Intentional Living

Fire doesn't come quickly. The process requires patience and needs your full attention. If done incorrectly it can hurt. If done correctly the outcomes are rewarding. Each element is placed intentional. With all the elements in place it's time to start the fire.

In our "hurry up or stay behind" world there is a good chance you hit the ground running every morning with the only intent on just not wanting to fall behind. Are you neglecting yourself? Are you fighting to keep your head above water? Are you suffocating your inner screaming voice so that no one may think you're not tough or fit for life?

How can you find that peaceful and happy life everyone is talking about? Believe me if I say, the people around you may seem that they don't have that screaming voices, but with a smile I can guarantee you, we all have them. Some of us just hide them very well.

Let's take that fire apart and put it back again.

Your life is a process and needs your full attention. You can't have that perfect life without living with intent. You need to be patient and understand that it takes time to build yourself. And don't forget about the challenges that's handed to you on a daily basis. They are there for a specific reason. God are handing them to us so that we may learn from them to develop into the person He wants us to be. So when we reach that place of living with intent, He uses us to do the nice stuff by uplifting and helping people and get the reward for that. You then decide to take the credit on board or let the light shine on Him.

Place all the elements that you are and what you have learned in life intentionally. In other words, play to your strengths. Stay focused on your strengths and keep developing them. They are your ultimate companions who can determine where you are going. The flip side of the coin is that if you (and sometimes your friends) focus on you weaknesses you are going to burn yourself. With the focus on your strengths you'll have a macro view of yourself and your destiny.

Final words
Think about your intentions at the start of every day. Fill your own calendar. Say No with confidence.
Take action with passion. Growth is not an automatic process. You don’t automatically get better. Go and get it. Or should I say "GO AND GIVE IT" It’s not for you to accept your life. It’s for you to take charge of your life.
Tell a friend for the support and accountability. Make sure this person understands your dream from the inside out.
Reflect at the end of each day to keep book on all the lessons learnt. See and reflect on things as they are and not as the world wants you to perceive them.

AND FINALLY...

"There are two great days in a person’s life. The day they are born and the day they discover why"

Best wishes

Developing one of your greatest assets

ATTITUDE can be one of your greatest assets.  Ultimately, your attitude is a choice.  Neither negative people nor negative circumstances can control your attitude.  It’s ultimately up to you to choose the attitude that you have.

Having a negative attitude keeps us from being happy and impacts the people we interact with. We all know that we are social animals and need relationships to survive. The flip side of the coin is that if we have a positive attitude, we will attract people and I believe it has a direct connection with happiness and success.

So, if you are negative from the word go, how can you change your
attitude? How can you not see the big mountain staring you right in the face? From the nature of my calling as a Life- & Leadership Coach I would start by simply showing a picture of a big mountain and start asking questions like: What do you see? What is the situation? What is significant about this situation? What's the best route over the mountain? Are there any other alternative routes? Overcoming the challenge, what do you see, feel, and who's there with you?

Asking about the feelings is so important, because that will help you remember which path to take should the challenge are handed to you again. Or simply help you to stay focused on the destination. As we are emotional beings it's vital that we check in to our emotional boxes more often to be aware of the feelings we are having and then manage them to the best of our ability. Managing your feelings in short means that you don't hide them for they are on board. That's who you are. So, be aware of them and again ask questions like: What is this? Why am I feeling this? How can I use this feeling to my advantage? And a smile will emerge, because you've learned something about yourself.

Answer these questions to maintain your positive attitude daily:
1. What's your purpose today?
2. What can I learn from all the people I meet today?
3. How will I overcome challenges today?
4. What would I feel like if I am to be successful today?
5. What skills can I improve today?
6. How can I say "thank you" for all my blessings today?

Our attitude plays a big part in our everyday lives and can affect how our life may turn out in the future. Have a good attitude and you’ll be the kind of person who works hard, is a believer in the fact that life is for living, and you will live the kind of life many would aspire to.

Attitude comes down to choice. You choose whether to have a good or a bad attitude.

Make the right choices today by asking purposeful questions.

Have a blessed day!

Think twice before you speak

“Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.” – Napolean Hill

I sometimes say to my daughters that if they don’t have anything good to say, they shouldn’t say anything at all.

It happened to us all. That one time you just said something before thinking about it and it left you with blushed cheeks. It’s out there. You can’t ever take it back. No matter what you say next, the damage is done.

I recently had the privilege to coach a couple of head boys and –head girls from my local community. The one thing they all had in common doing the Life Purpose Exercise is that they all want to have a positive influence. They want to change lives. They want to leave a legacy behind.

Interesting enough, the young influencers clearly saw the need for influential leadership. The one boy made me think when he said: Sir, they will remember me not for what I did, but for how I made them feel. Wow!!  An old saying, but still very powerful.

So it is really important to think before you speak, especially if you want to have a positive influence. Remember: Thinking is speaking to ourselves, and speaking is thinking to others.

In a conversation people are emotionally engaged with all their life experiences. When somebody else is speaking, listen. Listen with everything you’ve got. Don’t wait to speak. Listen. Actually hear what that person is saying - feel what they are saying - think about it, and respond if necessary.

Think what you are going to say and choose the best body language to accompany those words. Words only come to their full potential when the body language accompanying them gives the feeling of authenticity.

How can you speak more thoughtfully?

1. Talk slowly. We cannot talk and think simultaneously. To think, you must physically stop talking! So when we are in talk mode, especially fast talk mode, we are in a zone of no thinking. To wake the thinking brain, we must stop talking. Great thinkers know this, and will use lines like, "Let me think about that for a moment."

2. Be a thoughtful person. We react with who we are. If you are a more thoughtful individual, what you say instinctively will reflect that. If you wish to speak more thoughtfully, become a more thoughtful person. Just become smarter. SMART people talk less, but when they talk everyone listens.

The first step to leaving a legacy behind is to speak from the heart. Be genuine in the choosing of your words. Let your body language fully support your words. Give yourself time to think. Your words WILL have an influence. Choose them to perfection.

Good luck!