BE IT

So often we wait for conditions to change before we transform ourselves to the level that we desire. This is a common form of self-sabotage. Be that which you desire to be and to receive RIGHT NOW and the conditions will follow. It seems counter intuitive to the way that we have been taught to think, but it is the only way to guarantee the results that we desire.

If you wish to be rich, be rich in your actions--living as if you have already achieved your goal. If you wish to be loved, be loving and extend your self to others. If you wish to be confident, be bold in your execution. Allow the very nature that you desire to be born within you by opening the door with effective action.

Who do you want to be? Choose one value or characteristic and make it your purpose to be the personification of that quality in all that you think, say and do today. You will be astounded by the results.

success or sabotage? you have all of that you need to succeed at this moment.

is this going to be an incredible day? make this day incredible for another and watch it transform before your eyes.

"Kindness can become its own motive. We are made kind by being kind."--Eric Hoffer

Mark Ward
nu*design LLC

POO-on-the-SHOE

You are walking down the street on a beautiful spring day. Without warning, you find that you have stepped into some dog-doo. Now you have poop on your new Kenneth Cole's! In this situation, one might declare the injustice of dog owners who do not clean up after their pets. One might also share the pain of the experience, encouraging everyone to look at and smell the shoes. Attempts at vindication, however, are not proactive. It may serve your sense of righteous indignation, but it will do nothing to assist you in getting where you would like to be (unless your goal is to remain a victim). Instead, why not clean up or change your shoes? Take a moment to look at what you might have done to have been more effective (such as watching where you step!).

If you are not happy with where you are at this moment, do not stay entrenched in the misery of your circumstances. You did not arrive here by accident. Your thoughts, words, and actions (your choices) brought you here. On some level, you received what you intended (even if that intention was unconscious, you are living one!). You can either utilize this opportunity for judgment and self-criticism or you can allow it to better inform you for today and the days to come. What are three things that you can do TODAY to create a more effective life for your self? Even a small step of clarity is a step in an effective direction.

success or sabotage? success requires one to find the opportunity in all circumstances.

is this going to be an incredible day? what opportunities does this day hold for greater joy and satisfaction?

"Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped." - African proverb

Mark Ward
nu*design LLC

RESPONSIBILITY OF SUCCESS

The world is filled with "couch critics." It has become a favorite past time for many to sit around and point out the foibles and flaws of our world leaders, politicians, bosses and even families. Our index fingers are nearly conditioned to point in the direction of "fault" when we see inefficiency, incompetence or wrong doing. It is not a question of validity on the part of the claim. Many of the accusations and arguments are sound. There may indeed be evidence to suggest that we are "right," but how does that contribute to creating something more effective. Criticism is easy; action is often difficult. Would you rather be right or effective? They are not always the same.

If you feel that you're living in a world "gone mad," then consider your own life. How does your life contribute to a better world? Before you look outward, look inward (and in the mirror). If you don't like the life that you're living, you have three choices:

1. You can either complain about it to anyone who will listen,

2. You can quietly suffer and work your way to martyrdom or,

3. You can do something about it.

As you well know, the most effective choice is not a simple one. If you are not going to live your life as a critic or a victim, you are going to have to take the responsibility for effective solutions. This is often easier said than done.

Today, identify one thing in the world that you believe is in need of improvement. How will you use your life (beginning today) to begin to create something more effective?

success or sabotage? success requires responsibility; sabotage is a habit of comfort for those who prefer to live as victims.

is this going to be an incredible day? what can you do to create an incredible day TODAY?

“The way to mend the bad world is to create the right world”—Ralph Waldo Emerson

Mark Ward
nu*design LLC

PLANTING THE SEEDS OF SUCCESS

So often we think of our thoughts as something managed by our brains (as an outside entity), rather than being under our control. You may even catch yourself reacting to your thoughts as if there is another being having conversations in your head. The truth is that thoughts are creative; they produce a reality that is aligned with your belief system. If you think of your mind as a garden and your thoughts as seeds, what are you planting? Have you unconsciously planted some weeds that need tending?

As you move into a new week, you are rewarded with the power of possibility and potential. Examine your thoughts as they relate to the day that stands "empty" before you. How will you fill the space? Take the time to focus on all that you have and will have rather than that which you feel is still lacking. The world is indeed your oyster!

success or sabotage? your thoughts are working at every moment toward one or the other. why not be conscious of your choice?

is this going to be an incredible day? what do you THINK?

"Thoughts are formative. They are like seeds that produce after their kind."—Myrtle Fillmore