Welcome to The
Positive Planner
Welcome to the premier issue of The Positive Planner!
My desire is to offer genuine value to my readers - my inbox is often full
of email that may or may not have value - I don't have time to read it. So
I'll keep my mailings brief and to the point by offering simple and
sensible tips, quotes and resources that I hope you will use to inspire new
action.
I welcome any and all feedback. If you know anyone who has an interest in
practical tips for personal development, please feel free to forward this
letter.
Best regards,
Michelle
Try
This:
You can invest a few minutes a day on very simple practices and receive
enormous return on your investment.
Here is an exercise you can use to cultivate your awareness of the simple
pleasures that occur every day, and also the role you play in creating your
own experience.
Tonight,when you're getting ready for sleep, ask yourself, "What made
me feel good today?" Close your day by reflecting on your answers.
Tomorrow, when you wake up, ask yourself, "What will I do today to
promote my values and enhance my life?" Spend the time to come up with
at least one concrete action to take.
Work toward building this practice into your daily routine.
If at first this doesn't come easily, stick with it and see what happens.
Remember that you are building a muscle for attending to the positive,
which doesn't come naturally for everyone. If you stick with it, I expect
that you'll find yourself becoming more aware of your pleasures and your
opportunites, and when you notice more you'll come to experience more.
A
Parable:
A highly successful and dynamic business leader was having a few days
vacation in Mexico. Ever alert to commerce, he was fascinated to watch the
local fishing boats at work. After three days it became apparent that one
fisherman consistently seemed to out perform the rest. He didn't fish long
but always returned with his boat laden with fish.
He approached the fisherman, whose name was Juan, and asked him about his
consistently high catches. Juan said that it was a combination of local
knowledge, fishing skill and a couple of family secrets that made him
successful.
The businessman pointed out to Juan that he only seemed to fish until about
noon, and asked what he did with the rest of his day. "I take a
siesta, see my wife, play with the kids and have a drink with my friends in
the plaza." The businessman then made Juan a proposition, he would
fund Juan to oversee a fleet of ten boats and by working 12 hours a day he
could generate a huge income.
Juan replied, "But why would I do that when I would have so little
time for life's pleasures?" The businessman did some quick
calculations and said, "Don't worry, in 10 years you'll have made
enough money to retire." "What would I do if I retired?"
asked Juan. The businessman thought, looked at the picturesque village, and
said, "You could take a siesta, spend time with your wife, play with
the kids and have a drink with your friends in the plaza."
- Source unknown
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Quotes
of the Week
"The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we wait so long
to begin it." W.M Lewis
"The thought is the origin of the word, the word is the origin of the
deed, the deed when often repeated becomes habit, habit becomes character
and character becomes destiny." The Buddha
Click below for
links to other sites that may interest you
Explore a host of resources for religion and spirituality
at www.belief.net
Visit
www.authentichappiness.org and explore resources for building your own
happiness
Tip of the Week
Have you set goals but are having trouble staying on track? You can help
yourself by getting an accountability partner. Find a friend who is also
working on something, share your goals, and check in with each other once a
week for support and accountability. If it's in your nature, a friendly
wager may help too.
Working with a coach can provide another source of support and
accountability. A coach will also provide guidance, nurturance, focus, and
mentorship and hold you and your goals paramount. Visit my website at
www.positiveplan.com or give me a call at 518-478-0093 and learn how
coaching can help you bridge the gap between where you are and where you
want to be.
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