How much do you think all your possessions are worth?
Do a quick calculation before you continue reading – even if it is just a guess off the top of your head.
This question was posed in the June 2011 issue of Psychologies Magazine, and (paraphrasing) it explains that new research* has found that when we feel loved and accepted by others, we are likely to decrease or underestimate the value of what we own because we derive a sense of protection and comfort from that love instead of needing it from our possessions.
I could rattle off a value based on my home contents insurance, but what struck me most was a comment about Read more of this article »
We were the last to leave the still darkened cinema of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 last night, after everyone else bailed out as soon as the credits started rolling. We’d been alone for a while before Cam asked why I always insisted on staying until the end of the credits.
My reply was that it was a ritual – almost a tradition – that I upheld, but it got me thinking about why it was so important.
I love a great movie or a gripping book for the immersive experience it gives me; that sense of having stood in the shadow of the characters and shared their journey. Getting so caught up in a story like the deep-sea diver who lives for a time as part of the underwater universe that he is visiting. Read more of this article »
Whether you are in the northern hemisphere (and enjoying the brightening days and the warmer temperatures) or whether you celebrate and remember the story of Easter, this time of year is synonymous with rebirth, renewal and fresh perspectives.
There is certainly something very energising and uplifting about sunny skies and spring bulbs and fresh air without the chill. And for me, this has been accompanied by a deep sense of gratitude – how thankful I am for each ray of sunshine, how beautiful each flower is and how free it feels to finally ditch the thermal underwear I’d been living in for nearly 5 full months!
And whether coincidentally or through divine guidance, I’m experiencing a rebirth of sorts – beginning a new chapter of my life, and giving birth to some dreams that I’ve wanted to nurture for a long while now. It feels like Spring poetry in action!
Alongside the gratitude comes a sense of the impossible becoming – not just possible – but Read more of this article »
As a subscriber of ActionPodcast updates you’ll be familiar with our often-cited strategy of taking small steps of everyday action towards your dreams and goals.
When we started ActionPodcast in 2008 we didn’t know what it would lead to, we didn’t know if it would resonate with you, we didn’t know how long it would last. So we just got started, took small steps, and watched as it unfolded.
But we knew with absolute certainty that we needed to share our messages.
And today we achieved a major milestone of our 100,000th podcast download, now listened to by people in over 25 countries.
Our experiences as coaches — in helping people find their passions, breakthrough fears and old habits, reconnect with their authentic purpose, create compelling goals and dreams for their future – has taught us many lessons about generating confidence, pride and conviction to keep moving forward. And it’s given universal insights into how to successfully navigate through Read more of this article »
If you’re going to spend money, a simple difference in your choice can make the difference between short-term or longer-term happiness. In this podcast Gina and Chris discuss ways to buy happiness and also achieve fulfillment through gratitude.
The turn of the year is an arbitrary but helpful moment in time to think about the next 365 days of your life. At ActionPodcast we certainly know that you can design and live the life you want, you can achieve more than you think you can, and have greater happiness than you did last year. But how will you make that happen? I know you’re wiser than hoping to win the national lottery, and of course, more money isn’t going to magically take care of all your problems.
If you are anything like me then the experience of going shopping in the lead up to Christmas can be a pretty stressful activity. Aside from the chaos and overwhelm of so many people jostling about, or trying to find the perfect presents without breaking the budget, or organising food for the festive season – there’s also the stress of family get-togethers, dealing with adverse weather conditions and the risk of over-indulgence in food or drink or both!
The month of November has seen me embark on a challenge of great passion, purpose and perspective – unlike anything I’ve ever committed myself to before.
It was always going to be a wild challenge, and early on it grew a tail as well as threatening teeth & claws! But it has taken all my resources as a coach and a life-long learner to stick with it. The challenge is to write 30,000 words in 30 days – which is quite a stretch from the only other piece of lengthy writing I’ve done (6,000 words over a few months). I started with one month of research, followed by one month of planning, and yet November has still felt under-prepared. Read more of this article »
One of the greatest gifts you can give yourself is to stop. Stop chasing deadlines, stop pushing harder, faster and just…just slo-o-o-o-o-o-o-w down…to a full stop. Spend a bit of quality time with yourself to take stock of what’s working and what’s not. Are you able to spend time on the things that really matter, that you really want to do (or at least a good portion of your time on these things)?
Research shows that people that are stressed and overwhelmed spend less than 25% of their time on things that are fulfilling to them. This can be at work and at home and at play. Are you being distracted from the important? Under demand from other people’s requests? Read more of this article »
What does abundance mean, and what difference could it make to our lives? Paul and Sam are joined by two guests – lovely ladies Annmarie and Nancy, facilitators of the 55 Concepts – as they discuss their personal experiences of what abundance means, and how to tell if we are living in a state of abundance or in a state of lack.
Join us to explore what you can do to start increasing your awareness of which state you are choosing, and what you can do to experience more abundance in your life. It is time to get curious, be present, and try a sprinkling of gratitude to see how different life can look!
* Apologies in advance for the abundance of traffic noise adding to the discussion a few minutes into this podcast! Read more of this article »
Last week Paul & Sam had to skip their usual podcasting date, as Sam’s wireless connection picked that night to go on strike! Instead of totally skipping it, the time was used for a phone call to discuss the exciting idea for a topic Sam had thought of, as well as to update each other on current challenges.
This week, technology was on best-behaviour. But neither Sam nor Paul could remember the topic they’d been planning to podcast about! What happens when you just can’t remember…?!
Paul: So Sam, do you have any ideas for a topic tonight?
Sam: Um, didn’t we have one last week that we discussed and got really excited about? Read more of this article »
Just before our most recent podcast, Paul and I spoke together about the power of simply being in the moment. Of literally smelling the roses, coffee and whatever else turns you on. Of just looking around at all the things in our lives that we were thankful for. It stopped me dead in my tracks. Even more so when I tried an exercise he’d done himself to reinforce and connect with gratitude. When he described it to me, I can honestly say I had a moment of epiphany. It seemed so simple, yet so incredibly powerful, so I’d like to share it with you now:
Just take a sheet of A4 paper, and write the word ‘thank you’ over and over again… until a name comes up. Then keep writing again, ‘thank you’ over and over. Until more names come up. Like me, you’ll probably be quite surprised at the names on the list. You may find other words arise, not just names. That’s perfectly okay. Whatever messages you receive from your subconscious are very powerful, so own them all.
Then take some time out to just reflect on all the great things you have in your life. It could be good health, family, your children, a great job, getting fired from a job you loathed, being in a great relationship, or finally leaving a toxic one. Whatever you have to be grateful for, I can guarantee if you take just 5 or 10 minutes each day to remind yourself of all these wonderful people and situations, you’ll feel far more at peace with yourself – and the world around you.
Sometimes kids say things that make us laugh because it’s an unexpected phrase from someone so young. Sometimes they say things that show wisdom beyond their years that cause us to stop in our tracks and really think about how we ‘older kids’ behave, view the world and what we believe.
I received a tweet this week which quoted a young girl. This young girl is battling cancer and going through chemotherapy. She told her parents “”Everything will be OK in the end; If it’s not OK, it is not the end”. She also says her mum Read more of this article »
MOST OF US know that happiness really does come from within – not without. Our acquisitive culture has made us only too aware of the transient nature of short-term, external fixes. Like a Chinese meal, we’re all too often left hungry after feasting at the table of consumerism!
And certainly no one else can make us happy. What a massive and unrealistic responsibility to place upon another human being. Not to mention totally unrealistic.
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