Take It All In

  Want to know something I've noticed about successful people?  They take inspiration from everything... people, circumstances, songs, books, nature, the back of a cereal box etc.  Seriously!  You would not believe the things people can come up with from such unorthodox places.  But, success minded people realize there is something to be gained in each and every moment, and they don't waste opportunities.  You too can learn to recognize and utilize wisdom and inspiration from every part of your day to day life.  It just requires a little bit of thought and focus.  Here are some tips to get you started.

 1.  Be in the moment
     Ok, I know we talked about this yesterday, so I'm not going to harp on it.  You can check out that information here...(Wishing Well), but, it is so important to be present.  Do you know how many times a day I realize that I missed half or all of what someone said because I was thinking about something else?  This is a habit that has to be broken if we want to make the most of the time we have.  Learn to be present and take in your surroundings. A great way to do this is through a sensory exercise.  Stop what you are doing and ask yourself these five questions:

       "What do I see?"
       "What do I hear?"
       "What do I smell?"
       "What do I taste?"
       "What do I feel?"

    This is an exercise which is often used to help those with anxiety, A.D.H.D. or other emotional disorders.  Doing this helps your brain to slow down and process information in a new way.  Learning to do this regularly can train your mind to become more observant of things around you.

2.  Take time to process
     Not only is it important to become more observant, it is vital to take time to think about and process the things your see, hear, feel, taste and smell.  Take time on a regular basis to just sit and think.  Having think time will prove to be a very valuable asset on your journey towards success.  Your brain takes in a lot of information throughout the day, and it is essential to your growth that you make time to process what you are learning.  (For more on this, check out Press Pause.)

3.  Write it down
    The last step in all this is to make sure you write your thoughts down.  After all, if you observe something really cool, sit down and think about it in a whole new way, but never write it down, most likely you will not remember it down the road when you might need it.  By writing things down you help solidify those memories even further in your brain, and you have the thought on paper to come back to it when you need it.  I also keep a running list of ideas in my phone.  Whenever an inspiring thought hits me, I jot it down for later.  I hate that feeling of knowing I had a good thought and not being able to remember what it is.  Spare yourself the frustration of forgetting, and write things down!

  Now that you've got some action steps, go out there and start making the most of your time and opportunities.  Become an observer.  Think about what you see, hear, taste, smell, and feel, and lastly, write your thoughts down.  These three steps will help you on your journey towards success. I'm learning with you, and I can't wait to see you reach your goals and dreams!

~K.W.