How do you feel about growing personally or professionally?

Bonnie Ross-Parker’s inspiration about constant growth; CANI.

Right above my desk I have a sign that reads:  CANI.  I framed it years ago after a seminar I attended.  I ask myself: “Do we ever stop learning?  Can we possibly grow and expand both personally and professionally without new behaviors?” 

I first got introduced to motivational learning in 1995 after participating at a live Les Brown event.  I was blown away.  From that moment forward, I was hooked.  New opportunities for growth excite me.  I am not sure where I would be in my entrepreneurial career were it not for what I have learned over the years.  Growth is the key to success.  As long as one is expanding one’s thinking and connecting with new thought leaders, possibilities unfold and growth occurs. 

Be curious.  Be open-minded.  Be willing to change.  Authors, speakers and the Internet offer a wealth of information.  Challenge yourself.  You’ll never regret the results you can achieve.  Remember:  CANI – as in I Can!

To purchase life changing books and CDs from author, Bonnie Ross-Parker, Founder/CEO of The Joy of Connecting, click HERE. 

Improve Performance. Get Bottom Line Results.

Join Les Brown every Monday Evening for his Monday Motivation Call (712) 432-7606 (Access Code 623383) 8PM EST/ 7PM CST/ 5PM PST

In 1999, a friend gave me a gift – the following booklet on empowering one’s soul.  I recently came across it and thought you, too, would appreciate this simple wisdom..  Sometimes, even the basic lessons of life can have the most profound effect.  Consider beginning today to enhance and enrich your life and the lives of those you touch.

Ten Ways to Empower Your Soul by The Himalayan Institute

            One:  Simplify!  Simplify!  Overcome by clutter?  Overweight?  Mind and senses on overload?  Uncomplicate your life by remembering this simple adage:  “Less is more.”  Drop the unnecessary and nonessential.  Avoid gossip, useless clutter, overindulgence.  Cultivate cheerfulness, neatness and a positive attitude.  Dress simply, eat simply and practice simplicity in thought, speech and action.  Simplify, simplify as you seek a higher purpose in life.

TWO: Choose a Direction – Racing from one commitment to another, overscheduling, trying out one self-improvement method after another, can leave you tired, confused and unsure of what to do next.  It’s time to decide what’s important.  Slow down!  Let your mind become clear as you refocus your intentions.  Make conscious choices.  Always choose the best possible option.  Be unwavering as you choose a direction for your spiritual and worldly life and let life’s distractions pass you by.

THREE: Transcend the Ordinary. If your life lacks spontaneity and surprise, your zest for life has probably fizzled.  Unleash the power of your imagination!  Walk down a different street.  Transform frustration by cultivating patience and kindness.  Smile at a stranger.  Experience the world with a beginner’s mind.  Remember that life is a gift and enjoy each moment.

FOUR:  See the Light.  Do you feel like you’re existing rather than living?  On the brink of boredom?  Expand your inner and outer vision to look for beauty and delight in yourself and the world.  Choose to be cheerful.  Practice being positive.  Share your energy by reaching out to help others.  Respect and love yourself, your companions and your world.  Let your inner self shine and radiate light.

FIVE:  Meditate.  Mind full of scattered thoughts?  Feeling disconnected from your self?  Meditation is the answer.  Give yourself a few minutes each day to sit quietly.  Calm the body and mind.  Take notice as you become less affected by the turmoil of life.  Through meditation you can return again and again to the center of your being.  Meditation gives you the best of life.  Love your practice.  Doesn’t your spiritual life deserve a few minutes every day?

SIX:  Be Fearless.  When you’re full of anxiety and fear, be bold!   Watch your emotions and breathe deeply as you release tension, anxiety and fear and let them float away.  Without condemning yourself or others, correct your misstates and move on.  Life in the present moment rather than in past of future thoughts.  Avoid procrastination – do what needs to be done at the moment it needs to be done.  Become fearless and happy.

SEVEN:  Wake Up!  If you’re walking blindly through life and have tunnel vision, it’s time to wake up!  Our habits deplete or enhance vital, creative energy. Start now to cultivate good habits.  Practice breath awareness daily.  Take a brisk walk to invigorate body and mind.  Set aside time for relaxation.  Stretch.  Laugh with your loved ones.  Learn to see every moment as a chance for new and refreshing opportunities.

EIGHT:  Eat for Life.  We live in an overfed and under-exercised society.  A simple, balanced diet keeps us healthy.  Choose whole foods.  Prepare them with love.  Eat slowly. Chew food thoroughly.  Take time to taste the food you’re eating.  Whenever possible, eat your main meal at noon and a light meal for dinner.  Don’t eat between 7 pm and 7 am.  Give thanks for your food and your life.

NINE:  Keep Good Company.  Just as good food makes you healthy, good company makes you cheerful and uplifts your spirit.  The greatest blessing on the spiritual path is the company o fellow aspirants.  Cultivate the friendship of those you aspire to emulate.  Keep good company to become good company.

TEN:  Be Flexible.  Backaches, headaches and indigestion can be signs of being stressed out and uptight.  Don’t sweat little things.  Compromise when possible.  Exercise your body – consider yoga, dance, hiking, bike riding, swimming.  Exercise your mind – read, reflect, expand.  Watch your life change.

It’s been said the more you celebrate the more there is to celebrate! All of us celebrate birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, promotions, graduations, retirement, and new homes. Sometimes I’ll be at the supermarket during the middle of a work day and see someone at the check-out line with a personalized cake in one hand and a happy birthday balloon in the other. When I comment it looks like a party, the person is usually taking the surprise to a colleague at work. Imagine the joy the recipient feels in being remembered and the joy that comes from remembering to do something special for a colleague. We even have king-sized chocolate chip cookies to celebrate special occasions.

Card companies do a great job in encouraging us to celebrate. They offer holiday and commemorative cards for everything. Florists are also quick to remind us that any occasion is a perfect occasion to send flowers. Why we choose to celebrate at those times is obvious. Why not celebrate life in little ways every day?

Everything we have, everything we do, and all the people we love and who love us are reasons to celebrate. Imagine if we took the time to look at life from a new perspective and gave ourselves permission to honor the everyday events in our lives. Imagine if we decided to celebrate our accomplishments, a great week at work, having dinner with our family or with friends, our health, or anything else that brings us happiness. We would feel so much better if we acknowledged those parts of our lives that pleased us instead of focusing on those things that didn’t go the way we had hoped.

One of the things at this stage in my life I’m celebrating is being a grandma. I enjoy talking with young mothers, marveling at their small children, and delighting in buying cute clothing and fun toys. Watching grandchildren make small steps in their daily development is cause for celebration. I clap for every joyful moment, laugh at every opportunity, and give hugs and kisses as often as I can.

I encourage you to recognize and create special times in your life to celebrate. Look for happy moments and invite others to share those moments with you. Celebrate your life. Celebrate the lives of loved ones. Celebrate every chance you get. Life offers us many reasons to celebrate. Find your reasons.

Every time you share your ideas you bring value to others. Ideas come in many forms. They can be as simple as a suggestion, create clarity out of confusion, or give insight that is transformational. Your ideas are a reflection of who you are, how you think, what you feel, and what you’ve learned from your own experiences.

Willingness to share ideas is powerful. There is no way of assessing the impact we have on someone else by offering them our point of view. Each of us is unique. Our experiences are unique. Our perspectives are unique. No one has traveled your road, been faced with your specific challenges, or possesses your knowledge. You are uniquely qualified to be you. Your ideas matter.

This is part of the series “Personally Speaking: Volume 1“ to purchase the entire series click here.