Will Power

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Evan, Greed is fear-driven emotion. Greed is when you believe that you never have enough. Individuals who are greedy live in a philosophy of scarcity. They believe that there is not enough money, food, or love. When you are greedy there can never be enough of anything. You can never live in trust because you have to live a life of vigilance. I choose to live in the philosophy of abundance.  

Sidney, We live in a world where individuals feel entitled and expect certain things. If these expectations are not met the person may feel like a victim. How many times do you hear, "Why did this happen to me? I don't deserve this? I did everything I was supposed to, this shouldn't happen to me?" Victimization is truly living an insufficient life. A victim mentality can not only ruin your life but the life of those who love you. Take responsibility for your life. You are the product of all of the decisions you made and the ones you chose not to make. Why are you exempt from bad things happening to you? Again, life is a classroom, not a prison. Individuals who live a life as a victim are in prison, yet the key to freedom is already in the door. I have discovered that most victims don't want to open that door because they don't want to take responsibility for their own lives. Be the hero of your life, not the victim.

Maya, Worry is negative guided imagery. When we allow our minds to imagine what "could" happen, it is nothing more than negative guided imagery. Our worries are not real, but worrying will rob you of your life. The fact is most of your worries will never happen, and worrying will only keep you living in a state of fear and uncertainty. Worry creates incredible stress chemicals and will make you sick. Wouldn't you rather live in a state of confidence and happiness? Every time you worry, stop immediately and say a one-to-five word affirmation to stop this nasty habit. Worry is nothing but a bad habit that does nothing good for your life. When I began to worry, I smile and say, "I am so grateful for my life." Gratitude is an antidote to worry.

Andrea, Anger is a poison that will rob you of real intimacy and community. Anger is a voice that will continue to grow like a wild fire destroying your life. Anger must be respected and listened to because anger is telling you something in your life is broken and needs healing. Never deny or dismiss your anger. The stress of living with chronic anger can affect your health. Embrace your anger by journaling it out of you or sharing your feelings with a friend or counselor. Anger is a gift that will lead you to living an intentional life.

Lauren, We have our own inner global positioning system (GPS). When we choose to accept responsibility for our own happiness, we become aware of our internal compass. Our internal GPS will guide us. We can choose to be more aware of internal GPS, pay attention, and then choose the direction of our life. Just like the GPS in our automobiles, we are given the information, we are guided, but we are not forced to follow or listen to the directions. We don't have to turn where the GPS tells us to turn, we always have free will. It is our guide, our beacon, our light calling us to live an intentional life. We can ignore it, and many of us do. Our internal GPS is programmed in the direction of happiness. The destination is already keyed in, it is certain. We can trust the process with confidence. You may go down some bumpy roads, travel through uncertain weather, but just listen to the voice on your inner GPS, follow the map. There are certain things that can damage your trust of your inner GPS. These are shame, fear and anger, they create uncertainty and chaos.

Agnes, Many of us are in such a hurry on the fast track of life to "make it"-- whatever that means for each of us. "Making it" for you may be an organization you want to join, a promotion, money, status, or to be the "best" mom in the neighborhood. For whatever you desire in life to be lasting and sustainable, you must have a foundation and roots. Once you are caught up in the whirlwind of success and the upward and forward lifestyle, it is very difficult to sustain that life without a solid foundation. We focus our lives on the prize, many times to discover when we reach our upward and forward goals that we have created hollow busy lives. If you haven't developed any practices or disciplines grounding you in health and well-being, when the storms of your personal and business life come you can suffer severe damage.

Ava, Honesty in the workplace creates energy, creativity, and productivity. Any one of us who owns or manages companies knows what a treasure it is to have staff who live in the light of honesty. They bring life and energy into a company and become a beacon for other employees. Simple practices are an easy way to begin. At staff meetings make sure all comments and ideas are received with respect and dignity. This makes everyone feel his or her input is valued and opens the atmosphere for more honesty. Make sure each manager has regular meetings with all staff members to tell them they are valued and that the managers deeply listen to their employees' concerns and ideas. You may begin to bring more honesty and truth into your work place in your own workspace. Display photos of your family, favorite pets, or great vacations. This tells those you work with what you love and who you are. Put your favorite inspirational quotes in a simple frame on your desk or wall. Visible truths that inspire and motivate you will keep you honest about who you are and what is important to you. It also inspires others in your office and gives them insight into the true you. Keep your favorite colors and fabrics around you at work. If you love orange, make sure you have a shawl, picture frame, chair, or wall painted with your favorite color. Surrounding ourselves and others with our favorite colors and meaningful mementos are methods of honesty in our workplace. As we begin to open up to others in our workplace, we share with others our intimate self. When one person is honest, others will join the flow, and the workplaces will function with more grace, ease, determination, and humility.

Leah, Life is suffering. From the time we take our first breath we meet physical challenges: sickness, pain, aging, accidents, and death. There are also psychological issues that cause suffering in our lives: rejection, stress, grief, and depression to name a few. All of these conditions ebb and flow throughout our lives. The key to life is not to experience suffering as an obstacle, but as an opportunity. Every obstacle is an opportunity. You may not see the gifts at that particular moment, but with time the gifts can emerge from our suffering. It may feel counterintuitive to accept suffering in order to live optimistically but it works. Accepting something dilutes its power to dominate our thoughts and our lives, making room for clarity and peace.  

Laura, The fruits of a life committed to happiness are: enthusiasm, inspiration, passion, compassion, courage, honesty and authenticity. Happiness is choosing a path of certainty. There will be suffering, accidents, grief and losses along with laughter, pleasure and joy. Your life stops being a roller coaster of ups and downs. Instead, of going through each day with a certain tentative sense, you live with self-confidence, courage and optimism. Happiness is confidence that no matter what happens, your life's potential is constantly unfolding. Happiness requires disciplines or practices. I use "practices" instead of discipline. Many of us have a negative connotation with the word "discipline." The word "practices" means exactly what it says. You keep doing a practice over and over, and practice it over and over.

Dylan, No matter where you are now in your life, that optimistic Divine being is cheering for you, loving you, guiding you, and sending you hope. You may not see the hope right now but look around you. We discover hope in the humblest places: the sun on your face, a breeze through your hair, your dog wagging her tail as she rubs against you, the smile of a person passing you in the mall, or a cool glass of water when you are thirsty. The well is never empty when you turn to the Divine. Don't ever give up on the Divine; she isn't giving up on you!