Mike Acker's Blog

Lesson's from my Son's Soccer

Each week I get to watch my son practice or play soccer. We regularly go out to the field and pass the ball around while talking and trying out moves. We watch MLS and read novels where Leo joins the Academy.

 

I played soccer so I want to pass my love onto my son. But I have noticed something annoying.

 

If Coach Nate tells my son something, he hears it differently than when I tell him the same thing.

 

Can you relate?

 

You tell kids something and they nod. But… a COACH says something, and it is novel, eye-opening, extraordinary, and soooo helpful. Now I understand what my parents felt like!

 

It’s the nature of coaching. A good coach brings perspective. A coach helps you see what you don’t even if someone close to you has already told you that same thing. A coach helps you see what you need to see, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

 

Then the coach works with you to improve and get better. These steps towards becoming a better version of yourself then turn into confidence as your performance soars and you see the change in your speaking, leadership, productivity, and personal growth.

 

Coaching works. It works for my son. It works on me. It works for you. So, who is your coach?

 

As Summer has started, make this the summer of confidence, and get started with a coach who can help you get where you want to go!

 

Sign up for a discovery call with me to see if I’m the coach you need: https://advance.as.me/confidence.

What's Your Definition of Success?

What does success really mean to you? It’s important to clarify your thoughts, goals and desires before you can achieve success! You can’t work towards something passionately when you aren’t sure what the end result will be.

Success means many different things to different people. Unfortunately, the tendency is to view monetary gain as success. However, financial wealth is only a small part of overall success.

Different Areas of Success

Because there are different areas of success, you can be successful in one area and unsuccessful in others. In order to develop a plan for your success, you need to make your own list of areas that are relevant to you.

To achieve overall success in life, you’ll need to examine your priorities in each area.

For many of us, there are 3 main components of success. In your personal plan for success, there may be even more. Be sure to include any areas that are important to you.

Here are the 3 main areas, along with some tips and techniques to help you evaluate your priorities and formulate your success plan:

1. Career. To evaluate your career, contemplate these questions:

Do you desire a higher status position?

What amount of income would make you happy?

Would you simply like to feel appreciated by your boss?

Any number of things can be used to measure your success when it comes to your career.

In your career evaluation, be sure to determine what strengths and weaknesses you have that can help or hinder you from achieving your goal.

2. Emotional. These questions can guide you to important considerations for your emotional success:

Are you satisfied with your relationships?

What have you learned so far that could help you do better in the future?

If you have children, do you feel successful in how you’re raising them?

Is your marriage a happy one?

3. Health. Are you doing everything you can to improve your overall well-being? Maybe a change in diet and exercise is in order. Take a moment to evaluate whether you’ve achieved success in this area or if there’s room for improvement.

If your health can use a boost, make a plan to start implementing changes in your daily routine that lead to a healthier lifestyle.

The Journey to Success

Your journey to success will have highs and lows throughout your life. There will be mistakes and disappointments. You may experience a setback at some point. The beauty is that you can get back on track and move closer to your goals at any time.

You may achieve new levels of success at different times in your life and career. As you progress in your job, start a family, and get involved in giving back to your community, your definition of success may change, as do your priorities. Go with the flow; it’s okay for your outlook on life and your meaning of success to change over time.

Love what you do! Life is too short to be stuck doing something you despise. To achieve success in life, work with what you’ve got. Focus on your strengths and interests and do the things that bring those to the forefront of your life.

Challenges and obstacles are opportunities for improvement and further success. Everyone has setbacks at some point in their lives. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t be human. The successful individual has the confidence that he can and will do better!

Every so often, it’s very important to step back and re-evaluate your idea of success. There are so many changes in life and with each one you’ll find that your priorities change also. Never underestimate the power that comes from persistence and experience, just don’t forget to enjoy the journey!

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Thank you for reading our blog!

- Mike Acker

Check out my new book on Public Speaking: Speak with Confidence, published by WILEY.

A breakthrough to develop confidence in speaking, leadership, and life. A follow-up book to my best-selling book, Speak with No Fear

https://www.amazon.com/Speak-Confidence-Overcome-Self-Doubt-Communicate/dp/1394159749/

14 Things Successful Candidates Do the Night before a Job Interview

The night before a job interview is usually a bit stressful. You might be thinking about what would happen if you forget the responses you've been practicing or get lost on the way there. You might be wondering how you stack up against the other candidates or whether you have enough relevant experience.

At the same time, you want to show up confident and prepared so that you'll make a positive impression. To increase your chances of receiving a job offer, run down this checklist for what to do on interview eve.

Preparing for an Interview - Managing the Logistics:

Set your alarm. Showing up on time is a must. Even if you usually wake up naturally, take the extra precaution of programming your alarm.

Lay out your clothes. Make the most of your appearance. Select clothes that are flattering and professional. Try each item on to ensure it’s in good condition. Decide on your accessories too.

Organize your materials. Bring along anything you might need, from a good quality pen and notebook to a mini sewing kit and breath mints. Write out a list so you’ll know you’re ready for anything.

Minimize stress. Try to avoid distractions and conflicts. Postpone any sensitive discussions or unpleasant tasks for another time.

Work out. Deal with any remaining tension constructively. Go to the gym or take a run around the park.

Eat well. Give your mind and body the fuel they need to function well. Eat a balanced dinner early in the evening. Start assembling your breakfast so it will take just minutes in the morning. Mix up a smoothie or bake a casserole.

Check the directions. Confirm the address and any instructions the company gave you. Check on road construction and weather conditions that might cause delays. Look up your exact route online.

Budget extra time. Create a buffer so you’ll have time to spare. If you arrive too early, you can check your hair or walk around the block.

Get a good night's sleep. Enjoy relaxing activities that help lull you to sleep. Read or do needlework. Turn off the TV and computer at least 2 hours before bed.

Preparing for an Interview - Enhancing Your Performance:

Develop some small talk. One way to show that you’d be a pleasant colleague is to brush up on your conversation. Scan the news for interesting topics or find something unique about the local neighborhood that you can mention.

Update your research. You’ve probably read plenty of material about the company by the time you schedule an interview, but it helps to know any breaking news. Check their website and social media pages.

Outline your agenda. Create a rough draft of each item you want to cover. If the interview stalls, you’ll be able to help guide things along. If the meeting goes smoothly, you can refer to your notes at the end to ensure you have no remaining questions.

Rehearse your part. With relatively few hours left, focus on your top priorities. Review your answers to tough questions or polish one of your success stories.

Print out your resume. However many times you’ve submitted your resume, be sure to bring at least one hard copy along. Someone may ask for it or you can take notes on it.

You can use the night before your job interview to lay the groundwork for success. Take care of important details and put last minute touches on your performance. You'll feel more assured knowing that you've prepared yourself to be on top of your game.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for reading our blog!

- Mike Acker

Check out my new book on Public Speaking: Speak with Confidence, published by WILEY.

A breakthrough to develop confidence in speaking, leadership, and life. A follow-up book to my best-selling book, Speak with No Fear

https://www.amazon.com/Speak-Confidence-Overcome-Self-Doubt-Communicate/dp/1394159749/

Successful Meetings with Your Boss Made Easy

Maybe you're nervous about meeting with your boss or maybe you rarely see them face to face. Either way, having more frequent and effective communications would be beneficial for your career. Regular and productive meetings enable you to make a positive impression and gather information you need to do your job.

Learn how to use meetings with your boss to enhance your working relationship and your performance. Take a look at how to encourage more one-on-one time, and spend it wisely.

Preparing to Meet with Your Boss:

Identify your purpose. Show your boss that you value their time by keeping your meetings on track. Have a clear idea of what you need to accomplish, whether that is giving them a status update or presenting a project proposal.

Write an agenda. Put your agenda down on paper. Give it to your boss in advance so they can think about it too, and bring an extra copy with you so you'll both have it front of you for reference.

Dress up. Depending on your workplace, it might be appropriate to take extra care with your appearance. Wear something a little more formal than your typical wardrobe. You'll look more professional and feel more confident.

Develop solutions. Let your boss know that you're proactive. Before you raise an issue with them, line up several possible solutions, and be ready to discuss their advantages and disadvantages.

Practice small talk. It also helps to humanize your boss. Find out what they're interested in so you can chat about college basketball or basset hounds. Read about world news and industry events so you'll be well-informed.

Think positive. Express your enthusiasm. Think about the things you like about your job and your boss. Smile and be happy.

Do great work. Of course, it's easier to feel confident and impress your boss when you know you're exceeding their expectations. Cultivate a reputation for excellence.

Conducting Meetings with Your Boss:

Take notes. Writing down information demonstrates that you're listening. It also gives you something to refer to later in case you need to refresh your memory.

Focus on action items. Your boss will be more eager to meet with you if you help them to look good. Pay attention to their priorities and use each session to find practical ways you can make a contribution. Break things down into manageable tasks and realistic deadlines. Be sure to follow through.

Ask for what you need. Let your boss know how they can help you to become a more valuable employee. Clarify any confusing issues and ask for additional resources like training or new software.

Be accountable. If you've made a misstep, own up to it promptly. Explain what you're doing to correct the situation and prevent it from happening again.

Address special circumstances. Your boss will probably appreciate your keeping your meetings as brief as possible. On the other hand, there are times when you need to meet more often. That may include your first month working together or anytime you have a major or unusual project.

Demonstrate leadership. Go beyond your job description. Talk about the big picture at your company and conditions that affect your industry. You can learn a lot from what you boss has to say. Share your own insights.

Invite feedback. Be open to constructive criticism. Ask your boss what you're doing well and where you need to grow.

Express gratitude. Remember to thank your boss for their time. Tell them how your meetings help you to close more sales or provide superior customer service.

In a world of digital communications, sitting down with your boss is still essential for building rapport and developing professionally. Boost your performance and advance your career by mastering the art of management conversations.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for reading our blog!

- Mike Acker

Check out my new book on Public Speaking: Speak with Confidence, published by WILEY.

A breakthrough to develop confidence in speaking, leadership, and life. A follow-up book to my best-selling book, Speak with No Fear

https://www.amazon.com/Speak-Confidence-Overcome-Self-Doubt-Communicate/dp/1394159749/

Follow These Tips to Help Others Achieve Career Success

One of the most rewarding experiences for many people is helping someone else succeed. You can do this in many ways. Among the best is finding a way to help someone with his or her career. A fulfilling career can produce a lifetime of joy and, with some effort, you can help others experience that joy.

When you help others achieve career success, you give them a priceless gift. There are many ways for you to help others advance their career in a way that allows them to be everything they were created to be.

Careers Are More Than Just Jobs

When you have a job, it's often temporary. It might be something less than what you're qualified for, or something you're doing just so you can get by for the moment. When you have a career, it's often something you went to school for and something you plan on doing for the rest of your life. Getting help to get that career started can make all the difference.

There are plenty of things that you can do to help others get their careers off the ground. Besides hiring them or giving them financial support, there are other ways to contribute to someone's launching of a new career. Consider the following options:

Be a mentor for good work habits and perseverance

Teach others to develop their skill set

Encourage others to volunteer with organizations that are a good fit for them

Those who see the job they do every day as part of a bigger career picture often get farther in life. Instead of staying where they are, they always work to move forward with their lives. They might be interested in financial success, but they also want to do something with their lives that leaves their mark of contribution for the next generation.

Encouragement is Very Important to Success

There are certainly stories of people who were successful without positive, encouraging words from others. But most of the successful people in life got there because they were told they had value. People in their lives encouraged them and told them how much they were capable of. By internalizing that information, they started believing it and putting it to good use.

With that in mind, ensure you encourage the people in your life. If you want others to see success in their careers, it helps if you let them know you believe in them. Sometimes all a person really needs is to know that his life matters and that he can make a difference. Having people that believe in him and his ability to live a successful life is very important.

Keep encouraging people to move forward with their career goals. Some of them may be lofty, but there's nothing wrong with that. They need to know that they're capable of more than they're doing now. When people see that they can accomplish more, they rededicate themselves to their dreams and goals. You can be a part of their success story through your encouragement and support.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for reading our blog!

- Mike Acker

Check out my new book on Public Speaking: Speak with Confidence, published by WILEY.

A breakthrough to develop confidence in speaking, leadership, and life. A follow-up book to my best-selling book, Speak with No Fear

https://www.amazon.com/Speak-Confidence-Overcome-Self-Doubt-Communicate/dp/1394159749/

How to Find the Courage to Change Your Career

The career path you choose is one of the most important decisions you make in life. After all, most of your waking hours each year are spent at work!

If you struggle to find happiness in your current line of work, you may be experiencing a temporary lack of motivation that will quickly disappear. Or it may be a signal that it's time for a change.

A career choice is more than just paying the bills and putting food on the table. You deserve to spend your days doing work you enjoy and your career should align with your values and goals. You owe it to yourself to find within you the courage to change your career direction!

Take Your Time

A career change is an opportunity to think carefully about your values and determine what matters most to you. This takes time. Be patient and give yourself permission to take the time you need to determine what's most important to you in your career.

Ask Questions

Ask yourself some questions to explore your values and find out what's important to you. Why did you choose your career in the first place? What did you like about this line of work? Have those elements of your job disappeared through changes that have taken place, or have you simply forgotten what drew you to this line of work in the first place?

What do you wish you were doing instead? Is there a job within your current company that can better utilize your talents in a more interesting position? Seek advice from your employer on opportunities that exist within your company to learn new skills or transfer to a more interesting position.

Take Small Steps

Take baby steps towards the life you crave. While it may seem right to run away from your current career as fast as you can, a hurried approach may backfire. If you take the time to think through your decisions and make the best decision possible, you'll experience greater joy and fulfillment in the long run.

Chase your big dreams by breaking them down into small, manageable action steps. Seek the advice of others who are already successful in the line of work you're seeking to enter into. Structure your goals in a way that allows you to attain regular feedback on your progress, so you know when you're on track and when you're off course.

Respect Your Current Employer

When it's time to leave, do so gracefully. As you move closer and closer to the career change you seek, continue to perform your current job to the best of your ability. You may need your current employer as a reference, and an attitude of service will increase your self-confidence as you prepare for a dramatic change in your life.

Believe in Yourself

Trust your instincts and your ability to succeed. You can achieve any goal that you set out to accomplish. With proper planning and a hunger to succeed, you'll experience the career success you crave. Keep your dreams in front of you, believe you can achieve them, and begin today to take the first steps toward the career you are destined to enjoy.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for reading our blog!

- Mike Acker

Check out my new book on Public Speaking: Speak with Confidence, published by WILEY.

A breakthrough to develop confidence in speaking, leadership, and life. A follow-up book to my best-selling book, Speak with No Fear

https://www.amazon.com/Speak-Confidence-Overcome-Self-Doubt-Communicate/dp/1394159749/

What Does a Successful Person Look Like?

How you look matters. Reflect on your close friends and family members and who you think is ahead of the game of life. How does their appearance project success?

A relevant aspect of portraying success is image. Your image is compiled of your personal appearance and how you behave, plus your attitudes. If you want to project success to others, follow the tips below.

Your Physical Body

Take a thorough look at your physique. If you were to see someone whose physical body looked like yours, would you see them as successful? Survey these aspects:

Your skin/facial complexion. Is your skin clear or do you have acne or patches of dry, flaky skin?

Your teeth. Because your teeth are integral to your smile (not to mention good health), how do they look? Do you need dental care? Maybe you would benefit from using an over-the-counter whitening product at home.

Your hair. Maintain neat and clean hair. Regular, consistent haircuts and colorings (if you use them) contribute to looking your best.

Shape of your body. Looking at your own physique honestly and without judgment can be a real challenge. However, if you can do it with an honest, open heart and diplomacy, you’ll be able to tackle the areas that trouble you.

Overall upkeep of your body. Whether you’re a woman or a man, do you keep nails and cuticles looking healthy and taken care of? Do you apply lotion to banish skin dryness? Taking time for the final touches contributes to your confidence and a successful look.

What changes should you make, if any? If your skin is clear, your teeth are healthy and white, and you’re proud of your body and how well you maintain it, then you’re on your way to looking successful.

Your Behavior

Evaluating your own behavior isn’t easy. Take a closer look at how you act around others—your family members, friends, and co-workers.

Overall, how you conduct yourself is the key. Although the meaning of the words, “lady” and “gentleman” has morphed over the years, ponder about how people might view you. If you had to sum up your behavior in one word, what would that word be?

Do you verbally express yourself well? Do you speak with articulation and proper speech/grammar? Your verbal expression “tells the tale” of how successful you are.

Do you display good listening skills? A successful person is more focused on listening to what others have to say rather than doing all the talking. The ability to listen is important for those who strive to appear successful.

Make it a point to take care of business. If you use efficiency in your personal and professional lives, you’ll stand a better chance of looking successful.

Keep things around you neat and organized. When you can quickly retrieve what you’re looking for and live in a well-taken-care-of home and office, you get things done more quickly. Being neat and organized is often an important aspect of success.

When it comes to looking successful, your behavior matters. How you conduct yourself illustrates your true level of success.

Your Attitude

Finally, your approach to life—your attitude—is an integral part of appearing (and being) successful.

Do you think positively? A successful person is compelled to move forward in life. Thinking positively makes this possible.

Use tact and diplomacy. Make it a goal to use a business-like attitude when approaching others. You’ll accomplish far more this way.

Show care and concern toward others. The attitude you portray toward others will contribute to your own success. Treating others as equals and being concerned about them can even draw others to you.

Your attitude is important to appearing successful. Thinking positively, using tact and diplomacy and demonstrating care toward others are elements to possess when you’re striving to look successful.

If you want to be successful, you must look the part. If you take care with your body, consider your own behavior, and keep positive attitudes, you’re likely to not only look successful but you’ll also be successful as well.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for reading our blog!

- Mike Acker

Check out my new book on Public Speaking: Speak with Confidence, published by WILEY.

A breakthrough to develop confidence in speaking, leadership, and life. A follow-up book to my best-selling book, Speak with No Fear

https://www.amazon.com/Speak-Confidence-Overcome-Self-Doubt-Communicate/dp/1394159749/

6 Keys to Greater Self-Discipline

We all believe we could use at least a little more self-discipline. It can mean the difference between the success and failure of a diet. Self-discipline allows us to pick up that guitar and put in two hours of practice each day.

Those with great self-discipline can rely less on talent and luck. They create their own talent and luck. Developing self-discipline is like building a muscle. If you have very little today, you’re not going to have a lot next week. But that doesn’t mean you can’t develop a tremendous amount over time!

Apply these 6 keys for greater self-discipline:

1. Do tasks immediately. We all tend to put things off until we feel like doing them. That is exactly the opposite of self-discipline. The idea of self-discipline is doing what needs to be done, in spite of whether you feel like it or not.

2. Start small. If your level of self-control is low, it’s almost impossible to improve it dramatically overnight. Start with something small.

Perhaps you could start with brushing and flossing twice a day, every single day. Instead of starting an exercise routine of 90 minutes per day, start with 15 minutes.

3. Carry a task to completion. Most of us will stop an unpleasant task just before completion. We’ll wash all the dishes, except for that big, greasy frying pan. We mow the grass, but we’ll save the trimming for another day. We clean 90% of the garage, but that last 10 % gets put off until next weekend, and then the next, and so on.

As a point of personal honor, consider completing all tasks. Get in the habit of finishing what you start. When you start a task that you should be able to complete within a day, finish it. You’ll discover that attitude will carry over to a lot of other areas of your life.

4. Learn to work through negative feelings. Negative feelings are what really stop us. We think about doing something and get that nauseating feeling in the pit of our stomach. But these feelings don’t have to stop you from taking action. Just acknowledge the discomfort and act anyway. In time, it will go away.

5. Create artificial time pressure. Set a deadline for yourself and use it to your advantage. Along the same lines, a simple timer can be handy to keep you on track each day. Time pressure is very effective at helping many people to focus.

6. Use your breaks wisely. While it can vary from person to person, for most people, studies have shown that a 10-minute break every hour can improve productivity.

Get up and get a drink of water. Make a short phone call. Avoid getting distracted by something really enjoyable.

That video game can easily stretch into 30 minutes or more. Watching YouTube videos can lead to the same result. Your break should be a break, but it shouldn’t be entertainment. Avoid letting your breaks distract you from the work at hand.

Self-discipline is an infinitely valuable quality that you can use to great advantage. In most cases, you know what you need to do to be successful. The challenge lies in getting yourself to do what needs to be done. Work on increasing your self-discipline and enrich every aspect of your life.

________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for reading our blog!

- Mike Acker

Check out my new book on Public Speaking: Speak with Confidence, published by WILEY.

A breakthrough to develop confidence in speaking, leadership, and life. A follow-up book to my best-selling book, Speak with No Fear

https://www.amazon.com/Speak-Confidence-Overcome-Self-Doubt-Communicate/dp/1394159749/

Top 6 Actions That Help You Achieve Your Goals

If you’re tired of making resolutions and goals that you never accomplish, a new approach may help.

Conventional mindset goals can fall apart for several reasons. Once you’re aware of why this happens, you can prevent it or fix it so you can be on your way to achievement.

Try these techniques to achieve your goals:

1. Pick realistic goals. One of the most frequent issues is that you may pick goals that aren’t realistic.

Perhaps you want to travel around the globe, read hundreds of books, and lose an enormous amount of weight. However, many of these goals are simply not possible any time soon. You may not have the money for travel, you don’t have the time to read, and you can’t lose weight that quickly.

It’s important to make your goals tangible. For example, instead of trying to lose a hundred pounds, focus on losing five pounds at a time.

2. Break goals into a journey. It’s easy to set a goal, miss it, and get upset. Instead of doing this to yourself with each resolution, try a different way. View your goal as a long-term journey, where each leg of the journey leads up to where you’ll finally arrive.

Create a plan that will get you to that goal. Set milestones and rewards along the way.

3. Measure your progress. In some cases, you may be close to achieving your goal, but you give up too soon. By measuring your progress, you’ll be able to see what you’re doing more clearly.

You’ll be more motivated to stay on the journey and keep pushing toward your resolution.

Set up a system to track your progress. Try different tools, such as calendars, journals, or logs to keep track of your goals and see which system works best for you.

4. Ask for help. Sometimes you might fail simply because you don’t ask for help and try to do everything by yourself. Perhaps a little help will bring you success!

It’s normal to need help along your journey. You may need an entire support network behind you to achieve your goal. Turn to friends, family, coworkers, and others for support.

Asking for help can help you achieve your goals faster and make the entire process easier as you work toward your target.

5. Feel free to adjust goals. You don’t have to stick with an old goal. Sometimes goals need to be changed and modified. You may evolve as a person and realize that your earlier ambitions are no longer relevant.

Your present is constantly affecting your mindset and the way you perceive things. You accumulate knowledge, wisdom, and experience over time that affects your goals.

6. Stay aware of growth. You will continue to grow even if you don’t reach your goals.

In some cases, failure may be a blessing because it teaches you valuable life lessons you wouldn’t have realized before. Without failure, you may not change enough to grow.

Failure isn’t the end, and you can always set new goals.

It’s more important to grow and become stronger than to reach every goal on your list. Remember, your list will also change, so it won’t look the same as when you started.

Be proactive about your goals! Take effective actions that support you and your goals, and you’ll find that achievement comes much easier.

________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for reading our blog!

- Mike Acker

Check out my new book on Public Speaking: Speak with Confidence, published by WILEY.

A breakthrough to develop confidence in speaking, leadership, and life. A follow-up book to my best-selling book, Speak with No Fear

https://www.amazon.com/Speak-Confidence-Overcome-Self-Doubt-Communicate/dp/1394159749/

5 Easy Ways to Create Joy Today

Joy doesn’t have to be hard to manifest in your life. You can create it by making a conscious effort to have more happiness.

Joy is an important mindset. It’s not just about what happens to you. Your reactions to events, circumstances, people, and situations are part of it. Joy may feel impermanent or fickle, but you can attract it and make it more stable.

Create more joy in your life:

1. Make a change. Whether you’ve always wanted to learn how to play the piano or take a professional cooking class, you can make changes in your life that lead to joy.

Avoid allowing fear to stop you from making changes.

Joy tends to be on the other side of fear. Can you imagine how you’ll feel when you finally take the class you’ve always wanted? Can you imagine how you’ll feel when you switch careers to something you love?

The change doesn’t have to be huge. You can take small steps toward your dreams.Realize that your happiness depends on you. You can’t expect your life to get better by doing nothing every day. So make a change to take you in the direction you wish to go.

2. Learn gratitude. It’s easy to focus on the day-to-day stress and lose sight of the simple things that you’re thankful for.

Make a list or keep a journal of all the good things in your life. Review it each day. This will help you find peace and joy on a daily basis. You’ll see that your life isn’t made up of just negative moments.

Your gratitude list can include ordinary things such as having a home, a bed, or a breakfast every morning. The key is to focus on the areas of your life that make you feel happy.

3. Make a happy board. Similar to a vision board, a happy board is filled with things that make you happy – right now – rather than goals that you’re working toward.

For example, if the beach is one of your favorite places, fill your happy board with images of beaches.

You can make it on paper or design it online.

The key is to use the space to add things that bring joy to your life. This can act as a manifesting agent and help you get more of the things you love.

4. Stop the flaw focus. One of the things that hurts your ability to have more joy is a focus on your flaws.

This applies to both internal and external influences. If others are concentrating on your flaws, then it’s time to move on and find new friends. Likewise, if you’re paying too much attention to your own flaws, then it’s time to change your mindset.

Practice love and acceptance each day. Recognize your flaws without focusing on them.

5. Forgive yourself. You can’t experience happiness if you’re constantly blaming yourself and making yourself feel awful. It’s important to learn how to forgive yourself to have joy.

Learn to let go of the guilt and shame that has built up in your life. Negative situations come up for everyone. Consciously avoid dwelling on them.

Practice forgiveness and stifle your inner critic for good. View forgiveness as a way to use self-care on a daily basis.

Joy doesn’t have to be a fleeting moment you feel on occasion. Let joy be a bigger part of your daily existence. Use these strategies and enjoy your life.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for reading our blog!

- Mike Acker

Check out my new book on Public Speaking: Speak with Confidence, published by WILEY.

A breakthrough to develop confidence in speaking, leadership, and life. A follow-up book to my best-selling book, Speak with No Fear

https://www.amazon.com/Speak-Confidence-Overcome-Self-Doubt-Communicate/dp/1394159749/