Are you ready to enjoy life more? If so, it's time to let go of control and start trusting the process.

If you want to reach your desired destination, it is imperative that you surrender to the process, no matter how difficult it is.

Unfortunately, a lot of people get obsessed with the final outcome and forget about the journey altogether. Not surprisingly, they give up when things get tough.

Don't allow fear to get in the way of your success. By allowing life to reveal itself to you, you will live more in the present moment. That's where the magic lies.

Watch the video below where I talk about how to overcome the fear of starting a business:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

Do you want 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!

What is stopping you from trusting the process?

For a lot of people, fear can play a huge role in this resistance. Fear is a natural response to life – fear about money, relationships, health, career. The list goes on and on. You may not realize it, but your brain is wired to always be on the lookout for potential threats to your safety. Research shows that the “fight, flight, freeze” message it sends to the body is still operating on that hair-trigger response to your surroundings.

Despite this, you cannot use this as an excuse to not try. Don't allow fear to control every decision that you make in life. I see too many people that allow fear to stop them from following their dreams, achieving their goals, or making changes in their lives. In short, they give in to fear's grip and accept whatever is given to them. Here's the thing… failure is a critical component to achieving success in life. If you're not failing, that means that you're not trying hard enough.

When it comes to achieving goals, don't get caught up in the need for things to happen right away. This mentality is what causes a lot of people to give up altogether. If you want to experience success in life, you cannot dabble. Instead, you've got to be willing to go all-in.

Why? Because the journey to success is never linear. It's a bumpy road with a lot of unexpected twists and turns. If you are constantly chasing shiny objects and searching for the next best thing, you are going to miss out on a whole lot of life. In today's fast-paced world, the more people have, the more they want. This creates a messy downward spiral of discontentment.

Living for tomorrow doesn't create long-lasting happiness.

I'm not saying that it's not important to dream big and get excited about what is yet to come, but if you are too future-focused, you won't win the race. Let go of the need to control the outcome. Success doesn't happen in the blink of an eye. Great achievements take time, patience and sacrifice. This is why you've got to be a master who flows with life instead of resisting every obstacle that comes your way.

In his best-selling book, The Secret Of Letting Go, Guy Finley says, “Any moment you feel resistance or pain, look for, and then let go of, the hidden expectation. Practice giving yourself over to what you don't want. Let the nervousness make you shake. Be where your body is, not where your mind is trying to take you.”

Trusting the process is a journey in and of itself. What would happen if you started to embrace change, be okay with the unknown and stopped trying to control everything? That may sound like a lot, but it comes down to a decision. A decision to commit to the process.

You may not realize it but you are exactly where you need to be. Sit with that and let it sink in. Let's explore 4 ways that you can let go of control and trust the process, which will, in turn, allow you to enjoy life more. 

1. Embrace The Unknown

By nature, humans dislike ambiguity of any kind. Anything that doesn't feel safe, stable and comfortable feels dangerous. In his book, Nonsense: The Power Of Not Knowing, Jamie Holmes explores the notion that people have an impulse to want to understand, reach conclusions, and take control. In his words, “Not knowing doesn't leave us without a compass, in some relativist neither land. Owning our uncertainty makes us kinder, more creative, and more alive.”  There is power in the unpredictable.

When everything is predictable, you end up living your life based on a series of familiar patterns. Hence, you end up attracting the exact same experiences over and over again. This way of living only ends up shutting you off from the many possibilities that life offers. If you want to grow, you can't be safe. This is why you need to learn how to embrace the unknown and get comfortable being uncomfortable.

The fact of the matter is that we don't know what life will present us with. All that we can do is be open to what life has to offer and trust that life is happening for you, not to you. Be okay with not always knowing how things are going to work out. All that you have control over is your emotional state. Focus on that and you will thrive.

2. Live On Purpose

When in doubt, focus on your purpose. Trusting the process is about not dwelling on the challenges that will occur on your journey to success. Rather, it's about having belief and faith that every lesson is bringing you one step closer to living in alignment with your purpose in life. The problem is that a lot of people get caught in the trap of achievement.

If you aren't careful, achievement can become very addictive, to the point where it is easily mistaken for fulfillment and happiness. In my experience, achievement without fulfillment leaves you feeling lost and sad. Early on in my career, there was a point where I was making a lot of money but I wasn't happy because I wasn't doing meaningful work. My identity was attached to what I did for a living, instead of who I was. When I finally found my purpose the game changed.

You have a gift that is unique to you.

You didn't have to achieve anything in order to access this state. Unfortunately, I hear a lot of people tell me that they can't find their life purpose. Here's the problem. It isn't something that you need to find. Rather, your purpose is something that finds you, but in order for that to happen, you have to be open to it. It's the inner voice that is begging you to listen.

Don't get caught up on needing to know where your purpose will lead you. That is just your ego trying to control the direction of your life will take. Just find something that makes you come alive inside and allow life to unfold without worrying about the outcome. If you can trust the process of becoming the best version of yourself and live every day on purpose, you will be supported in the most beautiful of ways.

3. Practice Gratitude 

Our perspective on life dictates the thoughts that we feel and the decisions that we make. Oftentimes, it's the need for wanting more that causes a lot of people to live their lives from a place of lack. If you don't think that there is enough of anything in your world, naturally you will assume that this is a normal way of life. The line of thinking is, “Life is hard.”

What is worst, this mentality takes people away from the present moment, where the good resides. This is why it's so important to express gratitude for yourself and others. When you do so, it's a way of thanking the Universe for supporting you, which allows you to soften into your life instead of feeling like you need to control everything in it.

Let's face it… there are some things in life that we cannot change. However, we always have control over our state. Research shows that feeling grateful has been associated with less frequent negative emotions and thoughts, more frequent positive emotions, greater meaning in life, more positive coping, and a great appreciation for life. What are you thankful for?

Make gratitude a daily practice. The more gratitude that you show, the more that you will enjoy your life. It's that simple. The next time that something isn't going as planned, step back, take a deep breath and remember how blessed you are.

4. Stay In The Here and Now

People are always worrying and planning for the next thing that's going to happen in their lives. Too much time is spent lost in thought, reliving old memories, or daydreaming about what could be. There is only one place where you have any control over and that's in the present moment, so why bother ruminating about what hasn't even happened yet? Where you currently are is more than enough. You don't need to go anywhere else.

A great way to be more present is to start your day slowly, which is where a morning ritual is helpful. Instead of diving into your day and getting stuck in negative thought loops, find stillness in simple activities that allow you to connect with yourself on a deeper level.

This could be in the form of meditating, drinking hot water with lemon, walking in nature, reading a book, or reciting mantras to yourself. As Buddha once said, “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.”

You cannot stop your thoughts from happening, However, you can become more mindful of them. Become an observer of your thoughts, acknowledging that they come and go. This is a great way to calm the inner chatter that tries to take you away from the present moment. The reality is that true happiness in life isn't found through achievement. Rather, it's about being comfortable in the here and now and finding beauty in the simple things in life.

Slow down and enjoy life to the fullest.

If you can slow down and allow life to unfold instead of controlling everything, the Universe will reward you for it. As Emmanuel Teney says, “As your faith is strengthened you will find that there is no longer the need to have a sense of control, that things will flow as they will, and that you will flow with them, to your great delight and benefit.” When you are able to master the process, the results come naturally.

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

If you can't be patient, you won't ever achieve the things you want in life.

In a world where instant gratification is the norm, impatience has become a way of life, so much so that people don't think they have time to practice patience.

Impatience has been linked to cognitive and social incompetence and an inability to cope with the frustrations of life. Take a step back and think about how you move throughout your days.

If you're finding it hard to be patient, keep reading. Take a deep breath and relax. Everything will come in due time.

Watch the video below where I talk about how to deal with business challenges:

(Click here to watch on YouTube)

Do you want to learn how you can master your online business? CLICK HERE to join my Online Business 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!

Patience is the secret to success.

It is an essential requirement for the attainment of any goal. Every successful person in this world got to where they are today because they deployed hard work, energy, and patience. When they encountered a setback, they didn't give up. Instead, they persevered, realizing that there are no shortcuts in the pursuit of success.

Unfortunately, too many people become impatient and throw in the towel when they don't see results fast enough. If they fail, they assume that it's because something isn't worth fighting for. The mind tends to forget that all big successes in life are actually made up of thousands of small milestones.

Whatever it is that you want in life, you've got to be committed and dedicated to following through. I guarantee that you will encounter challenges along your journey to success. All that matters is how you choose to respond to them. You may not want to hear this, but if something is hard, it probably means that it's important.

Let me give you an example. It took years before I started making any money in my business. I had to invest insane amounts of time, patience, energy and emotional labor into the process. Eventually, the results started pouring in, faster and bigger than I could have ever imagined.

This was due, in large part, to the culmination of my efforts. Had I tried to rush the process, the success I have today would have never come about. It's all well and good for me to sit here and preach the importance of patience. Logically, you may understand why patience is important. However, do you grasp this concept on an emotional level? This is where people struggle.

Let's face it, there will be days when your patience is tested.

In his book, The Power of Patience: How This Old-Fashioned Virtue Can Improve Your Life, M.J. Ryan says that impatience is the “fight” component of the fight-or-flight response. This is why we engage in impatient behaviors, like getting angry when a page doesn't load fast enough, honking at cars, or making rash decisions without thinking. 

When things don’t turn out well or as quickly as you would like, it's easy to get reactive. At the end of the day, it all comes down to your expectations. The question remains, “What can you do to stop the act of impatience from causing unnecessary stress and frustration in your life?” 

The good news is that patience is a skill that can be learned. True patience requires a shift in mindset. It's a habit that you can learn and master, with practice. Let's talk about 7 ways that you can cultivate more patience in your life.

1. Recognize Your Triggers

Before you can practice being patient you need to recognize what triggers your impatience. If you try to suppress your impatient feelings it will only cause you to be more reactive. The next time you are triggered, step back and ask yourself, “What is annoying me right now and why do I feel this way?” 

As Paulo Coelho says, “Why is patience so important? Because it makes us pay attention.” Behind every emotion that you experience, there is a story that was imprinted onto you. I encourage you to start tracking your emotional state throughout the day.

This is a great way to identify the situations and people that trigger you to lose your cool. Once you have an awareness of what you feel and why you feel it, you will know how to better manage and diffuse those triggers the next time that they show up.

2. Embrace Discomfort

Once you've identified what triggers your patience, now it's time to sit with your impatience. It's not your negative feelings that are overwhelming. Rather, it's the stories that you tell yourself that are attached to those feelings. A lot of people are so afraid to feel anything, for fear of what is going to come up if they do.

What people don't realize is that when they numb negative emotions, they are also numbing positive ones as well. In actuality, all of your emotions contain lessons that are designed to help you grow. When you allow yourself to fully feel the sensations associated with impatience it allows you to connect to your body intelligence.

This is a huge step towards accepting and surrendering to its presence. What is happening in your mind when something doesn't go your way or when someone frustrates you? How does your body respond? Does your heart beat faster? Do your muscles tighten? By forcing yourself to sit with discomfort, you will eventually feel empowered to try and change your response to it. 

3. Reframe Your Attitude 

When you are frustrated it can feel like life is stacked up against you. In order to change anything in life, you first have to change yourself. Telling yourself that you don't have patience is a story in and of itself. I encourage you to start examining the stories that you are telling yourself around why you are impatient.

Are your thoughts really serving your highest good? You may not realize it, but you have the power to shift your state in an instant. Remember that it's your beliefs that create your emotions, not your experiences. Therefore, if you can reframe your attitude towards a situation or person, you will be empowered to change the meaning that you ascribe to it.

Reframing your approach to life, in general, will allow you to approach life's challenges with more resilience. Choose to be the person who takes control of his or her attention and who actively chooses to think about the best possible outcomes in every situation. When you master your mind, you master your life.

4. Give Up Control

In my experience, patience is one big lesson in being comfortable with having zero control over how things turn out. As I've said many times before, the only thing that you have control over is your inner world. People who need to be in control are usually very impatient.

They may spend their entire lives trying to predict and plan every single outcome. If and when something doesn't go according to their plans, they drop into overwhelm. This obsession with controlling everything usually stems from fear of what will happen if they don't have control.

If you can relate to this way of thinking, I encourage you to let go and trust that no matter what happens in life, you will be okay. By surrendering to the need to control everything and allowing yourself to have faith in the process, you allow life to happen for you, instead of to you. In the words of Steve Maraboli, “You must learn to let go. Release the stress. You were never in control anyway.” 

5. Master Your Emotions

I believe that self-control is one of the most important contributors to your success and happiness in life. Everything else will fall into place once you have done the work on your inner world. Impatient people struggle to control their emotions. They allow frustration, overwhelm and anger to take over their lives.

Most people think that the emotions that they experience and how they feel are dictated by external circumstances, so much so that they become paralyzed by them. It's actually your perception of what is happening to you that dictates how you feel.

Your emotions are fully in your control, even when everything feels like it's working against you. When you change your interpretation of a situation, you are better able to master your emotions. Don't be a victim. Instead, become the creator of your world.

6. Practice Mindfulness

A huge part of being impatient involves wanting to get to the next thing, instead of dropping into the present moment. If you are constantly rushing to get somewhere else, you will never be able to fully arrive wherever you actually are. Developing the skill of being mindful is one of the best ways to cultivate more patience into your daily life.

Mindfulness-based practices, like meditation, allow you to become more aware of the here and now. Studies have shown that people who meditate have larger volumes of gray matter in the areas of the brain that regulate response control. That may be why meditators have a more positive outlook, are more emotionally stable and are more mindful.

Once you start to recognize that this moment is all that matters, you will have a greater sense of appreciation for what is going on around you. Being mindful allows you to deal with stressors more effectively, which in turn, supports your happiness and overall well-being.

7. Slow Down 

The beauty of technology is that it has allowed us to do everything with more speed and efficiency. However, it has also created a culture of impatience. If people don't get things fast enough, they panic. 

Interestingly, research shows that when we are feeling intense emotions such as anxiety, fear or anger, our bodies send more signals to the brain, which then heightens the experience and warps our sense of time. So 1 minute of waiting in serious frustration can feel like 5 minutes.

If you are the type of person who likes to rush through everything and is never able to focus on one thing, pause and slow down. Patience is not about waiting. Rather, it's about learning how to pace yourself so that you don't get overwhelmed. Getting impatient won't make things move along any faster, which is why it's pointless to get all worked up over nothing.

If you want to achieve success in life, be patient.

As the philosopher, George Savile once wrote: “the master of patience is the master of everything else.” The only thing standing in the way between you and success is patience — or lack thereof. I promise that you will get to where you want to go in due time.

In the meantime, do your best to keep calm and be patient. The best things in life usually happen when we least expect them to.

Do you want to learn how you can master your online business? CLICK HERE to join my Online Business 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!