Tag: mulligan brothers

Posted in Debt Free Me

Month End: December Snapshot

Posted on by jamesmachawk


2018 is ending, and I’m glad this year is over with. This year has been a Year of Restoration. There’s been restoration in my finances and even more importantly restoration in my marriage. Restoration isn’t an easy process. When you think about a car being restored, there’s a lot of sweat, hard work, and physical reconstruction that can happen. Our Jack Russell Terrier, Sasha, had surgery to have two tumors removed and now she’s cancer free! There were quite a few challenges especially toward the end of the year, which increased the level of stress in our lives, but in those moments our faith increased too. When you find yourself in stressful and difficult moments, make sure to surround yourself with people who genuinely want to lift you up even if it’s emotionally. Throughout the year, and at the start of the blog, I haven’t fully disclosed all my consumer/credit card debt. I didn’t give full disclosure because I didn’t want to share how large the number was, and at the same time I didn’t want to discourage anyone from taking the steps to become debt free. Going forward I will disclose all my credit card and lines of credit debt for the purpose of being honest. I do have $25,067.91 in student loan debt, but my path to becoming debt free involves becoming debt free of credit card and lines of credit debt. My student loan is on a set income driven repayment plan and will be paid off by 2034 at a fixed rate of 3.125%. 2019 will be a year of great joy and you’ll see the remaining debt I have left to pay as I step closer to being debt free.

To encourage you, I started this year at $43,824.60 in credit card, revolving line of credit, and term debt combined. As of now, I’ve paid it down by $19,624.60 to $24,200.00. I was able to reduce my debt by this much by selling what I didn’t need to pay down portions of debt, consolidating multiple cash accounts, and using portions of my tax refund and bonus toward debt. I also completely focused on reducing a balance. Since the first blog post you’ll notice I don’t share the interest rate on the debt. The reason is because I want you to explore the two different debt reduction methods: the debt avalanche method and the debt snowball method. Personally, both methods work, and I’ve focused on debt based on how it makes me feel. I’ll also add that in addition to how I feel, I discuss with my wife my reason for switching to pay one debt with a lower interest versus a debt with a higher interest rate. In those scenarios, it’s because the balance is low enough that I can eliminate the debt within a shorter time frame. The second reason I don’t share the interest rate is because your debt reduction strategy is YOUR debt reduction strategy. You personally own it, must be responsible for it and most importantly be committed to following it day after day and month after month. My debt reduced when I finally committed to reducing it.

Your journey is different than mine, but we can take one step at a time together.

If you want to learn more about how I’m increasing my income while reducing debt, or if you want to have someone to discuss your debt reduction strategy with, or if you need a financial check-up, contact me.

Also, learn more about how I use the self-lending principle through Mustard Seed in the mustard seed section.

This month’s video is When You Are About To Give Up WATCH THIS! – Motivational Video Speeches 2019 from the Mulligan Brothers YouTube channel.

“The LORD will send rain at the proper time from his rich treasury in the heavens and will bless all the work you do. You will lend to many nations, but you will never need to borrow from them.”
‭‭‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

Deuteronomy‬
‭28:12‬ NLT‬‬
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http://bible.com/116/deu.28.12.nlt‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬

I believe in your journey to….

A Debt Free Me

Posted in Pursuit of Excellence

June 2, 2018

Posted on by jamesmachawk

Items in italics are direct quotes from the articles below

http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/vatican-scathing-review-derivatives-credit-default-swaps-helped-cause-financial-crisis-2018-5-1024881738

The Vatican released a scathing 10,000-word review of the global financial system on Thursday, specifically calling out derivatives like credit default swaps, products credited with helping cause the global financial crisis a decade ago. Credit default swaps — or derivatives contracts designed to guarantee against bond defaults — made headlines in 2008 after they were blamed for exacerbating the financial crisis. Traders who felt invincible realized that the components of their alleged hedges were far riskier than previously thought, as they were propped up by rotten assets such as defaulting mortgages. “The market of CDS, in the wake of the economic crisis of 2007, was imposing enough to represent almost the equivalent of the GDP of the entire world,” the Holy See said, first reported by Bloomberg. “The spread of such a kind of contract without proper limits has encouraged the growth of a finance of chance, and of gambling on the failure of others, which is unacceptable from the ethical point of view.” Since these investments have been “securitized” multiple times it “transforms them into a ticking time bomb ready sooner or later to explode,” the Church said. “Economic activity cannot be sustained in the long run where freedom of initiative cannot thrive,” the document says. “It is also obvious today that the freedom enjoyed by the economic stakeholders, if it is understood as absolute in itself, and removed from its intrinsic reference to the true and the good, creates centers of power that incline towards forms of oligarchy and in the end undermine the very efficiency of the economic system.”
Personally, I find that the Church’s stance on wanting to close the gap between the rich and the poor and its financial knowledge refreshing. Money can be a form of bondage to a fulfilled life. The question is who will take the time to educate those who are willing to learn. Do you understand the difference between an asset and a liability? A financial education is not only important, but one core idea is the ability to not just want more and more money but manage the money you do have. It’s not about how much you make but how much you keep.

http://www.businessinsider.com/fasting-diet-ketosis-brain-body-effects-2017-12

Stars such as Beyoncé and Hugh Jackman have spoken publicly about following intermittent-fasting plans to get in shape. So how does intermittent fasting work? We spoke with one of the leading neuroscientists in this field, Mark Mattson of the National Institute on Aging Intramural Research Program, to learn more.

Following is a transcript of the video.

How long has it been since you last ate? People who fast intermittently often eat within an eight-hour block, leaving 16 hours of fasting in between. During that 16-hour stretch, their bodies undergo an important change that sets them apart from nonfasters.

Here’s how it works.

When you eat, you store some of that energy in the liver as glycogen. But after 10 to 12 hours of not eating, your glycogen reserves will be extremely low. As a result, you may feel more irritable than normal — or “hangry.”

The upside is, with little glycogen left, fat cells in your body release fats into your bloodstream. The fat cells head straight to your liver, where they’re converted to energy for your body and brain. So you are literally burning fat to survive

Blood samples show that people who fasted for 12 to 24 hours experienced a 60% increase in energy from fat, with the biggest change occurring after 18 hours. This is the benefit to intermittent fasting because it puts you in a state called “ketosis.” And it’s why researchers think intermittent fasting could be the key to a longer, healthier life.

I’m not a nutritionist nor a medical professional, so view and read this article with your own discretion, nor do I endorse the ideas in this video. Personally, I find intermittent fasting fascinating, and I’m curious to see if its results are legitimate and don’t have long term negative effects. I’m willing to test it personally. I believe in prayer and fasting, so I’m interested in seeing what effects can have on the body. But scientists have discovered that fasting increases ketone levels more. Ketogenic diets can increase ketones fourfold whereas fasting has been shown to increase ketones by up to twentyfold. As a result, fasting, compared to a ketogenic diet, may have a stronger, more beneficial effect on overall health. Fasting and ketosis have been keys to our survival from the beginning. They helped our ancient ancestors survive through bouts of starvation. And today they’re becoming recognized as ways to help keep future generations mentally and physically disease-free. Our bodies have limits and scientifically knowing how to test and push those limits is the key to human discovery. I think our bodies were originally born in a perfect state both physically mentally emotionally and spiritually. Sin caused a separation from this perfect state, and our current life is a pursuit to re-attain that original design. I think humanity can reach that original state. With the advent of technology, there are many different levels that are being developed. What will be your impact on legacy and eternity?

If you need a financial check-up or prayer be sure to contact me.

This week, I’ve included The Craziest Talk EVER | David Goggins – MOST Motivational Speech from the Mulligan Brothers YouTube channel.

“If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.”

Proverbs 28:26 MSG

Posted in Pursuit of Excellence

April 21, 2018

Posted on by jamesmachawk

Items in italics are direct quotes from the articles below

https://ideapod.com/alan-watts-taught-trick-meditation-us-get-wrong/

Have you ever tried to meditate? If so, you’ve probably tried to focus on your breath, or repeat a mantra. This is how I was taught to meditate, and it lead me down the completely wrong path. Instead, I learned a simple “trick” from Alan Watts. He helped to demystify the experience and now it’s so much easier. From meditating in this new way, I discovered that focusing on my breath and repeating a mantra affected my ability to achieve true peace and enlightenment. I’ll first explain why this was the wrong way for me to meditate and then will share the trick I learned from Alan Watts. Why focusing on breath and repeating a mantra didn’t help me to meditate I should clarify that while this approach to meditation didn’t help me, you may have a different experience.

Once I learned this trick by Alan Watts, I was then able to experience my breath in ways that put me in a meditative state. Mantras also became more effective.

For the author, he explains what his problem was:

By focusing on the breath and repeating a mantra, meditation became a “doing” activity for me. It was a task that required focus.

Meditation is meant to happen spontaneously. It comes from remaining unoccupied with thoughts and from just experiencing the present moment.

The key point is to experience this moment without thinking about it. However, when I began meditating with the task in mind to focus on my breath or repeat a mantra, I had a focus. I was thinking about the experience

Watts explains that the easiest way to begin meditation is by listening. Don’t attempt to identify the sounds, and let the sounds hit your eardrums. As you listen, your mind will automatically identify the objects making the sounds, and that’s normal. After you’ve done this process, do the same with your breathing, and finally with your thoughts. Over time, the outside world and the inside world come together. Everything is simply happening and you’re just observing it. Two YouTube videos are included with this article. Meditation is good for allowing yourself to become more in tune with how you are truly feeling on the inside. Meditation, prayer and other spiritual practices are necessary to strengthen your spiritual self. Personally, I think a strong spirit will control your soul, mind, and body. We are spiritual beings with a temporary earthly body, so our focus should be on making the spirit stronger.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/101-simple-ways-to-spend-less-and-save-more-2018-04-13

No matter what you’re saving money for—whether it’s to build up an emergency fund, pay off debt faster or plan ahead for a big vacation or first home—trimming expenses will help you get there faster. The good news is even small efforts can add up to big savings over time. We’ve rounded up 101 simple ways you can get started today. There are many ways in this article to spend less and save more money. I’ve selected only five and be sure to check out these simple ways and apply them to your life. The 101 ways are separated into ten categories: simple hacks, home, shopping, food, bills and loans, work and career, health and fitness, travel, socializing and entertainment, and family, kids and pets.

Get cash back at the grocery store or pharmacy to avoid out-of-network ATMs, which cost an average of $4.52. (You can usually get up to $40 back free when using a debit card.)

Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth. This can save eight gallons a day, or 3,000 a year, cutting your water bill.

Instead of going all organic, buy just organic of the items on “the dirty dozen list“—fruits and veggies with the most pesticide exposure.

Take a class with your pals, using Groupon GRPN, -2.52%   or Living Social to score a deal.

Research dog and cat breeds before selecting a pet to learn which are susceptible to certain conditions (which may create big medical bills in the future) and whether or not they shed (which could lead to having to spend more time cleaning or replace furniture).

Each of the suggestions are a good way to help increase your net income. As your net income increases allocate a small portion for either debt reduction, or as disposable income. Plan your work and work your plan. Have a focus for your legacy and eternity.

If you need a financial check-up or prayer be sure to contact me.

This week, I’ve included SPARTAN MINDSET – Gym Motivation – Motivational Video from the Mulligan Brothers YouTube channel.

“If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.”

Proverbs 28:26 MSG


Posted in Pursuit of Excellence

March 24, 2018

Posted on by jamesmachawk

Items in italics are direct quotes from the articles below

https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/308941

One of the most famous basketball players of all time, Michael Jordan, is recognized for his achievements both on and off the court. As an athlete, Jordan — also known as “Air Jordan” thanks to his slam dunking capabilities — played on both the Chicago Bulls and the Washington Wizards where he was recognized with a number of awards and titles including an Olympic gold medal, six-time NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, 14 NBA All Star Game appearances and 1988 Defensive Player of the Year, to name a few. In 2016, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama. According to the NBA website, Jordan is “the greatest basketball player of all time.” From product endorsements to even a short stint in acting with his movie Space Jam, Jordan is the highest-paid athlete of all-time and the third richest African American today. Of course, Jordan’s career wasn’t always smooth sailing. With a brief basketball retirement and a short career in baseball, it took trial and error until Jordan realized his true calling was always basketball. There’s much more to learn from the decorated basketball all-star.

I’ve included two quotes:

“I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I’ve been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”

“I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.”

I think Jordan was one of the greatest of all time. He simply would will himself into any situation. He was one of the reasons that I played basketball. I remember watching his final championship game that he won against the Utah Jazz. Even sick with the flu he played that series, and the game winning shot was the highlight of his career. Don’t ever let failure stop you, because when you do then you’ve failed. Always remember to let the hope within you rise and give you the courage and strength to stand and fight again.

http://ideapod.com/buddhist-master-21-rules-blow-mind

Ever heard of Miyamoto Mushashi? If not, he was an expert Japanese swordsman, Buddhist and ronin. He became renowned through stories of incredible swordsmanship, wise sayings and a highly influential book called The Book of Five Rings, which detailed his philosophy on life and how to get the most out of it. His philosophical principles are largely influenced by Buddhist philosophy and he’s said to have mastered the art of detachment, letting go and discipline. In his book, he also revealed his 21 rules of life. Below I thought I’d share them because not only are they insightful, but it explains the Zen Buddhist way of life so brilliantly.

Here are four quotes:

Accept everything just the way it is.

Think lightly of yourself and deeply of the world.

Do not fear death.

You may abandon your own body, but you must preserve your honour.

Although I agree with Musashi’s quotes, I don’t hold onto his wisdom in all situations. I find that the Book of Proverbs is a good source of wisdom. Even then I seek the inner wisdom that has been given and is given to me. To your own self be true guided by truth and grace. Life is a constant battlefield and it’s made up of work, but we work to live life and not live to work. Have a plan for your future that will impact eternity and legacy.

If you need a financial check-up or prayer be sure to contact me.

This week, I’ve included MONK MENTALITY – Jay Shetty – One Of The Best Speeches EVER | MOST INSPIRING! from the Mulligan Brothers YouTube channel.

“If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.”

Proverbs 28:26 MSG

Posted in Pursuit of Excellence

November 18, 2017

Posted on by jamesmachawk

Items in italics are direct quotes from the articles below

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/richest-men-in-history-vladimir-putin-bill-gates-and-warren-buffett-arent-even-close-2017-08-09
Vladimir Putin’s wealth, even by the most generous of calculations, pales in comparison. In fact, throw in the vast riches of Microsoft MSFT, +0.18% co-founder Bill Gates, Warren Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway BRK.A, -0.21% fame and Amazon’s AMZN, +2.58% Jeff Bezos, and their combined fortune doesn’t even approach the riches of history’s wealthiest figures. Take Augustus Caesar, for example. The first Roman emperor tops the list, according to the Visual Capitalist blog. The adopted son of Julius Caesar controlled much of the world’s most powerful states — including Egypt — as part of his estimated $4.6 trillion net worth. Egypt made up at least 25% of global GDP at the time. Then there’s King Solomon, who was said to receive some $40 billion in gold each year as tribute. That helped bring his fortune to $2.2 trillion. Though it is hard to measure who the richest person in history was, because of the lack of completely accurate records. However, the article does provide a detailed chart. This calculation can change due to wealth being tied to land, and wealth could be exaggerated due to it being oral history. Nonetheless, wealth is concept that has been passed down for centuries. There are principles to building wealth that we can all apply to our daily lives. Remember to invest in assets that will produce income. Liabilities will always produce expenses. Make your money make money for you and repeat.

http://www.businessinsider.com/net-neutrality-portugal-how-american-internet-could-look-fcc-2017-11

On Tuesday, the US Federal Communications Commission announced that it planned to vote on an order to roll back Obama-era rules governing net neutrality. Simply put, net neutrality means that all data on the internet is treated equally. An internet service provider can’t prioritize certain companies or types of data, charge users more to access certain websites and apps, or charge businesses for preferential access. Advocates of net neutrality argue that it ensures a level playing field for everyone on the internet. Telecoms firms, however, are largely against it because of the additional restrictions it places on them. But with the Republican-majority FCC likely to vote on December 14 in favor of rolling back the order, what might the American internet look like without net neutrality? Just look at Portugal. The country’s wireless carrier Meo offers a package that’s very different from the US. On top of the standard data package, users pay an additional amount based on what type of apps and the kind of data they use. Net-neutrality advocates argue that this kind of model is dangerous because it risks creating a two-tier system that harms competition — people will just use the big-name apps included in the bundles they pay for, while upstart challengers will be left out in the cold. For example: If you love watching videos, and Netflix is included in the video bundle but Hulu isn’t, you’re likely to try to save money by using only Netflix, making it harder for its competitors. And without net neutrality, big-name apps could theoretically even pay telecoms firms for preferential access, offering them money — and smaller companies just couldn’t compete with that. (It’s not clear whether any of the companies named above have paid for preferential access.) An ISP could even refuse to grant access to an app at all unless they paid up.  Yonatan Zunger, a former Google employee, recently retweeted Khanna’s tweet, adding: “This isn’t even the worst part of ending net neutrality. The worst part happens when ISPs say ‘we don’t like this site’s politics,’ or ‘this site competes with us,’ and block or throttle it.” If you’re thinking about your legacy, consider it at least two to three generations deep. In other words, you’re thinking at least the next 100 years, will what you have be able to provide for that kind of future? If not, what are you teaching your children and children’s children, so they can thrive and not just survive the world to come. In my opinion, net-neutrality is important. If it is roll backed, how will this affect the cryptocurrency markets? With more and more buyers into the cryptocurrency market, will this rollback cause a price decline?

This week, I’ve included Secrets of Success – Motivational video from the Mulligan Brothers YouTube channel.

“If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.”

Proverbs 28:26 MSG

Posted in Pursuit of Excellence

September 2, 2017

Posted on by jamesmachawk

Items in italics are direct quotes from the articles below

https://www.inc.com/peter-kozodoy/the-1-mental-exercise-you-must-do-to-achieve-your-.html

There’s a funny truth in the business world: hard work does not equate to success. If you’ve believed in this supposed connection for any length of time, you may find it unbelievable that there is in fact no direct cause-and-effect relationship between those two things. So, if you can’t draw a straight line between working hard and achieving your goals, then what else is there? To help answer this conundrum, I turned to my consulting coach, J.V. Crum III — an author, keynote speaker, and serial entrepreneur who made his millions by the ripe old age of 25. Now, he shows other business coaches and consultants how to go from six to seven figures and beyond in their businesses, and teaches high net worth business founders how to move from making a tiny ripple to making a tidal wave of impact with both their passions and their profits. When I asked him about how to systematically set goals and rapidly achieve them, he told me the one reason why most people never come close to achieving their biggest goals. He pointed to his head, and said, “anything you achieve in life, you have to achieve it in here, first.” In his book, Conscious Millionaire: Grow Your Business by Making a Difference, he goes in-depth on what he calls “Conscious Millionaire Visualization,” which is a high-level form of goal visualization. It not only empowers you past the point of most visualization approaches, but it also gives you permission to live at your highest potential. Visualization is powerful technique in the sports realm, but Crum argues it’s essential to achieving your financial goals. It’s important to put yourself into the mental state of success vs. simply wanting to be in that state. Those that are successful already feel like they’ve achieved it. Your mindset, as I’ve personally learned, is everything. What I’ve also learned is that the power of visualization does not come through voodoo or magical energy (though I’m willing to be debated on either). Instead, I have found that visualization works, in part, because we tend to make different micro-decisions based on our state of mind. In other words, we make tiny, seemingly insignificant variations in our daily habits that, over time, add up to wildly divergent outcomes. The author suggests that you close your eyes and envision achieving everything you’ve ever wanted and more. Can you imagine what this moment would be like, and while in this state, can you see yourself taking these steps, and when you open your eyes make a conscious decision to stay in that state.  Our words have power. What you think and say to yourself can create a reality in your mind. Constantly push your limits whether its financially, physically or mentally. Be the greatest version of you there is to make a difference in the world around you.

 

http://www.businessinsider.com/how-stop-feeling-exhausted-work-every-day-2017-8

Brad Stulberg, coauthor of “Peak Performance: Elevate your Game, Avoid Burnout and Thrive with the New Science of Success” shares how you can stop feeling exhausted after work every day. Following is a transcript of the video. Sleep is just so important so I’d start there, that to me is the lowest-hanging fruit. If you’re not getting between seven to nine hours of sleep, I’d really make that a priority.  Second to sleep, I think that particularly if the work that you do involves your mind, not your body, exercise is a wonderful tool. It allows you to get in touch with a more physical sense of yourself, which I think, in it of itself, is very powerful but there is also lots of research that shows that exercise helps with a lot of the things that are driving people crazy about work. So things like anxiety, things like willpower, those can all be boosted by regular exercise. Another thing that is very interesting to me is this notion of “social ties” and what I call “social recovery”. So just hanging out with a group of people that you enjoy spending time with, not necessarily talking about work and things that are stressing you out, that defeats the purpose, but hanging out, having a good time has actually been shown to change our biochemistry and give us those same hormones that again promote growth and promote recovery. Honoring the principle of rest in any form will allow your body to not just heal but to perform at a high level. If you imagine your body like a rubber band, the more you stretch it, the more elastic it will become. New limits will be put in place, but remember to rest, and surround yourself with others who can strengthen you too. Don’t do life alone, because we’re better together.

If you are interested in creating a budget, then contact me for a financial checkup in the contact me section. Also, learn more about the self-lending principle in the mustard seed section.

This week, I’ve included THE HERO IN YOU – BEST Motivational video for Success 2017 from the Mulligan Brothers YouTube channel.

“If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.”

Proverbs 28:26 MSG

Posted in Pursuit of Excellence

July 12, 2017

Posted on by jamesmachawk

Items in italics are direct quotes from the articles below

https://www.inc.com/brenda-barbosa/these-6-questions-from-a-buddhist-monk-turned-millionaire-investor-will-help-you.html

Christine Comaford sees this problem time and time again. From U.S. presidents to billionaire CEOs to budding entrepreneurs, the problem that continually arises for leaders throughout all stages of growth and development is answering a deceptively simple question: What do I want? Answering this one crucial question is the first step to reaching any desired outcome. But for so many, the answer is elusive. In fact, most people are pretty good at rattling off in full detail all the things they don’t want, but when it comes to describing what they do want, the specifics are remarkably fuzzy. Getting clear on the exact outcomes you’d like to achieve, and knowing what you have to give up (or postpone) in order to reach those goals, is the key to success because there are no achievements that come without corresponding trade-offs. “Many people actually don’t know what they want, or they don’t know the cost of it,” Comaford says in this interview. “And if you don’t know the cost of it, you can’t create it.” At the age of 17, Comaford entered a Buddhist monastery where she stayed as a monk for seven years. Afterwards she had careers with Microsoft, Adobe, and Apple, and became an angel investor for such start-ups as Google, and even wrote two New York Times bestselling books. It was this unconventional set of lives that would lead her to become a high performance executive coach. She now has “a 360-degree ability to understand business not just as a set of strategies but also as a complex web of human interactions.” She seeks to help a person with the simple question of what do you want?, and if you struggle to answer this question she takes you through the Outcome Frame which is a series of six questions: what would you like?, what will having that outcome do for you?, how will you know when you have it?, where when and with whom do you want it?, what of value might you risk or lose?, and what are the next steps?. These six questions will help guide and shape your drive and give you strength. I suggest that you write these six questions and place them where they can be seen, and even take the time to review them at least monthly. The more you remind yourself the more you can re-align yourself. Personally, I look at my life through the lens of eternity and legacy. I use Church of the Highlands‘s Steps to help me understand my relationship and relationships in general. The four steps are: Know God, Find Freedom, Discover Purpose, and Make a Difference. I believe once you understand your purpose and live in it, you’ll have a sincere desire to make a difference in this life and not just in this world.

https://www.inc.com/marla-tabaka/forgetfulness-is-just-annoying-9-unusual-ways-to-improve-your-memory.html

Don’t you just love it when this happens? You go to another room in the house for some reason and there you are, but you can’t remember why. Or, you shake someone’s hand and forget their name before you even let go. Oh, and my favorite: running into the grocery store to pick up two or three items, only to head home without the most important ingredient–which was why you went to the store in the first place. That’s just annoying. The symptoms of poor short-term memory can be caused by preoccupation, distractions, lack of focus, and a weakened memory muscle. Sure, it gets worse as we age, but people who are overwhelmed struggle with forgetfulness at any age. Entrepreneurs certainly fit into this category. None of it is totally out of your control. Try these slightly off-beat ways to exercise your memory muscle and you could see an improvement in weeks. The nine unusual techniques are: chew gum while learning, move your eyes from side to side, clench your fists, use unusual fonts, doodle, laugh, practice good posture, eat a Mediterranean diet, and finally meditate. Laughter is a medicine that is good not just for your body but your soul as well. After watching a funny video for 20-minutes, cortisol levels were lowered for participants. Since this hormone is associated with stress, which is known to negatively impact the memory, a good dose of daily laughter will prove beneficial for your overall health. Finally, meditation is a simple practice that anyone can do. Even if you spend five minutes to slow your day and breathe deeply you cause your mind to focus in a new and different way. Regular meditation improves your ability to focus, and even pass tests. I can testify to this as it definitely affects my focus and short-term memory when I fall off my meditation track. This may be why: Studies at Harvard Medical School revealed that people who meditate have more control over alpha rhythm–a brain wave believed to filter out everyday distractions, allowing more important things to process. This is only one hypothesis. Meditation is known to significantly increase blood flow to the brain and multiply storage mechanisms, ensuring that your brain retains the ability to store new memories now, and as you age. Meditation over time becomes a practice as natural as breathing. There are also different types of meditation that you can explore. Just take a moment and be still.

If you are interested in creating a budget, then contact me for a financial checkup in the contact me section. Also, learn more about the self-lending principle in the mustard seed section.

This week, I’ve included BE THE HERO – Motivational Video [ JOE ROGAN] from the Mulligan Brothers YouTube channel.

“If you think you know it all, you’re a fool for sure; real survivors learn wisdom from others.”

Proverbs 28:26 MSG