How to Train Your Brain – Blog 501

April 14, 2024

“I have been the recipient of love and service, therefore I can love and serve. There is great satisfaction in service to others, in seeing people and their conditions change.” – Clarence E. Hodges

In the last blog we examined some ways to cultivate more true joy in our lives. Now, I want to share with you an updated past blog featuring a delightful book that has definitely helped me do that.

February 5, 2023

I just finished reading a fabulous book by Brad Aronson called Humankind: Changing the World One Small Act at a Time.  He was moved to write this book because of the many types of kindness shown to him and his family when his wife Mia was battling leukemia for several years. He thought about all the different types of helpfulness, compassion and kindness others showed to his family, and synthesized them into a specific focus in each chapter on each individual facet of what it means to be KIND and contribute to someone else.

Along with each principle of kindness and contribution, the book details many incredibly inspiring true stories that illustrate how sharing your time, talents and treasures with others can make a huge difference to one or to many people – sometimes, even to the whole world.  And doing so also makes your own life more fulfilled and joyous.

Chapters include the power of your words to change another person’s life, making it easier for others to accept help by the way you phrase your offer, being good company for someone when they need it, celebrating someone’s special occasion, etc.  At the end of each chapter, Brad offers a “What We Can Do” list of specific suggestions for putting that specific type of kindness into action in small, manageable ways.

One of my favorite chapters is Chapter 8, titled “A New Lens on Life” about how to change your own perspective about problems and help someone else change theirs. At the end, Brad reminds us that it is possible to “train your brain for positivity” by putting in place a few simple daily practices.  I quote his suggestions here verbatim from this chapter of Humankind:

• “Add yet to your vocabulary. Instead of “I haven’t found a new job,’ say, ‘I haven’t found a new job yet.’ The difference is subtle but your brain notices.
• “Change ‘I have to’ to ‘I get to’. My wife and I used to think some chores were a pain. We’d often say, ‘I have to do the laundry,’ or ‘I have to make lunches,’ or ‘I have to take out the trash.’ When Mia had chemo, she could no longer do those chores as regularly, being in the hospital or too weak much of the time. As she recovered, she regained her strength and she was ecstatic. ‘I’m so happy,’ she said. ‘I get to make lunch, I get to cook dinner and I get to do the laundry.’
• “See the positive. Studies show that when we see the positive more often, we’re happier and we’re kinder to ourselves and those around us. We’re also much more likely to see opportunities and solve problems creatively. Researchers have found, for example, that physicians, students, salespeople and toddlers perform better when they’re more positive.”

Brad then lists four specific daily actions we can take to train our brains to think more positively and therefore help ourselves and others to be happier, more productive and better at overcoming problems.  Even if you just adopt ONE as a daily practice, I can guarantee it will have a big impact on your happiness and the many forms of GOOD that you will begin to attract into your world.

“Luckily for us, we’re not locked into a way of viewing the world.  We can choose to see things more positively.  Here are some steps you can take to, among other things, teach yourself to look for the positive more often.  Eventually, your brain gets into the habit of doing this and you won’t need any prodding – you’ll just do it naturally:

• “Compliment at least one person every day. Maybe you begin the day by sending a short email or text telling someone why you appreciate them. ‘Just wanted to thank you for being a great friend.’ Or ‘I appreciated your call yesterday. Thanks for being so thoughtful.’ Besides reshaping how you see the world, you might make someone’s day.
• “Keep a gratitude journal. Every night, write three things you’re grateful for. (By the way, researchers have also found that people who regularly write down what they’re grateful for are 25 percent happier.) You can also have a nightly family discussion about what happened that day that you’re thankful for.
• “Perform a daily act of kindness. When you perform a kind act every day, you’ll start noticing other opportunities to be kind, creating a cycle of positivity in your mind. Think small – a thank-you note or letting someone cut in front of you in traffic. (Yet another way to make yourself and someone else happier.)
• “Be mindful of who and what you expose yourself to. Who you spend your time with and what you watch, listen to and read all send messages to your brain that influence how you see the world.”

He concludes this chapter, “Training your brain for positivity takes time, but it’s a priceless opportunity to change your perspective and become a happier person.  Before long, you’ll see half-full glasses everywhere you look.”

The way Brad Aronson sums up the point of Humankind in his “Closing Notes” reminds us of Joel Osteen’s promise that when we are busy are helping another, God is busy helping us:

“We don’t perform kind acts to be rewarded for them or to increase our life span – those are just possible side effects. We perform them because it’s what we’re here for. We were given the capacity for love for a reason, and the fact that loving acts tend to come full circle…seems to be confirmation that they’re the right path. Loving acts help others through difficult times – can you think of anything that has greater value?  Can you think of a better use of our time and talents?

“Our acts of kindness, no matter how insignificant we think they are, can be life-changing for someone else.  During Mia’s treatment, every person who gave us the strength to push forward contributed to our entire family’s making it through the experience unscathed.”

I hope you will read or listen to this wonderful book.  I promise it will lift your spirits and maybe even restore your faith in personkind, as it did for me.  And if you choose to follow some of its simple suggestions, I guarantee you will experience more joy, fulfillment and abundance for yourself by making a little time to be helpful and kind to someone else.

PLEASE NOTE: The blog is taking next week off and will return Sunday April 28.

Coaching Results

“Our coaching has made me change the way I am thinking about my work and my abilities in my work, and these carry over into personal areas of my life, too.  I am now more positive in my thinking about my work goals, personal relationships and my behaviors in both.” – L.H., yoga studio owner

********** MAKE THIS YOUR TIME TO SHINE ***************

Is it time for you to give yourself the priceless gift a positive mindset tune-up?  I invite you to take advantage of a truly unique opportunity – a F.R.E.E. hour of Success Breakthrough Coaching with no strings attached.  This is my kindness contribution to YOU! I promise to help you gain clarity on your Big Goals for 2024 and exactly what it will take for you to reach them. Slots are very limited, so contact me ASAP to schedule your F.R.E.E., no obligation phone coaching session: caroll@practicalprosperitycoach.com

If you would like your own free subscription to receive this blog three Sundays a month, just go to www.practicalprosperitycoach.com and enter your name and email at the top.

 

Joy versus Happiness – Blog 500

 

April 7, 2024 

“Joy is a necessity. That’s what gives you the strength to overcome. Joy is not just a feeling; it’s a force, strengthening you, empowering you, causing you to overcome what could have stopped you.” – Joel Osteen

Welcome to my 500^th blog.  It seems like just yesterday that I got the idea to start a weekly blog about how to create a life filled with abundance…. Actually, it was 16 years ago!

As a fairly new Personal Success Coach ™, I found myself sharing the same ideas and resources I found useful with each of my clients individually throughout the coaching week. Finally, it dawned on me that if I wrote about them instead, ALL of my clients could read the tips for themselves and I wouldn’t have to keep repeating myself! Plus, I enjoy writing very much. 

The blog idea worked out well, and of course my readership has expanded to include hundreds of individuals I have never personally coached (or even met).  I am very happy to know that they, too, find this information valuable.  I hope you know how much I cherish YOU and hope the ideas and resources I continue to share will make a difference in your life, as they have in mine!

Today’s topic came up unexpectedly.  I was watching a YouTube talk by my favorite positive-thinking pastor, Joel Osteen, entitled “Don’t Lose Your Joy.” In it, he made a distinction between happiness and joy. That’s when I realized that I had never really thought about the difference. I always thought they were essentially synonymous, with perhaps “joy” being an especially strong form of feeling “happy.”

But, according to Pastor Joel, joy is not merely a positive feeling, it is a necessity for getting us through tough times, as it is a key source of faith and strength.  Without true joy, he says, we can be overwhelmed and defeated by life’s challenges. This made me think that being consistently joyful also must be pretty important for creating and living an abundant life!

Intrigued, I googled “Joy versus Happiness” and found a surprising amount of detailed information about the topic.  Apparently, psychologists have spent a lot of time studying the distinction, so it’s not just a spiritual issue, but also an important mental and emotional one. 

Psychologists define joy as “a feeling of extreme gladness, delight and exultation of the spirit, arising from a sense of well-being or satisfaction.”

Some of the distinctions between joy and mere happiness that psychology makes include:

 “Joy is caused by elation at a moment in time.  Joy may not always be about oneself; but can be about others’ contentment also.”

“Joy is a practice and a behavior. It’s deliberate and intentional. Happiness comes and goes. Joy is profound.” 

“Happiness is a feeling based on circumstances. Joy is an attitude that defies circumstances.”

“In psychology, happiness is often based on something external or environmental, whereas joy involves internal processing and the determination that something is meaningful.”

And in the spiritual sense, according to Joel Osteen, “The Bible says, ‘The joy of the Lord is your strength. (Neh 8:10).’ The Bible says God gives us joy and peace. It tells us that real joy comes from God and is ours forever.” 

One practical source I found was an article entitled “The Joy of….” from the Quarter Life publication, which says it “aims to help you find joy in the smallest things.”

The article points out that the main reason psychologists are so interested in joy is that it is not just a fleeting emotion. It triggers a host of significant psychological and physiological changes that can tangibly improve our physical and mental health.

It states, “Joy is both a trait and a state. This means that while some of us only experience it as a result of a joyful situation, others have a capacity for it – they are able to experience joy, regardless of whether they’ve encountered something joyful.”

This seems to be precisely what Joel Osteen is saying – Joy is a choice and is something we can cultivate, regardless of the outer circumstances we find ourselves in, even though many of the circumstances in our world today are at odds with creating a feeling of “happiness.”

OK, so now that we understand the necessity, HOW can we become truly joyful, no matter what is going on in our life at the moment?

The article continues, “Luckily for us, there are many easy things we can do each day to boost the amount of joy we feel. Joy is very different from our other emotions. Three easy things we can all do on a regular basis to help boost our daily experience of joy are: 

• Share Food with others– The very act of sharing a meal with others can help us experience more joy. Research shows that eating with others can enhance what’s known as psychological flourishing – the highest level of well-being.  Preparing food with others can also stimulate joy.
• Physical activity – When running or walking with others, we tend to experience more joy than running on our own. Research also shows that accomplishing an exercise-related goal we never thought we were capable of can lead to joy. Set yourself a challenge you want to achieve and team up with friends on your journey to achieving it.
• Writing – You can boost feelings of joy by writing down how you feel. In one experiment, participants who spent 20 minutes a day for three months writing about intense positive experiences such as the joy of seeing a family member returning home or watching your child walk for the first time experienced better moods than participants who wrote about different topics. And those who wrote about their positive experiences also made fewer visits to their doctor in the three-month period.”

These three simple suggestions are a great place to begin cultivating a steady, daily sense of JOY, versus a fleeting sense of happiness that comes and goes, depending on how things outside of you are going. I would add that keeping a daily Gratitude Journal is a tried and true way to bump up your joy level. Simply list 3, 5 or 10 things each day that you feel grateful for right now.  Some people add the extra step of stating WHY they are grateful for each item, which is in line with the third suggestion for cultivating joy.

The more you focus your thoughts on whatever makes you feel profoundly grateful, the more joyful you will feel.  And the more joyful you feel, the stronger you will be at overcoming life’s inevitable challenges, while attracting MORE good things, people and circumstances to you on a regular basis.

COACHING RESULTS 

“After going through major business transitions, financial setbacks and personal challenges, I sought healing through therapy, counseling and deep introspection, but happiness seemed elusive. A friend recommended contacting Caroll, whose coaching had transformed her life. In the last four months of coaching with Caroll, I’ve finally achieved the resilient mindset I always longed for…and I have never been happier. I live a life full of strong faith, love, gratitude, abundance and inner peace. Engaging her services was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.” – Callie C., Entrepreneur 

If you or your friends would like your own free subscription to receive this blog three Sundays a month, just go to https://practicalprosperitycoach.com and enter your name and email at the top. 

To request an absolutely F.R.E.E., no-obligation one-hour phone coaching session, please email caroll@practicalprosperitycoach.com  NOTE: Free session slots are very limited, so please contact me ASAP.

 

March Madness – Blog 499

March 24, 2024

“The direction of your focus is the direction your life will move. Let yourself move toward what is good, valuable, strong and true.” – Ralph Marston

It’s no secret that sports has always had a lot to teach us about life. Whether you are a rabid sports fan or like me, only tune in for the BIG contests like Super Bowl and the World Series, I am sure we can all appreciate that sports played at the highest level brings out the best in the athletes and inspires the rest of us to do our best in whatever “arena” of life we play in.

That’s why I wanted to share another blog by Debbie Powers, Assistant Professor Emerita of Wellness at Ball State University and an athlete-coach in her own right.

I quote her recent post for Body Wise International here verbatim, with my own related tips for living a successful life added in bold brackets. 

March Madness

By Debbie Powers

“March brings spring flowers, chirping birds, and MADNESS.  Yes…it’s time for March Madness. Basketball fans have their brackets filled out and team sweatshirts out of their closets. We marvel at the skill and athleticism of the athletes. Heartfelt stories of players and Cinderella teams fill the networks. We experience excitement, drama, and glory along with the players. We witness the tears of the losers along with celebratory screaming of the winners. And we sometimes cry and yell as well. Reasons for losing are often emphasized: officiating, coaching, lack of effort, missed opportunities, etc.

It is a good time to reflect on the true purpose of sport. Whereas money dominates the sports landscape today, it hasn’t always been that way. I was fascinated when reading some pages from a college sports handbook, published in 1925. It offered to its athletes the athletic department’s philosophy of sport:

•          When you play a game always wish to win and try to win, otherwise your opponent will have no fun; but never wish to win so much that you cannot be happy without it. [This reminds us that we need to be “committed” to a Big Goal – with grit and determination to do our BEST, expecting to reach it, while at the same time remaining “unattached” as to HOW God/The Universe chooses to help us reach it.]

•          Seek to win only by fair and lawful means according to the rules of the game, and this will leave you without bitterness toward your opponent or shame before others. [TRUE victory can only be won by maintaining your integrity at all times.  If you engage in some form of lying or cheating, you may not be “caught,” but you will harbor a sense of guilt for the rest of your days, and that negative energy will interfere with your future success.]

•          Take pleasure in the game even though you do not obtain victory; for the purpose of the game is not merely to win, but to find joy and strength in trying. [Every life challenge we successfully face makes us stronger. We should enjoy the journey along the way to victory by being fully present and expressing gratitude for all the good we already have.]

•          If you obtain this victory which you have so desired, think more of your good fortune than of your own skill. This will make you grateful and ready to share with others the honor bestowed upon you, and truly this is reasonable. [We never accomplish a Big Goal all on our own. Even individual efforts require support, mentorship and sacrifice by others on our behalf. Gratitude and a sense of humility toward your triumphs will make you an inspiring role model and attract MORE good things to you.]

Wow! What a refreshing view of sport. This is a far cry from today’s transfer portals, coaching salaries, and name/image/likeness contracts. So……..let the MADNESS begin!”

NOTE: I am taking next Sunday off for Easter and will return on April 7 with a fresh Cup of Caroll.

SPECIAL NOTE: Thanks to all my cherished readers who answered my call and cast a vote or two for Juli, the adopted rescue kitty who was trying to win $10,000 for my local rescue, The Little Red Dog, where I am a volunteer dog walker five days a week.  She placed fourth out of scores of kitties but didn’t win.  Like a true champion, Juli showed strength, tenacity and sportsmanship throughout the contest. We are very proud of her and very grateful to YOU for your support!

If you or your friends would like your own free subscription to receive this blog three Sundays a month, just go to https://www.practicalprosperitycoach.com and enter your name and email at the top.

 

Give Yourself a Present – Blog 498

March 17, 2024

This weekend is a busy one for me, so I decided to repost a lightly-edited blog I wrote at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic on a topic that still resonates with me and likely always will.  I’ll bet it does with you, too: How to fully live in the present, experiencing each precious moment with ease and gratitude, while still getting stuff done. I hope you will take a moment to sit quietly, with a favorite beverage perhaps, in a comfy chair and enjoy it once again.

P.S. I hope you will read my special request message at the end of this blog and act on it. If you do, it will be more appreciated than you can know!

April 25, 2020

“Small deeds done are better than great deeds planned.” – Peter Marshall

The message that came to me over and over this week is one that most of us need to be constantly reminded of: Stay present and live each moment of life as it comes.

As I thought about the word “present,” it dawned on me that this one word has at least three main meanings which, while different, are all related.  First, as a noun, it means “gift,” like a Christmas present. It also means “now,” as in this present moment in time.  As a verb, “present” also means “to offer something” (as one might offer a gift).

In all these interconnected meanings, being present is a gift because it enables us to fully experience and appreciate every precious moment of life.  Now, more than ever, the whole world is keenly aware of the precious fragility of life — that we could be here today and gone tomorrow. 

A recent daily inspiration from Joel Osteen also reminded me of what special gift each moment of life is, especially in all the simple things we often overlook or take for granted in our daily routines:

Enjoy the Simple Things — by Joel Osteen

“Don’t miss a great season in your life wishing you had more, complaining about what you don’t have.  The real joy in life is in the simple things – making memories with your family, riding your bikes together, watching the sunset with your spouse, or staring up at the stars at night.  You don’t have to have big vacations or lots of money to have fun.  Learn to enjoy the simple things in life.

Could it be that you’re at the right place for the season that you’re in, but you’re not enjoying it?  Maybe if you would step back and see it from a new perspective, you would realize that God has you in the palms of His hands.  He knows where you are, what you like, and what you don’t like.  Instead of living discontented, frustrated, always wishing you were somewhere else, embrace the place where you are.  See the good. Be grateful for what you have.”

My job is to help my coaching clients get what they want.  Each has their own special Big Goal, and I help them with the mindset tools, strategy and accountability that will enable them to reach it, even if it seems far-fetched to someone else.

In my 20-plus years as a Personal Success Coach ™ I have learned that there are TWO fundamental keys to reaching any Big Goal:

1) Focus on what you WANT (not on what you don’t want). Keep your eye on the prize and use positive mindset tools daily to strengthen your BELIEF that you will get it.

2) Take ONE step at a time toward that outcome you want. Don’t try to figure out the whole “How” for getting there.  You can count on God/The Universe to help you with that, rolling the plan out for you one step at a time.  YOUR job is to take the step that is in front of you right NOW.  Looking too far ahead will only distract you from taking the right action today and make you doubt that it is possible to reach your Big Goal.  If you will stay in the NOW, focusing on carrying out today’s action step, the next perfect step will come to you when the time is right.

A week ago, on a coaching call, one of my clients seemed close to having a panic attack.  She was feeling totally overwhelmed by all the tasks she felt must be done simultaneously – caring for her family, staying mostly inside when she wanted to be outside, trying to come up with an entirely new distance learning curriculum for her students, while trying to consistently work her side business.  I understood why she wanted to stay in bed with the covers pulled over her head rather than try to organize ALL the many steps she needed to take! 

During our call, I got her to take a calm look at things and focus on what specific small steps she could take NOW to begin to make progress on her many tasks.  As we talked, she thought of some resources available to her that she hadn’t been utilizing, and she promised to take just ONE action as soon as we hung up — to call her mentor teacher for lessons plan suggestions and emotional support.

She also came up with a brilliant plan for shaking off her paralyzing sense of overwhelm. She vowed to complete just ONE to THREE action items per day — no more, no less.  That number was emotionally and mentally manageable to her, and she knew that she could prioritize those specific few actions per day and get them done.  Completing them each day would give her a sense of control and accomplishment, which in turn would restore her self-confidence and expectation of success.

When we talked a week later, she sounded like her old can-do self again. She had been carrying out her daily “One to Three Things Action Plan” and was feeling much better. She was getting up early and enjoying her daily walks with her dog again, and grateful to be able to spend more precious time with her family because she wasn’t away all day in the classroom.  She is “embracing where she is” and “being grateful for what she has” in the PRESENT moment, just as Joel Osteen suggests.

We can all emulate my client’s simple approach to creating greater productivity and happiness:  Accept calmly whatever is going on right NOW in your life, do what you can right NOW, and let tomorrow’s steps unfold in God’s perfect way and timing.  When we allow ourselves to be fully present in each moment, we will find joy in recognizing the many precious gifts that surround us right NOW.

WE COULD REALLY USE YOUR HELP!

As you may know, I am a long-time volunteer for a local dog and cat rescue, The Little Red Dog. I walk up to seven of their rescue pups daily that are being fostered while waiting for their forever homes. One of the organization’s kitty rescues, Juli, was adopted by another volunteer, who has entered her in a national contest to be named “America’s Favorite Pet.” If Juli gets the most online votes (which are FREE), she will not only have bragging rights, but most importantly, The Little Red Dog will be awarded the $10,000 prize, which is very much needed right now.  She has moved ahead of a huge field and is now high in the voting. But that can change frequently, as her competition also works to pull ahead!

So, I am asking everyone I know to join me in voting online DAILY (once every 24 hours) for Juli. I would be forever grateful if you will do this, even if you only do it once. (But I hope you will set yourself a reminder to do it daily until the contest ends.)  Here is the link to vote for Juli and help us win well over 100 deserving pups and kitties a lot of kibble and cat chow: https://americasfavpet.com/2024/juli-ce4a

If you or your friends would like your own free subscription to receive this blog three Sundays a month, just go to https://www.practicalprosperitycoach.com and enter your name and email at the top.

 

Unlock Your Full Potential – Blog 497

March 3, 2024

“Believe you can and you’re halfway there.” – Theodore Roosevelt

Today’s post is something COMPLETELY different.

I am excited to share this with you because it reveals the #1 KEY to unlocking your FULL potential for success. But, instead of reading about the topic, you can listen to me talking about it!

Below is a link to a 21-minute conversation I recently had on “The Sparking Entrepreneur” podcast with host Subrat Sahoo. With over 32,000 subscribers on Spotify and Apple, the topics are aimed at an audience of entrepreneurs and creatives, as well as those who coach, consult and otherwise serve them.  There are many other great guest interviews on there with a wide variety of entrepreneurs and business experts that you might want to check out too!

The topic was: What must you do to successfully reach your full potential and exactly how do I help my clients do that? I am passionate about spreading this message because it has worked for over 2,000 clients over the past 20 years and I believe it is my true calling as a coach.  

As part of the interview, just as I do in my written blogs, I share an inspiring story from one of my clients who experienced RAPID acceleration in her career and financial success, as well as many wonderful changes in her personal life. Her secret? She used ONE simple tool I gave her. The tool itself isn’t a “magic bullet,” but the WAY she embraced and used it changed everything in her life.

Here is the link to go directly to my guest spot.  Sit back for 21 fast-paced minutes and learn how YOU can unlock your full potential:

https://tinyurl.com/Sparking-Entrepreneur-Podcast

P.S. Feel free to share this post/podcast link with anyone you know who might benefit. They (and YOU) are welcome to request a F.R.E.E., no obligation one-hour phone coaching session with me to learn more, but these openings in my schedule are very limited, so do it SOON!

If you would like your own F.R.E.E. subscription to my (regular written) blog three Sundays a month, please go to https://practicalprosperitycoach.com and enter your name and email at the top. 

 

Your Problem-Solving Secret – Blog 496

February 25, 2024

“Success has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It’s what you do for others.” – Charles Lamb

I am deep into tax preparation (as I know many others are), so I decided to share again a lightly-edited post from last year that is one of my personal favorites.  I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

January 22, 2023

“You can’t sow a seed without reaping a harvest.” – Joel Osteen

As we begin another new year, loaded with positive possibilities, we still must inevitably drag some unwanted baggage into it from the past.

Chronic illness, debt, career disappointments, relationship issues, family issues, emotional issues — we ALL have something that we have struggled with for a while and cannot seem to find a way to resolve on our own.

That’s why I was so inspired recently by a YouTube talk by my favorite positive thinking pastor, Joel Osteen, entitled “The Secret to Solving Problems.”  YES, I thought. What’s the secret? I definitely want to know!

Turns out, it’s what I have been studying for the past 30 years or so.  It’s the Law of Attraction, which says “energy attracts like energy.”  From a spiritual point of view, it goes back thousands of years. You could call it Karma or the Biblical principle “As you sow, so shall you reap.”

As Joel explains it, “We all face challenges.  The secret is to take the focus off yourself and help others. While you are working on their situation, God is working on your situation.” 

Focusing all your attention on trying to solve your own problem just makes the problem grow bigger. That’s the negative side of the Law of Attraction, because your energy vibration (your thoughts plus the emotional energy those thoughts generate) must inevitably attract people and circumstances that are a match for whatever you are focused on. Like a magnet attracts a nail, negative thoughts will only attract negative things to you. In fact, it’s been said that “Worrying is like praying for what you DON’T want.”

So, how DO you solve a problem that you cannot handle with just your own strength and smarts?

Joel suggests, “Look around.  Where is there someone who needs support?  A lonely or sick neighbor, a co-worker who is struggling, a child who needs a mentor, a friend who needs help with their dream.”

Your energy of compassionate helping will attract people and resources to help YOU with whatever you need.

Joel goes on to say, “Get your mind off yourself and go be a blessing.  When it is in your power to do good, don’t put it off.  You set a miracle in motion for yourself when you help someone else. When you show favor, favor will come to you.  When you give, it will come back to you multiplied.  When your dream seems impossible, help someone else’s dream to be born.”

I recently read an inspiring true story written by Beverly L. Jenkins on www.inspiremore.com that is a perfect example of this principle that when you take the focus off yourself to help someone else with their problem, it causes God/The Universe (via the universal Law of Attraction) to help YOU with your problem. I quote the article here verbatim:

“Tom Agnes is the store operations manager at Brooklyn Center Liquor in Minnesota. While he was out to lunch one day, one of his employees spotted a man rummaging through the free cardboard boxes at the front of the store. When she saw him selecting two boxes to use as shoes for his socks-clad feet, she took immediate and decisive action.

“When Tom returned to the store, he found his star employee, Ta Leia Thomas, who goes by Ace, working the cash register in her socks. He asked what happened, and she told him she saw a man with no shoes, so she gave him her own sneakers.

“Tom checked the store’s security footage and, sure enough, there was Ace pulling off her purple retro Jordans and handing them over to the stranger without even a second of hesitation.

“Ace says her reaction was automatic; she saw that he needed shoes, so she gave him hers. Not only that, but the shoes she gave him were her favorite pair and can’t be easily replaced. Still, the decision was simple for her.

“’He said nobody would ever give me shoes like that,” Ace recalled of her conversation with the stranger. ‘And I said, well, I’m not everybody.’

“You can say that again.

“Ace later explained that she was raised to help others, because ‘you never know what their problem is or what they are going through.’

“Even though the shoes were special to her, she realized instantly that they can always be replaced.

“’If my shoes can make somebody’s world a better place, you can have them,’ she said, adding, ‘Everybody in the world deserves to be loved.’

“Later that day, [Store Manager] Tom bought Ace a new pair of shoes so she didn’t have to work in her socks. He shared the video of her giving away her Jordans on social media, and the story went viral! People everywhere were quick to praise Ace for her kindness, and they raised $450 to replace her shoes.

“Then, Tom heard about Ace’s mom, someone she says is ‘all I have in this world.’ Ace helps care for her and, since they only have one bed, she lets her mom take it while she rests on the floor. That’s when Tom realized the best way to repay this generous employee.

“’And I’m like, ah, we don’t need to get Ace a pair of shoes we need to get Ace a bed,’ Tom recalled. ‘So, I gave her cash instead of the shoes to get mom a bed.’

“It goes to show that, sometimes, what goes around truly does come back around!” concludes the story’s author, Beverly L. Jenkins.

Here’s my recommendation, from personal experience:  If you want to solve your problem, the next time you are tempted to sit around worrying or having a pity party for yourself, raise your head instead and look around for someone or some cause you can help.  Give of your time, resources and talents and you will plant seeds that will keep on producing good fruit in your own life and many others.  Because as Pastor Joel says, “You can’t do good for others without God being good to you.”

Coaching Results

“Caroll has been a powerful catalyst for positive change in my life, both personal and professional.  She has helped me recognize spiraling negative emotions and behaviors and guided me to a more powerful positive place.  She has shown me the power of positive, grateful thinking that has resonated with and changed me and even the people around me.” – J.T., Accountant

If you would like your own free subscription to receive this blog three Sundays a month, just go to my website at https://www.practicalprosperitycoach.com and fill in your name and email at the top.

****************** The Gift of Dreams Fulfilled! ********************

I invite you to give yourself (or someone you care about) a truly unique gift that can change their life — ONE HOUR of Success Breakthrough Coaching!  It is absolutely F*R*E*E* of charge, with no obligation! 

To schedule a F*R*E*E* HOUR of phone coaching that will help clarify your Big Goals and get you into ACTION to make this the BEST year yet, please email me at caroll@practicalprosperitycoach.com.

 

Be Your Own True Valentine – Blog 495

February 11, 2024

“To fall in love with yourself is the first secret to happiness.” – Robert Morley

Happy (Almost) Valentine’s Day! I want to share with you a lightly-edited annual fan-favorite post to remind you that the official “day of love” is the perfect time to rev up your self-love.

However you choose to spend your Valentine’s Day – with your sweetheart, a four-footed pal, a BFF, or just enjoying your own company – I hope you feel LOVED.  The most important person on the planet for you to love is YOU.

If you are not being loved, appreciated, respected or treated right by someone else (a boss, teacher, romantic partner, friend, Team member, co-worker, etc.), remember that The Law of Attraction says, “energy attracts like energy.” Therefore, if you recognize that you are attracting people into your life who do not seem to be honoring and valuing you (especially if you notice a pattern among several people), it’s a good idea to honestly assess how you are feeling about and treating yourself.

I have always loved two quotes from psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw and I often share them with clients who complain when someone behaves badly toward them:

“No one will ever value you more than you value yourself.”

“We teach other people how to treat us.”

If you want to love others more, you first need to love YOU, human shortcomings and all.  Remember, God/The Universe could never create anything less than perfect. Therefore, you are a masterpiece.

There are two things I believe all successful people have in common: Self confidence and Self-esteem.  The former is you believing that you are capable.  The latter is you believing that you are lovable.

If you were raised by well-meaning parents to believe that loving yourself displeases your Creator because it is “prideful” or “selfish” or “stuck up,” here is a different spiritual outlook from my favorite positive-thought pastor, Joel Osteen:

 “Love Yourself (By Joel Osteen)

Jesus said that if you don’t love yourself in a healthy way, you will never be able to love others in the way that you should. This is why some people don’t have good relationships. If you don’t get along with yourself, you’ll never get along with others. We all have weaknesses, shortcomings, and things that we wish were different. But if you see yourself as less than, not talented, and not valuable, you will become exactly that. If you feel unattractive on the inside, you will convey feelings of unattractiveness. That’s going to push people away. You carry yourself the way you see yourself.

People see you the way you see yourself. Perhaps if you quit focusing on your flaws and start loving yourself in a healthy way, being proud of who God made you to be, then as you send out these different messages, it’s going to bring new opportunities, new relationships, and new levels of God’s favor.”

Remember, there are only two opinions about you that truly matter: Yours and your Creator’s. If you steer your life by those, not only will you be happy and successful, you also will be able to radiate your healthy self-love out to the rest of the world and make a positive difference in the lives of many others.  And I can promise you that you will feel loved and valued in return.

PLEASE NOTE: The blog is taking next weekend off.  Your next fresh Cup of Caroll will arrive on Sunday February 25. 

Coaching Results

“Coaching with Caroll has been very helpful in manifesting a romantic partner who will be perfect for me. The detailed “Ideal List” she had me create has been such a useful tool for providing clarity.  It made me think of all the specific qualities I really want in a mate. It’s become a huge time-saver when I meet someone new, because I now have a very detailed list of all the traits I am looking for….Thanks to this coaching and my Ideal List, I am now choosing what a want, rather than who wants me.” – J.C., musician and Inspiring Speaker

********** MAKE THIS YOUR TIME TO SHINE ***************

Is it time for you to give yourself the priceless gift a positive mindset tune-up?  I invite you to take advantage of a truly unique opportunity – a F.R.E.E. hour of Success Breakthrough Coaching with no strings attached.  This is my kindness contribution to YOU! I promise to help you gain clarity on your Big Goals for 2024 and exactly what it will take for you to reach them. Slots are very limited, so contact me ASAP to schedule your F.R.E.E., no obligation phone coaching session: caroll@practicalprosperitycoach.com

If you would like your own free subscription to receive this blog three Sundays a month, just go to practicalprosperitycoach.com and enter your name and email at the top.

 

Timing is Everything – Blog 494

February 4, 2024

“Every happening, great and small, is a parable whereby God speaks to us, and the art of life is to get the message.” – Malcolm Muggeridge, journalist

Did you take the time to do the exercises in the last two blogs?  I hope so!  If you want to get your 2024 off to a great start, it is time well invested to really think about the lessons you learned last year and apply them to what you want to accomplish now.  And creating your 2024 goals vividly on paper at the beginning of a new year is a sure-fire way to start the process of engaging the help of God/Universe to make your Big Dreams a reality. The only thing required of YOU is to give up worrying about the details of HOW and WHEN your dreams will manifest.

Today’s topic is about how you can more easily manifest your dreams by asking specifically for what you want and then trusting in God/The Universe to deliver it at the perfect time because Divine Timing is never one second early or one minute late.

I am sure you have experienced “perfect timing” more than once in your own life.  You probably thought in amazement how “lucky” you were, and wondered how different your life would be today if you hadn’t just “happened” to be in the right place at exactly the right time to meet the love of your life or best friend, or make a connection that opened a new opportunity to you.

I assert that it’s not luck but Divine Timing that delivered your treasure. When you learn to trust it and truly expect it to work in your favor, it does.  But if you ignore the subtle signals that you must follow to align with it, you may miss some wonderful opportunities, both big and small.

Sometimes Divine Timing works outside of our human control, or even our knowledge that it’s working.  I had an experience of that recently, when several urgent needs cropped up at once that exceeded our normal monthly family budget by a lot.  I had no idea where I would get the extra money for these necessities. So, I simply ASKED God for them, expressing gratitude in advance, which demonstrated my faith that they would come at the perfect time, even though I didn’t know HOW.

That is a key tool I learned from The Gratitude Formula by May McCarthy.  Expressing gratitude in advance of actually receiving something you ask your Higher Power for helps you to truly BELIEVE it is going to happen.  EXPECTING the BEST outcome opens your eyes to new possibilities and attracts the right people and resources to you because the Law of Attraction says that “energy attracts like energy.” You must believe it before you are going to see it.

Two and a half years ago, I received a notice in the mail that I had been included in a class action suit against my former long-term care insurance carrier.  The company had raised the rates exorbitantly without notice several years before the lawsuit was brought. I thought it was a great idea to hold the company accountable for forcing me and many other policy holders who had been paying our premiums for years to abruptly drop our coverage when we could no longer afford it. But I was in the middle of moving when I got the notice and life was hectic, so I filed it away and pretty much forgot about it.

Occasionally, the lawyers representing the class action group would email me an update that there had been a delay in the lawsuit for one reason or another.  I was busy and it was out of my control anyway, so I just filed the updates away and didn’t think more about it.

Then, on January 18, just a couple of weeks after I had ASKED God for a way to pay for the items I needed that were beyond my normal sources of income, I went out to the mailbox and found a settlement check for $6,700. I had done NOTHING to make that money appear, but I recognized that it was the answer to my prayer and that the timing could not have been more perfect for my needs.  It had been in process a long time, but it was not one second late for what I needed when I needed it.  That’s Divine Timing in action.

Most of the time, though, I’ve found that Divine Timing works through you.  It starts as an inner “nudge” – like the whisper of a “still, small voice” that the Scriptures talk about.  I believe your Higher Power uses your intuition, or inner wisdom, to direct you to the solution you need.  This happens to me frequently.  Because I am human, sometimes I ignore the whisper and then regret it.  But because I regularly remind my coaching clients to listen to that divine whisper, I am more aware of it and I try to follow its directions myself.  I am always rewarded when I do.

One recent example of this is when I randomly came across an online article titled “How to Unclog a Drain in 3 Easy Steps.”  I didn’t have a clogged drain and wasn’t worried about having one, but an inexplicable inner urge told me to print it out and save it.

Exactly one month later, out of the blue, my husband told me my bathroom sink was clogged.  He had used a tool to dig out some gunk but water was still standing in it for a long time before it would drain.  He suggested we call a plumber because the pipe under the sink probably needed to be removed and cleaned out, which was beyond our home remedy capabilities. That’s when my subconscious mind (which never forgets anything we do or hear or see) suddenly reminded me of the article I filed away about how to unclog a drain and save a lot of money on professional plumbing.

The first step listed was “Start with a Plunger.” (They don’t call it a “Plumber’s Helper” for nothing!)  I got a plunger and followed the instructions (except I skipped “put on goggles.”) In about 10 seconds, the clog was cleared and the water was running freely down the drain. I had just saved us whatever large fee plumbers are charging these days to make a house call and undoubtedly do the exact same thing.

A far bigger, smarter Mind than mine knew what I was going to need before I needed it, and I am so glad I followed that inner nudge to do something that made no sense to me at the time.

Best practice: Avoid the Ego’s desire to force your own limited view of the right HOW and WHEN on a situation.  Instead, stop, get quiet and call on your Higher Power to show you the right actions to take at the right time. Demonstrate your trust by following the Divine Directions you receive (even when they don’t make sense to you). If you don’t get an immediate answer, be patient. Ask again each day until you do. Stay quiet and keep an open mind. The answer WILL come to you…. or from someone or something outside of you. If you follow this path consistently, I promise you will begin to experience being in the flow of life, manifesting everything you truly need and desire with greater ease and speed than you might now imagine is possible.

P.S. I HIGHLY recommend The Gratitude Formula by May McCarthy, which will teach you a simple, sure-fire method of connecting with your own personal source of Spiritual Guidance each morning that will provide you with actionable direction for every facet of your daily life. With just a few minutes a day of consistent practice, you will begin to see Divine Timing showing up in everything you do.

COACHING RESULTS

“Caroll, of all the coaching programs I’ve ever done, working with you was by far the most productive. First, you really took the time to get to know me and my life, so your approach was always targeted to my needs. You had me set specific, measurable goals, then helped me with clear suggestions and actions I could take in small bites that I could handle.  You taught me to make time for myself with a morning mindset practice that gave me daily focus and direction. It helped me gain clarity on what I really wanted and empowered the Divinity inside me to help me achieve my Big Goals.  Most of all, your coaching helped me to overcome my fears and limiting beliefs and step up to be a Servant Leader who helps others achieve their goals. You have a great ability to help people “steer their ship” with confidence and integrity and I am so grateful.” – Mary W., Entrepreneur 

MY INVITATION TO YOU

If a qualified mechanic offered you a F.R.E.E., no-strings, tune up for your car, would you accept? How about a F.R.E.E. mindset tune-up from a certified Personal Success Coach?  I am offering to help you pursue your Big Goals for 2024 with greater ease, speed and success. No strings attached.  Slots are very limited. For a F.R.E.E. one-hour phone coaching session, contact me right away: caroll@practicalprosperitycoach.com

If you would like your own F.R.E.E. subscription to receive this blog three Sundays a month, just go to my website at https://practicalprosperitycoach.com and fill in your name and email at the top.

 

Boldly Believe in Your Dreams – Blog 493

January 14, 2024

“As you step into this new year, be bold enough and daring enough to believe in the abundant good that has been prepared for you.” – Dr. Norman Vincent Peale

In the last blog, we discussed the importance of completing your old year before you attempt to create your new year the way you want it to be.  Once you have released any disappointments, lingering resentments, incompletions and regrets over what did or didn’t happen for you last year, you are ready to co-create (with God/The Universe) an even BETTER new year for yourself.

I have been doing a New Year Creation exercise every year since 2004. I can’t say every year turned out exactly the way I had envisioned in every area of my life. In fact, the past few gave me (and others) a number of surprises, not all of them positive. Still, as I re-read each New Year’s Eve what I had set out to create that year, I have been consistently amazed to find that much of what I truly wanted did come true.

By the way, if you haven’t yet completed the “Reflections Exercise” from last week’s blog (Put the Old One to Rest – Blog 492) to help you powerfully complete 2023, identify your main lessons from it, and create the mental and emotional space for a year of new manifestations, please take all the time you need to finish it before you begin this next step. You can find it in the blog archives at https://practicalprosperitycoach.com.

CREATING YOUR NEW YEAR

Once you have completed the old, you are ready to co-create a brand NEW year how YOU want it to be! We know that life can definitely throw us some curve balls from time to time, but this is a very effective technique for creating your year intentionally, rather than passively waiting to see how it all “turns out.”

I was so pleased to receive an email from one of my longtime clients about the outcome of her New Year Creation exercise: “In re-reading my Year Creation, I see that what I put down for what I wanted in a new home manifested exactly how I specified – the realtor, house location, everything!” As hundreds of my clients have proven, year in and year out, you CAN ask for what you want – and get it!

And NO, I am not suggesting that the Divine Plan for your life doesn’t matter!  I personally believe that in order to manifest our Highest Good, we must first ask God/The Universe clearly and specifically for what we want, and then trust that if it is good for us and doesn’t harm anyone else, we will be shown HOW to get it.  You can be sure that if God/The Universe has different plans for you, you will be guided to fulfill them and they will be EVEN better than the ones you suggested!

STEP ONE: Create a THEME for the year. How would you like this year show to up for your life?  Make it catchy so you can remember it on a daily basis. This year, my theme is “2024: The Year of Purposeful Prosperity” because I want to expand my means for sharing mindset tools and prosperity principles in new and much bigger ways that align with my Life Purpose AND I want to prosper financially from sharing my unique and special God-given gifts with my target audience.

STEP TWO: Create a list of personal qualities to describe how YOU want to show up in the world this year. State it in the present tense, as though it’s already a fact. Here’s mine: “In 2024, I am God’s richly-rewarded Prosperity Messenger: Magnetic, Intuitive, Confident, Peaceful, Joyous, Patient, Empowering, Faith-Filled, Loving and Giving. I attract effortlessly WHO I AM and everything I desire.”

By declaring who you want to be in the present tense, you will automatically begin to become this person. The qualities and attributes you begin to embody will then attract the right people and resources to manifest your Big Dreams with ease.  As the Law of Attraction states, “energy attracts like energy.”  So whatever qualities you cultivate in yourself will show up in those who will be attracted to you – in business, friendship, romantic relationship – everywhere!

STEP THREE: List the main areas of life that are important to you.  Then simply state what you desire to have in each area this year.  Remember, you do not have to know HOW you are going to get those desires fulfilled!  Each dream you describe is simply a declaration to God/the Universe that this is what you desire – stated in the present tense, with GRATITIDE, as though it’s already happened.  (NOTE: This “gratitude in advance” wording is a really important part of the format!)

Declaring “I am so grateful that…” above the first one and then describing in a few sentences what you desire in each area of life that is important to you tells your own subconscious mind that it’s already a done deal, as far as you are concerned.  You believe that your Higher Power will figure out the HOW and convey it to you by whatever means are best for YOU. It’s your job to quietly listen for Divine Direction and then take bold action when you get those Divine “leads.”

Visualizing, Declaring and Believing in your dreams being fulfilled before you see any tangible evidence is key to making them a reality.

EXAMPLE YEAR CREATION

A few years ago, one of my clients created an outstandingly simple, clear, graceful and powerful Year Creation – all on a single page, which is much shorter than my own!  I share it as an example of what the format looks like when complete.

Remember, the areas of life she wrote about are the most important to HER; your Big Dreams may be in different areas, which is perfectly fine. If you see something in hers that you would like too, feel free to “borrow” it for your own!

20XX: The Year of Growth, Grace and Grit

 In 20XX, I am a vehicle for dreams to be achieved and goals to be attained: Joyful, Confident, Determined, Enthusiastic, Graceful, Insightful, Loving and Unstoppable. I attract effortlessly WHO I AM and what I love.

I AM SO GRATEFUL THAT….

Love and Family: I love spending time with my husband and daughters learning about the world. We vacation often and have incredible trips where we learn, enjoy and explore amazingness. We have time to enjoy each other and be fully present, but we also take time for ourselves. We love each other deeply, have thoughtful conversations, celebrate our success and help each other through the failures.

Business:  I am so grateful for the excitement, challenges and rewards that my skin care business gives to me every day. I am the leader of an amazing team and have very loyal customers who feel appreciated. I get time every day to work and inspire the men and women on my team.  It will be a source of joy that radiates into every aspect of my life including my primary career. At convention, I am wearing my blue, blingy lanyard and I am so thrilled to be a part of the leadership summit!!

Friendship: My friends are so very important to me. I have time every day to check in on everyone – a phone call or a series of texts. I’m so very grateful for their love and humor!  We find time at least once a month to all go out together for dinner or movies and drinks! We are there to support each other through hard times and celebrations!

Health: I am eating healthier and feeling great. My morning walks are a time for ME. Sometimes it is for reflection, listening to a podcast or an early morning phone call with a friend on the east coast. I wake up every morning excited to go out and hit the road. My husband is cooking fantastic meals!

Self-Care: My mental state is clear and focused; my stress levels are low. I am able to attend my monthly meetings with other women entrepreneurs where we can help each other with whatever we need in life and in our businesses. I take time to read 30 minutes every day in peace and quiet. I have conversations with friends who feel similarly to me about what we learn, feel and think.  The Law of Attraction is so present in my life that it is a natural part of my time – all of the time.

 What matters most to YOU right now? 

Think of your 2024 Year Creation exercise like a Vision Board that uses words instead of pictures. Nothing is required of you. You don’t have to make an action plan or a to-do list from the heartfelt intentions you wrote! All you need to do is EXPRESS GRATITUDE IN ADVANCE to your Higher Power for it and BELIEVE it will show up for you at the perfect time and in the perfect way.

Some of my clients like to read their New Year Creation at the beginning of each week or the first day of a new month, just to stay emotionally connected to it. But you could put yours away in a drawer and not take it out until next New Years Day– and you will be amazed that your own subconscious mind has been working with your Higher Power throughout the year to create opportunities for you to make your Big Dreams a reality.

That’s the Law of Attraction in action! So don’t delay — The BEST year of your life (so far) is just waiting for you to create it!

PLEASE NOTE: To give you some time to finish the Reflections and Year Creation exercises, the blog is taking the next two weeks off and will return with a fresh Cup of Caroll on Sunday, February 4.

****************** Give the Gift of Dreams Fulfilled! ********************

This New Year, give a friend, colleague or yourself a truly unique gift that can be life-changing: a ONE HOUR “Success Breakthrough” coaching session by phone.  It is absolutely F*R*E*E* with no strings attached! To schedule this F*R*E*E* session, email me at caroll@practicalprosperitycoach.com ASAP, as I book up fast!

If you would like your own free subscription to receive this blog three Sundays a month, just go to my website https://practicalprosperitycoach.com and fill in your name and email at the top.

 

Put the Old One to Rest – Blog 492

January 7, 2024

“We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past.  But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.” – Steve Maraboli

Happy New Year and WELCOME to 2024! We all start each new year at the same place, with infinite possibilities stretching in front of us. It’s up to us what we do with this amazing opportunity.

Certainly, the world’s problems haven’t magically disappeared with the calendar change. But a new year offers us new hope and a fresh perspective – a chance to reboot our personal goals and ask what we can do to help others reach theirs.

With constant change, strife and division continuing around us, it is important to give yourself time to sit quietly and reflect on your own personal outcomes from 2023 before you attempt to move into a fresh new year. Like mine, I am sure your year was a mixture of joy, heartbreak, challenges and triumphs. By objectively taking stock of what happened, you can discover important insights and lessons that you can carry into this new year to help you create it to be all that you wish for.

In my two decades as a Personal Success Coach, I have been blessed to help over 2,000 clients reach their Big Goals, so I know what it will take to make your next year a success. Creating your personal goals and manifesting them requires a two-step process and now is the ideal time to begin:

Step One: Complete the Old Year.  You can’t create something new in a space that is cluttered with old stuff. You must first be 100% complete with the past. So, if you want this next year to be more than just a replay of whatever you experienced last year, you first must complete your old year to make space for your NEW intentions.

The Reflections Exercise

A great completion process is simply to sit quietly and answer a series of questions that make you think deeply about the outcomes of your past year – the good, the bad and the ugly. Answering them honestly will clarify your underlying beliefs, expectations, attitudes and actions that influenced the results you got.

This exercise is designed to help you look objectively at what you did (and didn’t) do that influenced what happened for you last year. Determining accurately what caused your past outcomes helps you to identify NEW ways of thinking and being that will cause you to take NEW actions.

Taking new actions will bring you new results, while continuing to operate on “auto-pilot” inside of the same thought and behavior patterns pretty much guarantees that this year is going to bring you more of the same.

Here are 14 KEY questions to complete your 2023 and set you up for a more fulfilling and prosperous 2024. They will only help you IF you take the time to actually answer them!  If you are thoughtful and truthful, it should take just 30-45 minutes or so to journal your answers. And, if this introspection sets you up for a new level of success and happiness in the coming year, isn’t it worth making such a small effort?

Part 1 – Questions to Complete the Old Year

• What was your biggest accomplishment in 2023?
• What was your greatest failure or disappointment?
• What was the greatest lesson you learned?
• Who did you make a difference for and how?
• What do you wish you hadn’t wasted your time and energy on?
• What do you wish you had spent MORE time and effort on?
• What are you most grateful for regarding last year?

Part 2 – Questions for Creating Your New Year

• What ONE (or two) WORDS would you like to have as your theme in 2024?
• What would you feel most happy and fulfilled about accomplishing?
• What new skill would you most like to learn or master and why?
• What are you most committed to changing/improving in your work?
• What are you most committed to changing/improving about yourself?
• What is ONE positive habit you are 100% committed to instilling this year?
• What brings you the most joy and how will you make room for MORE of it during this year?

NEXT WEEK

We will do STEP TWO: Create Your Year Your Way. I will share with you my all-time favorite method for co-creating your new year with God/the Universe to be all that you would like it to be.  It’s a great companion piece to the Reflections Exercise. I have loved doing it for myself every January for the past 19 years and I know you will too!

If you would like your own free subscription to receive this blog three Sundays a month, just go to my website at https://www.practicalprosperitycoach.com and fill in your name and email at the top.

****************** The Gift of Dreams Fulfilled! ********************

I invite you to give yourself (or someone you care about) a truly unique gift that can change their life — ONE HOUR of Success Breakthrough Coaching!  It is absolutely F*R*E*E* of charge, with no obligation!  To schedule a F*R*E*E* HOUR of phone coaching that will help clarify your Big Goals and get you into ACTION to make this the BEST year yet, please email me at caroll@practicalprosperitycoach.com.