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My Secret Key to a Happy Life

I was recently asked to write a chapter for my good friend John Bardos’ ebook Change Your Life.

“Is there something specific that really helped put your life on a better path? Can you talk about a transformation that occurred because of one particular strategy? Is there something you do every day that is critical to your productivity?”

Rather than the typical personal development tips you hear, beyond practicing meditation and establishing a morning routine, my answer is the same one I give to people who ask how they can find more happiness in their lives. It’s incredibly simple advice, but requires great discipline to implement:

Choose Wisely

The secret to life is deceptively simple: choose carefully what you focus your attention on.

Namely, focus on the things you genuinely and deeply want more of. Look for what makes you happy.

Don’t obsess over the things that frustrate you. Don’t let anger, or resentment, become the center of attention.

Because as the saying goes, what you focus on grows. When I started to focus on cultivating an attitude of gratitude, my whole life transformed. And I find that when I consciously acknowledge the experiences, the people, and events I’m grateful and thankful for, somehow I tend to find more and more similar things that inspire gratitude.

Whereas, when I focus on my problems — when I go into emergency mode fighting fires and looking for every little detail of what is wrong with my work and family life — then I’ll find plenty of problems.

Seek, and you shall find. So seek the right things, and discipline your mind to search for opportunities rather than limitations.

I highly recommend any ambitious young person in the world today develop a regular gratitude practice as part of your daily rituals – write your answers in some kind of journal, or keep an ongoing note on your computer — but start the day with 3 things you’re thankful for, and end your day with 3 amazing things that happened for you. (If you have a hard time getting started, I recommend trying The Five Minute Journal: A Happier You in 5 Minutes a Day)

You’ll be surprised how quickly this daily practice can change your outlook, and even your circumstances.

Count your blessings, not your problems.

If you want to read 99 other great chapters from experts sharing their top strategies for reaching your highest potential, download your free copy of the book here.

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Make America Grateful Again

Happy Thanksgiving everybody! ?

A great time to move our focus towards gratitude. To count our blessings.

What are you grateful for?

My friend Gus Turner recently posed a challenge asking friends to practice gratitude in the emotional days after the US elections.

Here’s my video for the #MakeAmericaGratefulAgain Gratitude Challenge:

Big shout outs to:

  • My father, mother, stepmother, and grandmother.
  • My 90 Day Hero’s Challenge MasterMind crew!
  • Rob Hanly and the Maintaining Alpha accelerator group.
  • Zachary Stockill – thanks for helping me dip my toes into meditation back in Chile.
  • Matt Goult – for many insightful conversations.
  • Yamile Yemoonyah, creator of Spirit Guide School.
  • Amber Zuckswert and Daniel Finnerty of Epic Self.

Whether you’re American or not, Thanksgiving is as good an excuse as any to be reminded of gratitude and to meditate on the people and things you’re thankful for.

I highly recommend each of you film your own short (1 min) video just thanking a few people close to you for what they’ve contributed to your life, or simply expressing your thankfulness for … well, whatever it is you’re thankful for this Thanksgiving!

(And if you want to join me, my Queen, and some good friends of mine for a 30-day meditation and mindfulness challenge starting today, from Thanksgiving through to Christmas and beyond, join the free Facebook group here!)

Anyone in the world, American or not, in the US or abroad, please join us in expressing gratitude. Let’s counter the noise and negativity with positivity, gratitude, and love!

Here’s Gus’ original post:

#MakeAmericaGratefulAgain I've had the idea of a gratitude challenge for months after talking with a friend. Given everything going on in not just America, but the world, now's the time to share it. The objective is to fill up the space with gratitude, positivity, and love! The rules are simple, record a video expressing gratitude and tag those individuals in it. Share it on social media with the hashtag #MakeAmericaGratefulAgain @allietswain @zach1904 @nausheenshah @conni.biesalski @andrew.salgado.artist @ellen_degeneres @theellenshow @theviewabc @cubs Will you join the movement to make America, and the world, grateful again? #makeamericagreatagain #america #grateful #als #icebucketchallenge #gratitude #positivity #love

A video posted by Daily Self-Care (@dailyselfcare) on

The #MakeAmericaGratefulAgain challenge “rules” are simple:

  • Nominate a few people by expressing thanks and gratitude for whatever reason. Love, kindness, best bbq, hugs, it’s your call!
  • Make a video to share on social media, name the people and why. Make certain to tag them so they know. (FYI, Instagram is 1 minute max)
  • In the text box, name, tag, and tell your nominees once again, especially if you cannot get it under 60 seconds. Or do it twice
  • Share on social media and include the hashtag #MakeAmericaGratefulAgain
  • Sit back, take a deep breath in, hold, release and be grateful, even for the smallest of things because life is uncertain at best

In health and wellness,

Gus @dailyselfcare

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Lessons from 8 Years Bootstrapping Businesses and Slow-Traveling the World

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From our first conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Cody discusses 10 of the most important lessons he’s learned after building three new media publishing businesses while traveling the world for 8 years.

Cody is an event organizer, small business advisor, new media marketing expert, and e-learning consultant who has worked with Sofitel, Le Méridien, Sacramento State University, Princeton Review, TEDx, Courageous Kitchen, Grand Dynamics, Exosphere, Syndacast, Documentary Foundation, Prosper Magazine, and more.

He is a loving father, husband to Jam Milcah, photographer, writer, and serial entrepreneur. He is slowly working on a book titled Chasing the Sun, about his travels across 35 countries, living abroad for 8+ years on four continents, and close encounters with everyone from Warren Buffett to ISIS. Read Cody’s full bio here.

Follow along with Cody’s slides below:

My top lessons learned so far:

  1. Don’t stay isolated
  2. Find Mentors (important lessons on finding mentors)
  3. Keep a MasterMind group.
  4. Practice gratitude (daily).
  5. Failure is necessary. (more about failure)
  6. Don’t stay married to your ideas.
  7. Don’t jump into bed with the wrong people.
  8. BUT…do collaborate with others. (how to find the right partner)
  9. Take care of yourself first.
  10. Never stop learning.

Sketch notes by Kat Ingals

Thank you to our sponsors Drip, Empire Flippers, Iglu and Digital Nomad Academy for making this event possible.

The 2016 Summit was co-hosted by Johnny FD and Cody McKibben. Click here to read the whole story.

 

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