Masterful Mindsets

"Productivity is never an accident. It is always the result of a commitment to excellence, intelligent planning, and focused effort." ~Paul J. Meyer

Over the last several weeks I’ve shared with you that productivity is a key component to success so today, let’s review and get you ready to win!

Your level of productivity and success can be directly affected by your level of clarity, your level of energy and your level of courage.

Clarity - Setting yourself up for success when it comes to productivity starts with making sure you have a clear vision for what your goals and dreams are. Knowing what you want and why you want it. The deeper connection you have to why you want it, the more it will help you stay motivated.

Then preparing and creating a clear plan is extremely helpful for keeping yourself on track. Make sure you have a timeline for completion of the project as well as the tasks/actions necessary to move you in the direction you want to go to get you to the goal. (Note: ...

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule but to schedule your priorities.”  ~Steven Covey

Prioritizing clarity is a crucial first step if you want to increase your productivity and reach your goals! When you have clarity about what your goals are, you have a detailed plan for what needs to be done to complete them and in what timeframe, plus you know why these goals or dreams are truly important to you; you will have a laser focused vision for your journey to success.  

Ask Yourself:

• Do you have a clear vision of your goals and dreams?
• Do you have a plan and know what you need to do daily, weekly, monthly to keep yourself on track?
• Do you stay focused and in action on the priority tasks necessary to achieve success in your personal and professional life?
• Do you know exactly why reaching these goals are important to you?

Having clarity and focus helps you eliminate distractions. Think “bright shiny object syndrome” here. You no longer get distracted by every ...

“Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

When was the last time you slowed down? When was the last time you just got quiet and still, enjoyed the present moment and paid attention to what was going on around you? Do you have patience with yourself? With others? Do you have patience when working on a project or in the pursuit of your dreams? Or do you get impatient and give up too soon?

I get it, sometimes it’s hard to have patience. I’m guilty of not always having patience myself. And I’m guessing you can probably relate.

Everyone is in a hurry to get to the next big thing. We all push on, but rarely do we take the time to sit quietly and be still. Rarely do we take the time to just be present and observe life around us. It’s so easy to want things to happen quickly. We live in an instant gratification society. But sometimes, fulfilling a dream takes patience and perseverance.

Too often, people just give up when things don’t happen as quickly as ...

“In order to make a visualization a reality in the world of form, you must be willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen.” ~ Wayne Dyer

You’re clear about your future identity and your ideal future. You’re committed to your visualization practice. So now what?

Well, the power of manifestation is not complete until you take action. Yes, you can visualize yourself owning a successful company, vacationing in exotic places, having a fit body, doing a TED Talk, being in a loving relationship, etc. but without action they stay dreams. Visualization gives you clarity and confidence to take action when the opportunities you're manifesting show up. And then, it is the actions you take when those opportunities present themselves, that turn your vision into reality. But you will not see results without action.  

For example, let’s say you’ve visualized yourself being an Olympic athlete. You can dream and visualize it all you want. But you aren’t going to just wake up one day as an O...

“When you visualize, then you materialize.” ~Denis Waitley

If you’re following along in this series, then you know that last week I shared several powerful benefits of utilizing visualization to dynamically create the future you desire. But I realize that starting something new can feel awkward or difficult. Maybe you’ve tried visualization before – once or twice. But “just couldn’t get into it.” I hear you… but don’t worry. There’s more than one way to practice visualization and I have no doubt that with a little effort, you can find something that you can easily do AND enjoy doing.

Which is what this post is all about! I want to give you several simple techniques you can choose from, to practice visualizing your future identity and your desired future, as if you’ve already achieved it all. So what do you think? Are you ready to have an open mind and commit to a practice of visualization, in order to be able to more rapidly reach your goals and dreams? If that’s a YES, then let...

“Be like a tree. Stay grounded. Connect with your roots. Turn over a new leaf. Bend before you break. Enjoy your unique natural beauty. Keep growing.” ~ Joanne Rapits

Last week I shared three of my favorite ways to let go of tension and live with intention through super simple and quick daily self-care practices. I hope you gave them a try because this week, as promised, I want to share a few more.

The great thing about the concepts that I’m sharing with you through this mini-series is that they do not require big changes or much time. The truth is - small shifts can produce big results. If you commit to consistently being intentional with even a few of these simple practices, I believe you’ll be pleasantly surprised at the profound difference they can create within you.

With that being said, let me share three more powerful but simple ways to intentionally practice self-care and relieve tension:  

Ground Yourself – This can be done in conjunction with the ideas I gave you last...

“If we pause and breathe in and out, then we can have the experience of timeless presence, of the inexpressible wisdom and goodness of our own minds. We can look at the world with fresh eyes and hear things with fresh ears.” ~Pema Chodron

Let’s face it… life is demanding! We live in a fast-paced world where busyness and overcommitment are rewarded. Where the drive to get ahead has us feeling like we are always behind. And where there are so many obligations and expectations required of us that our lives feel consumed by stress and overwhelm.

Which is why it’s essential to learn how to let go of tension and instead, live with intention if you really want to feel joyful and fulfilled in life. If you want a sense of peace and contentment in your outer world, you’ve got to begin with your own self-care.

Whether it be an intentional act of caring for our mental, emotional, or physical health, practicing self-care is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. And yet, when we start to get busy, ...

"I’m a great believer in luck, I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”   ~ Thomas Jefferson

What are your beliefs around luck? Do you believe that having good luck is out of your control and only the lucky ones can really have a life they love? Or do you believe that you are in complete control and that your beliefs, attitude, and actions determine the kind of luck you have?

My daughters were both highly competitive athletes. For years you could usually find me at a field or court, watching them play soccer or basketball, year around. As a matter of fact, my youngest daughter is in her first year playing college soccer, so I am still at games all the time.

And like most parents, I would always have a few pre-game words for them that almost always include these three phrases, “Play Hard! Have Fun! And Good Luck!”

So with St. Patrick’s Day being earlier this week, I thought it would be fun to discuss the concept of “luck” for this week’s Masterful Mindset. I mean, what ...

“Love is…” ~ Kim Casali

What does love mean to you? What does love look like? Feel like? Act like? What is love?  

When I was a little girl, I found a book titled, “Love Is…”by Kim Grove-Casali. She made the book from a series of love notes to her soon to be husband, Roberto Casali. It was a funny little cartoonish book that had illustrated images of a couple in love doing mostly random acts of kindness for each other. Beginning with the cover which displays the caption, “Love is… what gives you a smile from ear to ear.”

It was a cute little book and yet so influential. I mean, here I am, 40+ years later, writing about this book! For some reason, I was completely intrigued by it. Maybe it was the adorable little cartoon couple who looked so in love or maybe it was the message of how simple love can be. I still don’t know, but it always lifted my spirits and I’ve never forgotten it.

So, although Valentine’s Day is over for this year, let’s not forget that love is something to b...

“Nothing changes, until you change. Everything changes, once you change.” ~Julian Lennon

Earlier this week was Groundhog Day here in the US… the day when we wait to see if a groundhog will see his shadow or not and then predict how much longer winter will last, as a result of the outcome. Kind of a zany (and not very accurate) event, but one that is rooted in tradition. As a matter of fact, Punxsutawney Phil has been giving his annual forecast in Pennsylvania since 1887.

This quirky tradition also became the setting for a movie back in the early 90’s called Groundhog Day. Where the main character, played by Bill Murray, gets stuck reliving the same day (Groundhog Day) over and over until he can get it right. After resisting his situation for some time, he eventually changes his attitude and then starts to make changes in his actions each day so that he can change the outcome of the day and eventually get what he wants.  

Do you ever get the feeling that every day is Groundhog Da...