 
Many people read self-growth books, listen to personal develop audio courses, and attend wealth training seminars hoping to find the magic formula that will allow them to transform their lives to have wealth and happiness. They believe that if they do what the books, audio courses, or seminars suggest, they will have what they want and that having it automatically makes them into that successful person they always wanted to be.
Unfortunately, most people won’t do what they learned in the self-growth books, the audio courses, and the wealth seminars because it isn’t a natural thing for them to do. The doing of it, just doesn’t fit with the image of who they are.
For example, I had a client who attended a $9,000 real estate seminar. The seminar taught creative and proven marketing and prospecting strategies that would skyrocket her income; however, months later she was not achieving the level of success she desired. In fact, her sales were decreasing.
While working with her, I discovered that she had a fear of rejection, and this is fear was impacting what she was willing to do to be a successful real estate agent.
Even though the real estate seminar told her exactly what to do and how to do it, the new procedures were out of character for her because it wasn’t something she felt comfortable doing. Soon after the seminar ended, she was highly motivated to use some of them to improve her real estate sales, but the new procedures soon fell by the wayside for lack of follow through. And this occurred because of who she was being - a person who feared rejection.
In my assessment, the seminar instructors failed miserably in their job, because they never told her she would have transform who she was being if she was going to be successful using their strategies.
Although she wanted to Be a successful real estate agent, she was following the wrong manifestation process of DO/ HAVE/ BE. This is the same manifestation process that most people have been taught, but it is the wrong order to manifest what you desire. Not only is in the wrong order, but the Universe does not honor it because DO is not the first step in the manifesting process.
By telling us what to do, self-growth books, personal development audio courses, and wealth training seminars suggest that the manifesting order for any change in circumstances is DO / HAVE / BE. However, it just doesn’t work that way because they have the order backward. If you are not already Being that person, you will never be able to do what the authors/ instructors suggest until you change yourself into the person who will do those things as a result of who you are-not in spite of.
The Game of Life is set up so that we must grow in consciousness before you can have that better life you want. Having more requires a transformation, which is the first, not the last step, in the order of manifesting.
We must BE before we can DO, and DO before we can HAVE. The correct order of manifesting for us is BE / DO / HAVE. The real question in life is whether you will choose to Be or not to Be the one who has what you want from life.
Namaste,
RC
written by Reginald Cuffee
Are you a person who expresses gratitude for the prosperity that you are experiencing in your life? Do you know when you express gratitude, you are opening a conduit to manifest great things into your life such as the right people, the right circumstances, better health, increased financial abundance, more joy, etc.?
Now, let me as you another question– do you keep a gratitude journal? If you not currently using one, you are missing out on one of the best tools available to you to help you make your life more enjoyable right now. I believe in the power of the Gratitude Journal so much that I not only use it on a regular basis, but I recommend to all my clients, friends, and family member to start and continue using one because it has the power to deepen the “good” results you are experiencing in your life.
What Is A Gratitude Journal?
A gratitude journal is a paper notebook, electronic text editor (journal), or blog that you use to write about the things you are grateful for each day. It is a way to help you consciously focus on the things you have attracted in your life that make you feel joy. By expressing gratitude, you become aware of these things, thus you create a shift in your thinking and your attitude. Furthermore, a gratitude journal is a place where you can celebrate your wins in your life such as getting a job promotion, starting a new romantic relationship, losing five pounds, or any small or large goal that you have achieved.
Brian Tracy says “Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step towards achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.”
Until you are grateful for what you have right now in your life, you can not expect new things to flow to you. So, if you currently do not have a Gratitude Journal, start one today. The following tips can help you start a Gratitude Journal and a whole new outlook on life.
Tips for Starting and Keeping Your Journal
1. Choose a blank notebook or journal to use as your Gratitude Journal. Consider using a spiral-bound notebook that opens flat for ease in writing. If you like to use technology, you can use an electronic journal or you can use a free blog from www.blogger.com.
2. Every night, create a few quiet minutes before going to bed, review your day, and write a list of at least five things that you are grateful for today. These things can be small or great such as hearing your baby’s laughter, seeing a flower in bloom, hearing a bird chirping near your window, or receiving unexpected money.
3. Make the list personal, and write a few words about why you are grateful for these things. When you initially start, you can be brief, but increase the length of what you write as time progresses. As you do, allow yourself to be free in form and structure. Some days, you might be feeling particularly abundant, and those five things will just fly onto the page. Other days, you may feel like you can’t think of even one thing that you are grateful for that day. It this happens, just remember how amazing it is that you even have a roof over your head, food to eat, or the fact that you have hot water for a bath.
4. You can write your Gratitude Journal in list-form, free-form, prayer-form, or begin each sentence the same way. Use whatever writing style feels comfortable with you that day. Express yourself freely, and do not censor your thoughts and feelings as you write. Just let the information flow from within.
5. Everyday, begin looking for the positive perspective in all things. View obstacles in your life as opportunities to appreciate and grow. Focus on the wonderful things in your life, so you can experience similar encounters in the course of your life. Use positive energy as a magnet to draw even more positive energy, and note the things that show up in your Gratitude Journal.
6. Personalize your Gratitude Journal. Expand it by including photos, clippings, quotes or verses from magazines or other sources.
7. Keep your Gratitude Journal in the same location, so it is easily accessible. The easier you make it for yourself to keep this routine, the more likely will you commit to doing it. I normally keep my Gratitude Journal on my desk in my office or on my night stand in my bedroom, so I can have easy access to it.
8. Keep your Gratitude Journal private. This is very important because this will give you an incentive to be more open and honest with your thoughts and feelings. This journal is for you and Source (God, Universe, etc).
What happens when you write in a gratitude journal every night?
As you continue expressing gratitude in your Gratitude Journal, you will notice more things in your life, and you will create greater feelings of appreciation. My experience is that when I write out what I am grateful every night, I become more in tune throughout the next day. It is like turning on an inner-switch that sets my awareness to look for experiences to be grateful for each day. So you might be jogging in your neighborhood in the morning, and catch the flash of a bluebird in the sunlight, and instead of going pass it, you stop and notice it for a moment. You take it in, and you make a mental note to include that in your gratitude journal. Later when you’re having lunch with a business partner, he grabs the check and pays it. Not only do you thank him, but you make that mental note again. Your day becomes amazing because you are living in the moment enjoying each thing that is occurring.
In essence, you have become a gratitude magnet, and oddly enough, amazing things start to find you. But you have to learn to be grateful now for all that your are experiencing.
To help you get started, here are just a few of the things I wrote in my Gratitude Journal from yesterday.
I am grateful for:
…spending time with my wife walking on the beach and enjoying the beautiful
oceanfront view and the sound of the waves as they rolled in on the shore.
…editing 30 pages in my book that I am writing. It was really fun and amazing easily to accomplish.
…that I chose to exercise even though I was tired from jetlag from my trip to San Diego / La Jolla.
…seeing the turtles and ducks swimming on the lake in our backyard.
…that I was able to enjoy a quiet lunch with my wife where we feasted on an abundance of fresh fruits and vegetable from her garden.
…that more people are visiting and enjoying my blog post.
Another thing you can do in your Gratitude Journal is list the things and experiences that you are grateful for attracting in your life now. These are things and experiences that are not YET in your reality, but are on the way to you now.
Here are a few things from my list:
I am grateful for:
…selling 25,000 copies of my new book in the first 90 days of it being released.
…500,000 people visiting my blog each month
…for my wife helping 25 families buy a new house or sell their existing house.
So, what are you waiting for now. Get started with your Gratitude Journal today. The key to having a Gratitude Journal is doing it! At the end of each moth, it is fun to go back and look at what you wrote to remind yourself of all the positive things you experiences throughout the last month, especially all the great things you consciously attracted in your life. This is such an amazing feeling knowing you consciously manifested things and experiences that were not there the previous month.
Really do this one. In fact, do it for 30 days, and see how the practice changes you. See if you don’t experience joy and experience more miracles in your life.
Namaste,
RC
written by Reginald Cuffee
Today is the first day of July, and it would be the perfect day to reflect about the first half of 2009. Specially, look back on your dreams and goals for this year, and the action you are taking to manifest them.
What have you accomplished so far, and where in your life, have you been more conscious and present? What wonderful miracles have happened so far this year? As you are reflecting, do not focus what went wrong. Forget about where you may have fallen off course. Only focus on what went right and the things that make you feel good.
To really discover how great the past six months have been, ask yourself the following questions:
- Who or what experience has made you feel generous, expansive, and prosperous so far this year?
- Did you experience any “ah-ha” moments, insights, or breakthroughs in the last 6 months?
- Where have you found the joy in your life so far in the last 6 months?
- What happened in your life that gave you a sense of inner peace?
- Who helped you with your dreams and goals, and have you said thank you?
- What or who caused you to feel a sense of accomplishment?
- Did you take even one step forward towards manifesting your dreams and goals? If so, are you getting the results you were expecting?
- If you could re-live the past 6 months, what one thing would you do differently? Do it NOW!
- Did you celebrate your successes along the way? Remember it is not the size of the success that matters, but the fact that you acknowledged it.
- What was the most amazing moment of your life this year that made your heart sing, made you smile that secret smile, and made you really feel that life is truly wonderful?
Now you are starting the third quarter of 2009, and you can take these productive and joyful experiences and use them to propel you toward achieving your dreams and goals. This means you are already much further ahead towards your dreams and goals than you were at the beginning of the year. You have established momentum, and what you desire for your life is coming to you whether it see it or not yet. Just continue believe and continue to take massive inspired action.
May there be a miracle in your life today… May you have the eyes to see it…And May your heart be opened to receive it.
Namaste,
RC
written by Reginald Cuffee
Do you have dreams, goals, and desires that you want to achieve in life, but you aren’t taking the necessary action to create them? If you answered in the affirmative, you probably have encounter one of the Ego’s tactics that keep you stuck in your current comfort zone.
What is this tactic that the Ego uses to stop you from taking action and getting what you desire in life? It is called Procrastination.
Procrastination is the intentional habit of avoiding, putting off, or delaying taking action that will bring you closer to what you desire. In fact, it is the polar opposite of power, and it manifests in many different forms such as excessively watching television, surfing on the internet, sleeping, playing computer games, social activities, etc.
I don’t mean to sound overly dramatic, but procrastination is one of your worst enemies for living a prosperous life, and it is the difference between barely surviving and thriving in life. It steals your youth and keeps you trapped in the reality of one day or someday, but if you haven’t noticed, one day and someday isn’t on the calendar.
If you are ready to overcome your habit of procrastinating, here are my top 7 ways to conquering this habit, so you can start living the life you desire.
1. Make A Commitment To Yourself
If it is your intention to overcome procrastination, you must make a choice that you will no longer accept inaction. Say it out loud or better yet, write and post it so you can see it everyday. “I choose to take action on my dreams, goals, and desires. I am choosing to create my dream life, and I am doing it NOW!”
Great work! You’ve taken the first step to overcoming procrastination by making a commitment to yourself! Now hold yourself accountable because you deserve to have the life you desire.
2. Make Health and Fitness A Priority
If you are unhealthy and out of shape, you will probably be lethargic because your energy levels are low. Without good health, you are less likely to have the energy needed to do what is necessary to make positive changes in your life. So make it a habit to eat foods that boost your energy levels, get sufficient sleep, exercise three or more times a week, and meditate daily to connect with God.
3. Set Mini-Goals & Complete Them
Setting mini-goals for yourself will keep you in action and heading in the right direction. Furthermore, as you accomplish these mini-goals, you will remain motivated to take more action to achieve your major dreams, goals, and desires.
It is not necessary to make this the mini goal process complicated, so keep it simple by selecting targets that you can accomplish each day.
It is best to write them down your main goals or desires. Then write three tasks you will complete each day that will lead to the achievement of your goal / desire. Complete the first task before you work on the second task, and complete the third task before you move to task three. If you fail to complete any tasks in a day, move the uncompleted tasks to beginning of your list and start with them on the following day.
You can apply this process any area of your life. For example, if you want to lose 20 pounds you don’t need to do it all at once. Simply make it a goal to lose the weight. Next, pick three tasks for each day that will help you achieve the goal. On day one, your list can be as follows:
A. Choose exercise (i.e. biking)
B. Check bike for proper maintenance and operations.
C. Ride bike for 30 minutes today.
This simple process of setting mini-goals will keep you on task and help you avoid procrastinating. With this process, you don’t have to focus on the big picture of losing 20 pounds. Instead, focus on completing the 3 tasks each day.
4. Visualize Your Life Without Procrastination
Take a few minutes, close your eyes, and visual your life five years from now. Imagine that you are still procrastinating on your dreams, goals, and desire as you normally do now. Really see yourself continually delaying taking action whether it is to start your new business, develop a blissful relationship, get in shape, spend time with your kids, or whatever your dream are now. Imagine yourself keep saying “I’ll do it someday”.
Now open your eyes. Are you still working at a job you don’t enjoy? Are you still lonely? Are you still out of shape? Did you like the picture you saw? If you didn’t like it, change it starting NOW.
Close your eyes, and imagine in your mind’s eye that you are taking action and feeling the benefits in your life because you are not procrastinating on your dreams. Really make mental pictures and/or movies of the life that you want. See what you want as if you already have it.
Now open your eyes, and begin to act as if you’re person of action. We all categorize ourselves as many different things. We call ourselves skinny, fat, loud, quite, outgoing, shy, tall, short, active, inactive, etc. What you call yourself is who you are being in the moment. So be a person of action.
5. Overcome the Control of the Ego
The Ego is that little voice in your head that makes excuses for you. It says things like “I don’t have time for this” or “I do it later”. Your Ego is a saboteur from within. If you listen to it, you will never take the necessary actions to manifest your dreams, goals and desires.
The best way to overcome the power of the Ego is to reprogram your subconscious mind using affirmations and meditation. As you mediate, you will make contact with your Higher Self, which can provide inspiration and guidance to manifest what you desire.
Another thing you can do is stop lying to yourself. If you say you will do something, keep your word because your Ego is listening.
Let me ask you a question– what do you call a person who says they will do something, but fails to do it multiple times? Most people will call this person a liar.
Guess what? If you don’t keep your word to yourself, your Ego will know you as a liar and person who can’t be trusted. So, say what you’re going to do, and do it. No exceptions.
6. Reward Yourself
Once you start taking action and completing tasks, reward yourself by giving yourself something that you want, even if it is just acknowledge that you succeed.
Even better than just acknowledging your success, do a fun activity that you enjoy. It could be as simple as taking your spouse out for ice cream or yogurt or going for a cruise on the Bay. The important thing to do is reward yourself because Ego likes rewards. As you reward yourself, you are reprogramming your Ego, and it will do anything to continue getting the rewards.
7. Just Do it!
Have you seen the Nike commercial on television? The message of the commercial is “Just Do It”, or as one my mentor says, Who cares you’re not in the mood. “Just freaking do it.”
So Always Act Now! No more excuses! Seize each moment and take control of your life by starting with what is easiest. That way you experience immediate success, which will give you the fuel and motivation to take on larger tasks.
If you follow these suggestions, you’ll be well on your way to ending the procrastination habit. If you’re procrastinating over doing any of the above suggestions, then remember that life is the biggest deadline of all.
Life is what happens while you wait around for something to happen.
No more waiting for someday. Do it NOW.
Namaste,
Reginald
written by Reginald Cuffee
One of most powerful abilities we have been given is our imagination. With imagination, we have the freedom to choose the details of our life, dream any dream, uncover the secrets of our heart, and see them manifest right before our very eyes, but many people dangerously misuse this innate ability.
How do we misuse their imagination? We WORRY!
We worry about the economy. We worry about money. We worry about our health. We worry about something someone said that offended us three weeks ago. We worry that we might get what we want. We worry about our family members. We worry about our futures. Worry! Worry! Worry!
Our worries go on and on. I could fill this article with lists of all the worries the ego invents to sway us from our path and to stand in the way of our manifesting prosperity.
As hard as it is to believe, our ego thinks it’s doing us a favor by prophesying what can go wrong. It sees “problems” or anything out of our comfort zones as danger; thus it thinks it’s protecting us from what can go wrong. But worrying only cause us to get what we don’t want.
If you find your ego causing you to worrying, STOP it because when you worry, you are using your imagination to focus on what you don’t want to experience instead of what you do want. Thus you are setting the stage for that feared outcome to manifest in your reality.
When we are worrying, we are not trusting our personal connection to the Universe (God), and we have stopped being grateful for what IS. Instead of being grateful, we are now focusing on the negative aspects of “what if” this or that occur in the future. Furthermore, we have become attached the idea that this future event will not happen the way it think it should.
The act of worrying is a massive drain on our ability to manifest prosperity in our lives ; however, it is not all bad if we use it as a feedback tool. I know this statement may sound strange, but worrying can be good because it creates awareness. It is a real-time indicator of how your ego is working against what you desire to experience.
For example, if you are worrying about a lack of money to pay your mortgage, or you are worrying that your spouse is cheating because he or she is late getting home, is that what you really want to experience. No! You want the opposite of what you are focusing on when you worry. Instead, you want the money to pay for your mortgage or you want a faithful and loving spouse.
So, if you find yourself worrying, you can choose to step out your worry state by recognizing what is occurring. This is the most important step which is to become conscious aware that you are worrying. After you choose to stop worrying, you can use your imagination and refrain your worrying into what you want to experience. To accomplish the refrain, use the following 3 Minute Reframing Technique. I have been using this technique for nearly five years, and it works better and better each time I use it.
3 Minute Reframing Technique
This technique is an effective tool for replacing any form of doubt, fear, and worry that may be blocking the path to your desire. This technique allows you to reprogramming your subconscious mind with a vision of what you desire. This vision is made powerful by adding the enthusiastic anticipation of living your life as it would BE in that new reality.
To use this technique, complete the following 4 steps:
Step 1: Go To Your Safe Harbor
Go to your safe harbor which is simply a mental “place” to which you can retreat to whenever you choose. It may be an image of a childhood hideaway, a memory of an especially peaceful scene, or a “picture” of your own creation. Whatever you choose, it is a place where you can go just by closing your eyes and visualizing it. It is a special peaceful place where no one else can come. This is why it is called a “safe harbor.
Your peaceful place could be:
- on the beach, listening to the waves rolling in,
- on a path in the woods communing with nature,
- enjoying a Summer breeze while fishing on the lake, or watching waving field of grass,
- at the oceanfront admiring a beautiful sunset.
Think of your favorite place and go there in your mind. Be at peace for a full minute or two. This moment of peace may take longer to establish the first time you do it, but having done it once or twice, you will find yourself at peace almost the moment you close your eyes to go to your safe harbor in the future.
This moment of peace, intentionally, places a buffer between you and your fears, doubt, and who you are currently Being.
After you feel relaxed, go to step 2.
Step 2: Set Your Intention
Declare your intention for your desire by saying it out loud in your head. For example, “I have $2500.00 to easily met my July 2009 mortgage payment. I will manifest this in a way that is easy, joyous, and for my highest good.”
Step 3: Imagine who you are Being
Visualize your life as it would be if the reason for your fear (or weakness or doubt) no longer existed. Who would you be BEING and how would you FEEL if your fear, weakness, and doubt were gone, and you manifested your desire in your intention? Your intent in this step is to experience the feeling you would have if you are Being the person with your intention manifested.
In your imagination, you are not looking for the solution or how to do it; you have already manifested it, and are FEELING the joy, the satisfaction and over all good feeling you would just naturally experience if your fear and doubt were gone and your desire was manifested.
The important thing is to put yourself in the picture. Do not see yourself as you look at a movie screen. As you are visualizing, empower your vision with the joyful feelings of a happy ending. Generate and experience the good feeling you would have if your intention manifested NOW and then experience that triumph with all the good feeling you can muster.
Remember what you think about and focus on will expand and become your reality.
As you do, the Universe will send you ideas, the right people, and circumstances that will assist you in manifesting your desires. When you receive these ideas, you must take action. If you desire $2500.00, do you really believe you will get it if you just set and intention and focus on it? No!!! You have to take inspired action. When you DO, you will HAVE what you intended.
Step 4: Thank the Source (God)
Give gratitude to Source, Spirit, or whatever you call your higher power, for manifesting your intention. Say, “Thank you, God! And So It Is!” Your vision is empowered; you have seen your intention manifested, and you are feeling thankful for the new reality that is already your. It is important, in this step, that you feel a very strong sense of gratitude. An attitude of gratitude is the most powerful of all vibrations.
Use the technique for 3 or 4 times a day or as often as necessary, when you become aware that you are worrying.
Namaste,
Reginald
written by Reginald Cuffee
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