True love isn't found. Rather, it's built. A strong romantic relationship is a labor of love.

My fiancée, Tatiana and I have such a strong relationship because we invest in each other on a daily basis. The most successful couples stay together because they put effort and energy into the relationship.

John Gottman’s research shows that every time you follow through on your agreements, share affection and appreciation, and create positive future plans with your partner you are making a small investment in what he calls, your “emotional bank account.”

Are you ready to learn 7 daily habits that have allowed Tatiana and I to experience endless amounts of love and passion in our relationship?

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”http://www.buzzsprout.com/9299/958344-plm-653-7-daily-habits-that-build-a-strong-romantic-relationship.mp3″ background=”default” ]

Do you want to learn 21 empowering morning rituals that will take your life to the next level? CLICK HERE for instant access to my FREE morning ritual cheatsheet!

Do you want to learn more about the brand that Tatiana has created for the modern day woman? CLICK HERE to check out her YouTube channel, Luxx Curves!

This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I only ever endorse products that I have personally used and benefitted from personally. Thank you for your support!

True love is a commitment between two people.

Falling in love with someone is easy. However, staying in love is another story altogether. In the beginning stages of a romantic relationship, it's natural to experience the high that comes with new love. Everything feels exciting. Naturally, nobody wants this high to end. As a result, the majority of intimate couples go to great lengths to avoid conflict of any kind.

As contradictory as this may sound, this false sense of hope for everlasting security, positivity, and happiness is actually what leads to the dissolution of a lot of romantic relationships. Don't get me wrong, it doesn't feel good to “rock the boat” when romance and passion are in your front brain.

However, if you and your partner don't do the work to develop healthy relationship skills while you are courting one another, you will encounter a lot of challenges down the road. Getting too comfortable in a relationship too fast isn't a good thing. This is when couples start taking each other for granted and stop putting effort into their relationship.

In his book, The Science of Happily Ever After: What Really Matters in the Quest for Enduring Love, Ty Tashiro says that happily ever after isn't so simple. One of the biggest reasons why married couples struggle over the long-term is what science refers to as “habituation.” In short, couples get bored with one another. Let's face it… predictability isn't exactly sexy.

The great news is that the honeymoon phase doesn't have to end. Relationships stand the test of time because two people make a choice to keep it, fight for it, and work at it every single day. If you've ever thought to yourself, “What is true love?”, I'm here to tell you. The following 7 daily habits have allowed Tatiana and I to build a strong romantic relationship.

1. Show Gratitude And Appreciation 

When you fall in love, everything is butterflies and rainbows. You feel a deep-seated appreciation for the amazing person that has come into your life. Every day with them may feel like a dream come true. Unfortunately, as time goes by, the law of familiarity kicks in. If you are around someone for too long, it's easy to take him or her for granted. In a romantic relationship, this is a recipe for disaster.

It's your job to make sure that you appreciate your partner every single day. As part of my morning ritual, I practice gratitude. During my reflection process, I will think about Tatiana and ask myself, “What do I appreciate about her?” Engaging in this simple activity fills me up with gratitude. It allows me to completely change the way that I feel about our relationship, and, in turn, how I show up for her.

2. Love Unconditionally 

True love is like oxygen to the spirit. If you want to have a healthy relationship, you must choose love on a daily basis. When Tatiana and I met, we made a commitment to love one another unconditionally. A lot of people put conditions on love. They say to their partner, “I will love you, but only if you do X.”

Even in the most difficult moments of a relationship, you need to choose love above all else. Every couple experiences challenges. There is no such thing as a perfect relationship. If this is what you are striving for, you are setting yourself up for failure. Perfection is actually the lowest human standard. In actuality, it's unattainable. All that matters is that you do the work to grow, both as individuals and as a couple.

If you and your partner have an argument about something, it's important that you learn how to separate the behavior from the person. Tatiana knows that my intent and my love is pure. Therefore, if I say or do something that she may not agree with, she doesn't blame or label me, and vice versa. We always approach one another with love, compassion, and understanding.

True love should have zero expectations.

Unfortunately, a lot of people stay at the surface of a relationship. They don't want to go deep, for fear that they will get hurt. Whenever you withhold love, you are only hurting yourself. The deeper that you go, the deeper that your love will be. I believe that it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. There are lessons to learn from every relationship, both good and bad. Even if things don't work out with someone, you will still have grown from the experience.

The best way to experience true love is to give it. When you give someone else love, you get filled up in return. Everybody wins. It's important to keep in mind that everyone gives and receives love in different ways. This is why it's so important to identify what your partner's love language is. Make sure that you express love in a way that your partner needs it, not in the way that you need it. If you haven't already, I encourage you to read, The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts.

In his book, Gary Chapman suggests that there are five ways that people communicate love to one another. If you want to have a healthy relationship, it is critical that you understand what you need in order to feel loved, as well as what your partner needs.

3. Practice Being Present

It's important to practice being present with your partner as much as possible. This is what allows couples to build a deep connection with one another. Let's be honest, we all want to be seen and heard. Actively practicing the art of being present is what allows couples to build a deep connection with one another. Tatiana and I practice an eye gazing ritual every single day.

As I look into Tatiana's eyes, the only thing that I'm focused on is giving her my full attention. Without speaking, I appreciate her beauty and grace and send her love. Sometimes I'll recite a Ho'oponopono prayer in my mind. I'll say quietly to myself, “I love you. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. Thank you.” I'll repeat this prayer three times.

4. Cultivate Sexual Polarity

In romantic relationships, polarity shows up as either masculine or feminine energy. Each of us has feminine and masculine energy. Think of masculine and feminine energies as being equivalent to positive and negative charges on a magnet. This sexual polarity is the magnetic pull that creates passion and attraction in a relationship.

Throughout the day, you and your partner may shift energies, depending on what tasks you are engaged in. A healthy relationship is one where one partner is in their masculine, while the other is in their feminine. This rule is the same for both heterosexual and homosexual relationships. If the sexual polarity is missing, so too will the passion.

Tatiana's feminine energy is her nature, meaning that she likes to do things that allow her to embrace her femininity. Engaging in these activities allows her to honor her true essence. Even better, it complements my masculine energy. Our strong sexual polarity is why Tatiana and I have been able to experience true love, and maintain such intense passion and attraction in our relationship.

5. Engage in Physical Touch 

Engaging in physical touch and being intimate with your partner is critical to developing a strong romantic relationship. Tatiana and I love to hold hands, cuddle, hug, and massage one another. More importantly, we do all of those things almost every single day.

A lot of people accept that it's the norm to only be intimate with your partner once or twice a month. Why do you think one in two relationships end in divorce? Love is a choice, and the same goes for intimacy. You can't blame your career or having children for your lack of intimacy. In my eyes, that's just an excuse. In a relationship, you and your partner have to determine what your standard is. Successful relationships do what other people won't do.

This is why Tatiana and I make it a priority to make love on a daily basis. Both of us study the spiritual practice of Tantra which has taken our lovemaking to a whole new level. When sex becomes a spiritual experience, it transforms into a union of two souls. In the words of Osho, “The body can become a vehicle to that which is beyond the body, and sex energy can become a spiritual force.”

6. Perform Acts of Service

These can be simple things, whether that's making the bed in the morning, handing your partner the towel after they get out of the shower, or cooking breakfast. Always be aware of what your partner needs. If your partner is stressed, think about what you can do to support him or her.

Selfishness destroys relationships. Being selfish is a horrible habit. People that allow their own selfish needs to control a relationship are at great risk of failure, especially if the other person is selfless. When you enter into a relationship, you have to make a conscious decision that you are going to be a giver. A relationship is a place that you go to give, not to get.

You and your partner are a unit. When you give to your partner, they will feel better, which, in turn, will satisfy you, in some shape or form. Always strive to go above and beyond to satisfy your partner's needs. It's your job to identify what your partner needs from you, whether that's love, significance, contribution or certainty. When you figure this out, you create a strong romantic relationship where both of you are fulfilled.

7. Create Magic Moments 

The reason why a lot of relationships fail is that they stop growing together. People get too comfortable with one another and stop putting in the effort to impress them. Just because you are in a long-term relationship doesn't mean you should stop courting the love of your life. Strive to create magic memories every single day. Think of creative and new ways that you can surprise your partner. Variety is the spice of life! If you can commit to doing what you did at the beginning of your relationship, then there will never be an end.

In the beginning stages of your relationship, how did you act? Maybe you sent your partner a text message wishing them a great day, wrote them a love letter, sent them flowers, or planned a spontaneous adventure. You have to continue engaging in these magic moments. That is the best way to keep the passion and excitement alive in your relationship.

At the end of every day, take out a post-it note and have you and your partner write down a moment throughout the day that neither of you wants to forget. Put it in a jar, and build up that jar for several months. Eventually, go back to those notes, read through them together and reminisce on your memories as a couple.

Falling in love is easy. Staying in love takes work.

Actions speak louder than words. If you engage in these 7 daily habits and make them a priority, the connection that you have with your partner will grow in ways that you never thought were possible. These aren't just habits. Rather, they are real signs of true love in a relationship. True love is rare. When you find it, cherish it every single day.

What habits do you practice with your partner in order to create more true love, passion, and intimacy in your relationship?

Do you want to learn 21 empowering morning rituals that will take your life to the next level? CLICK HERE for instant access to my FREE cheatsheet!

Do you want to learn more about the brand that Tatiana has created for the modern day woman? CLICK HERE to check out her YouTube channel, Luxx Curves!

Life is short, which is why it is so important to enjoy every single moment. Are you living life to the fullest?

It's easy to lose sight of the big picture. Life gets in the way. To-do lists, responsibilities, errands. It isn't your fault. Most of us are pre-programmed to fall into the trap of a worry spiral. We obsess about things that, in the grand scheme of things, don't matter.

Research shows that the average adult spends the equivalent of an hour a day worrying, whether that's obsessing about an unpaid bill or fretting over whether you have locked the front door. Every moment matters. Worrying is a waste of time and energy.

Sometimes it takes adversity or challenges for us to realize how precious life is. Have you ever lost someone that you loved? It can feel like they were here one moment and then gone the next. These are the moments when we realize how short life can be.

There is no guarantee of tomorrow, and we can't hit replay or rewind. If there was ever a moment to do things that matter to you and have gratitude for your life, the time is now. Because life is short, we need to embrace it. In the words of Paulo Coehlo, “One day you will wake up and there won't be any more time to do the things you've always wanted. Do it now.”

Are you ready to learn 8 steps to make sure that you are living life to the fullest?

In the video below I talk about why people get caught up in the illusion of happiness:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

Are you ready to learn how you can master every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I only ever endorse products that I have personally used and benefitted from personally. Thank you for your support!

Life is short. It is meant to be lived. Are you fully living it?

The sad reality is that a lot of people go through life having never really experienced everything that life has to offer. Why? Because they live in fear. The idea of taking a risk scares them, so instead, they stay in their comfort zones and ignore

If you feel as if you are sleepwalking throughout your life, it's time to wake up and make a change. When we have passed, and someone is speaking at our funeral, do you want to be remembered as someone who lived life to the fullest or someone that hid in the shadows?

Life is short. Let's explore 8 steps to make sure that you are living life to the fullest.

1. Embrace New Opportunities

Conquering fear of any kind requires that we embrace new opportunities and be open to change. Any new opportunity Change isn't easy for people. Staying in one's comfort zone feels a lot safer.

However, that's not where the magic happens.

How would your life change if you started to see problems as opportunities for learning and growth? If you want to experience life fully, you need to seize the day, as scary as it may be.

Opportunity looks and feels different for everyone. One thing that remains the same is that an opportunity provides a platform for us to try new things, test what works and what doesn't, and find ourselves in the process. Nobody wants to live with regret, so make a change, dive into life, and see the world with an open mind.

2. Be Present

When we look too far forward, we miss out on all of the amazing things that are standing in front of us. The present moment is all that we have, so why not slow down and fully embrace the present moment? Here's the problem. People either get stuck living in the past or obsess about the future. As a result, they are unable to focus on the here and now.

In the words of the late great Louise Hay, “The point of power is in the present moment.”

It all comes down to one's perspective on life. Many of us know how valuable it is to live in the present, but why is it so hard to do? Our world encourages to operate in autopilot mode. We may try to be present, but then we tend to fall back into non-stop distractions and stressors.

Neuroscientists have discovered that when we are young we have more novel experiences, which create more vivid memories. As we age, we have less “new” experiences, so it's harder for these memories to stand out in our minds.

I encourage you to try being present more often – with yourself and with others – and watch how your emotional state shifts.

3. Work Hard, Play Hard

In a world that is so focused on achievement, how is it possible to find work-life balance? Is it possible to work hard and play hard at the same time? Queen’s University biology professor Lonnie Aarssen came up with a possible reason for why people feel inclined to “work hard, play hard.”

According to Aarssen, humans experience a “legacy drive” – in which they want to leave their mark on the world – and a “leisure drive.” Both of these drives can help people cope with their own mortality by leaving behind something when we die.

The next time that life feels overwhelming, focus on doing little things that make you happy, whether that's working out, going for a walk in nature, or spending some time with friends. Drop the goals and find space to think less and just be. We all need to enjoy the small moments of life that we tend to take for granted.

4. Don't Take Life So Seriously 

The world wants you to take life super seriously. Don't fall into the trap! Every day we are tested with something. However, we always have a choice how we are going to respond. We can either get stressed out, angry, or overwhelmed, or we can learn to be positive, laugh more, and relax into our struggles.

In order to experience true happiness, I think we need to throw our hair back once in awhile and remember how important it is to play and have fun. There is freedom in accepting things as they are and finding the good amidst the bad. Bad things happen, but that's just a part of life.

Elbert Hubbard said it best – “Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive.”

5. Live for YOU

You are the author of your life story. Don't give somebody else that much power over your life. What are your dreams and goals? How do you want to be remembered? Every day that we wake up we have a choice – we can follow our hearts and make decisions from that place, or we can follow the crowd.

In his 2005 commencement address at Stanford University, Steve Jobs talked about his experience of being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. In this speech he reminded each of us that life is short:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Don't allow anyone to dim your light or let their opinions and judgments get you down. All that matters is that you can look in the mirror every day and be proud of the image that is staring back at you. That's true happiness.

6. Take Care Of Yourself

Taking the time to take care of your mind, body, and soul isn't selfish. It's necessary. Unfortunately, a lot of people think it is because our culture doesn't reward self-care. We are taught that, if we want to succeed in life, we need to ignore self-care.

In her new book, The Magic of Mojo: The Creative Power Behind Success, Ariana Ayu teaches entrepreneurs and other high-achieving individuals to tap into your mojo for greater personal AND professional success. She believes that the rule of thumb for achieving authentic success is to prioritize self-care.

We know that there is a strong connection between increased burnout and lowered productivity. Imagine how much more businesses would grow if they made it a priority to create a self-care culture, where people were encouraged to take time to nurture themselves.

If you don't honor what you need, how do you expect to live life to the fullest? Creating a ritual of daily self-care is necessary for your health and well-being. When life knocks us down, learning how to love and nurture yourself ourselves is one of the greatest gifts that we can give ourselves.

How do you take care of yourself so that you can experience life to the fullest? The beauty of self-care is that it gives you the opportunity to ask for what you need and do it on your terms.

7. Challenge Negative Self-Talk

Negative self-talk is designed for one purpose only – to prevent us from achieving happiness in life. Examples of negative thoughts include, “I am worthless” or “I'm a failure.” Don't allow that pesky voice inside of your head to tell you that you don't have what it takes to live your best life.

Research shows that we have over 50,000 thoughts per day – the majority of which are automatic and out of conscious awareness, proving that it is so important that we observe our self-talk.  This doesn't mean that we can stop our inner dialogue altogether. However, we can be more aware of what it is telling us so that we can take the steps to change our way of thinking.

The result? A happier and more satisfied life all around.

“Be mindful of your self-talk. It is a conversation with the universe. You are a being, full of infinite possibilities! Focus your mind with positivity and you will have dictated the direction of your journey, your soul, and your being, cascading in infinite abundance.” – Angie Karan

8. Worry Less

We all worry from time to time. However, when it starts to become a bad habit that takes over every decision that we make and prevents us from truly living our lives to the fullest, then we need to make a change. If you are prone to worrying, step back and ask yourself, “How does my worrying benefit my life?”

We need to start asking ourselves difficult questions that prompt us to shift our perspective and see life through a more empowering lens. Let's face it. What we focus on, we attract into our lives. If you are constantly ruminating and worrying about things that are out of your control, you are going to create MORE negative experiences into your life, further preventing you from being present and happy.

We can't take all of our problems away, but we can wake up every day with a grateful heart and look at the bigger picture. As Wayne Dyer said, “When you change the way you look at the things, the things you look at change.” Anyone can turn a negative situation into a positive one.

Life is short. Don't waste any time or energy on things that don't make you happy.

It is your right as a human being to live the life that you love. Don't wait for life to happen to you. Take action and do the things that make you come alive inside. In the words of A.R. Lucas, “If there’s even a slight chance at getting something that will make you happy, risk it. Life’s too short, and happiness is too rare.”

We've all got one life and one life only. At the end of the road, we want to say that we lived it our way. Are you ready to start living life to the fullest? The time is NOW!

Are you ready to learn how you can master every area of your life? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

The little things in life matter most. However, we get so caught up in the big moments that we don't see them.

In today's fast-paced, forward-thinking world, it's easy to forget about the little things in life. People get so consumed with the big house, the flashy car, and the million dollar dream, that they forget to relish in the happiness that the little things in life bring.

The big things are great, but I have found that the simplest of things in life have made me the happiest. Dr. Glenn Williams, a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Nottingham Trent University, says, “An effective route to happiness is not necessarily through experiencing major events. Rather it is the small, and often unexpected pleasures in life that can help us build more meaningful lives.”

In the words of Ferris Bueller, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you might miss it.” Are you ready to learn 7 ways that you can start valuing the little things in life?

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

[smart_track_player url=”https://www.buzzsprout.com/9299/700210-plm-568-the-little-things-in-life.mp3″ background=”default” ]

Are you ready to start living every day with confidence, passion, and unstoppable energy? CLICK HERE for instant access to my free Morning Ritual Mastery cheatsheet!

This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase a product through one of them, I will receive a commission (at no additional cost to you). I only ever endorse products that I have personally used and benefitted from personally. Thank you for your support!

Do you pay attention to the little things in life?

Too often we become obsessed with achieving big goals in life. However, we forget that all of those big goals are comprised of hundreds of small decisions that lead to the result that we are after.

Don't get me wrong, having big goals that you work towards is really important. However, if you get too caught up in the final destination, you will ignore the journey. As Bruce Burton said, “Sometimes when I consider what tremendous consequences come from little things, I am tempted to think there are no little things.” 

We underestimate the power of a small gesture of kindness, a loving embrace, a smile from a stranger, or words of compassion These little things in life tend to have a ripple effect. A single drop of water can create a wave of change, and so can you.

You don't have to do something monumental in order to change your life or the life of someone else.

We've been conditioned to believe that the ordinary things in life are boring and uninspiring, which is why we tend to live for the big moments. We are inundated with messages like, “Think big!” However, when you adopt the mindset that big is better than small, you fail to notice that life is comprised of a series of small magical moments.

If you neglect to enjoy the little things in life, you are only left with challenges, struggles, and stressors. That is no way to live. When you stop and take the time to smell the roses, you have a greater appreciation for life's beauty. Research shows that those who regularly take notice of something beautiful are 12 percent more likely to say that they are satisfied with their lives.

Here are 7 ways that you can start to value the little things in life.

1. Slow Down

Life moves so fast that it can feel as if we are on autopilot. Do you ever feel like there isn't enough time during the day to accomplish everything? If so, you aren't alone. This way of thinking has become the norm. When we are in a state of perpetual doing, we can run ourselves into the ground and forget to enjoy the moments that make life worth living.

In his book, Thank You For Being Late: An Optimist's Guide to Thriving in the Age of Accelerations (Version 2.0, With a New Afterword) Pulitzer Prize-winning author Tom Friedman points out that the most meaningful things in life aren’t things that can be obtained through technology. He suggests that “The faster the world gets … the more you need to step back and appreciate everything that’s old and slow.”

Work isn't going away. It will always be there, so why not slow down for a few minutes and bask in the simplicities of your day? They are there for a reason, so I encourage you to start noticing them more. Whatever you enjoy doing in life, slow down and savor those experiences more often.

2. Help Others

Think back to a moment when you helped someone. How was it received and how did it make you feel? Helping someone can be achieved in a number of small ways, whether that's by giving a compliment to smiling at a stranger.

I believe that the secret to long-lasting happiness and fulfillment lies in helping others. Unfortunately, a lot of people get caught up in the hustle and bustle of their own lives, that they forget to think about others.

We are all on this crazy roller coaster of a ride that we call life, together. Why not support one another through the highs and lows? When we step outside of our own world and contribute to the lives of others, it gives us a sense of purpose. No contribution is too small. Open your eyes to the needs of those around you and ask yourself, “How can I be of service?”

By turning your focus on others, you will gain more perspective on your challenges, realizing that they aren't as bad as you made them out to be. We can improve our own lives, simply by helping others improve theirs. What a simple and beautiful idea.

Moreover, helping others is infectious. Those who feel your compassion will, in turn, be inspired to be more compassionate themselves. Be the change that you desire to see in the world. It's the little things in life that can have the biggest impact.

3. Adopt An Attitude of Gratitude

An attitude of gratitude helps us to value the little things in life that we often take for granted. The more thankful that we are for what we have, the less likely we are to focus on what we don’t have. This is why I am a big believer in the power of a morning ritual.

By starting your day with a grateful heart and being present with yourself, it gives you the inspiration that you need in order to see the good in everything. This is why I love keeping a gratitude journal. By recording my daily blessings, I move throughout my day feeling more optimistic and happier overall.

I believe that if we want to feel fully alive and happy, we need to live in the present moment. A Harvard study found that we spend about 47 percent of our waking hours thinking about what isn’t going on. In other words, we are not present for almost half of our lives, proving that a wandering mind is not a happy mind.

Being mindful allows us to appreciate the little things in life, instead of worrying about what's to come. Chicag0-based therapist, Chelsea Hudon says that “We often miss out on life’s little treasures because instead of using our senses to engage in the world around us, we remain in ‘our heads,' worrying about the future or ruminating about the past.”

Being present starts with self-awareness. It's about paying attention to what is going on around you, without trying to change anything.

A great way to ensure that you are living in the present moment every day is to create a morning ritual. When you wake up, it is so important to not get caught up in your thoughts. The morning is an opportunity for you to start fresh and set the tone for your day. As part of your ritual, I encourage you to create a mindfulness practice, like yoga or meditation. Doing so will allow you to calm your mind, connect with yourself, and feel a sense of deep gratitude for yourself and your life.

5. Smile More

Research has shown that smiling releases serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that produces feelings of happiness and well-being. Think about the little things in life that make you smile, whether that's listening to the sound of the rain, walking in nature, writing in your journal, or enjoying a bath.

The people that find a reason to smile, despite their life circumstances, are oftentimes the most resilient. Every time shit hits the fan, although they may be disappointed, they will still remain hopeful and determined to find the silver lining. Why? Because they have programmed their mind to look for the good.

In the words of Mother Teresa, “I will never understand all of the good that a simple smile can accomplish.” If you are feeling negative emotions, a smile can instantly shift how you are feeling. We forget how quickly we can brighten someone else's day simply by smiling at them. This proves that the little things in life mean the most.

6. Stop Comparing Yourself To Others

Do you look at others and feel jealousy or envy for what they have? If so, it's time to stop. Comparing yourself to others will only cause you pain and suffering. Instead, focus on how far YOU have come, and do the work to define your own version of success.

Social comparison is the killer of dreams. Many of us can be so hard on ourselves. When we turn our attention to others' lives, we neglect our own. As a result, we can miss out on a lot of amazing opportunities.

Sit back and think about all of the little things that make your journey so special.  This is an act of self-love. Count your blessings and embrace all of your strengths. If you only concentrate on what you don't have, you will never have enough. This scarcity mentality will affect every area of your life.

If you are going to compare yourself to anyone, make it count and compare yourself to you! How can you continually upgrade your life so that you are growing and evolving into the best version of your higher self, every day? Don't give away your power. Love your story and trust that you are on the path to success, whatever that may look like.

7. Spend More Time In Nature

Have you ever experienced a wave of positive emotions as soon as you immerse yourself in nature, whether that's going for a hike in the mountains or running in the forest? Spending time in nature is a beautiful way to connect back to yourself and what is important to you.

Oftentimes we forget what a powerful experience it can be to activate all of our senses. The act of breathing in fresh air and feeling the ground underneath your feet is a reminder of all of the small wonders of the world that we take for granted. 

Over 100 studies have shown that being in nature, living near nature, or even viewing nature in paintings and videos can have positive impacts on our brains, bodies, feelings, thought processes, and social interactions. Pay attention to these micro-moments because they can help you cultivate a great sense of connection to yourself and the world at large.

When you have an appreciation for the little things in life, you experience optimal fulfillment and meaning.

Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination. I encourage you to be mindful and pay more attention to the little things in life. One day you will wake up and realize that, in actuality, they were the big things.

Are you ready to start living every day with confidence, passion, and unstoppable energy? CLICK HERE for instant access to my free Morning Ritual Mastery cheatsheet!

Do you want to learn why it's important to adopt an attitude of gratitude? CLICK HERE to read the article that I wrote on Medium!

Want to be happy? Here’s the secret. The pursuit of happiness is a universal desire. We are all striving to have more of it in our lives.

The challenge that many people face is that they try to find happiness, in the form of external circumstances or rewards. This form of happiness is only temporary.

This idea is supported by research that suggests that only 10 percent of our happiness comes from external factors. The rest of the happiness equation is made up of our genetics, the thoughts, and behaviors that we do deliberately, and our attitude.

People fail to realize that happiness comes from within, and the degree to which you experience it is entirely in your control. In the words of Many Hale, “Happiness is an inside job. Don’t assign anyone else that much power over your life.”

Want to be happy? Here’s the secret. It’s easier than you think.

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Happiness flows more easily into our lives when we focus on the positive. Here’s where the problem lies. As human beings, we are hard wired to look for the negative.

This is supported by research that shows that the brain reacts more strongly to negative stimuli. Thus, our attitudes are more heavily influenced by bad news, rather than good news.

It’s easy to blame others for our downfalls, but ultimately we are the ones who are responsible for our lives. We can either rise up, take accountability and change what doesn’t feel good, or we can dwell in self-loathing and despair. Which sounds better to you?

Don’t dwell on the negative. Rather, wake up every day and ask yourself, “What is the good in this situation?” Doing so will allow you to train your brain to continually look for the positive and celebrate life to the fullest.

We all need to get out of our heads and into our hearts more. The head is great for processing information and breaking down thoughts, but our hearts are our compass, our seat of truth, and the place that we go to when we are seeking alignment.

A great way to strengthen the heart muscle is through adopting an attitude of gratitude. No matter what our circumstances are in life, we can all be grateful for something. What are you grateful for?

The feeling of happiness is a state that is achieved by way of being present with yourself and being grateful for what you have. If you actively look for the good, you will find it.

Gratitude has been shown to have countless benefits; some of which include health, happiness, satisfaction with life, and the way we relate to others.

Every single day, as part of my morning routine, I take part in a gratitude exercise in my 5-Minute Journal, which inspires me to start my day with a grateful heart. Take 5 minutes every day and write down what it is that you are grateful for. This is a simple, yet powerful exercise.

Do you want to be more happy? Here’s the secret. Let happiness find you by finding your flow and engaging in valued activities that bring you joy and fulfillment. These are the experiences that contribute to the feeling of happiness.

Happiness is a choice that we have to make every day. Create a morning ritual and engage in something every day that makes you happy. When you make this commitment to yourself, these healthy habits will shift your mindset, allowing you to see the good in everything.

Want to be happy? Here’s the secret. Make the decision to be happy NOW! Focus on it, feel it, and live it.

Take it from David Cuschieri, “Every morning I make the biggest decision of my life: To be happy today. All I know is the here and now. What happened yesterday and what may happen tomorrow is either gone or hasn’t happened yet.”

Do you want to learn how to create an empowering morning ritual? CLICK HERE to join my Morning Ritual Mastery program!

I would like to share with you 4 ways to build your mental toughness. In today's fast paced and complex world, the ability to effectively adapt, remain calm under pressure, and change at a moment's notice is a necessity.

Your mental toughness, or “grit” as they call it, plays a very important role in achieving your goals in health, business, and life. Nobody in the business world needs mental toughness more than an entrepreneur.

Being your own boss and designing the life that you desire is great, but unfortunately not a lot of entrepreneurs possess the skills that are needed in order to weather the storms of the online business world.

The good news is that mental toughness is a skill that you can learn. Steve Siebold, mental toughness expert and author of 177 Mental Toughness Secrets of the World Class: The Thought Processes, Habits and Philosophies of the Great Ones, 3rd Edition, teaches that a person of modest means can become world class by implementing the thinking, habits, and philosophies associated with mental toughness.

Are you ready to learn 4 ways to build your mental toughness so that you can master your online business?

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You can have amazing organizational skills, be highly productive, and be passionate about your online business. But without mental toughness, you won't be able to stay on course when things get challenging.

Below are 4 ways to build your mental toughness in order to ensure that you stay one step ahead of the game:

1. Embrace Change

Mentally tough people are constantly adapting to changing circumstances. They strive to get outside of their comfort zone on a daily basis because they welcome challenges and see them as opportunities for growth.

Making it a daily habit to engage in activities that force you to step outside of your comfort zone, take risks, and embrace the unknown is a great way to expand your capacity for mental toughness.

If you want to become the best version of yourself in your business and in your life, you need to take risks and do things that make you feel uncomfortable.

2. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness is all about staying present in the moment. Entrepreneurs often find themselves stretched in multiple different directions, which can effect their concentration.

This is why focusing on the here-and-now is such an important skill for online business owners to learn.

A University of Miami study showed that one of the best ways to build mental toughness is through practicing mindfulness on a consistent basis.

One of the greatest benefits of creating a mindfulness-based practice, like meditation, into your daily life is that it allows you to effectively manage the myriad of stressors that can come with running an online business.

3. Be Active

There is no doubt that a healthy body contributes to a healthy mind. Numerous studies have demonstrated that the higher one’s mental agility and stability, the more likely they are to achieve and maintain a healthy body.

If you run an online business, it is imperative that you commit to staying active. Hours in front of a computer can be taxing on your physical and mental state.

According to the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. James Levine, in the U.S. people spend more than half of their waking hours sitting down, which can result in a myriad of health problems.

I highly recommend investing in a LifeSpan treadmill desk. It has radically elevated my productivity, enhanced my business, and transformed my health. Getting your heart pumping in the morning is a great way to stimulate your brain for optimal performance and prime you for success.

4. Master Your Emotions

In order to become mentally tough, you need to master your emotions. Running an online business requires that you are able to make strategic decisions under pressure, which is why it is important that you are able to stay calm and objective, regardless of your emotional state.

It is impossible to be mentally tough if you are unable to fully understand and manage your emotions. This is where the power of emotional intelligence (EQ) comes into play. Research shows that 90% of top performers have high EQs.

Unlike IQ, the good news is that EQ is a skill that you can build and master over time. Research shows that 90% of top performers have high EQs. Robert Kiyosaki said it best, “The strength of character and emotional intelligence to face your failures and learn from them are at the core of success.”

Today I want to talk about the illusion of happiness. I believe that happiness is a universal desire. Deep down, we all want to be happy. Unfortunately, in today’s world, genuine happiness is a rare commodity. People who have bought into the illusion of happiness use things like money, relationships, friends, their body, etc., as vehicles to achieve certain ‘positive’ emotional states.

The more you ‘go after' happiness, the more fleeting it becomes. Materialistic things won’t buy you happiness. If you are constantly chasing the idea of happiness, you will live a life of pain and disappointment. Instead of focusing on the external rewards of life, focus on your internal state.

Happiness is a choice. There are people in this world that have nothing, and still, they choose to be happy. Similarly, there are people who have all the money in the world, but they still aren’t fulfilled. Whatever the circumstances are in our lives, we always have the power to choose how we feel.

In the words of A.R. Lucas, “If there’s even a slight chance at getting something that will make you happy, risk it. Life’s too short, and happiness is too rare.” Are you ready to drop the illusion of happiness, and live from a place of joy, gratitude, and fulfillment?

Watch the video below:

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I'm not saying that there won't be challenges that arise in life that try to shake your happiness. The question remains, “How does someone sustain a positive state during times of unhappiness and duress?” It all comes down to their mindset.

These people make happiness their top value in life. They engage in a process of self-reflection, learn how to master their emotions, and find peace within themselves, which in turn, allows them to experience inner happiness.

They know that the direction that their lives take depends solely on them and them alone. They don’t search for things or people to make them happy. In turn, they achieve and attract more into their lives. There are 24 hours in a day. You can either spend those hours being happy or sad.

For myself, I know that once I started putting happiness first, my life changed, on a physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual level. One strategy that I adopted in order to condition my state of happiness, is a morning ritual. Every day, I take the time to honour myself. I reflect and show gratitude for all of the blessings that exist in my life.

If you prioritize your happiness, I can guarantee you that it will make everything in your life easier. When you start your day feeling full, you overflow with love, happiness, and abundance, which has a contagious effect on others and the world at large.

The illusion of happiness makes people believe that if they can find happiness everything else will be okay. But there isn't a magic pill for happiness. Rather, it is a daily practice. Have you bought into the illusion of happiness? If you are aren’t happy with your life, try shifting your mindset, and adopting an attitude of gratitude.

Abraham Lincoln once said that, “People can be as happy or unhappy as they make up their mind to be.” When you adopt a happy mindset, being happy won’t feel like work. It will just be your natural state, and that is when you will start attracting amazing things into your life.

If you aren’t living the kind of life that brings you inner joy, happiness, and fulfillment, I challenge you to start the journey towards a happy life. The first step is connecting with that place of inner happiness that resides within you. It won’t be easy, but nothing in life that is worthwhile ever comes easy.

Drop the illusion of happiness. Don’t wait for things to happen in order to be happy. Choose happiness in your life, NOW.

Do you want to learn how to create a morning ritual that will bring more inner happiness into your life? CLICK HERE to join my course, Morning Ritual Mastery!

Video transcript

Hey, everyone, this is Stefan from ProjectLifeMastery.com and today I want to talk to you about something that I believe that most people in society today don't value enough. It's something that I believe that we all really want deep down inside. We all crave it, we all desire it, and what that really is is to be happy. I believe that all human beings really want to be happy in their lives. We want to feel a sense of joy, fulfillment, and meaning.

The challenge that I've observed is that most people in society today have bought into the lie and the illusion that happiness, joy, and fulfillment come from outside of ourselves. That you have to put your focus and emphasis on the external results and rewards of life, instead of focusing internally. You need to understand and know that the happiness that you are craving and seeking is already within you.

That's why I think a lot of people only focus on making money. They want to make a certain amount of money, and create a certain lifestyle or freedom, buy a car, or a house, or some sort of materialistic possession. Or they may be more focused on their body and achieving a certain body weight, or maybe it's attracting a man or a woman into their lives and having love and a great relationship.

Don't get me wrong, I think those are all great things. They're all important. I've pursued those in my life as well. However, the challenge is that when you believe that you need to have something outside of yourself in order to be happy, instead of recognizing and understanding that you could be happy right now regardless of your outside circumstances, regardless of having a car, a relationship, an ideal body, or a lot of money.

There are people in this world that have nothing. They're broke, in debt, poor, alone, sick or dying, and yet they still have decided, regardless of their circumstances, to be happy, joyful, and cheerful. Similarly, there are people out there that have a lot of money, and they have everything on the outside world, yet they're not happy or fulfilled.

That's why you see so many celebrities and famous people commit suicide, because they are depressed and unhappy. You see them have it all, but deep down, they haven't learned to master their emotions and really find happiness within themselves. I was reading the other day that there are over 2,000 billionaires in the world. Every five days in China there's a new billionaire, every six days in the United States there's a new billionaire. I believe that what's more rare than a billionaire is someone that's really happy and fulfilled.

That is what I look for in human beings. People that I want to learn from. People that I respect the most, aren't just the people that have a lot of money. That's great, but I look at whether or not they are really happy and fulfilled. Most people use their business, money, their body, relationships, friends, or whatever it might be, as a vehicle to go after and achieve certain emotional states. That's the belief system that they have programmed in their minds.

In the world of marketing today, that is what they are selling to you. When you look at a magazine or you watch TV, you're being marketed to buy a product. Ultimately, what you're really after is the emotion that you believe that a product can provide for you, or the result that it will provide for you. It's not true, my friends. In fact, what if, instead, I were to propose this to you – instead of believing that in order to be happy, you need to achieve or get something outside of yourself to be happy, what if you decided that you were going to be happy regardless.

I'm going to be happy regardless of what my outside world looks like, just because I choose to. We are all in control of our emotional states. Regardless of what's going on, you can always look for the good. You can always have something to be grateful for. Imagine what it would feel like if you operated from a place of happiness first, and made prioritizing your happiness a higher value on your list. What if doing so helped you to attract and achieve more in your life?

Choose to put happiness first, and create a powerful ritual in your life, where every morning you commit to spending time focusing on happiness and taking in life's gifts. Trust me, there have been times in my life when my life didn't look so good.

There were times in my life when I was really struggling, and I had a lot to be unhappy about. I knew that if I could be happy now, despite the chaos and adversity in my life, then I'd really have mastered life to a much higher level. I would have taken control of my life, and that was the most important thing. What I found is that if you actually prioritize your happiness, and make the decision that you are going to be happy despite your life circumstances, I can almost guarantee you that it's going to make everything else in your life much easier.

For example, maybe you're in a relationship, but you want to take it to another level, or maybe your relationship is not going so well. I can promise you that if you're a lot happier, you're probably going to uplift your current relationship that you might already be in.

Similarly, I can promise you that if you're a lot happier, you're probably going to make better food choices. You're probably going to want to go outside and exercise and take better care of yourself, because you're already happy, and that's going to result in you being able to achieve your health and fitness goals that much faster. I can almost promise you that if you're happier, then that's going to help you improve the amount of money that you make. It's going to help you feel more motivated to start your business, to grow your business, to perform a lot better at your job.

I think a lot of people have it backward. You have to dehypnotize yourself into understanding that happiness has to be important than anything. Otherwise, what's going to happen is that you're going to achieve the things that you set out to achieve – the car, the house, the body, and the relationship – but here's what's going to happen. Once you get those things, you're going to realize that they did not make you happy.

Regardless of all the things that you've worked so hard to acquire, because you believed that they would give you happiness, you're going to feel a sense of emptiness inside. Then you're going to look for another goal to achieve. I'm here to tell you that I believe that the better way of going about it is to make happiness a more important priority.

Not a lot of people put enough value on happiness because it's not as tangible as a car, house, a body, a girlfriend, or a boyfriend. You can measure that, it's more specific. Whereas with happiness, it's something that people can't tangibly measure. Happiness is different for everybody. There's certain universal principles and patterns of happiness that, without a doubt, can help enhance that. I'm not saying that money and a relationship can't amplify it, but it's not the sole source of happiness.

In fact, you don't even want your happiness to be dependent on something outside of yourself, because if it's only dependent on a man or a woman, or a relationship, or a body, or money, then what happens when that goes away , your happiness will go away with it. Here's what I want to propose to you – make happiness a higher priority, shift your mindset, and your belief system. Decide that you are going to be happy now.

Decide that you are going to spend the first part of your day, which is the most important part of your day, and create a ritual. Do what makes you happy. Whatever that might be. I know for myself, I've got crazy rituals that I do. I enjoy learning each day, taking care of my health and my body, meditating, and focusing on and thinking about what I'm grateful for. I train myself to always look for the good, no matter what.

No matter what's going on, there's always good. I will find it and that will help amplify my life and remind myself how blessed I really am. Maybe it's doing some exercise and taking good care of my body. I think that can be an act of love. Start off the day happy. A lot of people start the day empty and try to fill themselves up. What if you started the day feeling full? Fill yourself up in the morning with your ritual so that you're overflowing with love, abundance, and happiness. When you do, it will have a contagious effect on everyone else around you.

In fact, I think that being happy every day is the greatest gift that you can give to other human beings on this planet. Create a ritual, or do whatever works for you. I don't know whatever that might be for you, but take the time to prioritize and value happiness more in your life. Pick up a happiness book and study. Place more emphasis and focus on it, because at the end of the day, that's really what you want deep down inside.

Hopefully, this video could be a good reminder for some of you to really value that more, make an emphasis on it. Don't just be one-dimensional in your life. I believe in life mastery and the foundation of that is your health, your mindset, and your emotions. You need to really master those areas of your life, because those are the ones that are going to affect everything else. Hopefully you enjoyed this video. If you did, give it a thumbs up. Leave a comment below.

I'd love to hear your experience of happiness and things that have worked for you. Subscribe for more videos, of course, and if you haven't already checked out my Morning Ritual Mastery course, I highly recommend that you do, because it's going to teach you how I create my empowering morning rituals, and how you can create one in your life. It is the best part of my day, and it's something that I've been doing it since I was 17 years old. I'd love for you to experience that, and check out that program at MorningRitualMastery.com.

That's it for today's video! Thanks for watching. I look forward to seeing you again in the next one. Take care.

I would like to share with you some reasons why you should meditate every day. This is a practice that has greatly impacted my life. Meditation is one of the most effective ways to cope with stress and find a sense of inner calmness and peace from the daily pressures that life brings.

In AsapScience’s, “The Scientific Power of Meditation,” Mitchell Moffit and Gregory Brown explain that meditation yields a number of benefits, including the ability to fight (not cure) diseases, increase empathy, and even leads to physical changes in the brain (Borreli, 2015).

How would it feel to start your day feeling calm and grounded? Let the power of meditation help you achieve this peaceful state of being. In the words of Ram Dass, “The quieter you become, the more you can hear.” There is no greater reason for why you should meditate every day.

Watch the video below:

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I am not a master of meditation, but it is something that I have committed to going deeper with over the last six months. Intellectually I always knew that meditation was good for me, but I never did it because I didn’t associate to it on an emotional level.

Once I forced myself to meditate over a period of time and started to notice the benefits that it had on my emotional, mental, and spiritual state, then I believed in its potential to change my life. So much so, that meditation is now a part of my daily morning ritual.

Sometimes in life you need to do something that you don’t necessarily want to do, in order to see the long-term benefits of it. Just like going to the gym every day and committing to exercise your body. When you first start exercising, you may experience discomfort and soreness, and you might think, “What is the benefit of this?”

However, when you start seeing changes in your body and energy levels, you realize why you took the time to exercise in the first place. The same thing goes with meditation. There is nothing better that you can do than to learn how to calm your strongest muscle – your mind. Once you start seeing the benefits of meditation, it will motivate you to go even deeper, because you will start seeing the purpose of it.

The trigger that got me into meditation was a pattern that I started noticing, which was negatively affecting my life. I realized that I had an addiction. Let me be clear that an addiction can be to anything – to shopping, food, video games, pornography, information, etc. It doesn’t have to be something drastic, like drug or alcohol abuse.

Here is the test to know whether or not you have an addiction to something – try taking time away from a pattern of behaviour that you consistently find yourself doing. If you have cravings or temptations to bring it back into your life, that’s when you know it is a problem.

I had an addiction to technology. I found that every time that I felt uncomfortable or experienced a negative emotion, I would take out my phone and look through my social media. I found myself spending way too much time online. All addiction stems from a fear of emptiness and being alone.

Human beings are so terrified of being present and doing NOTHING, that oftentimes uncomfortable feeling emerge within them. They use things in order to distract themselves. What are you distracting yourself from? For a lot of people, it means distracting themselves from something that needs to be healed or resolved internally.

When we feel like we have no control over our lives, we tend to resist or avoid what is going on inside our body, mind, and soul. Through meditation, I learned that the way to overcome my addiction was to practice being present and experience nothing for a short period of time.

Always remember that whatever you resist will persist. If thoughts come up, merely observe them. Let them come into your mind, accept them, and then let them go. Since I started meditating, I feel more empowered and complete on a mental, emotional, and spiritual level. I have more control over my mind and my thoughts.

When you master your mind, you become less reactive. Today, I find that I am more present and in the moment when I am interacting with people, both in my work and in my personal life. I meditate for 20 minutes twice a day, usually in the afternoons and then before bed. I’ve experimented with all kinds of meditation.

I’ve learned that, as with any industry or school of thought, ultimately you need to find what works for you. If you think you are too busy to meditate, think again. Studies have shown that meditating just ten minutes a day reduces stress, lowers cortisol levels, and improves your outlook on life (Sarich, 2015). These are some reasons why you should meditate every day.

We all lead busy lives, but if we want to achieve life mastery, it is important that we feel a sense of balance, in our body, mind, and soul. Take the time to invest in yourself. Go deeper and embrace the power of meditation. You don’t have to be a guru in order to enjoy the benefits that meditation provides.

In the words of Eckhart Tolle, “One conscious breath – in and out – is a meditation.” Your mind will thank you for it.

Do you want to learn how to make meditation a part of your daily life? CLICK HERE to purchase my Morning Ritual Mastery course!

I would like to share with you the power of using the Law of Attraction to manifest your dreams. The Law of Attraction states that whatever can be imagined, is achievable. I am a big believer in the power of manifestation. A lot of people have goals and dreams, but they never achieve them. Why?

Because they have limiting beliefs about themselves and the world. It creates a self-sabotaging cycle that can result in a life of regret. We all have the power to manifest our dreams, but in order to do, so we have to shift to a more positive way of thinking. Using the Law of Attraction to manifest your dreams is about actively holding yourself in the energetic space of infinite possibility.

In the words of Richard Wilkins, “Miracles start to happen when you give as much energy to your dreams as you do to your fears.” What do you dream about creating in your life?

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Below are four ways that you can harness the power of the Law of Attraction and manifest your dreams:

1. Create A New Identity

Everything in life is comprised of energy; your thoughts are what begins it and your emotions are what amplifies those thoughts. If you believe that your dreams can become your reality, you are halfway there.

What happens when you start believing you are stronger, healthier, happier? Or, would if you believe you are sick, in lack, or unable to achieve your dreams?

Whatever you identify yourself with is going to come true. It's important to create an identity based on what you want to become a reality so you can work on manifesting your dreams.

Take a moment and imagine that you already had what it is that you desire. Create a new identity. How would you feel? How would you move throughout your day?

Let's work on visualizing your thoughts and dreams together so you can begin to manifest your dreams. It's important to learn to retrain your mind and how it works. 

Most individuals live by circumstances, focusing only on their surroundings and what they believe exists becaus that is the environment around them.

Your identity begins with you and what you decide to believe and create as a result.

Start a vision board, work with certain ideas about who you want to be, look at who your ideal self is.

What do I mean by your ideal self? That means you want to look at who you idolize, who you wish you could be and what you dream about becoming.

This is who you are. However, you have to work on manifesting your dreams for this to come true and to become a reality.

Live your dreams as if they already are your current reality.

2. Be Grateful

Giving gratitude is one of the easiest and simplest ways to manifest your dreams. When you adopt an attitude of gratitude, you are sending a powerful message to the Universe about what it is that you want in your life. Giving thanks for all of the blessings in your life helps transform negative attitudes into positive ones. In turn, this raises your vibration and attracts positive experiences into your life. In the words of Walt Disney, “The more that you are in a state of gratitude, the more that you will attract things to be grateful for.”

What does it look like to be grateful?

Often, someone will say that they are grateful when something really good happens to them. Then, they will not have the same attitude with everything else surrounding their reality.

This isn't an attitude of gratitude. When you switch out of that ideal, you send a mixed message to the universe and it is unable to assist you in building what you are grateful for.

Delete the thoughts that come into your mind that are negative which are stopping you from achieving greatness.

Gratitude as a state of mind changes your emotional responses. It uplifts and alters how you believe an think about your world.

Several studies have been done relating to gratitude and how to manifest your dreams. In every study, positive behaviors and emotions are a direct result of gratitude.

What happens? The continuous, positive responses of gratefulness allow one to create the life they want and to manifest what they truly desire.

3. Experience Your Dream, In Action

There is a powerful Law of Attraction technique that I use in my daily life, called Dream Building. It states that the best way to make your dreams a reality is to actually experience them. Dream building is my favorite thing to do when I travel. It motivates and inspires me to raise my game and achieve my dreams by redirecting my focus towards what it is that I want most in life.

4. Let Go and Manifest Your Dreams

So many people attach their happiness to outcomes, and in doing so, get overwhelmed by the process. You need to realize that the act of control has a low frequency. When you try to control everything, it doesn’t leave any room for manifestation. Negative thoughts only create barriers for the Universe to do its work.

What do I mean by having a lower frequency?

Take this as an example. Maybe you want to start a relationship with someone, build your own business or make more money.

But instead of trying to do any of these things, you block your thoughts.

You can't start the relationship because of who you think you are or your friend likes them and then you become jealous.

These are all lower frequency thought patterns that actually stop you from manifesting your dreams. Some come in the form of thoughts and others in emotion.

Or how about making more money online? You may try to manifest your dreams by working every day and learning how to make money.

And then you get frustrated.

Instead of continuing the process, you start negating the possibilities; you tell yourself that you can't complete the task or you just stop believing it is possible.

Even though your initial intentions as well as some steps toward motivation are to build a business or make money, your thoughts are blocking you from your path.

Let go of your thoughts, your doubts, your limitations and the emotions that stop you from what you really want.

The only way you can begin manifesting your dreams is to start believing and to let go of everything else that stops you from attaining your goals and desires.

The Law of Attraction listens to what it is that you are projecting into the world. Never doubt the power of energy. Let the Universe do its job. Your job is to be present, positive, and believe in yourself. When you believe in what you want, it has no choice but to come true.

Paulo Coelho said it best, “People are capable, at any time in their lives, of doing what they dream of.” What small step will you take TODAY in order to manifest your dreams? Using the Law of Attraction to manifest your dreams is about visualizing what it is that you want, acting as if it is your current reality, and taking massive action in order to make it happen.

Do you want to receive cutting edge strategies for accelerating success and mastering every area of your life, every month, LIVE? CLICK HERE to join my Life Mastery Accelerator program!

My girlfriend Tatiana and I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Udo Erasmus on the importance of healthy oils for optimal health & well-being. He is the author of the best-selling book, Fats That Heal, Fats That Kill, and is the founder of the company, Udo’s Choice. Dr. Udo is recognized as a guru on digestive health, and is a pioneer in the use of fats and oils for optimal health.

I take Udo's Oil every day, and I've been doing so for the past 10 years.  It’s a certified organic blend of fresh omega 3, 6, and 9 oils, from flax, sesame, and sunflower seeds, coconut, and evening primrose.  This oil delivers all the ‘good’ fats we need in the ideal ratio of 2:1:1 in order to optimize health, beauty, and fitness, while receiving all the benefits that omega offers.

I am a big believer that your health is your wealth.  If you want optimal health, you need to ensure that your diet contains all of the essential vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and essential fatty acids that your body needs.  In the words of Jim Rohn, “Take care of your body.  It's the only place you have to live.”

Watch the video below:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

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Do you want to learn more about Dr. Udo's healthy oil and supplement products? CLICK HERE to visit his website!

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Do you want to learn which fats heal and which fats kill? CLICK HERE to purchase Dr. Udo's book!

I would like to share with you some of the dialogue from our interview with Dr. Udo Erasmus on the importance of healthy oils for optimal health & well-being:

Do you want to share with us a little bit about yourself, your background, and how you got into this field?

In 1980, pesticides poisoned me. My marriage was dissolving, I was in a dark place, and I wanted to kill something, so I took a job as a pesticide sprayer. When I got poisoned I asked the doctor, “What do you have for pesticide poisoning”, and he said, “Nothing.” That was the day that I realized that my health was my responsibility, and if I didn’t care about my health, nobody would. Because they had nothing to help me, I was left to my own devices in order to try and figure it out.

My background is in the field of sciences, biosciences, and then I went into psychology, and eventually self-knowledge, because I needed to know how I work. I read the journals and figured out that the body is made up of food, air, water, and light. I realized that if the body is made out of food and something goes wrong, the first thing that you should do is fix your food and raise the standard of your food. Ninety-eight percent of the atoms in your body are removed and replaced every year. So, if you raise your standards for food in one year, 98% of your body will have been re-built to a higher standard. That is called healing.

We have to eat because we need new building blocks, because the old ones are being discarded. The biggest area that I discovered in my research is the area of fats. It turns out that with all the DNA and RNA proteins, you get more problems from fats in health than in any part of nutrition. Why? Because oils are our most sensitive nutrients, especially Omega 6’s and Omega 3’s, which are 5x more sensitive because they are damaged by light, heat, and oxygen. They should get the most care of any of our nutrients, and we give them the least care.

More health problems come from damaged oils than any other part of nutrition. I developed a method where, when oils are being made, pressed, filtered, and filled. Then they are protected from light, oxygen, and heat from the time that they are in the seed and closed to the time that they are in a bottle. That was the invention that started a new industry, making oils with health in mind. In 1981, it was established by researchers that Omega 3’s were essential. I thought that we could help so many people if we were able to prove this to be true, so I started making flaxseed oil, which is very high in Omega 3’s and low in Omega 6’s. We were broke, but we were on fire. In two years, flax oil became the 2^nd highest selling oil in the health food industry. We started that movement.

What is in your product?

The blend consists of nine organic ingredients. Flaxseed oil for the Omega 3’s, sunflower seeds in order to balance the Omega 6’s, evening primrose oil for the antioxidants, and it also has coconut oil, rice/oat germ oil, GMO-free lecithin, and Vitamin E. When you are talking about something that has so much value to health, you have to keep it to a high standard.

Some people think that every fat is equal, and that there is no difference between mono-saturated or trans-fats. What is the good fat versus the bad fat?

If you want to tell the story of fats, you have to understand that, from fats and only from fats, there are two nutrients that you have to get, and that your body can’t make – Omega 6’s and 3’s. They are both essential, meaning that you can’t make it in your body, but you’ve got to have it in order to live and be healthy. It has to come from the outside. If you don’t get enough, your health goes down and you get deficiency systems that get worse with time.

As cruel as life is, if you don’t give it the building blocks needed in order to make the body work, it can’t do it. There are two essential fatty acids, 8-11 essential amino acids that come from protein, 13 essential vitamins, and 18 essential minerals. If you cut out any one of them, it will kill you, over time. The most important thing to understand is that you have to optimize those two, they have to be in the right balance, and they need to be made with health in mind.

What are the symptoms of someone that is deficient in Omega 3’s and 6’s?

Every cell needs Omega 3’s and 6’s. In the membranes there are channels that allow things in or take things out. The essential fatty acids improve the functions of those channels. They increase energy, especially the Omega 3’s.   Studies in athletes show a 40-60% increase in stamina within 30 days of taking our blend. There is not a training program on this planet that gives you that kind of benefit. Again, I think a lot of it has to do with energy levels, oxygen, and metabolic rate. Everything that every cell does requires energy. If you give it more energy, it does a better job.

Does fat make you fat?

No, that has never been true. In 1979, The McGovern Report bamboozled us. They told us to eat less fat and eat more carbs. From 20 years of following that advice, obesity went from 25-65% of the population. When you eat carbs, they turn into sugar, and you absorb the sugar. If you absorb the sugar faster than your body burns it, you get high blood sugar, which is toxic. Carbs and sugars turn on the gene for fat production, called fatty acid synthesize, which turns a molecule of sugar into a molecule of fat.

Carbs turn on and off that gene for fat production. When it comes to oils, fats don’t turn on fat production. It’s illogical for the body to do that. However, Omega 3’s actively turn on fat burning and they actively turn off fat production. When it comes to stamina and endurance sports, fat is what you need, whereas when you are running short distances, carbs is what you need.

When you are talking about carbs, are you talking about processed carbs versus whole food carbs?

When I’m talking about carbs, I’m talking about foods high in carbs like grains, corn, potatoes, etc. There is a difference between whole food carbs and refined carbs, and there is a difference between starch in a whole grain and starch in white flour, and a difference between starch and sugar. If you eat more than you burn, you will get fat. There is research that shows that carb addiction is 8x stronger than cocaine addiction because when you eat carbs, your blood sugar goes up and it turns into fat. Insulin is very good at doing that. By the time insulin is done, you have low blood sugar and are hungry. You get cravings and then you gorge. It takes time to digest the carbs and by the time they have absorbed, you’ve eaten more than you need to. The cycle starts again and again.

Are there certain oils that are safe to cook with?

There are some oils that are less toxic, but none that are good to fry with. If you use hard fats, they are the most stable (butter, coconut oil, palm oil), which are saturated fats, so they are not sensitive to light, oxygen, and heat. The people who want to sell you oils tell you that these oils are good for cooking. It’s a marketing tool. Always cook with water. If you want to be healthy, eat as much raw food as you can, take probiotics, and if you are going to cook, leave the fats out of it.

In Western society, we don’t have issues with famine, yet a big part of the population suffers from malnutrition. How is it possible that we can have so much food, yet suffer from so much malnutrition?

The distinction is between essential nutrients that we are not getting enough of them. We are getting too much fuel and not enough nutrients. The fuel is what makes you fat. When you eat too much fat, it suppresses your appetite. Your liver has to process it, and when it is full, it lets you know. That is why we say to spread out your intake throughout the course of the day.

A lot of people suffer from high cholesterol and may not know the difference between LDL and HDL cholesterol. Can high saturated fats help these people?

Medicine is only about disease, not health. I made the choice to explore biological sciences, because that is where you study how health works, when it’s working. It wasn’t disease-based. Cholesterol is so important in the body. Your body makes it, because you need it in the cell membranes in order to regulate the fluidity of them. Steroid hormones, stress hormones, and vitamin D are also made from it. You need LDL because that’s the vehicle that transports cholesterol from your liver to the rest of your body, and you need HDL to bring it back.

If you go on a plant-based diet, your cholesterol will go down to below 150, and only under 150 is there complete freedom from cardiovascular disease. Even the current research that is being done is not making that clear. The best diet is a plant-based, whole food diet, but you need B12 with that, because we aren’t 100% plant-based creatures. What is not clear is how much damage animal products do, with regards to how they are mass-produced with hormones, antibiotics, pesticides, etc. Eating meat once every 3 months would be enough in order to keep us healthy.

One of the top recommendations for people that have high cholesterol is to decrease their fat intake. What is your opinion on that?

If your cholesterol is high, and you eat a lot of saturated fats, that might have an effect. If you eat carbs that turn into fat, that seems to have a correlation with cholesterol, because cholesterol fats are also made from the same building blocks. But cholesterol is NOT your enemy. Eat more herbs and spices, eat more plants, eat more whole foods, eat less animal-based foods, and leave the stress outside. Be more present in your life.

What is the difference between taking your product in oil form versus soft gel capsules?

When you take a soft gel, it's like a supplement.  I take 2-4 tablespoons each day of the oil, which is 28-56 grams/day. I would have to take 56 capsules in order to achieve the same health benefits, which are 3x more expensive than the oil. It just doesn’t make sense. When people travel, it’s better to take capsules, but when you are home, use the oil and mix it in food. It enhances flavors and improves absorption. The oil is not a supplement. You can’t be healthy if you don’t live in alignment with nature.

Can you give us three tips of how best to age without disease?

The single most important issue in the planet is disconnection from the core of our own being. In that place is where our peace resides, and peace is amazing for health. When you have that, everything else comes easier. The most important thing you can do is to take the time to be alone and feel what it feels like to be alive. Do what you can to be more present.

Secondly, get comfortable living in a wild world, which is easy to do when you are fully present.

Thirdly, in terms of nutrition, make sure that your water is alkaline, that your oils are made with health in mind, and that you are taking Omega 3’s and 6’s in the right order, that they come in glass bottles, are refrigerated, and are never used for frying.

My mission in life is to find out how people can live in harmony. I sought to find out how, through science, bioscience, psychology, and self-knowledge. My first step was to make sense of fats, and my two other missions are to turn health into a systematically organized, teachable, consumer-friendly field, and to do the same thing with human nature. We are the only problem on the planet. We have to ask ourselves, “What is it about us that makes it such a problem?” When it comes down to it, it’s about disconnection.

My next book will be called, Total Sexy Health. Everything affects health. If you want to be fully healthy and present, give all parts of your nature its due. There are 8 billion people on this planet and the light is already within all of them, if they would only allow it to be seen. If we did, we would be taken care of by life, because life takes perfect care of us. We could then live in harmony, and if we lived in harmony, everybody’s basic needs could be taken care of without any sacrifice. It’s built into our nature to be able to do it, but we have to get present. It’s about time that we got smart and woke up.

I’m so grateful that Tatiana and I were able to interview Dr. Udo Erasmus on the importance of healthy oils for optimal health & well-being.  Dr. Udo is a pioneer in the use of fats and oils for optimal health.  His healthy oils have changed my life for the better.  I highly recommend that you read his book and buy his products!

Do you want to learn more about Dr. Udo's healthy oil and supplement products? CLICK HERE to visit his website!

Do you want to learn which fats heal and which fats kill? CLICK HERE to purchase Dr. Udo's book!