How To Write Your Next Chapter

September 14, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Shazad

“Few people have any next, they live from hand to mouth without a plan, and are always at the end of their line.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson -poet and essayist

The last 2+ years have been an extraordinary test with more uncertainty on the horizon. We’ve seen people fall apart but we’ve also seen entire communities and nations come together in strength and cooperation that inspired others to do the same. What happens next is unknowable but still worth preparing for. How can you do this? I offer some thoughts that help me work through the current challenges.

The first step is to figure out where you stand today in terms of health, satisfaction, mindset, and finances. How are your relationships and what are your goals for the future? Has anything changed or accelerated as a result of the global pandemic? What have you had to put on the sideline for now? Take a complete audit of your situation and mindset in the present moment.

The next step is to figure out how you can improve one or more areas of your life each month. Pick one or two aspects of your life and determine what the immediate next step is to make your situation better in some meaningful way. Keep doing this every month from now on until you are satisfied with each aspect of your life. Just remember that some things like relationships and health will never be ‘fixed’ or done with so they will be open loops that you can always develop more success in with consistent effort even if it’s small amounts of energy required.

The third important step is to take a step back and develop a perspective on where you want to end up once things have settled down. How do you want to come out of this experience and what do you want to become? Every major moment in history has some lessons for us and transforms us in one or more ways. What do you think your transformation is or needs to be when you feel you have come out the other side? We are all changed by life’s experiences as we age and some dramatic events in our lives cause even faster changes as well and have a rapid aging effect on some.

It’s not going to necessarily get easier and there are probably more epic events on the way -Be prepared! What story will your face tell and what narrative will you pass on to the younger generations about how you not only endured but learned to thrive in these revolutionary times? I hope the book of your life is full of emotional stories that highlight your courage, vulnerability, strength, and your commitment to keep moving forward.

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The Formula To Live Awesome Revealed!

September 7, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

“You are not a tree. You can move.”

Jim Rohn

By Ahsan

Do you find some days you are unstoppable and on others, not so much?

It's like you are on a roll, and everything is going your way, and then boom, something comes along that either slows you down, starts a bit of chaos, or becomes overwhelming.

As a goal-oriented person, you want to make daily progress but keeping that feeling of momentum becomes elusive.

Just when you feel dialed in and figured things out, that feeling of inertia rolls in, and the whole thing becomes unpredictable.

To get back on track, you try everything, like organizing your workspace, starting with just one small step, time blocking your schedule, going for a 15-minute walk with your gaze at the horizon, and you might even think there is a thing or two wrong with you.

How can you get yourself back on track and stay on track?

What magic formula exists that would make those inevitable downward slides temporary.

Introducing the best ever Formula To Live Awesomely:

Constant Gratitude + Right Attitude = Rising Altitude

That's it. Reread it. Does it resonate?

If it does, memorize it. Teach it. Own it!

Allow me to flourish the points just a bit.

Constant Gratitude is more than just being grateful by recounting things in a journal at night. Instead, let your mind (that has free will to think whatever it wants) dwell on all the good stuff you have. Example: having a job or business, money to spend, a feeling of self-reliance, and personal freedom.

Right Attitude is your personal version of thinking excellent and helpful thoughts and kicking bad and unhelpful thoughts to the corner. What you think is constantly creating your moment-to-moment reality. Every step of the way, your sovereign ability to think what you think will determine your life experience. Let that sink in.

Rising Altitude is also a personal definition. Some people want to be the CEO of a conglomerate, while others are content with having a rising sense of accomplishment in their defined areas of life. Better relationships with loved ones, career or business achievement, improved health and mental resilience, and living in well-being regardless of the topsy-turvy world we live in. Define what the mountain top of excellence looks like for you and then get after it!

So, ink the formula in your mind and noodle it. See how it really can apply to you. Then, share it with like-minded people in a one-on-one discussion and see what insights come to you.

Here it is again:

Constant Gratitude + Right Attitude = Rising Altitude

That’s it. Go be your most Awesome self!

Train Like Your Life Depends On It!

August 31, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Shazad

The next time you go to a gym, don’t just go for some random exercises or to do a “workout”. Go with a purpose and plan for the kinds of movement patterns and weight you will be lifting. Ask yourself if you are focusing on building strength or endurance? Are you trying to maintain muscle as you age or grow new muscles for some future challenges? How about your brain’s capabilities? Figure out what kind of mental fitness you are doing that can help with balance, calming the mind, and turning on your focus for important tasks.

When you look at physical and mental training this way, you have a more effective way to train and you get practical benefits from the sweat and time invested. Better physical health isn’t just limited to your heart and your muscles becoming stronger. Your brain and everything related to your mind also gets a boost so thinking is less strenuous and clearer. A healthy brain requires a healthy body to carry it around and get the nutrients needed to feed that brain.

Look up ways to specifically improve your mental health through physical training, breathing practices and nutrition. All of these are much better and safer than pharmaceutical drugs. The choice to simply walk through a forest or park trail a few times a week can make all the difference in the world. You can also pay attention to your different breathing patterns throughout the day and try to get to deep breathing as much as possible to calm down and focus.

By occasionally doing hard workouts, you stress your entire being and push effort to a new level. You prove to yourself that you can do challenging things and you have what it takes. That’s how courage and confidence are developed and maintained.

The quality of your life is dictated by your daily habits and mindset. With the proper training, you can be ready for anything and that includes, a very stressful life situation so please, train with greater purpose the next time you plan to do something physical. It can make all the difference in the world.

Would You Be Compassionate To Your Enemy?

August 24, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Ahsan

A lot is going on in the world today, and the future of humanity sometimes seems headed towards a period of decline. We have wars, racial and religious tensions, and children who lack love, security and even food.

But now and then, we hear about kindness and compassion at times when you would least expect it. So lean in to read about one such remarkable story from not too long ago.

Charlie Brown was a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot with the 379th Bomber Group at Kimbolton, England.

His B-17 was called “Ye Olde Pub” and was in a terrible state, having been hit by flak and fighters.

The compass was damaged, and they were flying deeper and deeper into enemy territory instead of heading home to Kimbolton.

After flying the B-17 over an enemy airfield, a German pilot, Franz Steigler, was ordered to take off and shoot down the B-17.

When he got closer to the B-17, he could not believe his eyes…

In his words, he “had never seen a plane in such a bad state”…

The tail and rear section was severely damaged. The tail gunner was wounded, and the top gunner was all over the top of the fuselage.

The nose of the plane was smashed, and there were holes everywhere.

Despite having ammunition, Franz flew to the side of the B-17 and looked at the English pilot, Charlie Brown.

He saw that Brown was scared and struggling to control his damaged and blood-stained plane.

Aware that Brown had no idea where they were going, Franz waved at Charlie to turn around 180 degrees.

And then Franz did a remarkable thing.

He escorted and guided the stricken plane back to the North Sea and England.

He then saluted Charlie Brown, turned away, and headed back towards Europe.

When Franz landed, he told his commanding officer that he had shot down the B-17 over the sea.

He never told the truth to anyone.

Meanwhile, back in England, Charlie Brown and the remains of his crew told everyone at their briefing what had happened but were then ordered never to talk about it.

More than 40 years later, Charlie Brown wanted to find the German Luftwaffe pilot who had saved his crew. After years of research, Franz was finally found. Franz had never talked about the incident, not even at post-war reunions.

The two pilots met in the United States at the 379th Bomber Group reunion…

… together with 25 people who are now alive…

… all because Franz showed mercy and compassion and never fired his guns that day.

When asked why he didn't shoot them down, Stigler later said, "I didn't have the heart to finish off those brave men. I flew beside them for a long time. They were desperately trying to get home, and I was going to let them do that. I could not have shot at them. It would have been the same as shooting a man in a parachute."

Today we need more compassion in the world.

Today we need more understanding and love in the world.

Today we need to think about compassion instead of shooting people down because they are different from us.

I've Had ENOUGH!

August 17, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Shazad

“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more,

that is poor.”

Seneca

Everywhere I turn I keep seeing the toxic pursuit of MORE for the sake of having more. The constant lust for riches, fame and unlimited time is poisoning the human experience in my opinion. Everyone from celebrities and influencers to the college student next door is trying to cash in on quick money making schemes and hacks to encourage their audience to want more things. It’s driven by envy and greed and it isn’t making society happier so we must change things!

Wanting some things is natural and part of human existence. When we constantly want more such as luxury goods and properties, as well as unlimited time to travel or eat, we lose our perspective on life. We forget we are here for a finite time and to help each other. Everyone from the past who tried to just keep accumulating riches was not happy in the end. It’s a trap that keeps us enslaved to our passions and money.

These are some Tips to get out of the race for more shiny new things:

Look at your own life and make a list of what you truly want right now. How much of that list is necessary and how much of it is driven by envy at what others have or, the social conditioning telling you what you should want? Stop and think for yourself to catch any outside influences tricking you into their revenue generating schemes.
Remember a time when you had less and how you felt. How happy were you and how complicated was your life in terms of paying the bills, relaxing and the time you spent enjoying what you had? Now that you have more things, are you truly happier and do you really have more time or wellbeing?
Look towards the future and estimate what your minimum future needs will be to enjoy the life you expect to be living 10+ years from now. What is the least amount of things you need to have to have an enjoyable future based on the way you want to live?
Cut out all the excess in your life such as subscriptions you don’t use, clothes you don’t wear and media you shouldn’t be watching. Just by reducing this junk, you will have more time and feel better. You will also eliminate the need to compare and desire new things so often.

The desire to have some good things is a normal part of human existence. We all like nice things and that’s ok. What’s not ok is being unhappy all the time because we don’t have the latest, the shines, the largest, or the ‘best’ things in the world. Most of the world doesn’t have those things either and probably never will. The goal should be to BECOME the best person without those things and live the best possible life not desiring so many things. That comes by understanding what is Enough for you and what makes you happy as well as the reasons why. I hope you develop a healthy relationship with things and remember that the right people in your life are the ones that should be the most important ‘things’ you should be seeking. The rest is just decoration and clutter after a certain level of items.

My 7 Tips for Wellbeing

August 10, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Shazad

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive –

to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”

Marcus Aurelius

Everyone seems to be looking for a silver bullet or hack to improve their lives. Maybe it’s physical health or mental fitness or perhaps it’s overall wellbeing. I don’t promise to have all the answers but I do have some good suggestions collected over many years that I want to share with you. Give some or all a try for at least a week and see how much better you feel.

Do some simple exercises before breakfast each day. This could be as simple as 5 pushups, 5 air squats and 5 forward bends or Yoga Child pose holds for 5 seconds each.
Take 10min walk after Lunch and dinner at least 5 days a week. Pay attention to your surroundings.
Do strength training exercise for 30 minutes 2 to 3 times a week on alternating days such as Mon-Wed-Friday. It doesn’t have to be anything close to your maximum potential. Just some light to medium weights will cause good metabolic changes in your body.
Get to sleep on time at least 6 days a week and rise up early to start the day. d
Make your Mission in Life clear written down. This is the WHY you do what you do each day. Read it every day.
Remember that discipline is not a 'punishment' or a bad word. Discipline is freedom from sickness and worry when you consistently practice good behaviour because you know it's good for you. Make discipline a part of your identity.
Indulge yourself once or twice a week with foods you like and taking a step back from work or chores. Make this the reward for being focused and productive the rest of the week. As long as you reserve a meal or a full day at maximum, your overall well being will not suffer.

So there you have it. You probably heard of some or all of these points before. Now is the time to act on the ones you haven’t been following. That’s how you Live Awesome!

How to Grow Through Stress

August 3, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Shazad

“Antifragility is beyond resilience or robustness. The resilient resists shocks and stays the same; the antifragile gets better.”

Nassim Nicholas Taleb, Antifragile: Things That Gain from Disorder

We live in stressful times. What an understatement! The truth is that every moment in history has had it’s challenges and the future will likely always have many periods of time that are considered challenging. It’s just part of being alive and existence in this world. So what can we do about it? How are we supposed to live and even thrive in these conditions?

Figure out the good kinds of stress and wrong kind. Exercising and recovering correctly causes muscle growth. This is easiest way to understand concept of anti-fragile. Anything that adapts and becomes better as a result of pressure, instead of breaking down. Your mind is another example of antifragility.

Determine what’s in your control and what’s not in your control. Stop worrying about things outside of your immediate control. Focus on what you can control and live accordingly. Make the most changes and adjustments in this area of your life.

Use these moments of stress to become stronger and more resilient. Figure out what’s needed at this moment in time and the near future so you can prepare for what happens next. Get ahead of the situation as much as possible and train regularly.

It’s not only possible to get ahead in tough times, its absolutely necessary for our survival. There is no neutral position in life. We are either improving or falling behind. No one escapes challenging life situations and still claims to have a fulfilling life. The key is to frame your experiences correctly and let them fuel your growth into a better human being. That’s how you grow to become the person you were meant to be.

Who Do YOU Think You Are?!

July 27, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Shazad

“There are times when all the world's asleep
The questions run too deep
For such a simple man
Won't you please, please tell me what we've learned?
I know it sounds absurd
Please tell me who I am”

The Logical Song by Supertramp

When someone asked you what you want you wanted to be as a child, what was your answer? How did that change when you became a teenager and then a young adult in college or university? Did you change your answer again when you got married and had a family? Who do you think you are today?

What we think and believe about ourselves matters so much. it shapes our daily choices and transforms our lives through a collection of activities we do or do not engage in. Stopping to think about what we wanted in the past as children and now as adults are helpful to figure out the present and future life we want for ourselves.

Start today and figure yourself out by asking yourself these questions and writing down the answers:

What did I want to be when I grew up and what were my reasons?
Who did I look up to then and who do I respect/admire today?
How did I describe myself in high school and what would I say about my identity today?
Am I the kind of person I thought I should be when I was younger? Describe how you do or do not meet your childhood expectations.
How do I think I need to change to align with the person I believe I should be in the future?

So, what do you think about your answers to the brief identity questions above? I hope you are starting to figure out what makes you the person you are as well as the kind of person you want to be next. Make it Awesome!

What Type Of Person Are You?

July 20, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Ahsan

Who do you turn to when you want to share your feelings or ask for advice?

Do they have certain qualities that you deem essential?

I came across this story that I think you will like.

It illustrates that there are four types of people you will encounter in life.

You may like this story because it will guide you to the qualities of being wiser, more trustworthy and even bolder.

A Gift Fit For A Prince

A sage presented a prince with a set of three small dolls. The prince was confused.

"Am I a girl that you give me dolls?" he asked.

"This is a gift for a future king," the sage said. "You’ll see in a minute why I’m giving these to you.”

“Fair enough,” the prince said. “Go on.”

The sage continued, "Look carefully at these dolls. You'll see a hole in the ear of each one."

The sage handed him a piece of string. "Pass it through each doll,” he said.

Intrigued, the prince picked up the first doll and put the string into the ear. But, unfortunately, it came out through the other ear.

"This is one type of person," said the sage. “Whatever you tell him goes through one ear and out the other. He doesn't retain anything."

The prince put the string into the ear of the second doll. It emerged from its mouth.

"This is the second type of person," said the sage. “Whatever you tell him, he tells everybody else."

The prince picked up the third doll. The string did not emerge anywhere from this doll.

"This is the third type of person," the sage said. “Whatever you tell him stays inside and is never uttered to anyone else.”

"All right," said the prince. "So what are you trying to tell me? What is the best type of person?"

The sage said nothing and handed him a fourth doll.

When the prince put the string into the fourth doll, it came through the other ear.

"Do it again,” said the sage.

The prince did as he was told. This time the string emerged through its mouth. When he put the string in the third time, it did not emerge at all.

"This is the best type of person," said the sage. "To be trustworthy, a man must know when not to listen, when to remain silent and when to speak out.”

As you can see, there is a time to ignore the whispers that reach your ears, a time to keep a secret, and a time to defend what is right.

The road of life we travel on may call us to be any one of these "dolls," and being the best means that you are balanced.

So be the best you can be and share this story with others so they can be enriched like the prince.

How To Protect Your Inner World From Being Attacked

July 13, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Ahsan

In 1952, an American named Howard Manischewitz invented a device called Blab-Off.

It was a solution to an annoying issue that millions of people had to deal with, and that was sitting through TV commercials that back in those days were louder than the TV shows themselves and irritatingly aggressive.

The people who bought the device loved it and probably enjoyed greater peace of mind during the three-minute commercial breaks while the "sponsors" blasted their messages of buy this; do this; you need this; hurry before the sale is over or other slogans/propaganda.

Not much has changed if you think about it. We are still bombarded with messages from every direction with social media or 24/7 news. The problem is not just that the messages are annoying, but many of them disturb your peace of mind.

Life is too short and full of beauty for you to be led off by slogans and propaganda that take your inner world of peace towards one of turmoil or agitation.

The countermeasure is to invent your own Blab-Off so that you limit what enters your mind and what affects your soul.

Get aware of all the things that are being said around you and how they make you feel.

You have that much right over your own being, don't you?

If the news content or the trending chirping debates feel distressing, zap them with your Blab-Off!

The outer world affects your inner world, so protect it with all your intelligence and might. Be the King or Queen of your inner world and live your life awesomely!

Why Good Decisions Impact Your Life Disproportionately

July 6, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Ahsan

As Robert Frost famously wrote in his poem, “The Road Not Taken”:

“I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

We are all one decision away from becoming a hero in our life. That said, we are also one decision away also

from becoming a zero or having a loss.

A good decision can help you avoid problems and take advantage of opportunities.

A wrong decision can ruin your future and destroy your chances of doing well in life.

As a general rule, try to make good decisions and avoid bad ones.

Sounds simple, but why do so many educated and well-meaning people screw up life?

Can you think of someone you know that ruined their life over a wrong turn in the road?

Remember, we should only care about our decisions if we care about having a good life.

So to make good decisions, you might like to do the following three things:

Avoid the bag of snakes: Identify the knowledge sources that help you make your decisions. For example, you might be deciding to make a career change or buy a big-ticket item. If you choose to research something online or in-person, ask yourself who is giving you advice? Is it coming from the smartest person in the room? The most honest person in the room or the most cunning?

Surely you want to put your hand into a satchel and pull out rubies and diamonds, not a handful of snakes.

Perform the marshmallow test on yourself again: If a four-year-old can show discipline to not eat a marshmallow for a 5 minutes, so they can get three marshmallows as a reward (and grow up to be a winner), can't you do that too now that you are all grown up?

Can you withhold instant gratification and pause for thought and contemplation? The pause can help you come to a rational decision that is less instinct-driven and more emotionally balanced. Be a decision-maker that can move quickly after some due consideration.

Don’t fly a kite in a hurricane: Do you feel your mental state is right to make a good decision?

If you are under stress, you expose yourself to poor thinking, and your decisions will be low quality. If you are angry or upset, ditto. Instead, get calm and sleep on it.

After calming down and letting the storm pass, you might like to make a pro vs. cons list or even listen to your gut feeling to arrive at a more measured decision.

Ultimately, there is no guaranteed way to guarantee your decisions will be right but to be aware that decisions disproportionately affect how life goes is essential.

Can you think of other ideas that have helped you make good decisions? Please share some things that have helped you so that we might share them forward soon.

We Were Made for These Times!

June 29, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Shazad

We live in the greatest moment in history. There is no better time to be alive yet, life is going to be hard. It may be hard for some of you reading this. I’m here to tell you that you can make it through these challenges. You can even come out ahead as a stronger and wiser person! Everything you have been through and everything that you have learned so far is preparing you for this moment in time. It’s just a matter of you showing up, acting wisely and consistently on what you know is right, and then repeating it. Everything that tried to take you down and stop you in the past has failed. You made it to this moment in time and you have the choice to keep going.

Don’t lose hope and realize that you are a survivor as witnessed by the fact that you are still here. You can keep learning, growing, caring, and moving forward. Learn to ‘surf’ the wave of the latest news and events and remind yourself how Awesome it is to be alive at this very moment in time! Go out there and do your best with whatever resources you have and find like-minded people doing the same. Help each other and remember, “You Got This!”.

Two Important Things To Do When You Wake Up

June 22, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Ahsan

Last year in May, I took a shower and discovered a new shampoo on the shelf next to my soap. I took the chance that it might be good to try it because the bottle had excellent bright colour and my hair had been frizzy lately. The rest of the day went great. My hair was shining and mostly because I did what the bottle said. I first washed my hair, rinsed it, and then retook a small dab of shampoo and repeated.

For some reason, that day went exceptionally well. I felt fulfilled, content, and happy, and everything I touched turned to gold. Who knew that shampoo could affect your life so positively.

Not every day goes so well. But it can if you know a thing or two.

If you feel like your day will be pretty much like yesterday, you may be missing out on a cool trick that can make all the difference.

If every day is the same as the last, boredom can set in, and the zeal for life can wear off.

So here is a great idea to get your day going in the right direction.

First, give thanks (gratitude) and secondly, make plans for the day (set intentions).

No one is guaranteed to wake up or be here next week. So at the very least, you can give thanks for having one more day to be here, love people, and do things.

Gratitude will put your heart and mind into a great feeling. Your state of mind is fundamental to living a great day. So as you wake up before leaving your bed, get your mind right and give thanks.

When you finish spending at least 2 minutes giving thanks for the long list of things you know you should not take for granted, then set some plans.

Planning your day can go two ways. It can be regimented, and it can go by trusting your intuition.

May I suggest that you do a bit of both? Set the intention to do things that fall into the must-do category: exercise, call your clients, and complete your to-do list.

Then think of what is intuitively the right thing to do today: calling a friend, visiting your mom, cooking a meal for the family, reading a book you have on your shelf.

If you do these two things every morning, you will go to sleep every evening feeling fulfilled. Rinse and repeat.

How To Achieve What You Want In Life

June 14, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Ahsan

There are generally a few things that every person wants out of life. They boil down to a profitable career/business, someone to love, a few material comforts, and a bit of joy here and there.

Unfortunately, not everyone gets these things for one reason or the other.

My suspicion is that they are missing a simple solution to the path of achieving what you want in life.

The solution does not require being born into privilege, high education, or exceptional "outlier" abilities. Instead, it is all to do with tapping into your mind, thinking, and will to succeed.

Once they discover it for themselves and test it, they might never again feel that only other people get success, and never again will they see themselves as someone who doesn't have what it takes.

My personal experience and belief are that if what you want is realistic and has been done by others before you, then you have a good shot at getting "that thing" too!

Here is that simple solution, or as I call it: The Best Ever Way To Get The Things You Want Methodology (or BEST EVER WAY for short.)

All you need to do is the following:

Believe in yourself
Push yourself
Have a plan

A person will only go as far in life as they see themselves in their mind's eye. Therefore, you must believe in yourself. Call it having confidence, chutzpah or major mojo. Regardless, you need to believe in yourself and your ability to do what you desire.

And because nothing great ever comes easy in life, you will need to push yourself. Especially if you have a tinge of fear or a tendency to give up quickly when the tough gets going. The genius-level accomplishments you see in others are really about them sticking to something after most people quit.

Lastly and certainly not least, before you set out to your destination, map out a route. In other words, identify someone who has done what you want to do and follow their path. This is a simple R&D approach⎯rob and duplicate!

Now it’s time to test this out.

Pull out your grand list of Be, Do, Have things in life, and please choose one thing to work on for the next 21 days. Then, simply apply the Best Ever Way Methodology, and feel free to drop us a note if you like.

How to Know You Are In A Good Relationship

June 8, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Shazad

“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

Jim Rohn

Does the person you are married to make you want to be a better human being? Does your best friend challenge you to improve your overall health and well-being? Does the person you spend a lot of time with at work or school have a positive outlook on life? How about your neighbours and the way they take care of their property such as their lawn? All of these are signs or clues about the people around you and the way they will affect your life.

Take a close look at at least the 5 people you spend the most time with each day. You can expand this to the top 10 people you are always around and do the same exercise. They can be a mix of real people you interact with as well as content by writers or celebrities that you consume daily in terms of a tv program, a podcast or video. Ask yourself critical questions about how these people make you think, feel, and behave on a daily basis. There is a 100% chance that they are affecting your mood, your beliefs about the present and future, and also influencing what you will eat, wear, and read. If you are not improving and experiencing a better quality of life today, perhaps you need to improve your relationships with the people around you. That could mean cutting out some people and replacing some of them with the kinds of people that do align with the person you want to become. You’ll be glad you did.

How To Be Unforgettable And Well-liked

June 1, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Ahsan

“What makes things memorable is that they are meaningful, significant, colorful.”

Joshua Foer

We all need food, shelter, and clothing to live and survive when it comes to our basic needs. However, there is another crucial thing that we also need to live a whole and healthy life: real connections with other humans.

I am talking about the physical, emotional, and loving connections we get from our parents as children from the time we are born and from the various people we care about and who care about us till the time we leave this world.

Interesting studies show that we do not thrive physically or emotionally without this dimension of connection to others.

So having established this point of needing good connections with others, how can you add to your circle of love so that the relationships are unforgettable and cause others to really, really like you?

Here are a few ideas that should be considered:

Notice kindness and repay it. When others do nice things for you, please don't take it for granted and don't delay in doing something nice back. Ungrateful people will not get the advantages that grateful people enjoy—genuine relationships with others feed the soul. And make a life that is more enjoyable in every sense.

Also very important is to think more about others and not yourself. Stay out of your “me and my world” focus. Instead, try to see what is happening to others in their world. Especially the people you live with, co-workers, and your closest friends. Over the last two years, many of us have lost contact with many people that we would otherwise not have. So be in touch, and make up for the lost time by reminding yourself to offer kind and supportive words or even lend an ear or smile.

Consider this too: Your reputation is your brand. Your lasting legacy and immediate “unforgettableness” is based on who you are. So, just like Nike and Coca-Cola, you too have a brand.

Are you becoming the best you can be? Are you refreshing to others around you?

Here are a few pointers on building your brand. First, remember your manners: say please and thank you. Do what you say you will. As Vito Corleone said, never forget a favour. Complement people you meet. As Dale Carnegie suggested, ask folks about what they like and get them to talk about it. Most importantly, always be honest, speak the truth and be diplomatic, not prickly or too blunt. Be kind, be helpful and remember to add value to people's lives.

As much as others need us, we need them. But unfortunately, life is not a walk in the park. We all have "stuff" we deal with daily, and some of it is "unpleasant." But, when you do some of the things mentioned, you become unforgettable and well-liked because people always need a ray of sunshine in their day to overcome the occasional clouds.

You could sum it up as being more aware of others, getting out of your head, and being someone of service that consistently demonstrates moral integrity.

All the basic principles that our parents tried to teach us so we can have an Awesome Life!

How To Win At Life: The Secret You May Have Missed

May 25, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Ahsan

When you wake up in the morning, do you feel like you can conquer the day regardless of what it brings or do you hope things go well and cross your fingers?

Perhaps like many of us, you are just happy if things stay status quo and nothing rocks the boat.

Aaah. If life could only be a smooth ride and not challenge our inner resolve to stay positive, productive and pragmatic.

But then, out of the blue, comes something that does rock the boat and makes us feel unsettled.

Times like this are when you might find solace in prayer or just remind yourself: "I never lose. Either I win or learn." according to Nelson Mandela. Alexander the Great rightly noted, “There is nothing impossible to him who will try."

The secret does lie in giving yourself a pep talk, but it might be beneficial for you to take the following suggestion to heart and apply it to your mind.

Here is the secret to winning at life, regardless of what or who is not going your way:

You need to take control of your mind or else resign to let your mind control you!

The late and great Mr. Steve Jobs said something to this effect.

If you take this message to heart, you should have several insights about how taking control of your mind is foundational to living each day with more wins and less stress about your stress.

So, controlling your mind will result in many advantages and insights. If you please, you could add at least 5 or more that come to you.

What your mind thinks about a situation or person is how you feel about it.
Realizing that you are aware of your thoughts can loosen the grip of your thinking.
Your feelings change when your thoughts about that situation or person change. New thought⎯new feeling!
Controlling your mind and thinking will bring you more ease and peace internally.
You won’t get tangled in your thoughts.
You will start to see your mind as an ally that sometimes gets distracted with its own process of jumping around like a monkey.
You will start to find your inner wisdom and trust it more.
You will become attuned to your intuition/wisdom and start rejecting negative thoughts and habitual negative patterns.
You will become more spiritual and trust in the Creator more.
You will be a source of healing to others.

No one says this is easy or will be an overnight process, but when change comes, it really does come with the evolution of one thought or one insight.

You and I must resolve to control our minds or resign to the fact that our minds will control us.

If you want to win at the game of life and want to be the best you can be to enjoy this gift of living, then control your mind.

I can’t agree more with Steve, how about you?

Five Essential Things To Teach Your Children

May 18, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Ahsan

In the eyes of a child, their parents are everything; they clothe them, feed them, give them a safe place to sleep, and teach them the things they need to know so they can navigate life.

In other words, what we teach our children is super important to how they will experience life and handle it. It's true; knowledge is power.

Teaching powerful knowledge to your children as they go through their formative periods should prepare them to be the best they can be.

And here is how “best they can be” is defined: a person who enjoys their life and can help others enjoy theirs.

Enjoying life is not about laughing every moment or denying emotions from difficult life experiences. Instead, enjoying life is about taking in the whole of life's ups and downs so that you gracefully flow with it like the water of a river flows into the sea.

Here are a few things that can be very important to know early in life so that you have a great life as a well-adjusted and happy human being:

Trust in the Lord: Someone put us on this planet. The planet works fine. The dead grass comes to life every spring. Every spring. The birds leave their nests hungry each morning and find sustenance. Your heart beats, and your pancreas secretes the right amount of insulin without you influencing these things.
In other words, the Creator provides for our sustenance according to intelligent design. Therefore, we need not worry too much about anything. All we need to do is have a bit of faith that some things are beyond our control and that we should try our best and leave the results and outcomes to reveal themselves.
How to think. Not just thinking logically or critically but also understanding how thinking dictates how you feel. If you look into where your feelings come from, most people will describe the source to be outside themselves and point to people or situations that influence how they feel in the moment. While this may seem obvious, the truth is that one’s thinking is the actual source. Thinking about what someone did or how a situation unfolds is the cause of your feelings about it. We feel our experience of life, and our thinking is the generator of our feelings. Feel good and enjoy your life. The opposite is also true.
You are feeling your thinking, and children need to know this.
That life is hard. We have to strive and work in life with no guarantees of success. Our best-laid plans can and do not always work out sometimes. So, you can either react negatively to this or, roll with it and adapt. Expect things to be challenging, so you are not surprised when things get tough or you experience hurdles. Let your child know that if you have any goal, you can expect difficulties along the way. The key is to use your physical and mental powers to carry on as best you can.
That you are here today but will be gone someday. We are on the planet for a limited time. If we understand this, we might look to each day and appreciate the little things, the big things and everything in between. Plus, we would insist on making every day as happy and beneficial as possible by enjoying it personally and with others. Life is too short to waste on useless things, people or situations. So, find your happiness in life and guard it with your life.
Discover your true self to find your purpose in life. Too many people live a life expected of them, not the one they would have chosen. I am not talking about choosing the right profession but rather knowing yourself, your likes, dislikes, habits, personality, what motivates you, and your philosophy of living that brings your mental peace and rejuvenation.

The essence of this message is that children look up to their parents for lessons and guidance, and what they learn early on impacts the quality and experience of life.

We learn from experience, but certain things we could learn from parents. What we learn at the right time in childhood could improve our lives.

Life is too precious and short to live without the feelings of contentment, achievement, purpose, and alignment of our values and happiness.

What are some other lessons a parent should teach their child so they live an Awesome Life?

What Can You Do To Be Healthier and Wealthier In 90 Days?

May 11, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Ahsan

“Success isn't always about greatness. It's about consistency. Consistent hard work leads to success. Greatness will come.”

Dwayne Johnson

Imagine yourself looking in the mirror 90 days from now and seeing a very different you.

You see a sparkle in your eyes, a glow on your skin, and a trimmer outline with visible tone and muscularity. Then, as you sit down and contemplate your career or business, you feel confident that you have cracked the code to make all the money you need and will ever need.

On top of it all, you feel great joy on routine days and over the top engagement with life, your family, and friends. You also feel energetic all day, up to an hour before you sleep. Then, when you lie down to knock out, you fall fast asleep within minutes and sleep solidly for the night and wake up feeling fresh, bright-eyed, and bushy-tailed!

People are starting to notice, and asking you if you won the lottery or something?

Deep inside, you feel that you have won the lottery.

Then you explain what is really going on, and guess what?

Only a few of them take your word for it and become inspired, but most say I could never do that.

So what is the lottery ticket that you have and can continue to pay you and others if they grab hold of one too?

It is the simple CAT formula for life success.

C stands for Consistency

A stands for Action

T stands for Thinking

Here is what you explain to your friends and family:

When it comes to consistency, we all know the 2 or 3 things we need to do to move the needle in the right direction for our health and wealth. The secret of all secrets is to write them down and start doing them regularly.

Consistently doing the 2 or 3 things you intuitively know you need to do will matter more than having fantastic willpower, resilience or determination.

Let's take walking every day as an intelligent health strategy.

Going for a 25-minute walk every day is more beneficial and realistic for busy people than going for a 175-minute walk once a week or a 350-minute walk once every two weeks.

Let's stay with the walk/exercise example. Walking is an excellent simple exercise that we can all do. It’s simple, doable and inexpensive. But to benefit from it, you need to do it. And that is what action is all about: the key to benefitting from good simple knowledge is to act on it.

Action is key!

But on certain days, your inner voice, your ego, and big bad wolf whisper that you should skip your walk. You get convinced that it’s too cold outside and it’s raining; you walked yesterday for an extra 25 minutes because you enjoyed it so much; plus you're tired and you need to reply to an email.

We can boil that down to letting your thinking powers backfire on you.

Five Star TIP:

[To overcome your negative thought mechanism: talk back to it with a question that will stir up your more profound inner wisdom, like "what is the best thing I can do right now for my health?"]

This talking back to the big bad wolf will “cause the pause” so you can override the negative thinking that we all are prone to.

In 90 days, if you really want to be healthier and wealthier than you are now, just remember CAT, and you will astonish yourself.

And when that 90 days are done, keep on keeping on.

Consistently act with higher thinking, and you will see your life get even more Awesome!

Prepare Your Garden

May 4, 2022 Shazad Ahmad

By Shazad

“If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”

Marcus Tullius Cicero

The warmer weather is finally here and that means it’s time to plant something in the garden. Time to throw some grass seed to fix any bare spots and top off the soil in the flower beds so they are ready to receive this year’s new annuals. Trim those rose bushes and get the fruit trees ready. Plan this year’s vegetable arrangement and decide who you will be sharing your abundance with.

Don’t like to actually work with dirt and care for plants? That’s too bad. You should work on the ‘garden’ of your mind. Plan what books you plan to buy and start reading over the spring and summer months. What new ‘seeds’ will you plant in your mind? What thoughts will you refine and prune to make sure you have the correct understanding of things? How will you cultivate better living and better outcomes in your life based on what you read and think? What are some of the ways you will spread some wisdom around to friends and family?

Whether you are a literal or metaphorical gardener, get started now and let good things grow!