The day before yesterday was a good day, a really good day. Everything worked well. The weather was fair, the computers worked fine and orders for the “PowerPause” (my latest creation) came in at a much higher rate than usual. My world seemed peaceful and I was filled with exhilaration. It was a good day.

Yes, the day before yesterday was the type of day I always like to see. There are many such days. Sunny, warm days, whether because of the weather or because of the warmth in our hearts are always pleasant.

But yesterday was totally different. It was not a good day. It started with my computer giving me all kinds of error messages. I switched to the backup computer only to have it crash the moment I touched the keyboard. I turned on the laptop and the screen remained blank. I couldn’t get through to anybody on the phone. By late afternoon, I leaned back in my chair and sighed. Yes, yesterday was not a very good day.

Today is better than yesterday, but not quite as good as the day before. At least, not yet, anyway. You see, it’s still morning. I’ve got a while to go before this day is done.

Why am I telling you about good days and bad days? Because in life, there will be good days and there will be not-so-good days. No need to rant and rave at the not-so-good days. They will pass. So will the good days also. They both will pass. Nothing stays the same.

All things change. The seasons of the year as well as the seasons of our lives keep changing. It is the law of the universe. So enjoy good days while they last. And the not-so- good days? Tolerate them. They will not last, either.

An old Chinese proverb says, “You cannot prevent the birds from flying over your head but you certainly can prevent them from making nests in your hair.” Don’t let a bad day keep you from looking forward to good ones.

Live life one day at a time. The Universe will sustain you. You do your part and the Universal Forces will always do theirs. You are as valid and as valuable as anyone else in the world. Keep on keeping on. To modify the words of U.S. president, John F. Kennedy, “Ask not what this day will bring to you. Rather, ask what you will bring to this day.”

May your day be filled with all good things.

Smoking cigarettes will kill you! A slow painful death is eminent for those who choose to smoke. Are you thinking that statement was cruel and mean hearted. Well, the fact remains, cigarette smoking is associated with many fatal illnesses. The Surgeon General’s report last year, linked smoking to cancers of the cervix, breast, kidney, lungs, pancreas and stomach. On average, it is reported that smoking will shorten the life span by 15 years.

So what are you waiting for. Is the difficulty of quitting this nasty habit preventing you from stopping or do you really not care about the deadly hazards, or maybe you think it won’t happen to you. No one will argue that an addiction to nicotine is a serious one and it is also multifaceted: indeed, there is a physical component to it since your body craves the nicotine thecigarettes contain, and there’s the psychological one, in that many habits and situations become associated with cigarettes for the smoker. Smoking is believed to be 10% physical addiction and 90% psychological addiction.

The first step to smoking cessation is to make sure you have a strong desire to quit. Just telling yourself you should stop is not the same thing as saying I want to stop and I will stop. Quitting smoking is not easy, if you do not have the determination you will have a difficult time being successful.

Find a method for quitting. You need help, don’t try to go it alone. Nicotine replacement products work very well, supports groups and hypnosis are excellent as well. The best thing is you can use them all in conjunction with each other. Hypnosis has become a top choice for anyone that is trying to break addiction habits of any kind. And now there are self-hypnosis programs you can download and try at home. Hypnosis can be used to reinforce someone’s motivation to quit, to strengthen their resolve to make healthier lifestyle choices, to lessen feelings of anxiety, to reduce cravings, or to enable them to be less affected when around others who are smoking.

However you choose to quit smoking, stay with it. You can do it and the reward is a long and healthy life. Here’s to your new way of life!

I’ve certainly had days when I wanted things to happen that just were not happening. Having come through so many frustrations though, I can honestly look back and tell you one thing that stands out as I’ve moved on from each of them.

Playing a Game

Looking back at where I was I can see that when I was stuck and frustrated I was playing a game. I’ve given that game a name. It’s called ‘Playing Small.’

When I played ‘Playing Small’ I believed there were barriers in front of me, stopping me. The usual barriers (some of which you might recognize) are the barriers such as time, money, resources and qualifications.

Many of these barriers have been deconstructed by my coaches and mentors. Once when I needed to make more money, my business mentor broke down what I needed to do into simple mathematics. That was all I needed to know. From their I could work out the rest and stopped playing small.

Another time, I was in a quandary over a family matter. I was sitting with my spiritual mentor. He just threw his head back and laughed at me. ‘Why are you making your own life so tough,’ he asked?

That was all it took for me to realized I was holding from back something bigger and better, by a petty process I’d put in place.

My coach helped me straighten out a head full of confusion. I had so many ideas and was using them as an excuse to procrastinate. ‘I don’t know how to construct this idea,’ I told him. ‘Easy,’ he said, ‘Stop playing the game of indecision. Make what you’re doing simple and get on with it.’

That was all it took for me to stop playing small again.

Letting You Out

What my coaches and mentors have all done well is common amongst them all. They saw what I didn’t see and helped the real me to be let out.

I see this time and again in my coaching. It doesn’t matter if a client wants to run a successful holistic practice, gain promotion or control of their kids. As a coach, I see things they don’t see.

Simply put, a coach sees the bigger picture, doesn’t get caught up in all the ‘stuff’ of playing small and guides you towards your goal.

When you Shine, the World Shines with You

In the last month, (half of which I was on holiday) I’ve heard at least four ‘Oh my God’ gasps from my clients as they’ve just seen things they didn’t see before on the other side of playing small.

Instantly goals became achievable.

One of the things I’ve noticed is that when an issue is put before a wise person, the light they shine on the dilemma transforms it. That’s why I invest time and money with people who I deem to be wiser than me.

By investing in this way my life transforms faster with less time and energy wasted, worrying or wondering.

With Love and good wishes
Neil