time in Silence. You can pray, meditate, focus on what you’re grateful for, or even engage in deep thought. For me, sitting in Silence—especially meditating—was at first rather difficult, probably because I have what doctors have diagnosed as ADHD. I don’t know that I agree with their diagnosis or even with the idea that ADHD is a “disorder” (that’s another conversation for another time), but I can attest that it’s definitely a challenge for me to sit still and quiet my mind. Thoughts tend to race in and out, bouncing around like a pinball, almost nonstop.
So even though I would sit in Silence, my mind didn’t stop racing. The fact that sitting still and clearing my mind was so difficult for me was precisely the reason why I had to commit to mastering it. It took me three or four weeks of practicing Silence every day before I felt competent. I got to a place where I would allow thoughts to come in, I’d peacefully acknowledge them, and then quietly let them drift away without getting frustrated. So don’t be discouraged if spending time in Silence, or meditating, is at first a challenge for you.
As for how long to do your period of purposeful Silence, I recommend starting with five minutes, although in the next chapter I’ll teach you how you can experience the life-enhancing benefits of Silence in as little as 60 seconds a day! When I began this practice, I’d sit in Silence, calm and relaxed, say a prayer, meditate, ponder what I was grateful for, and just breathe deeply, for five minutes. It’s such a peaceful, perfect way to start each day.
Life S. A .V.E.R.S.
A is for Affirmations
It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. Once that
belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.
—MUHAMMAD ALI
You will be a failure, until you impress the subconscious with
the conviction you are a success. This is done by making an affirmation, which clicks.
—FLORENCE SCOVEL SHINN
“I am the greatest!” Muhammad Ali affirmed these words over and over again—and then he became them. Affirmations are one of the most effective tools for quickly becoming the person you need to be to achieve everything you want in your life. Affirmations allow you to design and then develop the mindset (thoughts, beliefs, focus) that you need to take any area of your life to the next level.
It is no coincidence that some of the most successful people in our society—celebrities like Will Smith, Jim Carrey, Suze Orman, Muhammad Ali, Oprah, and many more—have all been vocal about their belief that positive thinking and the use of affirmations has helped them on their journey to success and wealth.
Whether or not you realize it, incessantly talking to one’s self is not just for crazy people. Every single one of us has an internal dialogue that runs through our heads, almost non-stop. Most of it is unconscious, that is, we don’t consciously choose the dialogue. Instead, we allow our past experiences—both good and bad—to replay over and over again. Not only is this completely normal, it is one of the most important processes for each of us to learn about and master. Yet, very few people take responsibility for actively choosing to think positive, proactive thoughts that will add value to their lives.
I recently read a statistic that 80% of women have self-deprecating thoughts about themselves (body image, job performance, other people’s opinion of them, etc.) throughout the day. I’m sure that men do also, although it may be to a lesser extent.
Your self-talk has dramatic influence on your level of success in every aspect of your life—confidence, health, happiness, wealth, relationships, etc. Your affirmations are either working for or against you, depending on how you are using them. If you don’t consciously design and choose your affirmations you are susceptible to repeating and reliving the fears, insecurities, and limitations of your past.
However, when you actively
So even though I would sit in Silence, my mind didn’t stop racing. The fact that sitting still and clearing my mind was so difficult for me was precisely the reason why I had to commit to mastering it. It took me three or four weeks of practicing Silence every day before I felt competent. I got to a place where I would allow thoughts to come in, I’d peacefully acknowledge them, and then quietly let them drift away without getting frustrated. So don’t be discouraged if spending time in Silence, or meditating, is at first a challenge for you.
As for how long to do your period of purposeful Silence, I recommend starting with five minutes, although in the next chapter I’ll teach you how you can experience the life-enhancing benefits of Silence in as little as 60 seconds a day! When I began this practice, I’d sit in Silence, calm and relaxed, say a prayer, meditate, ponder what I was grateful for, and just breathe deeply, for five minutes. It’s such a peaceful, perfect way to start each day.
Life S. A .V.E.R.S.
A is for Affirmations
It’s the repetition of affirmations that leads to belief. Once that
belief becomes a deep conviction, things begin to happen.
—MUHAMMAD ALI
You will be a failure, until you impress the subconscious with
the conviction you are a success. This is done by making an affirmation, which clicks.
—FLORENCE SCOVEL SHINN
“I am the greatest!” Muhammad Ali affirmed these words over and over again—and then he became them. Affirmations are one of the most effective tools for quickly becoming the person you need to be to achieve everything you want in your life. Affirmations allow you to design and then develop the mindset (thoughts, beliefs, focus) that you need to take any area of your life to the next level.
It is no coincidence that some of the most successful people in our society—celebrities like Will Smith, Jim Carrey, Suze Orman, Muhammad Ali, Oprah, and many more—have all been vocal about their belief that positive thinking and the use of affirmations has helped them on their journey to success and wealth.
Whether or not you realize it, incessantly talking to one’s self is not just for crazy people. Every single one of us has an internal dialogue that runs through our heads, almost non-stop. Most of it is unconscious, that is, we don’t consciously choose the dialogue. Instead, we allow our past experiences—both good and bad—to replay over and over again. Not only is this completely normal, it is one of the most important processes for each of us to learn about and master. Yet, very few people take responsibility for actively choosing to think positive, proactive thoughts that will add value to their lives.
I recently read a statistic that 80% of women have self-deprecating thoughts about themselves (body image, job performance, other people’s opinion of them, etc.) throughout the day. I’m sure that men do also, although it may be to a lesser extent.
Your self-talk has dramatic influence on your level of success in every aspect of your life—confidence, health, happiness, wealth, relationships, etc. Your affirmations are either working for or against you, depending on how you are using them. If you don’t consciously design and choose your affirmations you are susceptible to repeating and reliving the fears, insecurities, and limitations of your past.
However, when you actively
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