Category — Personal Development

There has been a lot of buzz lately about living simple.

We have blogs about uncluttering and minimalism.

We have books about simplicity.

We have radio shows about the simple living

I think we can all agree that there is a good cause for it. Life is much much happier when we can focus on things we really love.

What’s that? You don’t agree? Don’t worry. That’s normal. Millions of people haven’t seen the light.

Consumerism is a growing problem in the world today – people buying houses they can’t afford, getting into debt by spending more than they earn, living a lifestyle they can’t afford.

Advertising

We are being bombarded everyday with tons of advertising materials on television, internet, radio, magazines and newspapers. Advertisers are using all necessary means to get our attention. In fact, Media Dynamics, a New York-based firm, estimates
that the time devoted to advertising has increased 25% since the 1970’s. We are now being exposed to 254 different commercials a day[1]. And you know what? It is working.

Simplification, on the other hand, solves consumerism. When simplifying, we don’t mean living a dull and boring life. When simplifying, we reduce everything to the point that we have enough. Enough, to live a wonderful and comfortable life.

Enough

Enough is the goal of simplification.

Enough for survival.
Enough for comforts.

Not enough for clutter.
Not enough for unnecessary wants.

People go through life not knowing what enough is. It is very common in today’s world and the whole idea of simplifying is unnerving. Here are a few things you can do right now to simplify your life.

• Turn off the television. Let’s face it. There aren’t a lot of good television shows lately. Turn it off
• Live in a smaller house.Besides, a big house is a lot more expensive and harder to maintain.
• Cut your own hair. This is entirely up to you. I want my hair short and cut my hair with clippers.
• Use a simple blade shaver. Dropping the mach5 for simple shaver reduced expenses by 1000%
• Walk. When you’re going to somewhere near, forget the car. Walk. It’s free exercise.
• Buy clothes you can mix and match. You don’t need a lot of clothes. Mix and match and you’ll have an endless wardrobe.
• Have a simple budget. I recommend Tyagi’s Balanced Money Formula.
• Use the ATM or online banking. If you can do everything without physically going to the bank, do it. I do all my payments except PAG-IBIG mortgage payments through the ATM. I set a date to pay all bills and pay everything on the same day every month.
• Consume less media. You have a fighting chance against advertising if you watch less television, read fewer magazines and browse fewer websites.
• Stay away from the mall. When you go to the mall, you will spend money. According to Carlyn Wesson, author of Women Who Shop Too Much, 53 percent of groceries are spur of the moment[2]
• Create a shopping list. Some may argue that they need to go to the mall or grocery. In this case, create a grocery list and stick to it. Don’t get anything that’s not in the list.

Is living simply for you? Here a few resources that will help you on the road to simplicity.

• Zen Habits
• The Simple Dollar
• Unclutter
• Your Money or Your Life

1 The Tipping Point p. 98
2 Your Money or Your Life p. 171

photo credit

It’s not actually 100 yet. In fact, I am a long way from there. This post will have 100 motivational quotations that we will all help build. I’ll probably start with what I have and I’ll let you guys help me build the 100 motivational quotations.

In the middle of diffulty lies opportunity

-Albert Einstein

Whoever wants to reach a distant goal must take small steps

-Saul Bellow

Traveler, there is no path. Paths are made by walking

-Antonio Machado

For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream.

-Vincent Van Gogh

Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.

-Henry Ford

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts

-Winston Churchill

Only as high as I reach can I grow, only as far as I seek can I go, only as deep as I look can I see, only as much as I dream can I be.

-Karen Ravn

to the stars through difficulty

-Kansas State motto

Uncertainty and the prospect of failure can be very scary noises in the shadows. Most people will choose unhappiness over uncertainty.

-Tim Ferris

Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.

-Napoleon Hill

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of man as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing

-Helen Keller

You must be the change you want to see in the world

-Gandhi

Continuous effort – not strength or intelligence – is the key to unlocking our potential

- Liane Cordes

Reality is negotiable.

-Tim Ferris

There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth…not going all the way, and not starting.

-Buddha

You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?

-George Bernard Shaw

Success is a journey not a destination

- Arthur Robert Ashe Jr

The secret of success is to be ready when your opportunity comes

-Benjamin Disraeli

As long as your going to be thinking anyway, think Big

-Donald Trump

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

- Lao Tzu

A problem is a chance for you to do your best

- Duke Ellington

The world ends with you. If you want to enjoy life, expand your world. You gotta push your horizons out as far as they’ll go.

- Anonymous

So what do you guys have for me?

Do you remember the last time you achieved success?

We all have achieved success in one way or another. We sometimes achieve it – only to be thinking that we could have achieved more?

In truth, we could have achieved more if we weren’t sideswiped by ourselves. I didn’t know this myself until I read about The Anchoring Trap.

For example, you see someone earning around Php50,000($1,000 USD) online and you also think you want to earn that kind of money. You focus on blogging and revolve your thinking around the amount of Php50,000. Guess what happens? You achieve something more or less than your goal (Php50,000).

You may say, That’s what I wanted and I achieved it. What’s the matter?.

You could have achieved more.

What is the Anchoring Trap?

First Impressions Last. I’m sure you remember the cliche.

The Anchoring Trap focuses on the idea that the mind gives a disproportionate weight on the first information it receives. That initial impression becomes the focal point of all efforts.

What do YOU really want to achieve?

Do you just want to achieve something that everybody has? Do you like to be just like them? Do you just want to get what you just can?

Or do you want to achieve what you always wanted and more?

Escape the Trap

Like all traps, this one has a means of escape.

• Look at everything from multiple perspectives Something very good to you, might not be good from another perpective.
• Open your mind Everything is possible. Keeping and open mind would free you from the trap
• Educate Yourself Beware of misinformation. You could anchor yourself to the information and achieve less than you deserve.

Reducing the impact of anchoring could be achieved by awareness that information can be incorrect a times. We just have to weed them out by getting educated and being open minded. Don’t be the smart guy who limits themselves and achieves less.

Elsewhere:

• The #1 Reason My Blogging Grew into a Business
• Is “Fake It ‘Till You Make It” Mentality Keeping You Down?
• 6 Steps to Eliminate Limited Beliefs

A firm and proper handshake tells a lot about a person

Why is it necessary?
Records show that handshakes have been done even from 2 BC. Handshakes originated as a gesture of peace by demonstrating that their hands hold no weapons. In more recent times, handshakes have become gestures of friendship. In business, at job interviews, and social events, handshakes are very common. In these cases, you’d want to make a pleasing impression. That’s the reason why giving an impressive handshake is absolutely essential.

Four things you should avoid

1. Death Grip Your main goal is to make friends. Not enemies. Giving a death grip will result negatively.
2. Wet hands It’s never a good idea to give a handshake with wet hands. It could give a really bad impression. Wipe your hands on your pants before giving the handshake
3. 4-finger shake Hold his or her hand with all your fingers (5) and give a proper grip. Hold it like you mean it.
4. Weak arms Make your arm strong but flexible when shaking hands. Don’t let the person give the impression that you aren’t interested.

What you should be doing

1. Smile Make the impression that you are happy to meet the person
2. Look the person in the eye Make the impression that you are serious about being there
3. Say something This make you stand out from the crowd. Not everyone speaks when shaking hands

Practice
A good way to practice giving a good impressive handshake in front of the mirror. By doing this, you can see how you are doing. Practice with friends and ask for feedback. The important thing is to practice and practice and practice and practice…..

Photo by Julie Willbrand