Perspective...

When you are in a good mood, you can make anything happen. Ever notice, that when you are in a really good mood the world seems to toss more good your way? Maybe you feel that that rarely happens to you. How about this, when you are having a crappy day, the world seems to toss more crap your way? Does that seem to fit your life better? The thing is, our lives are all about perspective. If we perceive that everything that happens in our life is crappy, then guess what, that is all that we will see. And the opposite is true. If we perceive our life to be amazing, that is what we will see. Have you ever purchased, let's say a different car. Think about how many you saw on before you thought about buying that kind of car. How many did you start to see once you had decided on what kind of car you were going to buy? After you bought the car, how many do you start seeing? Perspective. It's not that, all of a sudden, more of those cars just appeared on the road. Most of them we probably already there, you just didn't notice them. But now that your perception changed and was tuned into that kind of car, you saw more. The same thing is true in life. When we change our perception about life and what we tune into, we begin to see more of that. So doesn't it make sense to tune into what we want more of in life? I always find it interesting, that the people who complain the most about the drama in their live are usually the one who talk the most about it, not only the drama in their own life but the drama in other people's lives. There perception and focus is on drama. We can dwell on the things that we see as struggles in life and go through life thinking that life is just one big struggle. Or we can shift our perception about life and choose to focus on all the good in our lives. When we change our perception to love, gratitude, and miracles we are able to see more of those things in our lives. We are able to change our stumbling blocks into stepping stones merely by changing our perception. Our test into a testimony and so forth. I would encourage you to, the next time life seems to have handed you what seems to be a crappy day, to change your perspective and start looking for the things that you want more of in your life. For what we focus on, is what we will receive more of in our life.

Dream Big...Pursue Big...Live Big

A Dirty Little Secret

For those of you that don't know, I went to Los Angeles last weekend for "The Kyle Cease Weekend Experience: A 3 Day Escape From Mediocrity." I went, knowing that this could be a life changing experience, but I didn't give it perimeters. I didn't want to put what I thought might happen into a box and look for only that. I wanted to keep an open mind and more importantly, my heart and soul open to infinite possibilities. I was completely blown away. I left that weekend with a new and better understanding of who I am and what I have to offer in this life. I'm not going to go into a lot of detail about all of the experiences that I had at this getaway but just so you know, you will be hearing more about this in the weeks to come. 

I wanted to take this opportunity to share my biggest epiphany from this event. It was nothing in-particular that was said and it actually came towards the end of day 2(Saturday). I realized that I had been keeping a dirty little secret. I am now going to share that secret with you. My secret is that I have been leading a double life. I have been living as a retail store manager to the public at large. All the while hiding my true passion and desire. Sure, some of you know that I have done some speaking and life coaching. But I have hidden that passion and desire from most of the public. Why? I'm not completely sure. It could be because I was afraid of what others might think. Maybe I was afraid of failure. Maybe it was because I felt more security in keeping it a secret and only sharing it with those who I knew wouldn't judge me if I never made it into a full-time business. Now don't get me wrong, I like what I do as a retail store manager and I've been told that I am really good at it. Maybe, I am afraid of just taking a leap without knowing where or how I will land.  Here is what I realized while on my weekend experience, it doesn't matter. This job is currently paying my bills and taking care of my family. However, make no mistake about it. My passion for speaking and coaching will come to it's fullest potential. I am now giving myself no other option. My new friend, Glenn Morshower, said it like this, "It's like you are at the lake fishing, you are just waiting on the bigger fish."Glenn said that he had to work as a waiter until his acting career really took off. He had bills to pay and a family to take care of. I have been through what I have been through in my life and there is no turning back. I can sit here all day because I know that that fish will eventually take the bait. I have taken my "dirty little secret" and I am now shouting it from the mountain top. I am making daily strides to help the process along. How or when it will happen I don't know and that isn't really any of my concern. I will leave that up to the universe and I will just keep myself out there and stop hiding my true nature. After all, why would I want to hide something that gives me such an intrinsic happiness from the world and save it for just a few. The world needs to hear my story and it will.

One last thing, as many of you know, I write this blog weekly. However, I will be posting some videos on AIAO Life Coaching facebook page that will be exclusive content for those of you who would like to see it. This content will be more intense than my usual blog, but it's time that I share other stuff with you.

Dream Big...Pursue Big...Live Big

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comment.
Facebook: AIAO Life Coaching
Twitter: @danclark72
Email: AIAOLifeCoaching@gmail.com

Wind Beneath My Wings

I am sure that many of you both new to this blog and those of you who have know me for years, might be wondering, "Why is it I do what I do?" I have had a pretty successful career in retail and retail management. I make a decent living for me and my family. We don't have all the best stuff in the world. We don't live in the nicest home. We don't drive the fanciest cars. So, what's with all the motivational facebook and twitter posts? Why do you write this blog? The reason is simple, I want to give back to others like people have given to me. In a world dominated by social media, what better way to do just that. I didn't have a horrible childhood. Sure, I have shared some of my struggles with you in the past, but all-in-all I think I had a pretty normal up-bringing. I've had and still do have obstacles to overcome. That it just a part of life. But at one of the hardest points in my life, I had a couple of friends take me under their wings. They showed me that, even in my struggles, I had more potential that I realized. They show me to the path of self-confidence and self-esteem. They poured their hearts and souls into me and became the wind beneath my wings. Hell, at times, I didn't even know that I had wings, let alone being able to fly. When I have needed a word of encouragement the most, random people seem to have appeared in my life. Maybe for a moment, maybe for years, but someone has always been there. That is why I do what I do. When you are having a bad day and you check your facebook or twitter, I want to encourage you. I want to be the wind beneath your wings. And those days that you can't even feel your wings, I want to remind you that you have wings and will fly again soon. When you feel like the world has turned it's back on you, I want you to know that I haven't. For those who have helped me along the way, words cannot express my deep gratification for all that you have done in my life. Whether it's in a twitter or facebook post, a blog post, or in a speech that I have given, I hope that I can inspire you to make a difference in your own life. That is why I do what I do and I do it because I love doing it. I will make a difference in this my world and hopefully yours.

Dream Big...Pursue Big...Live Big

facebook: Dan Clark
facebook page: AIAO Life Coaching
twitter: @danclark72
Email: AIAOLifeCoaching@gmail.com

Buying vs. Investing

I had the day off and decided that my car is long over due for a bath and a good waxing. So I got up this morning and went to the store to buy some wax. First of all, the selection have went way down since I last purchased car wax .Secondly, I wonder how many people do this any more by hand any more. One of the lessons that I learned from my Mom and Grandpa, was how to was a vehicle by hand. I remember spend hours on Saturday cleaning and waxing our cars when I was a kid. Sure it was hard work, but it was time well spent with my Mom and an investment into my life and the life of my vehicle. We have no problem doing house or car repairs, because it is protecting our investment. Just like we go to the doctor when something isn't right with our bodies. But why do we procrastinate going the extra mile in taking care of our investments? Many times it's the little things that we ignore that cost us the most in the end. We have to take care of our bodies, minds, and spirits. We cannot neglect these things, we do, bad things happen. Even though I don't agree the how disposable our society has become, things can be replaced, we only get one shot with our bodies, minds, and spirits. Why do we justify and rationalize why we can't read that book, go to that seminar, or get on a exercise routine? I believe that everything needs to be in moderation, but none it not moderation. I still love to have fun and enjoy a good party from time to time. I enjoy junk food. But I have to watch my intake because I know that these kinds of things are addictive to me. I splurged and had a Cherry Mash candy bar today and boy was it YUMMY. I still think that DQ needs to make it into a blizzard flavor. But back to the subject. Don't put off taking care of yourself. Stop just buying stuff and things that create temporary happiness and invest in creating lasting happiness in you. In just over a week from today, I am flying to Los Angeles to participate in a conference. Yes, we had the money for it. Sure we had to cut out some stuff to make it happen. But I understand that it is an investment into me. When I apply the things that I have learned at the conference, will be an investment into those that I love. You will never find the time to invest, you will have to make the time. You will never have the money, something else will come up. Investments require sacrifice. Make the sacrifice. You don't expect your investment into your 401k to make it possible to retire at 30. It's a long term investment. You should look at it the same way when you are investing in you. It's a long term investment and very well worth the wait. Now go out there and put some sweat equity into your life, like I did on my car today, and watch your life begin to change.

Dream Big...Pursue Big...Live Big.

Find me on facebook: AIAO Life Coaching
                  twitter: @danclark72

Consentual Slavery?

Consentual slavery, it seem like it would be impossible. You may not know it, but we are all consentual slaves. We are slaves to our thoughts and actions. In one way or another, our lives are controlled by either our thoughts, actions, or both. What we think is very powerful, however, the control of our thoughts end where our actions begin if they are not in alignment. Our actions can control our thoughts if we are not careful. We, all too often, walk a tightrope between thought and action. Stress, drama, anxiety, and depression are just some of the things that you will have to deal with when your thoughts and action are not in alignment. We will tell ourselves that we are frustrated with a situation in our lives and yet go out and repeat that exact same behavior that got us into our situation. That makes us a slave to our actions. We will go out and act upon a situation in our lives, and yet we tell ourselves that we aren't worthy of a different life. That makes us a slave to our thoughts. We cannot live lives, successfully, where our thoughts and actions are in constant conflict. To live a life with minimal stress, drama, and anxiety, our thoughts and actions must be in alignment. We deserve to live a life full of happiness and one where we confidently pursue our life's purpose. You will forever be depressed as long as you keep your thoughts and actions as polar opposites. I have been on all three sides of this battle. I have lived a life where from the outside looking in, everything was spectacular. I had a great family life, a good job, and friends, but the things that I was telling myself were anything buy positive. I was enslaving myself by my limiting thoughts. I had a low self-image and low self-esteem. I was miserable. I have also, lived my life where my thoughts we where they needed to be, but my actions were not taking me to the life I envisioned. I was cynical, manipulative, and only cared about how my actions would benefit me. Then there is how I live my life today. My thoughts and actions are in alignment. My self talk is about how I want to live my life and my actions back that up. I live a life with way less stress, drama, and anxiety. It's not a life free of these things, but I now control the amount of them in my life and how I will deal with them. Sure there are some things in my life that I want to change, but I am patient enough to give it time to happen and willing to put in the work to help make it happen. Are your thoughts and actions in alignment, or are you a consentual slave to them? I am still a consentual slave to my thoughts and actions, but I am not in a constant battle between them. I know that my thoughts and actions will take me where I want to go in life. 

Dream Big...Pursue Big...Live Big