How many times have you heard that?  As excerpted from a great article by Shane Kreider, you probably have heard that expression a lot.  And guess what, “From a financial viewpoint, it means our money has to last ten years longer, but we also have ten extra years to make it. It also means we have ten extra years to apply our entrepreneurial skills to make us happy.”

According to Shane, “The expression also has a scientific explanation. It’s a different way of looking at age - it’s not how long you’ve lived, it’s how long you’ve got left. As our expected life span gets longer, ‘middle age’ happens later; some say we are therefore in the same cycle of life at 40 that our parents were in at 30. And as our life span is supposed to continue to increase, middle age is coming later and later. Expected life span is different from country to country but in Germany, for example, scientists say that by 2050, middle age (for Germans) will begin around age 52.”

And there is also a great way to look at this and that is about the attitude you have.  Many of us refuse to buy into the idea of “getting older”.  I personally feel the same way now as I did at 30.  Maybe there are some bones cracking more often, but in my mind, I am 30.  I have another 50 years at least, to learn, grow, prosper and excel in all my life areas. 

So as Shane says, “If you get out of bed some mornings feeling old, remember this: scientifically speaking, you’re actually ten years younger. Then have a good day.”

Steps 5 - Be Optimistic

The remaining 13% is due to diet, heredity, and the environment. Studies conclusively link more chronic diseases (also know as lifestyle diseases) to an epidemic of toxic emotions in our culture.”

This is a quote from Dr Caroline Leaf’s book,’ Who Switched Off My Brain?” Frightening, isn’t it? She talks about how toxic emotions can negatively affect the cells around our heart, which can lead to all kinds of heart diseases.

Richard Wiseman, another author, talks about how 90% of our luck is attributable to our thoughts. Once again, this is a big deal! If we haven’t been paying attention to what goes on in our mental world, then maybe we should start now.

I guess the best way to see what is going on in our thought life is too look at our outside world. What has our thinking created for us? Are you happy with the picture? If not, start to think differently. It only takes a second to see what you are thinking about. Why not carve out 20 seconds 5 to 6 times a day to stop and check out those thoughts? One of our clients started to do that and her world changed dramatically. She got a new job, found a new boyfriend, and is experiencing much more success in her world.

Final thought – When Jack Canfield, author of “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” was asked what it takes to be successful, he said this – “Let’s face it. We ultimately make our own luck. That’s all it really is.”

Let’s focus on our thinking and our luck and let’s move our life to even greater “massive abundance!” (And check out our free stuff on www.massiveabundanceinc.com).

Paint Your Passionate Picture – Step 1

What do a black president and a white motivational coach have in common?   I was at the gym this morning and watching Mr. Obama give a speech on the economy when his teleprompter crashed to the floor.  He was very cool and calm and just continued on with his address.  And it dawned on me that Deborah and Barack are very similar in their PASSION for change.  Barack’s passion is to change this country for the better and that comes our in all he does.  And Deborah’s passion for changing the lives of people is so real and tangible; you can see it in her actions and conversations with our community members and clients.  She really really wants to see others succeed and follow the principles of the 7 steps to Massive Abundance.

Another of her passions is her celebrity impersonations.  Her portrayal of Martha Stewart is beyond compare.   Companies fly her all over to attend trade shows and company events.  She loves it, she embraces it and she puts her all into it.  It is one of her passions which comes shining through when she speaks of it.  Just like Mr. Obama and his passion for the U.S.

So FIND your passion, FEEL your passion and NEVER let that feeling die!

Step One:  Paint Your Passionate Picture

…CERTAINTY DOES!

So that’s what Daniel Gilbert said last week in Thursday’s Op-Ed section of the New York Times. Well, at first that was a mind blower for me, but when I thought more about it, it actually made a great deal of sense.Daniel backed up his article with a lot of good research. He started by reminding us of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s famous line, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself,” during the Great Depression. And then he went on to say how psychologists and economists have conducted extensive research to show that the very rich are generally no happier than 99% of us. That is, of course, if you are not in the breadlines and worrying where your next meal is coming from. That is something else.

He then gives a number of examples of how the issue of “uncertainty” is what really makes people fearful. It is the anxiety of “not knowing” what is happening next that throws people into fear and depression. Think about it.

Daniel shared an experiment done by researchers in the Netherlands who gave subjects a series of 20 shocks. One group knew that they were going to get 20 intense shocks. The other group was going to get 20 shocks as well, but 17 were going to be mild and the other 3 were going to be intense. They just didn’t know WHEN they were going to get those intense shocks. The result was that the second group sweated more and had much more anxiety than the first group who knew they were always getting those intense shocks. The reason was this – people feel worse when something bad might occur than then something bad will occur.

So is he saying that we feel better when we know the truth rather than wondering about what might happen? And the answer is yes. Rather than waiting, in anxious anticipation, we would rather get the news, cry for a while, and then get on with doing whatever needs to happen next.

So how does that apply to Massive Abundance? Once we know the demon – in this case, uncertainty, then we can look forward to the outcome of what it is that concerns you, and know that we will be able to make the best of it, some way, some how.

Face your fears squarely, know that the right answers will come, and that you will be able to handle whatever comes in your path. That is Massive Abundance!

STEP 5 – BE OPTIMISTIC

Do some of your fears scare the hell out of you? Are you freaked out by speaking in public, flying in airplanes or even work deadlines? As crazy as this sounds, fear is good for all of us. Fear is generated by the brain to motivate us. We WANT to be motivated by fear because this causes us to act. If we didn’t have fear, we would be running red lights with abandon.

The key is, how can we use and channel our fear to motivate us in all life areas? How do we use our crazy fears to push us, motivate us and get us to make our lives better? Yes, we want to push through our fears and stop letting them hold us back. I am personally fearful of enclosed places with a lot of people. But do I let this fear keep me from flying on airplanes? NO! I have used some techniques and breathing and other things to get my butt on that plane.

One technique we discuss a lot in our seminars is the use of Kaizen. Kaizen is the theory of a journey of 1,000 miles begins with the first step. It is taking baby steps toward a goal when you know there is a great fear holding you back. By taking small steps toward cutting out sugar from your diet or eating smaller portions, for example, it circumvents the fear factor in the brain to maybe reduce the sugar in your ice tea from 2 teaspoons to 1 and half teaspoons for a week. Reducing the sugar incrementally isn’t as fearful as cutting it out all together. If you can take these small steps in any area you want to change, then you’ll be more confident and more motivated to take bigger steps. And it is through these bigger steps that we all achieve breakthroughs! So you use you fear to motivate you to Massive Abundant things in your life!

Step 2; Activate Your Vision

…and it can change your life in dramatic ways!

No, it’s not those expletives you shout when things don’t turn out your way – when life spits out a situation that you hadn’t asked for. When your auto dealership gets closed, when that pink slip is yours, or when you don’t qualify for that home loan.

But it is a word that can turn all those bad words and thoughts into better ones. That word is HOPE. If your life is filled with uncertainty, allow for the possibility that things will get better.

How to get started? Maybe you start small. Pick an area where you can make progress right away and you can tackle the more difficult tasks later on.

Worried about your finances? OK. Make a list of all your expenses. Then, look at your income and see where you need to make changes. Think “Swiss cheese.” Poke enough holes; eventually you will get through the cheese.

This simple, little 4-letter word can turn your life from upside down to upside UP. It can pull you out of darkness and help you to stand in the light.

STEP 3 – MAKE ROOM FOR THE MAGIC

It’s real easy. Let me tell you how. First, you invite some friends over for dinner. Don’t go out. That’s not fashionable anymore. Then you make for them everything you love you eat – rib eye steak, mashed potatoes, corn, a small lettuce salad, and a totally decadent chocolate cake with coffee icing for dessert. And don’t forget the Hagen Dazs ice cream.

It’s really that simple. Of course, you have to bake the cake yourself so you can eat a cup of batter before it goes into the pan, and, the same with the icing. Maybe not so much so with the icing. It is sweet, and besides, we do have some limits.

And finally, have plenty of wine to serve. Drink wine before, during, and after dinner. Any kind is fine. It doesn’t matter as long as you enjoy it, you feel good, and that there is a lot around.

So when you get up the next day, like I just did – Voila – 5 fresh, new, happy pounds to join an already expanding waist.

But, wait! I forgot something. I forgot that I don’t live that way anymore. I’m not that person that I just described. I’m someone who lives with a “massively abundant” state of consciousness and that I CHOOSE to eat healthy foods, drink lots of water, get exercise, and feel great about myself.

What happened? I simply forgot. I let my lower self take over my higher self. It was easy. It was simple. The pleasure was immediate. I forgot that I need to stick with the VISION for my life. No. I don’t NEED to. I WANT TO. I want “Massive Abundance” in my life. It is who I am created to be. It is mine. I choose it!

Recommendation? Stay out of the kitchen!

STEP 1 – PAINT YOUR PASSIONATE PICTURE!

Did they get in yet? It is quite possible. Did you know that it only takes 1/64 of an inch for a termite to get in through a space?

Compare a termite to the feeling of “doubt” in your life. You have painted your passionate picture (Step 1). You’ve activated your vision (Step 2). And now the waiting begins. You are doing all the right things, but the results aren’t happening as quickly as you imagined. You are staying with your vision; you are walking the talk, and yet, nothing is happening. Those sales aren’t coming in. The buyers haven’t shown up. You are getting nervous.

Are you going to let that termite in? When you see how easy it is for those termites to get into your cupboards, is it that easy for fear and doubt to slip in as well? If you had any idea how damaging those negative emotions could be to your results, you would never allow that 1/64th emotion to enter your mind.

Massive Abundance is about simply going for it. You HAVE to. This is YOUR life. You HAVE to LIVE IT. Be courageous. Be bold. Take action and live your life to the fullest.

There is no need to ever have doubt. You may have to do some things differently. Things may end up taking longer. But if your dream is worthy to you, then it is worth waiting for.

So next time you feel yourself harboring those feelings of doubt, STOP. Think of the termite. And SMASH IT!

STEP 3 – MAKE ROOM FOR THE MAGIC

Ever wonder why you haven’t been getting the results you wanted from your real estate business? Are you blaming the economy and the credit crisis? Or how about the fact that so many homes are under water right now? Or what about all those new loans are too hard to get for buyers? And then, of course, are the unemployed. Let’s face it – times are really tough right now. So what is a real estate agent supposed to do in these turbulent times?

If your answer to any of these questions is a resounding, “yes”, then here’s a question for you …Why is Christopher Stafford, an award winning broker in the San Francisco Bay Area, having an outstanding year? Why does he and his partner, Terry Wright, have over 40 listings right now? And how are they closing deals like crazy? When I asked him about the current United States real estate market, here’s what he said:

“What real estate market?”

“Well, Chris, you have to admit that these are terrible times for real estate agents,” I countered. “After all, look at the economy. It is a mess!”

“Well, there is no such thing as a US real estate market. All areas are different. Look at San Francisco compared to Stockton. Or how about Miami compared to Indianapolis? Besides, it is always changing. So what’s the problem?

“But, Chris,” I countered, “agents are starving out there. What can they do? After all, it isn’t their fault that times are bad. You can’t blame them. After all, this is the worst of times since the Great Depression!”

“Look, if people don’t want to take responsibility for their actions that is their choice. My business is working just fine and, I hate to sound insensitive, but we can’t worry about what’s ‘out there’. We need to be creative and find ways to make this situation for us. After all, this business is not rocket science. Agents should see what other successful agents are doing and them they should emulate them.”

“Like you, Christopher”, I laughed.

“Of course,” he smiled.

So this is how this we put together this special report. It ties into STEP 4 – GET SUPPORT, from our book, Massive Abundance – How to Create Passion, Purpose & Prosperity in Your Life. When we looked at the 7 Simple Steps to achieving massive abundance, we felt that this Step was crucial in helping others achieve their real estate goals.

So Chris and I came up with 10 key actions that we felt would make a huge difference in assisting you to GET SUPPORT in your business. If you follow these ideas, then there really is no limit to what you can accomplish. Here they are:

1. Work with your manager;

2. Get a business partner;

3. Participate in mastermind groups;

4. Hire a coach;

5. Do daily affirmations;

6. Listen to inspirational messages;

7. Share your goals with people who care;

8. Make use of your “Sphere of Influence”;

9. Build relationships with others in the business, and

10. Hang around positive people.

So start today and rocket your business out of the atmosphere!

NOW. This moment. Ask yourself — what were you thinking? What was going on in that brain of yours? Were you thinking about how you were moving forward with massive abundance in your life and how you were excited about what you were doing? Or were you thinking other things?

Were you thinking about that S.O.B. who ticked you off yesterday and how you are going to show him for what he did? Or what about your spouse or partner? Was it about that fight you had last night? Are you still upset about it? Or how about your kid? Were you obsessing about what you can do to keep him doing his homework?

Studies have shown that our daydreaming thoughts are very often negative and unproductive. We don’t notice them because we are so unconscious about what goes on in our head. And yet, it is these very thoughts that directly impact our very lives. They either keep us stuck in some horse manure of negativity, or they keep us out of the “merde” and into higher levels of vibration.

Do yourself a favor. Put a rubber band on your wrist, and throughout the day, when you notice it, take the rubber band and snap it against your wrist. At that very moment, stop thinking and see what was going on in your mind. If it is positive, then deliberately build on it. If it is a negative thought, take that thought, revise it to something more positive and see what begins to happen to your day.

Remember, Massive Abundance is all about living every moment with empowerment, personal responsibility, and joy. Change your thinking, change your life!

STEP 5 – BE OPTIMISTIC!