The 45 Lessons Life Taught Me

I came across these fabulous words of advice this week written by a 90 year old.

(Thanks to my dear friend Hilary for sharing them.)

I think that each of us will be able to identify with them ... the trick of course is to remember them!

I recommend that you copy them and read them a least once a month.

Written  by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer,  Cleveland , Ohio .

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most  requested column I've ever written.

My odometer  rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once  more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still  good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short - enjoy it..

4.  Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your  friends and family  will.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10.  When it comes to chocolate, resistance is  futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't  screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all  about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it..

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye But don't worry; God never  blinks.

16.  Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful. Clutter weighs you down in  many ways.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really  does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to be happy. But it's all up to you and no one  else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21.  Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy  lingerie. Don't  save  it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22.  Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be  eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear  purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness  but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with  these words 'In five years, will  this  matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28.  Forgive but don't forget.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31.  However good or bad a situation is, it will  change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No  one else does..

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God  is, not because of anything you did or didn't  do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the  most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the  alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone  else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have not what you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you  feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44.  Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's  still a gift."

www.JoAustin.com  ~ Inspiring Others to Love Life 

Consciously Creating Your Future

Success requires us to make conscious decisions that will move us closer to our goals. 

I came across this fabulous article by Deepak Chopra which explains this beautifully and am delighted to be able to share it with you.

Do you have any long term goals that you can start working on by using these principles?

Can you identify the short-term desires that have been stopping you move forward?

I look forward to reading your shares!

In everyone's life short-term desires compete with long-term desires, and whoever finds the right balance will reap the greatest success.  If you focus too much on short-term gratification, the following things become too important: eating, drinking, running errands, keeping everything neat and tidy, micro-managing others, perfectionism, gossip, and trivial distractions.  Experts in time management point out that all of these are inefficient and wasteful, which is certainly true. 

But the larger point is that none of these activities challenges your mind. They require a short attention span, and in place of long-term gratification, you are settling for tiny hits of pleasure.  A stream of short-term gratification is like eating a candy bar every half hour instead of cooking and enjoying a banquet.

Long-term desires are emotionally more mature, because they delay gratification in the service of a bigger reward.  People realize this, which is why they plan for their retirement. Years of hard work lead to a payoff down the road. But too often those years are not gratifying. They are more like putting in your time at the salt mines. The trick is to derive the right kind of short-term fulfillment.  The right kind isn't hard to define. It consists of what you do today to make next year better.

Think of it like writing a book. If you write a page every day, your manuscript will be done next year. A page doesn't sound like much, but the catch is that it must fit into the final product. Ernest Hemingway set himself a daily goal of half a page only.  If you can do anything today that consciously goes toward fulfilling a long-range vision, plan, project, or mission, you will become the Hemingway of your own life.

Here are some suggestions:

1. Set down a single vision, project, or mission.

2. Set time aside to work on it every day.

3. Work consists of doing research, making connections, investigating your target audience or market, learning from projects similar to yours, challenging your assumptions, writing a proposal, seeking a mentor, partner, or confidant to bounce your ideas off, and raising capital if needed.

4. Set interim deadlines that you can reasonably meet every month.

5. Be adaptable about changing your project as it unfolds.

Each of these steps should be interesting and, one hopes, exciting to you.  Consciousness expands whenever a person feels creative, passionate, and joyful.  If you don't have these qualities, you won’t wake up every morning eager to fulfill your long-range goal.  The value of following the five steps I've suggested is that you become action oriented; your goal doesn't drift or become an empty dream.  

To your success

Jo

www.JoAustin.com  ~ Inspiring Others to Love Life 

Learn How to Be a Super Hero in Your Child’s Eyes!

It doesn’t take a lycra body suit and flowing cape to be an Inspiration.     

Holding your newly born child for the very first time is a truly magical moment.

As I gently uncurled the tiny little fingers it dawned on me that for many years I was going to be one of the most important people in this little person’s life. They would be dependent on me for food, shelter and of course love. These I was ready to give in un-boundless quantities…..and I did.

What I hadn’t realised was how big an influence I would be in the way they think, the way they behave and ultimately the person they become.

My desire to be the very best Mum ever had always been my goal. My own Mum had worked as I grew up and I hated that she wasn’t there for sports days, assemblies or for us to have friends come to play after school.

I was determined that I would be a stay at home Mum and not miss a single important event in my children’s lives as they grew up. Fortunately I was able to do this and I will forever be grateful.

But over time I found that I had lost myself completely in the role of motherhood and I was no longer a fun, spontaneous person. The day I answered “Mummy” to the question “Title” on a credit card application was the day I understood that something had to change.

And change it did. I am now proud to introduce myself as Jo Austin, mother of 4 delightful children and a successful business woman.

Embracing an online business opportunity I’ve been an Entrepreneur working from home for 3 years now. During that time I have not only learnt how to run a very lucrative business but have also enjoyed massive personal growth. Through using our Personal Development program I have discovered a ME that I didn’t know existed….a ME that I love.

• I am full of self confidence.
• I have a real sense of where I am heading and what I want to achieve in life.
• I have enormous goals and understand the actions required to reach them.
• And I have a positive attitude that enables me to enjoy life and have fun.

Considering I was someone who would walk back out of a cake shop without buying anything because there was too much to choose from I think I’ve come a very long way!

But what I really love. What truly makes my heart sing … is that I know I am now a far better role model for my children.

My desire to be the perfect Mum had actually been dis-empowering them because I felt I had to do EVERYTHING for them. My lack of self belief and personal self worth meant that I couldn’t teach them how to make strong decisions. My lack of direction resulted in a lack of motivation and consequently meant I was being a negative influence in their lives.

These days our household is much more positive, communication is calmer and we have lots more fun once again. By teaching my children some of the principles in our Personal Development program I have seen an improvement in their school work, in their friendship choices and in their contribution to the family.

I absolutely love what I do because I now get the best of both worlds; I am still a hand’s on Mum and I am also a confident business woman assisting others to improve their lives.

No I don’t wear a lycra body suit!  But I know for a fact that I am now a huge inspiration to my children and I’d be proud to write “Super Mum” as a title.

Contact me today if you would like more information on either our Award Winning Personal Development program or the opportunity to Work from Home.

“The greatest Gift you can give your Child is a Positive Mental Attitude!”

www.JoAustin.com/parents.html  ~ Inspiring Others to Love Life 

CEO – the magic ingredient for happiness!

What Does CEO mean to You?

The term CEO has recently taken on a new importance in my life.

The reason for this is twofold.

Firstly because it has been described to me as meaning

Chief 
Energy
Officer

I love this! It means that as CEO we are responsible for providing a positive environment for ourselves and also for everyone around us. What a delightful concept.

Imagine what an amazing world we would live in if each and every one of us took on this responsibility.

Secondly and perhaps more importantly I have realised that taking on and embracing the role of CEO is vitally important for anyone of us to be successful.  


Let me explain further. As CEO of a company or business there are 3 key principles that will ensure results and success.

• Responsibility
• Accountability 
• Ownership 

Look at any successful Entrepreneur and these are qualities they express as being essential to their success. 


There are also 3 key reasons that can be contributed to lack of results or failure. 

• Blame 
• Justify 
• Complain 

By blaming, justifying or complaining we are not just hiding from our responsibility.....we are giving away our power. If we are not at fault then we cannot fix the problem, if we are not at fault we will not be inspired to look for a solution and if we are not at fault then we will not take the necessary action. We have become powerless. 


However, when we take responsibility, accountability and ownership.....we can determine what we did wrong, what needs to be done and what decisions need to be made. We are in the driving seat and we are in control. 


Now of course this makes sense in terms of running a business but as I reviewed this information I suddenly realised that it wasn’t just about being the CEO of my business……it was about being the CEO of my life. If I want to be successful, happy and living a life I love, then I need to apply these 3 powerful principles to my life each and every day. 


So I have said goodbye to my old friends blame, justify, complain and welcomed my new friend CEO….Committed Empowerment Officer.


With much love and thanks to Wilson Luna - http://www.yourfamilyyourmoney.com/

www.JoAustin.com ~ Inspiring Others to Love Life

Understanding the BE DO HAVE principle!

Most people think they need to HAVE "more" to allow them to "BE" a certain way .... 

i.e. "when I have MORE money or when I have MORE time." 

What you actually need to do is the complete opposite....you need to BE!  

You need to work with the end in mind. 

You need to work out what is it that you want and then work backwards. 

For instance….. What is it that more money would allow you to HAVE? 

Let’s take for example a New Home. 

1. Think about the size, the location, décor, furniture, possible features like a swimming pool, home theatre, games room etc 
2. Get an understanding of its value. 
3. What will it take to purchase it - i.e. deposit required, monthly repayments required. 
4. Consider also the other things you require to maintain the lifestyle you desire – holidays, hobbies, education. 

 Ask yourself what do I have to DO to achieve it? 

 Ask yourself who would I have to BE in order to create this? 

By understanding what is required to achieve the end goal you are now in a powerful position to put in to place a plan of action. 

It may still seem that the goal is way too big….but you can break it down into bite size pieces. 

The important thing is to take the first step, to do the first thing that you can do right now to move you forwards. 

It may be as simple as starting saving your loose change or perhaps asking for a pay raise. It may even cause you to consider a complete change of direction. 

Consider what steps the person who has already achieved you goal would have taken to get there. 

BE that person. 

One thing’s for sure if you keep waiting for “WHEN you have MORE” chances are you’ll just keep waiting.

 www.JoAustin.com

What is the Attitude of Gratitude?

For months I kept hearing or seeing the expression “Develop the Attitude of Gratitude” and wondered why it had become so popular. In fact, to be perfectly honest it irked me just a little. It felt like one of those catch phrases that become trendy and everyone is saying…often at the wrong time, with no real understanding of its meaning! 

However, having read The Secret and after listening to a number of successful people that I consider personal mentors, my interest was piqued. Given that one cannot form an opinion without some knowledge to base it on, I decided to try it for myself.  

There is nothing complicated about it! All you have to do is identify the things that you have or have had in your life and express your gratitude for them. You can do this through writing, by saying them out loud or even in your head. The method doesn’t matter…it is the action that creates the result. 

 And so what is the result? Joy! Happiness! Excitement! Love! Emotions that lift your spirits and create different energy levels within yourself, which result in a far more enjoyable daily experience of life! 

How is this result achieved? By focusing on the things in our lives that we are grateful for we stop thinking about the things that we don’t have or that aren’t going so well…….after all, you can only hold one thought in your mind at a time. 

 Why is it so powerful? It enables us to celebrate the wonderful things that we have experienced or are experiencing, it gives us an appreciation of what we have already achieved and why each day is a gift. The positive energy that we feel will in turn attract more positive energy to us…..enriching our lives further. 

 The Attitude of Gratitude is something that I have embraced and is now a daily habit. It has without a doubt changed my life and I know if you introduce it into yours it will do the same for you. 

www.JoAustin.com ~ Inspiring Others to Love Life

 Visit my YouTube channel JoAustinCom to see my Gratitude Video 

 Join me in my daily gratitude post on my Facebook page.

Are You Spending Your Most Precious Commodity Wisely?

Imagine that you had won the following prize in a contest:
Each morning your bank would deposit $86,400.00 in your private account for your use.
However, this prize has rules, just as any game has certain rules.

The first set of rules would be:

Everything that you didn't spend during each day would be taken away from you.
You may not simply transfer money into some other account.
You may only spend it.
Each morning upon awakening, the bank opens your account with
another $86,400.00 for that day.

The second set of rules:

The bank can end the game without warning; at any time it can say,
Its over, the game is over! It can close the account and you will not receive a new one.

What would you personally do?

You would buy anything and everything you wanted right?
Not only for yourself, but for all people you love, right?
Even for people you don't know, because you couldn't possibly spend it all on yourself, right?
You would try to spend every cent, and use it all, right?


ACTUALLY this GAME is REALITY!

Each of us is in possession of such a magical bank.
We just can't seem to see it.
The MAGICAL BANK is TIME!

Each morning we awaken to receive 86,400 seconds as a gift of life, and when we go to sleep at night, any remaining time is NOT credited to us. What we haven't lived up that day is forever lost. Yesterday is forever gone.
Each morning the account is refilled, but the bank can dissolve your account at any time....WITHOUT WARNING. So, what will YOU do with your 86,400 seconds?
Those seconds are worth so much more than the same amount in dollars.

Think about it, and always think of this:

Enjoy every second of your life, because time races by so much quicker than you think.
So take care of yourself, be Happy, Love deeply and Enjoy life!

Here's wishing you a wonderful day.

The Why Behind Personal Development.

What is the point of Personal Development?

Personal Development enables us to become more valuable.

Why is that important you may ask?

It is a fact of life that we don’t get paid or rewarded unless we are providing a service. If that service provides more value we receive a greater reward. The obvious point of reference is work/career. As we get better at what we do we get paid more.

Now that’s not the same as working harder. The key word here is better.

The late great Jim Rohn said “Learn to work harder on yourself than you do on your job. Make yourself more valuable to the marketplace”.

He understood that what each of us has at this precise moment we have attracted by being the person we have become. In other words, it’s not about the circumstances we have encountered in our lives it is about how we have dealt with them.

If there are areas that we are not happy with or if we want more, then we need to do something different. We can’t change the circumstances BUT we can change ourselves, we can change what we do.

The first step is to let go of blame, excuses and finger pointing. Only when we take full responsibility can we learn how to become more valuable.

“If you will change everything will change for you.

All you have to change is what’s inside …..to have more you simply have to become more.
Don’t wish it was easier….wish you were better.
Don’t wish for less problems….wish for more skills
Don’t wish for less challenge….wish for more wisdom.”

These are simple principles but once you understand them they certainly explain a lot.

Personal Development then is a way of thinking that can enable us to create great things by increasing our value. As we become “better” it will impact our wealth, health and relationships…..rewarding us in a myriad of ways. Ultimately giving us the chance to create true happiness in our lives.

www.JoAustin.com ~ Inspiring Others to Love Life

Visit my YouTube channel JoAustinCom to see Jim Rohn in action.