Reflections, thinking small to make big changes.

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Reflection is a great tool for self-improvement in my humble opinion. We are all guilty of pointing fingers and complaining about what is wrong in the world when in most cases the things we complain about we do have the ability to change because quite often we are usually guilty of what we are vocalizing, ourselves.

It is easy to point out what is not working, but implementing change is not always as easy as it seems. I have said this before and will reiterate it here, our brains function on habitual routines. The best way to seek change is to set up a regular routine and before long it becomes a habit that is as natural as breathing. It is that simple but, we have to start somewhere. The hard part is creating the change before it becomes a habit.

If we are honest with ourselves we can hold a mirror up and ask truthfully is this annoyance caused by me? Reflection is a tricky thing. If someone hurts us or we feel slighted, are you reflecting what someone did to you on the wrong person? If a repeated action of deceit affects us in our lives it is easy to fall in that pattern and automatically assume everyone is going to do the same thing, before anything is done at all. Often times we, in fact, enforce the behavior by our attitude towards the innocent party, creating their defenses to react to your behavior. That person becomes the victim of your own reflection.

We can also be the culprit of the things that annoy us the most, we see it easily because maybe we do it as well? It is not easy to be fully honest with yourself, no one likes to admit their own failures. However, it seems failures are the stepping stones to success. Trial and error is the process to finding the best fit, should we say? You cannot fix something if you do not understand what is broken. An analysis of truth must be reflected in the mirror, then change what you do not like about yourself to create a better you. Then others see and react and follow suit; you created the cycle for a positive change.

May seem confusing but it is human nature and no one is immune. However, we can use it to our advantage in a complementary way instead of negatively. Being the control freak that I am, I understand that we can not control the actions of others, but we can control how we react to them. Change starts with the individual, be the change you want to see and lead by example.

One voice can make a difference and soon habits start to form and changes trickle down to

more and more people before you know it, you are a cause of a movement. It all started with a habit you formed in combating something you did not like about yourself. Make that movement count, put more favorable energy out and we get it back 10 times fold. As easy as it is to argue with someone and demand them to think like you do, that can be replaced with an eager ear, waiting to listen, or a helping hand looking to help someone in need, or a simple handshake and smile, can create an entirely new outlook that is rewarding on so many levels.

I believe! All we can do is try, right? What is the worst that can happen? But the best case scenario is a better world for future generations. Changes happen globally when we start locally!

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Retrain your brain for success, one smile at a time

Humans are creatures of habit and our brains function through repetition. We train our thoughts and our actions through daily routines. These routines become common practice and soon working, eating, sleeping and every aspect of our life is a regular occurrence, none of it feels like work anymore, simply a natural progression of daily living.

In this blog I have argued that creative personalities see things a little different from others. We create a different reality, not seen by anyone else. We share our views through our art to make others aware of what our mind's eye sees. I'm learning through my travels and new people I meet that we all have some form of creativity living inside of us.

In this piece I want to explore the measure of success. What do you consider a successful day, a momentous occasion? Waking up in the morning and accomplishing making another person smile is a very successful day in my opinion. But we all have to make a living and we all have to pay the bills, realistically a smile does not accomplish putting money in the bank. Or does it?

There are countless self help books out there that all say the same thing, The Secret, Life is a Contact Sport and my personal favorite, The Artist's Way. These are only tips of the iceberg, do your own research there are countless books that can help guide you that will speak to your own needs; bottom line is, we create our own reality. Regardless your religious or political beliefs no one makes success for you, except you. Having said that, no one gets there without help. Remember to respond kindly and help others on the journey behind you. Always educate yourself and continuously question the world and all that is involved, knowledge is power and is the number one tool to success.

Actions make reality. Think of a goal you want to obtain and make a plan. Planning and goal setting is a sure fire way to reach any dream. Dreams are reality in the making. Build a trustworthy team that is like minded to your needs. Success is more realistic when learning and sharing your experiences with others on the same path. Failure is not an option, but the pitfalls and road blocks are inevitable, adapt, adjust and overcome. Never let negativity discourage you from a reality that is waiting in the wings.

I propose starting by retraining our brains to think and do different things. Nothing changes unless you make a change. I have spoken of this many times throughout this blog, the repetition is me practicing what I preach, I am retraining my brain, so positive thoughts and actions become second nature it is no longer a chore to accomplish, it is simply how I live. I'll keep repeating it until it sinks in and maybe if you are reading and sharing, it will benefit you as well.

Challenge yourself to The 7 Day Mental Diet, By Emmet Fox. I'm a huge proponent of Emmet Fox's teachings. I'm not saying it is easy, but if you successfully complete it, the positive nature can change your life. I have started and stopped many times and still in the process myself.

Success in my point of view is dusting yourself off when you have fallen and try again. Learn from mistakes so you do not repeat them and keep looking forward. I believe if you do what you love the rest falls into place, I also believe nothing is handed to you, we must always relentlessly set small goals in order to reach the bigger picture. I do not believe you can be successful, by stepping on other people or abusing trust. Karma has a way of coming back to haunt us, apologize profusely when you have unintentionally hurt someone and always help when you are able to do so. I believe you get back what you put out, it is our responsibility as humans to make this world a more loving place. A smile can lead to success because it is creating a habit that soon changes how you think and live and soon the changes unfold as naturally as breathing.

Maybe in the environment we have been living we may have all lost sight of certain habitual luxuries we normally take for granted. Retrain our brains for success. Wake up each morning regardless what challenge you must face and say today I'm facing it with a smile. Ignore the naysayers trying to put negativity in your path. Happy living is successful living and success should be shared and celebrated.

Someone told me once, you only lose if you stop trying, so don't give up. I would love to hear your opinions and success stories, if you decide to try the challenge, please share your experience. If you feel negative feelings creeping in, stop, take a breath, maybe even take a day or two, then try again. We are all in this journey together, we are all interconnected whether we want to believe it or not. The world can be better and as a team we can all succeed one smile at a time.