Effort = Success (Just Try)

Hello Friends,

Hope all is well. Here are some great quotes to remind you of the path to success. Success simply takes effort. We must first try before we get. We often want our desire in an instant. This is not the way it works. It takes effort.

Decide today that you will not take no for an answer. Not from your friends. Not from you family. And most importantly, not from yourself. We can often be our own worst enemies. We allow people and situations to deter us instead of being steadfast in our beliefs.

Your goals and desires are yours and your alone. Why let someone tell you that you can't do something? Why let negativity creep in from external sources? Be confident in yourself and no one will be able to discourage you.

It doesn't matter what people say to you. It only matters if you allow it to affect you. I've mentioned this in prior posts, but I like to say to myself, "What you think of me is none of my business." This reminds me that those negative thoughts belong to the other person not me. So if someone says that you can't be successful in a certain way, that's ok, because that's their thoughts. It shouldn't effect you.

Enjoy the following quotes. Memorize one or two today and apply it to your life. When opposition arises remember these quotes as a reminder that you can't be stopped. No one is going to get in your way. Today is your day to shine. The sky is the limit. Start flying. Many blessings and thanks for listening.

It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.
Theodore Roosevelt

Half of the failures in life come from pulling one's horse when he is leaping.
Thomas Hood

Go back a little to leap further.
John Clarke

Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.
William Shakespeare

There is no impossibility to him who stands prepared to conquer every hazard.
The fearful are the failing.
Sarah J. Hale

We learn wisdom from failure much more than success. We often discover what we will do, by finding out what we will not do.
Samuel Smiles

I was never afraid of failure, for I would sooner fail than not be among the best.
John Keats

One who fears failure limits his activities.
Failure is only the opportunity to more
intelligently begin again.
Henry Ford

He that is down needs fear no fall.
John Bunyan

Never let the fear of striking out get in your way.
George Herman "Babe" Ruth

Believe In Yourself

Hello Friends,

Hope all is well. Here's a short video with some great quotes to keep you motivated. Belief in oneself is all that is needed for success. Too many times we listen to our friends and family when they say we can't do something. We look at the current state of the economy and get frustrated. We become paralyzed by all that is happening around us.

Believe in yourself. That's all that matters. It doesn't matter what anybody else thinks of you. Your opinion is the only one that matters. It is your life and you should be the one that determines your successes and failures.

If you're going to fail make sure it's on your terms. Let failure come as a result of trying. Don't let failure come as a result of doing nothing. Failing as a result of doing makes you stronger. Makes you wiser. Learn from your mistakes. Capitalize on the fact that you've been there, done that, and next time you're going to do it better.

Focus on everything positive about your dreams. Let no person steer your wrong in your quest. Your life is yours. Your dreams are yours. When the time comes, let the Universe use you, your dreams, and talents you have been blessed with for the higher good of all.

This is what strengthens the whole. This is what brings about peace and harmony. If we would just believe in ourselves and use our talents for the benefit of others, life would flow so much easier. Enjoy the video, and remember that you are an amazing being with an infinite amount of potential. Use this potential to make the world around you a better place. Have a great day, and thanks for listening. Blessings!

Happy Earth Day! (Ten Tips)

Hello Friends,

Hope all is well. Happy Earth Day. Today is the day to celebrate our planet. We need to be mindful of the place that we call home. We must take better care of our habitat. If we don't we will soon have to find another place to live.

Use this day as a reminder to take care of the earth. It should become a daily practice. The following are some great tips to help preserve the earths' resources. Begin to employ these energy saving tactics. If enough people adhere to these practices, the planet will be a much cleaner and safer place to live.

Remember that we are connected to nature. There has to be a balance between humans and nature. If we exhaust the planet of its resources it will no longer be able sustain us as a people. Love your planet. Respect your planet. Give back to your planet. Mother Earth will certainly return the favor ten fold. Have a great afternoon and thanks for listening. Blessings!

Ten things you can do this Earth Day
Canwest News Service
Published: Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Wondering how you can make a difference? Here are 10 things you can do to help the planet, whether it's Earth Day or not.

1. Leave your car at home for a day (or a week or a month) and try walking or biking. If work is too far away to walk, take public transit or carpool. One city bus eliminates the emissions of 40 cars.

2. Turn off the lights, the computer and the television when they are not in use. Using only highly efficient and money-saving appliances can reduce the electricity consumption of an average household to one-10th of the national average.

3. Try eating meat-free at least one day a week. A meat-based diet requires seven times more land than a plant-based diet. Livestock production is responsible for more climate change gasses than all the motor vehicles in the world.

4. Choose foods produced organically, locally and in season. Support your regional farmers and farming industry: buying locally and in season is better for the environment than buying foods that have been shipped hundreds of kilometres to your local market.

5. Put a composter in your backyard or use your green bin to reduce household waste. Composting organics has two key benefits: it reduces the amount of waste going to landfills and when added to your garden, helps nourish soil and plants.

6. Turn off your car's engine if stopped for more than 10 seconds. If every driver of a light-duty vehicle avoided idling by five minutes a day, collectively, we would save 1.8 million litres of fuel per day, almost 4500 tonnes of GHG emissions.

7. Set your thermostat above room temperature in the summer and below room temperature in the winter. For each degree you adjust, you can save 5% on your utility bill and 1% on your energy use.

8. Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs). A CFL uses only 25% as much energy as an incandescent bulb and lasts 10 times longer.

9. The simple act of recycling has more impact on the environment than the average Canadian thinks. The amount of wood and paper North Americans throw away each year is enough to heat five million homes for 200 years.

10. This is a great opportunity to brag. Tell someone what you're doing to make the world a better place. Support the cause. Encourage them to get involved too.

Source: Earth Day Canada

Be Prepared For What The Universe Has For You

Hello Friends,

Hope all is well. I'm completely moved into my new apartment and I love it. It is everything that I had been wanting for the past couple of months. I loved my old apartment but it was starting to get a little cramped.

I started to focus on the apartment that I wanted while being grateful for the one that I already had. My new apartment is a lot bigger. So much that I have to much space and not enough stuff. I see that as a blessing. An opportunity to grow.

I learned an important lesson about being prepared when opportunity presents itself. When I was first told about the apartment I hesitated. I was asking the Universe for a bigger apartment, but when given the opportunity, I froze up a little. I began to think of everything that was wrong with such as move. I thought things like:

-I'm already comfortable.
-The move will take too long.
-I have no one to help me.
-I don't have the time to move right now.
-The rent is going to be too high.
-I have to change my address again.
-I have to switch over all my utilities.
-Moving my turtle tank is going to be a pain.

This is the short list. It seemed like within a minute I thought of a thousand reasons why I shouldn't move. I got what I wanted but I wasn't prepared for what I got. I have written about preparation and opportunity before, but it really hit home once I stopped and looked at the move as an opportunity rather than a chore.

A lot of us are wanting "things" for our life. It could be a new car, a new career, or a new relationship. We are asking and asking, but when the opportunity presents itself we sometimes crawl back into our little shell.

Begin to prepare yourself for opportunity. If you are asking for something, begin to live that life. If you are wanting to start a new business, start living like you already own the new company. Get into that mindset. Do all the research necessary for that particular business. Know your business inside out. Once the opportunity is there, you will be prepared to go ahead full steam. On the other hand, if you don't prepare, you will probably fail very quickly.

Here are some great preparation quotes to help us to remember to be ready when opportunity knocks. Memorize one or two of them. Use these quotes as a reminder to yourself. Preparation is very important to creating the existence that you want. Be ready for what the Universe has for you. Many blessings ,and thanks for listening.

Miguel De Cervantes
To be prepared is half the victory.

H. Jackson Brown Jr.
The best preparation for tomorrow is doing your best today.

Henry Ford
Before everything else, getting ready is the secret to success.

John F. Kennedy
The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining.

Johnny Carson
Talent alone won't make you a success. Neither will being in the right place at the right time, unless you are ready. The most important question is: 'Are your ready?'

Eleanor Roosevelt
One thing life taught me -- if you are interested, you never have to look for new interests. They come to you.

Samuel Smiles
He who never made a mistake never made a discovery.

Louis Pasteur
Luck favors the mind that is prepared.

William Shakespeare
All things are ready, if our minds be so.

William Arthur Ward
The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.

Almost Done

Hello Friends,

Hope all is well. I finally got my cable and internet hooked up today, so I just wanted to say hi to everyone. I should have everything in my new apartment organized by the end of the day and life will be back to normal.

Thank you for those of you who emailed while I was making the move. I truly feel like I'm part of a positive global community that looks out for each other. I was surprised to see that people had left messages just checking up on me to make sure I was okay. I am truly blessed.

I'm going to go back to organizing the apartment. Here's a short video with some great quotes for Dale Carnegie. I just picked up his book How to Win Friends & Influence People. It was recommended to me by two different people this week, so I'll take as a sign that I should read it. Have a great day everyone. Many blessings!

Change = Growth

Hello Friends,

Hope all is well. I'm in for a hectic weekend. I'm moving apartments. It won't be a hard move, as I'm just switching to a bigger apartment in the same complex. A move is still a move. Most of us have changed locations so you know what I'm in for.

I'm excited for the change. Like I said, it's a bigger apartment. Lots of light. A definite upgrade. I'm blessed. For me change is good. Some people resist change because it's unfamiliar. It's risky. It's unknown. It is so much easier to just stay where you are in life. But where's the growth?

When my landlord approached me about taking the apartment, I hesitated at first. The first thing that came to my mind was, "I can't afford it. It's too much." I almost said no then I thought to myself, "C'mon Dex. What have you been writing about for the last week?" Focus on what you want instead of what you don't want.
So I switched my thinking from "not having the money" to "I will have the money. No problems."

Well the next day I just focused on having the money to pay for that first months rent. That evening I got a call from my friend Nelly. Nelly is an example of positivity always at work. She needed a favor and before she even asked me I began to get goosebumps.

This is what she asked me. "My friend Hazel and her sister-in-law need a weekend getaway. They wanted to stay at a hotel on South Beach but it will be too expensive for them. Is it possible for them to pay you $100 a day to stay in you apartment. They want to stay for 5 days."

An opportunity was placed in front of me and I had to take it. More than half of my rent will be paid for me this upcoming month because I simply shifted my focus to what I wanted. It won't be a hassle because one of my friends will be moving into my old apartment so I can stay with him for those days. It all works out.

Some people call it lucky, buy I don't necessarily believe in luck anymore. Gary Player, one of the greatest golfers of all time said, "The more I practice, the luckier I get." It's the same for focus. The more you practice focusing your thoughts on what you want, the more the Universe conspires in your favor.

Have a great weekend. I probably won't get to post again until Monday. Who knows I might get some inspiration and write something amidst all the chaos. Remember to let the Universe figure out the "hows" and "whens" of our existence. The Universe always gives us what we are wanting as long as we are willing to allow for it. Enjoy this short poem about change. Don't resist. Just "go with the flow." Blessings!

Change

Change is everywhere,
All around us.
If you do not notice any change,
You are not changing.
If you do not notice any change,
Have you seen,
The ocean,
The skies,
The seas,
The land?
If you do not notice any change,
You, alone, will never change.

Kelland Chew

Appreciate "Holy Moments"

Hello Friends,

Hope all is well. I put this clip from "Waking Life" on this blog before. It is a very interesting movie exploring the ideas of dream states. Many other subjects are discussed such as life, death, quantum physics, and politics. All of it seemingly takes place in a dream.

I started to think about this scene while I was listening to an Eckhart Tolle podcast. He was talking about being in the moment. One of the ways to be in the moment is to be still. To just close your eyes and free yourself of all thought. This is when we are closest to the Source.

This scene is titled "The Holy Moment". Holy moments happen all around us. We are sometimes to distracted to notice. Pick up a flower and just stare at it. Admire the beauty. Take a walk in the park and just admire the wildlife. Capture these moments on film like my friend SandPiper. That way you can relive these moments over and over again.

These are Holy Moments. They don't have to come once a week on Sunday. There is a Holy Moment going on right now and you might be missing it. Be still and enjoy all that is Holy about your life. Allow the Universe to speak to you. Speak to the Universe. The Universe is always listening. Always answering. Thank you for listening and many blessings!

Quotes...In Any Language

Hello Friends,

Hope all is well. I like exploring other people's blogs to get some ideas for my own. I just added a widget to right from AltaVista called Babel Fish. I got the idea from Sagun's Blog. It's a great site to visit and read about a variety of subjects.

Readers from all parts of the world can now translate this blog into their native tongue. This falls in line with the theme of this blog. When I started this blog, I wanted it to have a Universal feel. I wanted to share the message of feeling good to whom ever wanted to hear it no matter their background.



I have my beliefs, but I feel our own personal beliefs blind us to the good that are in others and the way that they think. The message of feeling good transcends all races, creeds, and religions. I don't subscribe to a God that only wants one religion to feel good while others can't. It just doesn't make sense for us to be focusing on our differences.

There is One Source from which we all stem from. This Source, regardless of what you call it has provided everything we need to feel good. We as humans, with our egos, want to have it all for ourselves. This mentality stunts the growth of the whole. A few people prosper while the majority suffers.

Look at nature. A tree for example. The tree works as a whole to grow. Their isn't one branch battling another. Their isn't one branch that is trying to entice birds to nest only on their limbs. Their is no competition because nature doesn't resist what is natural...Growth. Nature adheres to the cycle of life. Their is birth , growth, and then death. It is just a cycle that we all have to fulfill. Why make our existence so difficult.


THE OLD SENETOR - 600 YEAR OLD LIVE OAK TREE!
(downloaded from webshots nature)

Be like a tree and work with your fellow man to strengthen the whole. When I was younger I used to love to climb trees. I would spend hours sitting up their reading comic books or just day dreaming. Their is an amazing sense of life in a tree. Being in a nature puts us in a state that is in tune with the Source. Take the time to just be in nature. Be still. Listen to the whispers of the wind. This is the voice of the Source. This is love. Many blessings and thanks for listening.


TREES ON ELMS GROUNDS!
(downloaded from webshots nature)

Focus On What You Want

Hello Friends,

Hope all is well.

"Focus on what you want rather than what you don't want."

In my last post I listed this as one of my 3 favorite quotes. It's really been on my mind for the past couple of days. I began to listen to peoples conversations and the words that they are using. It is amazing how many times we say can't, don't, no, won't, couldn't, never. These are all words of lack and negativity.

The Universe responds to your last strong emotion. You may be wanting something and really get excited. You start to focus on what you want. You meditate. You try to stay positive. Then someone plants the seed of doubt and all is lost. You start to focus on what was said. Now those negative thoughts become your last new emotion. The Universe begins to respond. You get frustrated and give up on your dreams.

The problem stemmed from the fact that the focus was lost. A simple comment can set off a chain reaction of negative events. Guard your thoughts and your desires. Be confident and sure in what you are wanting. Listen to the the inner voice inside you that says that you can have whatever you want if you would just focus on your goals.

An exercise I like to do is to to use only positive words. I try to eliminate, can't won't,never, etc. from my conversations. It's hard at first, but becomes natural after a while. Two things will happen as a result of doing this exercise.

1.) You will remove thoughts of lack. Instead of saying, "I don't want to be broke," say "I want financial freedom." You're saying the same thing but now your focused on freedom instead of being broke.

2.) It will bring you into the present moment. The NOW. Many times our thoughts of lack stem from prior events. We tend to make our decisions based on what has happened to us in the past. It can devastating if you have tried to start a business before and it failed. The next time the opportunity comes to start a new business you may become fearful because of what happened in the past.

When we live like this growth stops. You have the same negative thoughts over and over again, never to realize your true potential based on fear of failure. Focus on what you want and you will always be "here." In the present. If you truly focus on what you want it will be impossible have any negative thoughts.

Here's a great video by Kathy McAfee. You can also visit her at The Marketing Motivator. She is talking to group of people about focusing on what they want. She does an excellent job and offers us some great exercises that will help us to be focused.

Be whatever you want to be. All it takes is the proper focus. Make it easy for yourself. As a reminder I say these words daily. "The Universe wants me to succeed. I will not get in the way by trying to dictate to the Universe how things should be done. I will simply stay focused and go with the flow."

Many blessings and thanks for listening.

My 3 Favorite Quotes

Hello Friends,

Hope all is well.

Ok, lay it on us...what is the best quote ever in your book...or is it somewhere on your blog already?

This was a question I was asked a few days ago from my friends at the Earth & Economy blog. This is a blog in which they "Find, Review, and Share Green Content." They have tons of excellent information pertaining to living a green lifestyle. The following is the categories that they cover on there blog. When you click on these tabs you are treated to a ton of articles on that particular subject.
Building, Business, Directories, Education, Energy, Jobs, Law, Living, Media, Organizations, Politics, Products, Resources, Science, Technology, Travel. Be sure to visit them for all things green.

So back to the question. First of all. I have not written a book(yet). I hope I didn't say that I did somewhere. I am still growing. I'm more into reading books at this point. Maybe the inspiration for a book will hit me one day.

So what is my best quote...? I have three that I say to myself daily and really try adhere to. These three quotes keep me grounded throughout my day to day activities.

Quote #1

Focus on what you want, rather than what you don't want.

The reason many of us don't get what we want out of life is because focus we on what we don't want in life. A lot of say, "I don't want to be broke." "I don't want to be sick." "I don't want to be in this horrible relationship anymore." These words and thoughts have very strong negative emotions attached to them.

The Universe gives you what you thinking and feeling about the most. It may seem like you're are doing the right thing by saying that you don't want something, but the Universe will simply give you more of what you don't want because that is where your focus is. If you focus on the mounting bills, the poor health, or unhealthy relationship, this is what you will get more of.

Start to focus on what you do want. Change your words and thoughts to "I want to live abundantly." I want to live a healthy lifestyle." I want to be in a loving relationship with a partner who accepts me for who I am." Put all your energy and emotions into this way of thinking. You will begin to see how the Universe will begin to place situations in front of you that will be alignment with what you are wanting.

Be sure to act when these opportunities arise. If you get a million dollar idea, that's the Universe working in your favor. Act immediately. Many times we get paralyzed or scared when the opportunity presents itself. Don't hinder what the Universe wants you to have.

Quote #2

The Power Of Attitude.

"Our lives are not determined by what happens to us, but how we react to what happens. Not by what life brings to us, but by the attitude we bring to life. A positive attitude causes a chain reaction of positive thought, events, and outcomes. It is a catalyst...A spark that creates extraordinary results."

I found this quote in an airplane magazine. I always try to keep a positive attitude. When you have a positive attitude, positive things happen to you. We are all going have trials and setbacks. That's just life. The true measure of our character is how we react to what happens to us. When negativity arises in your life squash it immediately. How do you that? Go back to the first quote and focus on what you want.

People will notice something different about you when you take a positive attitude. They will notice that you dictate what you want out of life instead of just letting life beat you down. People will want to be around you. They will feel comfortable around you. You will still get those people that will try to bring you down, but if you stay positive and true to yourself and your goals, amazing things will happen. Be ready to ride the wave of positive momentum.

Quote #3

"We must become the change we want to see in the world." Gandhi

This quote is very important to the times in which we are living. Gandhi advises us to change ourselves before we try to change the world. Gandhi understood that we create our reality through our thoughts. Whatever is happening on the inside is what will be projected in the physical world.

We have so many wars going on right now. The war against drugs. The war against crime. The war against terrorism. All of these wars are being lost because the focus is on war. War begets more war. In the movie "The Secret", it was mentioned how Mother Theresa refused to go to any anti- war rallies. "Show me a peace rally and I'll be the first one there." Mother Theresa knew that the "more you resist something, the more it persist."

We must change our thought to that of peace, love, and compassion. That is the only way to bring about peace in the world. There has to be a collective rise of positive consciousness. Start by being courteous to your neighbors, coworkers, and people that you meet in the street. I always get a kick out of the reactions of some people when I say hi or give them a compliment. They sometimes don't know how to react to niceness. It's almost like they are surprised.

So those are the three quotes that I try to live by everyday. As a bonus I'll give you one that I recently added to my daily reminder.

Bonus Quote

"Thank you for the gift of abundance!"

I say this to myself constantly. I say it if I find a penny on the ground. It is only a penny, but it a reminder to be thankful for what I already have and what is on the way. I say this not only for money but for all aspects of my life. Abundance can come financially, through good health, positive relationships, ideas, love, compassion, thoughtfulness, creativity, confidence, etc...It's easy to see how much abundance is really around us which takes us back to the first quote. Be thankful and focus on the abundance that you already have and the Universe will give you more to be thankful for.

Have fun with life and stay focused. Many blessings!