40 (Yes, 40!) Ways To Create Space For Breakthroughs In Your Life!

Written by Sterling Mire

There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of disorder in your life. As Albert Einstein once stated, “Three rules of work: out of clutter find simplicity, from discord find harmony, in the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”

Unexpected challenges are what make us stronger, so don’t avoid them. Be mindful of the following 50 tips and you’ll be able to streamline your life so it's smooth sailing this year.

1. Recycle old papers that are filling up the space in your house. I get this way from time to time, tables or drawers over-loaded with old receipts, junk mail, records, and notes to myself. Sort through it. Organize it and set it free so it can live a reincarnated life elsewhere. 

2. Mentally prepare get ready for change by visualizing your ideal self. Think of someone you admire the most. Imagine that you are them. Would you then choose to be unstoppable and an eternal optimist in life? What do you think about and see for your future? Who do you want to BE in life? See it through your mind's eye so you can take it to the skies!

3. Realize the unexpected can be a good. The Dalai Lama once said, “Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.” Sometimes we don't always know what we want would look like, but the Universe does.

4. Ask people you respect how they created their lives. One of my favorite things to do is reading biographies of people I truly respect and admire. It is another good source of understanding how people overcome the breakdowns in life and still find happiness and success through it all. Truly inspiring!

5. Cut back or cut out alcohol, cigarettes and other vices. Escape mechanisms can be crutches that askew our judgment. Not only can the money saved be turned into vacations or other healthy rewards but it can keep you from getting stopped in life. 

6. Remove negativity from your life, whether it's people or a job you no longer want to do. If you surround yourself with people who bring you down, there’s no need to keep engaging with them out of obligation. Set them free as well as yourself. Who knows, maybe you'll meet up at another time when you both are headed in the same direction

7. Begin your day with a clearly created day along with your cup of morning coffee or tea. Defining what you intend to do in the day along with how you consciously create your experience of it exponentially creates success and keeps you on track. Writing it down allows for focus, memory and a connection that is essential. 

8. Clean your house from top to bottom and throw away anything outdated. A clean, organized space is a clean, organized mind. Our environment effects our emotions, energy and our frame of mind. Besides, you could be breathing excitement into someone's life when you donate your clutter to GoodWill or other charity organizations. Now that's a win-win!

9. Create a clear filing system for your personal records. Clearing up your desktop, creating folders, organizing your computer is one of the best ways to avoid time wasted and empty frustrations when trying to locate your personal records. Set aside just a few minutes a day to donate to this endeavor and you will thank me later. 

10. Do your grocery shopping on a convenient day of the week. If you work M-F then go after work. Leave your weekends open for more important things like what makes you the most happy. Make a list, budget, and get only what you need to save time and money.

11. Take a career test that will help you distinguish your strong points. If you are stuck in your career or job but not sure how to move on, this could be a great way to start opening the door to new, inspiring opportunities. 

12. Work with a life coach to get the most out of life. Nowadays, it’s common for people to have personal workout trainers. Why not invest in all areas of your life so you can achieve maximum results? Many people are struggling with dead weight from the past or emotional baggage that is holding them back. Deal with them and move on with professional assistance such as a life coach. I have perfected a revolutionary manual for life called “The Art of Manifestation System”. It is a air-tight guide that will take you there. www.getyourlifenow.com  for more details or call for your free consultation.

13. Go through cabinets and throw out expired food items. The last time I did this, I found some interesting things. Once gone I felt lighter and it was worth it (plus I could find things I was previously looking for). 

14. Make a clear diet plan with an emphasis on whole grains, fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet plan has a tremendous effect on your overall energy levels, your mood and your state of mind. Did you know that you can get plenty of protein from vegetables? Look at Gorilla's. They are vegan yet stronger than any muscle man. If you do want to continue eating meat, remember the ratio: 80% vegetables, 20% protein. 

15. Add vitamin pills to your daily diet. Vitamin supplements can help reduce the possibility of cancer and osteoporosis, among other disorders. If you are feeling unusually tired or out of sorts and can’t discern the cause, consider taking an inexpensive blood test to take a closer look at the vitamin stores in your body. You would be surprised how many people are missing vitamin B12, vitamin D, and other energy producing vitamins. This can really make a difference! Also, a great energy booster and great detox fast is eating only fruit for 1 day of the week. For best results, food combine, meaning, eat only one kind of fruit in a sitting. If you want to eat a different fruit, wait at least 1 hour before doing so. You skin will definitely glow, you'll have tons of energy and your tummy will shrink. 

 16. Work out a clear exercise plan with an activity that you enjoy such as dancing or biking. I love reading while on the elliptical machine – this way I get to do two things I love at the same time. As long as it’s active, it counts.

17.  Set appointments you’ve been putting off. It’s easy to put off going to the doctor or dentist until we are sick, but preventive care is extremely important in overall health levels. Take care of your health by getting an inexpensive massage at the many newly established foot spas once a week.

 18. Take up a mental exercise. Crossword puzzles, Lumosity, or other word games along these lines are more than just a good way to pass time. They have been shown in studies to help improve overall mental capabilities.

19.Keep a diary. Writing out your thoughts at the end of the day is a good way to unwind and release the day even if you just take 5 focused minutes on this endeavor you’d be pleasantly surprised by the results. Finish off your entry with a list of what you are grateful for. This sets you up for excellent sleep and refreshes you in the morning, setting you up for moving in the right direction in your day. 

20. Make a reading list and join a book club. Most people state that they want to read more, but without an actual plan you may not make the time to do this. Joining a book club not only serves as a social activity but also keeps you up to date with your own reading list. Did you know the benefits of reading are: boosts concentration, exercises spelling, improves knowledge, relaxes you, expands writing skills and enlivens thinking skills, just to name a few things. 

20. Spend time with yourself each day.  Spending quiet time alone gives your mind an opportunity to process and create order.

22. Practice breathing exercises or meditation. Stress can have a debilitating effect on our overall productivity levels. When stressed, I notice I hold my breath. Take the time to take deep breaths and improve oxygen flow to the brain.

23. Speak and act with honesty and integrity. Are you able to stand by what you do and say? If not, it may be time to reexamine your own words and learn to clearly communicate your thoughts in an open, honest way. This helps eliminate mistakes down the road and keeps you empowered.

24. Learn from past mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. It is part of what makes us human. Typically, we make a lot of them during our lifetime. As long as they aren’t repeated too many times, and are looked at and incorporated into our lives as a learning experience, they can be one of the best things that happen to us.

25. Volunteer to help others in your community. Give. Give what you have to give. Advice, love, support, help, time, food, toys, a few dollars, a hug, an ear, a smile, anything. Do it on a daily basis. Look for opportunity and life will not only reward you but your day will sing. Helping others is a rewarding way to get your own life together.

26. Take up a new language or hobby. You will come alive and create an extension of yourself you had not realized that wanted to be born. It's an important part of life. Refrain from looking at hobbies as a luxury but an essential part of a happy, balanced life. 

27. Read books that will contribute something to your life. Anything that expands your world and is uplifting will directly impact your life in a positive way.

28. Talk to a stranger. Spontaneous conversations can be surprisingly inspiring and enlivening.

29. Reconnect with friends and relatives who live far away. Call those people you miss but keep putting off calling. With the Internet, WhatApp, Google Hangout, FaceTime, FaceBook and Skype at your disposal what could possibly be stopping you?

30. Change your toothbrush. It can be filled with bacteria. Take naps or lie down with a meditation. Click here for a free 15 minute Green Meditation. Sleep is often incredibly underrated in its ability to boost energy, mood, and keep reaction times sharp. Drink at least 6 cups of water per day. Staying hydrated helps keep energy levels up and flushes out toxins.

31. Keep commitments scheduled. I am surprised how many people still don't organize their schedules in these busy, modern times. Take it off your mind by scheduling it. No remembering necessary except to look at your calendar. Set alarms to check your schedule or as a reminder to keep your eye on time.

32. Don’t put off difficult conversations. Deal with problems directly and immediately. This will result in a much lower level of anxiety for all involved and give you an opportunity to overcome something you dread turning it into victory and relief. Bonus: you'll get more and more comfortable and effective at communicating. Communication is everything. 

33. Make a list of priorities and do what makes you happy. If you have lost touch with your own priorities lately, it can make a huge difference to take the time to sit and think about what actually makes you happy and then plan it. And then do it.

34. Spend more time outdoors. Nature has an ability to help soothe a troubled mind and clear your thoughts. Taking a walk on the beach, in the woods, or sitting on top of a mountain can clear out the negativities or stress and put everything into perspective. 

35. Attend lectures. This could be any kind of lectures. It’s helpful to keep up-to-date on what’s going on in the world and plan accordingly. Keeping the mind active helps you in all aspects of your daily life.

36. Make laughter a priority. Hang out with some of your most jovial friends for a good dose of laughter, or simply sit back with some favorite old comedies. Laughter counts as exercise and has been shown to not only release stress, see life's challenges in a less significant way, but it also extends your life.

37. Clear some time each day to do nothing. As a child, I remember that we had “free time” scheduled into our school activities every day. This could be used for reading, drawing, or simply staring into space if that’s what we felt like doing. What a novel idea, and one that keeps the brain at ease. 

38. Learn new tips for entertaining and socializing. Throw a great dinner party or get together. Learn how to be a great host or hostess. This can give a big boost to your confidence levels and simply knowing how to introduce people properly helps break the ice and connect people on a deeper level. This leads to many breakthroughs for everyone.

39. Keep texting to a minimum. Text only when there is an urgent message to convey. Something that is not emotion based. When feelings or emotions are involved people tend to misunderstand even the most benign messages. Call or email a well-written message when the message is more than, “I’ll be there at 5:00 pm”.

40. Acknowledge people in your life on a regular basis. Oftentimes we think, “That’s a pretty blouse”, or “I am so happy such and such was made possible by _____” but we don’t say it. People are not mind-readers so even saying the obvious makes a huge difference in people’s lives. Remember, people want only 2 basic things in life: To be “gotten” for who they are and to make a difference in the world.

Acceptance vs. Agreement

                  Knowing the difference makes ALL the difference.

“Some of our greatest successes come from unconditional acceptance of all aspects of life.” ~Sterling Mire

My clients often ask me, “How can I possibly accept something if I don’t like or agree with it?” My answer is simple: Avoid resistance. I’ll explain. The reason why avoiding resistance is the solution to the problem is because what we resist will persist. If we resist what is so in this particular moment we will be giving energy to that which we would like to change. We feed the beast. Stop feeding the beast and that beast will disappear.

I am a fan of Eckhart Tolle. In his bestselling book, “The Power of Now”, he describes acceptance as this. Imagine you fell into quicksand. Your first instinct is to resist it by flailing your arms wildly to get out. The only thing you achieve by resisting is frustration, panic and exhaustion so you end up sinking. If you just accept what is so, “Ok, I just fell into quicksand. I accept that. It is what is so.”, this frees you up to begin to create a way out – and you do! Acceptance is not agreement. I must stress this. Accepting is acknowledging and allowing something to just be. Once we have done just that, then we can began to move into a solution driven direction with ease. Answers to our questions are free to come to us – physically and mentally. We are an open channel for guidance.

Life is fluid. It can occur as if what is happening to us in the moment is permanent. We are stuck and we begin to get resigned in life. If we remind ourselves that it just appears that way BUT is actually is not the truth, it is a step in the right direction for finding the change we seek.

Life is also unpredictable. If we can accept that as part of the beauty in life then we can create the ability to embrace what ever comes along, even if it is painful.

Life will bring many challenges, such as the loss of someone we love, and it is truly challenging to embrace “what is so” when we are suffering. Yet, if we start cultivating acceptance in our lives right now, we will cope with future crises in an empowered way finding the positivity in the situation. It really is a powerfully effective way to live. Begin today to just BE with what is so. Notice how life is different and notice how you respond to undesirable things as they show up and how insignificant and manageable they become. You will be amazed!

WRITTEN BY: STERLING MIRE

Time Out For YOU!

Sometimes we just need time to ourselves to regain a balanced sense of ourselves before continuing on our journey called life.

Most of us feel a little imbalanced from time to time. Times of high stress, living in the big city, can make us feel like we are out of whack. We take care so many people, places, things, work and general life obligations we forget about taking care of ourselves. We’ve been taught taking time out is a luxury versus a necessity although science has proven that if we take more time out to just be we would not only be more productive and effective in life but less stressed. We have to draw a line and say “enough is enough”, stop the merry-go-round of life and get off for a while to reflect, let go, rediscover ourselves, and revive ourselves for our future.

I have found a good way of getting in touch with what I truly need at the moment is I imagine having a magic genie in a bottle and that genie asks, “If you could do or be anywhere on this day what or where would it be?”. Maybe the answer that shows up  is laying on the sands of a Caribbean beach, receiving a massage, taking a hike in nature, unplugging for the day and reading a book in a quiet and beautiful place, driving to a place you’ve yet to discover. Let’s say if the answer is the Caribbean but you are living in Los Angeles and you only have a day to yourself then take yourself to the Pacific ocean, perhaps to a stretch of beach you haven’t been to before. If a full-body massage doesn’t fit your budget how about an affordable foot spa or the local nail salon where they offer chair massages? The point is to expand yourself and get in touch with what is missing in your life right now. Balance is key to optimal health.

Ever visited Europe, such as Italy, or any other exotic destination? Have you noticed people seem less stressed? It’s because they are. They work to live, not live to work. Even if you live in the U.S.A. you can still adopt a more European life-style right here, right now.  Your happiness, health, quality of living and productivity depends on it! Create a consistency to taking time out for yourself. Imagine taking 1 very special day a week to yourself or a 2-3 day weekend vacation once a month. You can do it on a budget if need be. Out of 31 days in the month, taking 3-5 days for just yourself is very little and will not negatively alter taking care of business on the other days.

The truth is, taking care of ourselves is not actually a luxury, it is a necessity especially if we want to be our best for our work, our lives and others. I hope you’ve gained perspective from my share. Start now. Plan time in your schedule for yourself as soon as possible. If you are crazy busy at the moment, even more reason to do it now versus later.

Questions? Call for a free consultation.

The Year of New Beginnings!

A journey of change,
new beginnings, independence
and becoming who you really are!

Not everything that is faced can be changed,
but nothing can be changed until it is faced.
James Baldwin

No matter how familiar things may seem, you are on an entirely different road now. The 1 year is the first year of a brand new nine-year cycle of your life. It urges you to create a more satisfying existence by recognizing the new potential that is developing. It is a time of change and new beginnings. Last year brought an entire nine-year era of your life to an end and was probably emotional and confusing. However, those experiences were necessary so that this year's new beginnings can occur. The past is over, but you will need to release the feelings and beliefs that are still anchoring you to it. Then, instead of being shocked or confused by this year's changes, you will more easily understand their purpose.

This is a year of new interests, experiences, goals, and understandings: about life, about you, where you have been, where you are now, and where you would like to be. And, because so much drastic change is required, you will also be learning the meaning of courage. You will gain self awareness this year. You will learn about individuality, and the vital changes that must take placewithin you if you are to attain what you need. You will be learning about independence, leadership, and originality, and you will need great faith in yourself in order to take appropriate action. You will encounter situations involving your deepest feelings, your unique mind and talent, and your need for greater freedom.

You will be learning to adapt to the changes taking place inside you and around you, while your ability to lead yourself and others gets tested. Your progress will be helped along by new opportunities and understandings. Just remember that 1 is also the number of individuality, and that no one can define freedom for another without limiting freedom.

Accept the need for real and significant change. Develop a realistic sense of your own self-worth. Listen to and follow your feelings. What you do this year will set the course for the next nine years. This should provide all the incentive you need to make your decisions carefully and realistically. And by accepting the reality of your past, you will become more aware of who you really are. If you think you already know your true identity, be prepared for some astonishing new truths to emerge.

You may start to doubt beliefs and attitudes you held dear, as you realize they are no longer appropriate to current circumstances. You may start to feel out of place around people with whom you have always felt comfortable, and may question their continuing role in your life. Doubts may arise as to how you can be free when responsibilities or circumstances seem to stand in your way. Feel every feeling that arises around such issues. At some point, you will instinctively know that it's time to move in a completely different direction, even if it means doing so alone.

Never forget that this year you are learning to be independent. Attaining independence often brings feelings of isolation and loneliness. Those you thought you could count on may become unavailable to you. Attaining independence always produces guilt which must be seen for the destructive force it is, otherwise you will become stuck in a painful rut of resentment, confusion, and blame.

Welcome new activities. Change monotonous routines. Without change - drastic change - you may find yourself being buffeted around with no Will of your own for a long time to come. The 1 year cycle gives you the opportunity to fix your bearings and choose the direction you want to take. It enables your Will to emerge as the only alternative to guilt and fear. Problems will arise for as long as you resist change. Stay flexible. Your firmest goals may be diverted into unexpected new directions.

The only thing you can reliably expect this year is change. One change will lead to another, and then another, transporting you physically, emotionally, and/or spiritually far from where you thought you would be. Consider what is best for you, and then go ahead in that direction. Start afresh. Decide which direction you want your long term future to take and, even if it means starting small, take decisive steps toward these goals.

Your various relationships are vitally important. So much love and happiness can be experienced there. However,  you cannot depend on anyone else for your happiness or success. Rely only onyou. Try to surround yourself with realistic, freethinking people who do not judge and criticize your every move. Have the same consideration for them.

Although the emphasis is on you this year, guilt will tell you that you are wrong to focus so keenly on yourself and that ego is the problem. It is not. The solution is to stop judging yourself. This will enable you to balance your ego between overblown or deflated.

You may have to break free from people who habitually disapprove of you or your plans, or those who want to control you. Know what you want and believe in yourself. If your abilities are lacking in some way, take the time to learn what is necessary to fulfill your intentions.

As you strive toward freedom, you will notice that others become less dependent or critical. The more self-accepting you are, the happier everyone will be. Confidence is not an 'act' that hides your fear or ignorance. It is a natural feeling that comes from your acceptance of reality. Once you accept the reality of your desires and potentials, and what you have to do to fulfill them, you will know that although you don't know all the answers yet, they will come to you because you have a genuine intent to learn, and an openness which can utilize new information. Confidence is the ability to accept change as it occurs, and it will occur this year.

Always be aware of what is going on locally and globally, and plan accordingly. Begin something substantial. Failure to start a new project, activity, job, hobby, or even a new attitude, will result in a directionless frame of mind which will keep you tied to undesirable people, places, and circumstances. At least, start a new phase of an existing situation. If you do not make changes where they are needed, they will be made for you.

Without change, we struggle to hold on to fruitless situations. As 1 is the number of independence, you will be aware of your various dependencies this year. Imagine the freedom you would enjoy without them. These may include a dependence on others, a need to keep others dependent on you; a need for approval; on substances such as food, tobacco, alcohol, drugs; or distractions such as 'entertainment', computers, or extravagance. You may be disguising your addictions so that they are unrecognizable, even to yourself. The key is to trace the emotional cause of why you need certain things so badly.

It could take years for you to achieve certain results, but projects or ideas started three years ago can materialize as accomplishments this year, leaving you pleasantly astonished as loose ends from the previous nine-year cycle are finally tied up. Understand the need for time to pass between one experience and the next, and you will enjoy many pleasant surprises this year. Aim high, believe in your goals, and never give up the pioneering spirit that is essential in the 1 Year Cycle. Remember that learning from mistakes is how experience is gained.

Work through your fears instead of denying them and you will be able to explore humanity's journey with an open mind and promote your own desires and interests along the way. Much of what occurs this year will be reflected back to you through events taking place elsewhere. Once you make that connection, you will be able to see exactly where you and your talents fit in. This year, you will learn that life is not meant to be a struggle but a continuous free-flowing journey of energy that moves, shifts, vibrates, spirals, and evolves through cycles of learning.