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Cultivate Your Vision

I want to continue a little bit on the theme from a previous post, “How’s Your Vision?” I want to talk to you about some very practical ways that you can cultivate your vision.

If you could wave the magic wand and create the perfect life or business, what would you create? If you don’t have a vision for yourself or for your business, then you’re just floundering around. You’re literally building your house, your life, your business on the shifting sands of whatever feels good in the moment or whatever is trendy at the time. And that’s why they are called trends; they come and they go.

But when you have a vision, when you know what it is that you want for your life or for your business, then it’s much easier to deal with the difficult times in our lives. Your endurance is directly proportional to the clarity of your vision.

It’s one thing to have a vision, but to cultivate it is an altogether different thing. To “cultivate” your vision is to prepare it for use, to allow it to grow and to become more clear. By cultivating your vision it will become more detailed and yield fruit in your life.

So there are some very practical things to do to cultivate your vision. I grow my vision by doing some things every single day.

One of the things I’m going to encourage you to do is to be still and to just be quiet for a little while because our minds tend to be so busy all of the time. What I have found is that meditation, or literally just being quiet,
has yielded much more fruit in my life and has allowed my vision for who I want to be to grow. Meditation has allowed that vision to come into much more clarity and much more focus.

My friend, Leticia Rae, of “Finding the Silver Lining” said, “Meditation is more about controlling your thoughts rather than letting your thoughts control you.” So I meditate every single morning. It’s a part of my morning routine and has been for almost a year now. It started with just 5 minutes. Then, once I got used to it, I expanded it to 10 minutes. Now I do 30 minutes of meditation first thing in the morning and I do another 30 minutes meditation almost every day in the afternoon.

Meditation is simply being quiet and allowing whatever thoughts that need to come up and emerge. I love what Leticia says about meditation: “Quiet the mind and the soul will speak.” There are things in your heart and in your soul that God and the Universe are trying to say to you. These are the directions that you’re supposed to move in and feelings that you’re supposed to really tap into. Sometimes this can be difficult because your mind is so busy and
there’s so much noise all around you that you’re simply reacting to the day-to-day events rather than very calmly responding to the day’s events. It’s essential to respond in a way that’s in keeping with your long-term vision for your life. So meditation is something that I am going to always recommend that everybody incorporate into their lives. Even if it is just for 30 seconds!

Another practical thing you can do is ask yourself this question: If you knew the answer was going to be “yes” for anything that you wanted for your life, what would you ask for?

I’ve worked with enough people to know that this is something you’ll need to practice. When you are answering this question, you’re going to have to start off small, because your first inclination is to think something really, really big and extravagant, but then your limiting beliefs come up. You may think you’re being greedy or think that because there are people in the world who don’t have that, you’re not supposed to have it either. All of this kind of limiting thinking is false! It is all a lie! That kind of thinking is literally somebody else’s belief that has been placed upon you!

So start where you are and start with what you can. Practice asking yourself this question to grow your dreaming muscles!

Now here’s a little exercise that I want you to do. I want you to sit still for just a minute. Take 3 deep breaths and still your mind. I’m going to suggest something to you and an image, a thought, or a feeling, is going to come into your conscious awareness. I just want you to flow with it.

What I’d like you to do is to invite a special gift into your life. It can be anything that comes into your awareness right now. Invite it to be a part of your life. Bring it into your body. Use your imagination to create the chemistry of having what you want. Can you feel it? Can you use your imagination to create the chemistry of having or doing or being what you want?

Whatever it is you just invited into your life is possible for you to have! If somebody else has it, or is doing it or being it, that is proof, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that it is possible for you too! If you thought about it and you can feel yourself actually having, being or experiencing that thing or that person or that job or that business… Whatever it is, it means it is possible.

I want you to exercise that muscle. I want you to write those things down. Make a list of the things that make you happy. Make a list of the things that when you’re doing them, you feel more alive than at any point in your life.

When was the last time you felt really, really, really happy? What were you doing? Who were you with? What were you thinking? What were you saying? What was going on? Write these things down. Focus on them. Dwell on them. This is how you cultivate it.

One of the other things I want you to learn how to do is to let go of the need to know “how” to make your vision real. Don’t get caught in “the dreaded hows.” Our job is to dream, to have the vision for what is possible, to dream about this thing that we can experience and to actually feel it. Invite it into our body. Use your imagination to create the chemistry of having it. Then do 1 little thing that brings you closer to your vision. It could simply be this exercise. Writing it down on a piece of paper is another step.

Talk to a really good friend who you feel safe to talk to about your dreams. Get with somebody who has no motive or desire of any kind to do anything other than see you become the fullest expression of who you were created to be and to encourage you and to support you in your goals and ambitions. Not somebody who is going to say, “No, that’s silly. You can’t have that. You need to stop dreaming and join the real world.” Well, guess what? Dreaming IS the real world! It is a real practice. So don’t get caught in “the dreaded hows” because that is the graveyard of our dreams!

Our job to dream. Our job is to do what we can do today with what we have and where we are right now and not
to get caught up in “the dreaded hows.” The “hows” show up in all kinds of crazy, miraculous ways. If, in your mind, you can see yourself doing it, having it and being it, then invite that into your body, and if you feel the tingle of it–there’s your vision!

Exercise this. Cultivate it. Get more and more clear about what it is you want to do.

Have a vision, cultivate it, grow it, get it crystal clear and step in that direction. BELIEVE that it can be made real. That it can be manifested and that it’s for you!

I talk about this in more detail on this episode of my Life Is A Marathon podcast.

How is Your Vision?

I want to ask you this question: How is your vision?

Have you had it checked recently?

Of course that’s a trick question. Of course it’s a play on words. There is a very real difference between sight and vision; between that which you see with your eyes and that which you see with your heart and your soul.

So let me ask you the question again: How is your vision?

Sight is, indeed, what we see with our eyes and perceive with our physical senses. Sight has to do with the physical reality of what you’re seeing and experiencing in this moment.

Vision is a completely different idea. Vision is what you see, feel, and believe with your heart, with your soul, and with your very essence. It has more to do with the future than it does with the present. It has to do more with what you are becoming than what you are.

Vision has to do with the things that you want to have, experience, and express in the world. It has to do with the way you see yourself growing and manifesting all the potential that you have within you.

Your vision for who and what you want to be, and what you want to experience, also includes how other people are going to benefit from who you are going to become. Your life directly impacts the lives of other people.

Maybe the impact will just be on your immediate family and friends, but here’s the truth: how you impact and influence those around you literally influences the entire world for generations and generations!

Lasting transformation is always going to be driven by your beliefs.

You will not be able to go through the difficult times right now if you do not have a vision for the future that is filled with hope, love, abundance, and things that make you excited.

If you are feeling like there is absolutely no point to what it is that you’re doing, it really has nothing to do with what you’re doing. It has everything to do with what you’re thinking. And it has everything to do with what your vision is for your future.

What we believe about the future directly impacts the actions that we will take today. So cultivate your vision. Exercise your vision. Practice your vision. Develop the endurance that you need to get you through the difficult times.

Don’t get caught up in the dreaded “hows”!

I might have a vision for who I want to be and the things I want to achieve in 10 years, but I may not be able to figure out how I’m going do that in this moment. There is a temptation to just give up and say, “Well, because I can’t figure out how I’m going to make that happen, what’s the point in even trying.”

That’s what I call “the dreaded hows.” It’s not your job to figure out the “hows” for 5 years from now. Your job is to do what you can do right now! Take the first step, the first action, make the phone call, write down some notes about who it is you want to become. Talk to somebody about your goals. Verbalize your dreams and visions to other people. This is how it comes into fruition!

I talk more about this on this episode of my Life Is A Marathon podcast.

Rest is Creative

Are you someone who has difficulty simply relaxing and doing nothing?

When was the last time you took a nap or just had fun?

Do you feel uncomfortable with silence?

I am a guy who has lived most of my life constantly having something going on in my brain. I’m either thinking about the things I need to do, or I’m constantly listening to audiobooks where I’m gaining more insight and knowledge about various things. I am not someone who is comfortable with relaxing, just like many others. In fact, nowadays even though there are so many ways to try and improve this, whether that’s with meditation, therapy, or the use of cannabis products (such as thc resin and many more), I still struggle to let my head empty of thoughts and just relax.

So I usually have something going on in my head, and I used to be one of these people who felt completely uncomfortable in silence.

But now I cherish it! I’ve actually learned to crave silence.

I learned that if I don’t give my brain enough space and allow my mind to settle down, I tend to reach periods where I plateau. However, when I actively create space in my life for rest, I gain so much more insight into my life and in my relationships. I become more creative and come up with new ways of conducting my business, or coming up with fresh ideas for books.

So my message for you today is this: Rest is an intentional act of creation!

Rest is not the absence of being busy, nor the absence of doing work. Rest is actually an active process.

Rest is something that you DO. It is not something that you allow or something that happens to you.

The definition of relax is “to make or become less tense or anxious.” Did you read that? “Relax” is an ACTION. It is an active process.

I want to feel like I’m always in the process of growing and learning, and becoming more of who I was created to be. So what I had to do was to shift my mindset around this idea of rest and just relaxing. Relaxing is an extremely vital part of the becoming process. It is crutial to the growth process within me–and within you, too!

Pay attention to your body. If you’ve plateaued on any level of your life, it could just be that you’re not taking time to simply relax. Our bodies and minds grow and become stronger when we rest.

We must, indeed, create space in our lives for rest or relaxation or recreation.

Resting is an ACTIVE CHOICE. So give yourself the gift of REST. Give yourself SPACE to be creative again.

I talk about this more in detail on my Life Is A Marathon podcast.

Looking for the perfect gift?

Now that we’ve gotten through “Black Friday,” the busiest shopping day here in the U.S., are you still looking for the perfect gift to give someone you love? Holiday shopping can really be a bother when you’re trying to find something for someone who hasn’t given a wishlist or hintlist of what they want.

I have a few personal gift suggestions for you.

Sometimes you can piece things together, for example, if your giftee has a love of pink and home decor you can put them together and look at something like a Girls Girls Girls neon sign or live laugh love wall hanging. Loves sports and fishing, well don’t get them equipment, chances are they already have what they need (and if they don’t they’ll let you know).

Gifting them an outing or experience, could make all the difference and show you support their interests.

Something as simple as a visit to a fancy restaurant can make a wonderful gift. If you tell the manager that your visit is for a special occasion, they may treat your loved one to a free drink or dessert as well. For the adrenaline junky in your life, consider buying them tickets to a theme park, or even a helicopter ride with a helicopter hire company like Jettly. Alternatively, hot air balloon rides can be a romantic and exhilarating way to watch the sunset, whilst a mini-break to the beach or lake can be a great way to spend a weekend.

Have you looked at different jewelry websites? Well, when you visit Adina’s Jewels you can find something all in one place, especially if you know that they will love some sparkle and shine.

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Do you, or someone you love, suffer from worry? Often, worry becomes our dominant thought process, especially this time of year as there are so many pressures we all face. Consider giving someone, or yourself, a gift that could bring real, lasting freedom from worry. My book, Worry No More!, continues to be an international bestseller and has changed the lives of people all over the world!

Books make a wonderful gift, and this is a gift that can change lives!

Worry No More! is available in paperback, audiobook, and Kindle. You can even order personally signed copies from me. Simply go to www.WorryNoMoreBook.com

restoryyou-laGive yourself, or someone you love, the gift of attending my “ReStory YOU!” masterclass in January!

Every thought we think creates a story we tell ourselves about who we are, what our value is, and how we see the world around us. This story directly impacts the way we live our lives, all of our relationships, and our personal/professional success.

In Los Angeles, California, on January 27-28, 2017, I am going to partner with Karen Finocchio (aka One Tough Muther), to host ReStory YOU! — a truly life-changing workshop!

Until December 1, 2016, you can attend ReStory YOU! at the early-bird ticket price of $350!

Give yourself, or someone you care very deeply about, the gift of attending this masterclass. The life-changing results will immeasurably outweigh the cost of attending!

To learn more and get your Early-Bird tickets before Dec. 1, go to www.ReStoryYOU.com

Thank you for being a part of my life and allowing me into yours!

Big Love!
Bruce

What’s Your Story?

Do you know that you are the most gifted actor to ever exist? You play the roles and speak the scripts flawlessly, as if it was your real life!

Do you also know that you are writer of the scripts and the director of the play of your life, in which you flawlessly act every day? Well, you are!

You see, William Shakespeare was right. All the world is a stage and we are merely players. But the deeper truth is that we are the playwright, constantly creating the life we live through the story we craft in our minds about who we are, what we are capable of doing and becoming, and how other people will, or should, play their parts in the play.

Another truth is this: the circumstances of your life, and, certainly, the attitude with which you play your part, is largely the result of the story you have been telling yourself. Very often, we get caught up in our story of pain, loss, and suffering in our past, which causes us to tell a similar story of our future. This is not a story that serves you well.

If that truth is bad news to you, here is some good news: you are the author of your story, which drives your behaviors and decisions, which produce your outcomes. If you are unhappy with the way your story is playing out, you can, quite literally, write a new story with a new plot and a new role for you to play.

I have been given two very specific gifts which, when I use them, cause me to feel more alive than when I do anything else. Those gifts are writing and speaking to people about their lives and businesses (coaching). When I combine those gifts, I am able to help people dramatically rewrite the story of their lives and assist them in living that new story.

My gift is the ability to help you “ReStory” you!

If you have an inner-knowing that you are not living the best life you are capable of living, it is, most likely, the result of your inner-dialogue–i.e., your story.

I have created a 2-day workshop called “ReStory YOU!” in which I will work with you and give you the knowledge and tools necessary for you to start writing a new story for your life–a life full of meaning, purpose, fulfillment, and fun!

The first ReStory YOU! workshop will be held in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, on October 28-29, 2016.

When you make the decision to invest in your personal development, growth, and fulfillment, you not only improve your own life, but you improve the lives of everyone around you!

To learn more and to reserve your spot at this life-changing event, click here.

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