Advanced Life Skills — Wisdom from Outside the Box

An Indirect Approach to Happiness

by Jonathan on July 30, 2010

One of the most common mistakes we can make in dealing with others is to assume that they share the same view of reality as we do. The truth is we all represent our experiences, real or imagined, according to our own specialized vantage point.

We could go through the same exact experience with ten other people and each person would have their own version of what happened. Does that mean that we are the only one who sees things accurately and realistically? Hardly!

We are all looking out of a different window

There simply is no “one size fits all” view of reality. Because of our highly individualized way of translating and interpreting our experiences on an emotional level, the very same events can have a completely unique meaning for each individual. We all see things from a unique vantage point, as if we were looking at life through our own little window.

We all have different backgrounds, sensitivities, learned behaviors, emotional trigger points, preferences, knowledge, coping skills, and anchors. On an emotional level we are as unique as our fingerprint. [continue reading]

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Expect Success and Nothing Less

July 27, 2010

On this journey called life, one lesson we all need to learn is that our expectations hold great power! Whatever we expect to find and experience in life is usually what we get. Why is that? Mainly, it’s because those are the things we focus on.
When you expect success and focus on it, your world will rearrange itself accordingly. On the other hand, if you focus on the possibility of failure while working toward success, you will send your brain mixed signals. This means that your efforts to succeed will be negated because you are subconsciously expecting to fail.
3 Ways to [...]

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Information Overload and the Art of Communication

July 22, 2010

What does it take to connect with others so that our message stays with them? How can we frame our communication in a way that bypasses their built in perception filters and leaves a lasting impression?
As a writer and blogger, this subject is of special interest to me. Beyond that, the benefits of mastering effective communication touches our lives on every level. I believe it was Tony Robins who said that “the quality of our lives is in direct proportion to the quality of our communication.”
Have you ever noticed that a common denominator in many movie scripts is that the [...]

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How to Identify Your Passions

July 20, 2010

Passion is the fuel that can power you toward the realization of your dreams. To live a truly satisfying and purposeful life you need to know what your passions are so you can fill your day with them. Have you found your passions in life or are you still searching? Sometimes we are already living a life of passion without even recognizing it.
Could that be true for you?
If you want to discover your passions, the following questions will get you started. Why not write each question on its own sheet of paper so you have plenty of room for brainstorming.
Many people [...]

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7 Vital Building Blocks of Confidence

July 16, 2010

When you see people who appear to be confident and sure of their every move, what goes through your mind?
Do you know someone like that who seems to succeed at everything they do? Are you convinced that it’s because they are smarter, luckier or in some way better than you are?
It’s very likely that none of those things are true. But confident people do have one very special thing going for them though. Would you like to know what that is?
What self-confident people realize
They understand the impact of believing in themselves and relying on their abilities.
This confidence ultimately creates opportunities [...]

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Don’t Worry – Be Happy

July 13, 2010

Are you still waiting for your circumstances to change before you’ll allow yourself to be happy? Most of us have preconceived ideas of what would make us happy, and we refuse to be satisfied until those things happen.
The problem with this pattern of thinking is that, even if those specific things happen in our lives, we’re rarely satisfied with them! Instead, we shift our focus to something even bigger and better, believing “it” will make us happy (or happier). We never allow ourselves to reach a point of contentment. Have you done the same thing to yourself?
Be happy NOW!
The [...]

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How to Turn Stress Into Success

July 9, 2010

What if you could take stress and turn it into success. Wouldn’t that be a better way to use your energy? Sometimes a simple shift in the way we direct our energy and focus can radically alter the way we experience life.
Often times, we don’t really need more time and energy. We just need to shift the way we are using what we already have. Let’s look at three specific ways that we can create such a shift.
Accept the fact that some things can’t be changed
We can’t change the past, period. Worrying about it will only create stress. One of [...]

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Milestones, Accountability, and My Personal Life Challenge

July 6, 2010

I love to use milestones as a motivational tool. For example, knowing that we were going to Kauai this last January provided the perfect incentive to get into really good shape. The trip served as a milestone.
Three months before the trip I set some fitness goals. As that vacation got closer, my efforts, motivation and focus grew. I had a time-line and it made a big difference in my determination. In the end, it was a very rewarding experience.
There’s a much bigger milestone ahead
We all have milestones in our lives. How we choose to spin those events has a huge [...]

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How Does Personal Development Change Lives?

July 2, 2010

Let’s do a little visualizing and see what kind of personal insight we can gain. Take a minute and close your eyes as you think about your ideal scenario for your life. To make things interesting, allow yourself to abandon all limitations.
If you could create your version of a deeply satisfying, enjoyable, meaningful, empowering life experience, what would it look like? What would it feel like? Who else would be there? Where would you live? What kind of activities would you spend your time on? What kind of physical, emotional, and financial space would you be in?
Go ahead and fill [...]

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Are You Feeling Stressed Out?

June 29, 2010

Have you got endless demands tugging at you from all directions? Does your life seem to be spinning out of control? It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed out when you can’t ever seem to catch up.
Do you think bringing your life into balance would require a major life change? It may not be as difficult as what you imagine. Did you realize that, regardless of your circumstances, a true sense of balance actually comes from within you, not from your surroundings?
3 Ways to reduce feelings of stress
Here are three simple strategies to help you reduce feelings of stress by [...]

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