. That gives you a lot of confidence in what you are doing.

It Increases Your Feeling Of Self Worth
When you are living with purpose and working towards a worthwhile goal, you take a lot of pride in what you do. Each passing day and each small step that you take toward that goal. You’ll notice that your sense of self-worth will also increase. Use that feeling to propel you through the next day and the next challenges ahead.

You’ll notice that your sense of self-worth will also increase. Use that feeling to propel you through the next day and the next challenges ahead.

It Leads To Fulfillment and Happiness
Living a life with purpose gives you a sense of self-worth, and confidence leads to happiness. Give it a try during this 30 Day Challenge and create a purpose for yourself.

At the end of the month, you’ll notice that you are not only more confident, but also more fulfilled. The true secret to a happy life is being completely fulfilled by the life you’re living.

We are social creatures who need to make a difference and have a purpose, a place in society. We may think that material things bring us happiness. But what matters is how much our lives are meaningful, helpful, and purposeful.

You may find a noticeable increase in your happiness at the end of the month.

It’s Good For Your Mental And Physical Health
Last but not least, living with purpose is good for your health. Being needed, being helpful, and adding value to the lives of others. These are sure ways to have a measurable effect on both your physical and mental health.

Living a purposeful life decreases your risk of heart disease and stroke. It also protects you against depression. In fact, one of the best ways to fight depression is to find meaning and purpose in what you do each day.

JohnK 6-2-2017

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Living With Purpose And Its Impact on Your Life

June 1, 2017 John Uncategorized No comments

Living with purpose. It’s an interesting concept and something that can have a positive impact on your entire life. When we live with purpose, we get more done. We create meaning in our life. And we’re happier and more fulfilled.

That’s why it’s an important topic to discuss. It’s also what inspired me to put together a 30 day series of blog posts around it.

Over the course of the month, we’ll take a look at living with purpose and how we can start to live more intentionally. We’ll look at how this will affect all aspects of our lives. And of course, I will have plenty of hands-on tips and suggestions for you.

Let’s start today by talking a little bit about what it means to live with purpose. In essence, it means that you know what you’re doing.

You have goals and are passionate about what you do. Instead of simply letting the days pass you by, you work with purpose to make the most of each day.

Living with a purpose has a couple of big advantages over mere existence. When you know exactly what you want to do with your life, you have a clear plan or path. You don’t have to get up each morning and then try to figure out what you’ll do. You get into action and keep working toward the goals you set based on your purpose.

You have a clear set of core values that you follow, based on your purpose. This will come in handy anytime you have a decision to make. Think of these values as a compass that keeps you on track.

What’s most important is that living with purpose gives you a great sense of self-worth. You know what you’re doing and you’re taking action toward the goals you’ve set for yourself.

Not only does this increase your feeling of self-worth and self-confidence. It will give a big boost to your happiness.

In the end, that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? We all want to live a happy and fulfilled life with meaning. That’s why it’s important to start thinking about living with purpose.

JohnK 6-1-2017

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Overheard:

“Efforts and courage are not enough without purpose and direction.”

~ John F. Kennedy

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A Meditation Primer: Method, Mantra, Mindfulness and More

February 8, 2017 John Uncategorized No comments

I’m old enough to remember the time when meditation got some rough treatment. It was seen as a practice for “hippie types” and health “nuts.” Meditation was considered, well, woo-woo! Today meditation is getting a much kinder reception as it proves its worth in areas like stress and anxiety reduction and addiction recovery.

This report takes some of the mystery out of meditation. It shows you how you can put meditation to work in your life.

Meditation refers to a state where your body and mind are consciously relaxed and focused. Practitioners of this art report increased awareness, focus, and concentration, as well as a more positive outlook on life.

Meditation is most commonly associated with monks, mystics and certain spiritual disciplines. However, you don’t have to be a monk or mystic to enjoy its benefits. And you don’t even have to be in a special place to practice it, although a quiet place is best. You can try it in your own living room if the TV is switched off.

Although there are many different approaches to meditation, the fundamental principles remain the same. The most important among these principles is that of removing obstructive, negative, and wandering thoughts and fantasies, and calming the mind with a deep sense of focus. This clears the mind of clutter and prepares it for a higher quality of activity.

The negative thoughts you have – thoughts of noisy neighbors, bossy colleagues, that parking ticket you got, or unwanted spam – are said to contribute to the ‘polluting’ of the mind, and shutting them out is allows for the ‘cleansing’ of the mind so that it may focus on deeper, more meaningful thoughts and ideas.

Some practitioners even shut out all sensory input – no sights, no sounds, and nothing to touch – and try to detach themselves from the commotion around them. You may now focus on a deep, profound thought if this is your goal. It may seem scary at first since we are all too accustomed to constantly hearing and seeing things, but as you continue this exercise you will find yourself becoming more aware of everything around you.

If you find the meditating positions you see in books and elsewhere threatening, you need not worry. The principle here is to be in a comfortable position conducive to concentration. This may be while sitting cross-legged or on a chair, standing, lying down, and even walking.

A good starting point is a position that allows you to relax and focus. While sitting or standing, the back should be straight, but not tense or tight. In other positions, the only no-no is slouching and falling asleep.

Loose, comfortable clothes help a lot in the process since tight fitting clothes have a tendency to restrict you and make you feel tense.

The place you perform meditation should have a soothing atmosphere. It may be in your living room, or bedroom, or any place where you feel comfortable. You might want an exercise mat or cushion if you plan to sit cross-legged on the floor. You may want to have the place arranged so that it is soothing to your senses.

Silence helps most people relax and meditate, so you may want a quiet, isolated area far from the ringing of the phone or the humming of the washing machine. Pleasing scents also help in that regard, so stocking up on aromatic candles or incense isn’t such a bad idea either.

The monks you see on television making those monotonous sounds are actually performing their mantra. This, in simple terms, is a short creed, a simple sound which, for these practitioners, holds a mystic value. You don’t need to perform anything like that. Focusing on your breathing is enough.

The principle here is focus. You do not have to try to control your breathing or anything else, just be aware of it. You could also try focusing on a certain object or thought, or even, while keeping your eyes open, focus on a single sight.

One simple routine is to silently name various parts of your body and focus your awareness on each. While doing this you can be aware of tension in any part. Mentally visualize releasing this tension. This can be very effective.

Studies have shown that meditation does bring about beneficial effects to the body. And there has been a growing consensus in the medical community to further study these effects. In all, meditation is a relatively risk-free practice and its benefits are well worth the effort (or non-effort – remember we’re relaxing!)

JohnK 2-8-2016

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Overheard: “Meditation is not a means to an end. It is both the means and the end.”

~ J. Krishnamurti

Mark Coleman and Make Peace with Your Mind

February 6, 2017 John Uncategorized No comments

(The earlier version of the Mark Coleman post apparently had some audio player issues so let’s try it again!)

The CHI FOR YOURSELF interview with Mark Coleman is up and available for your listening. Mark made quite a life turn early on. He was a punk rocker who found mindfulness meditation and he’s stayed with it ever since.

Mark Coleman is the author of MAKE PEACE WITH YOUR MIND: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You From Your Inner Critic.

Here are some talking points from the show:

Mark goes from punk rock to mindful meditation
Kids and social media
Helping parents recognize their children’s inner critic
Mindfulness and body image
Mindfulness and neuroplasticity

Click below to hear the interview. By the way, you’ll be getting some additional meditation tips by way of a GenuLines blog post in the days ahead!

JohnK 2-6-2017

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(re-posting) Mark Coleman and Make Peace with Your Mind

February 6, 2017 John Uncategorized No comments

(The earlier version of the Mark Coleman post apparently had some audio player issues so let’s try it again!)

Mark Coleman is the author of MAKE PEACE WITH YOUR MIND: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You From Your Inner Critic.

Here are some talking points from the show:

Mark goes from punk rock to mindful meditation
Kids and social media
Helping parents recognize their children’s inner critic
Mindfulness and body image
Mindfulness and neuroplasticity

By the way, you’ll be getting some additional meditation tips by way of a GenuLines blog post in the days ahead!

JohnK 2-6-2017

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Mindfulness, Compassion, and Mark Coleman on CHI FOR YOURSELF

February 3, 2017 John Uncategorized No comments

Many of us are well acquainted with our “Inner Critic.” It’s the voice that makes us second-guess our every step by saying “not enough,” “not good enough,” or sometimes “too much.” At times the Inner Critic can be so strong that it feels invincible, but bestselling author and renowned meditation teacher Mark Coleman promises that it is not.

Mark Coleman is the author of Make Peace with Your Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You from Your Inner Critic

You can hear the interview–pardon my congested voice 🙂 — and other CHI FOR YOURSELF interviews by clicking on the player below:

JohnK 2-3-2017

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Mindfulness and The Inner Critic: Next CHI FOR YOURSELF

January 30, 2017 John Uncategorized No comments

On the next CHI FOR YOURSELF, bestselling author and renowned meditation teacher Mark Coleman will join us. Mark’s world changed for the better when he went from punk rocker to mindful meditator. He’ll bring tools we can use to begin turning the lens of attention inward, with kindness and clarity. Mark Coleman is the author of MAKE PEACE WITH YOUR MIND: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You From Your Inner Critic

The interview will be posted this Thursday or Friday but due to scheduling conflicts. it will NOT be available to hear live on the chiforyourself.com home page. GenuLines will let you know the exact time and date in the next few days.

Mark Coleman

JohnK 1-30-2017

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Today on CHI FOR YOURSELF: New Year’s Resolutions with Helene Segura

January 5, 2017 John Uncategorized No comments

Today on CHI FOR YOURSELF we welcome Helene Segura for her second visit. We’ll be talking about New Year’s Resolutions- making them and keeping them. Helene Segura is the author of The Inefficiency Assassin: Time Management Tactics for Working Smarter, Not Longer.

We get underway at 2 pm Eastern, 11 am Pacific time at chiforyourself.com.

JohnK 1-5-2017

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New Years Resolutions: Making Them and Keeping Them

January 2, 2017 John Uncategorized No comments

Here we are at the start of another year. A great time for changing our ways or blazing new trails through our intentions. Making New Year’s Resolutions is a big tradition, but following through with them is a whole other matter.

Each year, the top resolutions include living healthier, spending more time with family, and getting organized – all of which are positive life changes. Yet studies show that most people scrap their plans by the end of January.

Our first scheduled CHI FOR YOURSELF guest for 2017 will pay us her second visit. Helene Segura is the offer of THE INEFFICIENCY ASSASSIN: Time Management Tactics for Working Smarter, Not Longer. She’ll talk about failure to keep resolutions, what goes wrong and how to change that.

Helene Segura

Hear CHI FOR YOURSELF with Helene Segura on Thursday, January 5th at 2 pm Eastern, 11 am Pacific time. at chiforyourself.com

JohnK 1-2-2017

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Where There’s a Will There’s a…Habit!

December 30, 2016 John Uncategorized No comments

This final offering in the series on creating new habits takes a look at willpower and how it relates to habits. Maybe you’ve questioned yourself about “having the will” to lose 10 pounds or to find a better job. Your story CAN end well, and today’s installment will show you why.

All the best to you with your intentions!

The Inverse Relationship Between Habits and Willpower

It’s hard to keep up willpower for any length of time. Yes, we can stick to a low-fat 1,000 calorie diet and go hungry for a week or two, but eventually, our willpower fades. And yes, we can do exercise we hate for a while… until we run out of willpower.

But what about getting up to take the kids to school every morning, brushing our teeth or going to work every day. Those may not be our favorite things to do either, but we do them daily without the risk of running out of willpower.

That’s because they have become habits. They are so ingrained in what we do and who we are that we do them without even considering skipping a day or a week. We don’t have to make a conscious decision each day to shower or drive to work. It’s just what we do – a habit.

When you start to think about it, there is an inverse relationship between habits and will power. When you first want to build a new habit, it takes a lot of will power to get it done day in and day out. As you start to establish that habit, it becomes easier and easier to do until you don’t even have to think about it anymore.

Just being aware of this process helps us stick it out. We know we don’t always have to make such a big effort to work out or skip the donut for breakfast. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. We know that eventually going out for a run first thing in the morning and grabbing some fruit or fixing some eggs for breakfast will become habits.

While we’re in that transition from willpower to habit, we can use tools to make it easier. Use a to-do list or set a reminder to help stay on track.

Find an accountability partner so the two of you can motivate each other and help bolster that willpower when it starts to fade after the first enthusiasm wears off. Even something as simple as laying out your running clothes the night before and keeping your sneakers by the door will make it a little easier to go out for that run.

Do what you can to help your willpower along until you have made the new behavior a true habit. After that, it’ll be easy and automatic and you’ve created a new lifelong habit.

JohnK 12-30-2016

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