Archive for May 2016
You are in control – That’s why you can be awesome BAM #6
You are in control – That’s why you can be awesome BAM #6
By Douglas Vermeeren
An Awesome life is living your life by decision. You are where you want to be, doing the things that excite you, inspire you and bring out the best in you and in those around you.
It’s not uncommon to hear people say that something was not their fault, they were the victim of circumstances, they had no choice or that someone else made them do something. Often one of these phrase is their reason that they are not taking accountability for their own lives or their justification for doing nothing.
Essentially these excuses do three things:
The first is that they eliminate the necessity to make choices. Choices in life are often difficult. Sometimes it is possible to make a wrong choice. When we make a choice or a decision something in your life will change. Change is not always easy. Change is also unpredictable and frightening. You are stepping into the unknown and entering a new situation you have never encountered before. Rather than face this fear or potentially make a bad choice people with a victim mentality choose to make an excuse instead. What they don’t realize is that not making a choice is a choice for naught. In other words when they do not make a choice of yes they are automatically saying no. When they make no choice at all it is indeed a choice.
If you aren’t proactively making a choice to reach out for an awesome life you are automatically making a choice to settle for average.
There is a big lie that many believe and that is that if we don’t take action and make a choice we get to start where we are. The truth is the world around you is changing a lightening speed. If you don’t make a choice you get left behind. Nothing is ever going to stay the same. Think of technology as a great example. Blockbuster video tried to stay with the model of renting dvds from a brick and mortar store while everything was shifting online. The ignored the outside signals and chose to try and resist change. What happened to them?
The second is that excuses release you from accountability. (Or so you think.) There are two kinds of sins in this world. Sins of commission which are things you do wrong by your actions or words. Then there are sins of omission, things you knew better and you should have done but you chose not to. You mean you can do something wrong by not taking action? Absolutely.Did you know that neglect is actually a form of abuse? Neglect is a sin of omission. Not only do people get hurt when those who have the ability to help do nothing you are violating one of the laws of being awesome – leave things better than you found them. Imagine if you knew a bank was going to be robbed and you had the power to either stop them or at least report it to someone and yet you did not. Would you be guilty of what would happen next? YES. Under the California Penal code 31 it is called aiding and abetting a crime. (Other areas have similar laws.) Under this law you can be charged for knowing and not doing anything, even if you were not present when the crime took place.
Edmund Burke put it best when he said, “The only thing needed for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” The same can be said of your life if you do nothing – you get nothing. It’s that simple.
Lastly, some think that excuses keep them from having to work hard. There is an old saying when it comes to money (but applies to many other things too.) It goes like this: “You can pay now and play later or you can play now and pay later with interest.” Life always has a way of requiring you to work hard for the things you have or wish to create. Some people look for short cuts and in the end paying far more than they needed to. The best way as with things in life is make payment instalments. In other words pay as you go. When you make a commitment to an awesome life you make payments in regularly along the way. An awesome life is built one brick at a time and that’s what secures it in place. The requirement is consistent effort and diligent care.
Those making excuses mistakenly feel that they are excusing themselves from these efforts. What you needed to create today becomes an emergency tomorrow when you need in the future.
In conclusion I want to point out that you are in control. If you have been taking short cuts and making excuses in the past you can change your approach right now.If you know in your heart of things that you need to make choices about and let go of excuses holding you back – do it! The present is called the present because it really is a gift. Now is the best time to get started living the life you deserve and want. So why not get started?
#Thescienceofbeingawesome #DouglasVermeeren #dougvermeeren #beAwesomeMovement #BAM #Beawesomerightnow #beawesomepreview #Beawesomebook #beawesomemovie #Douglasvermeerenawesome
When A Terrible Day Strikes – Bam#5
When a terrible day strikes – BAM # 5
By Douglas Vermeeren
An Awesome life is living your life by decision. You are where you want to be, doing the things that excite you, inspire you and bring out the best in you and in those around you.
But the truth of the matter is that not all days are like that no matter how hard you try and how positive your outlook. Sometimes life is just hard and things seem to go completely wrong. These are all part of our existence as humans.
A bad day does not mean you have a bad life.
So how can a person continue to be positive and seek an awesome life when things hit the fan so to speak? These challenging days will be something that everyone faces from time to time so here are three suggestions on what to do to stay on track with an Awesome when these moments strike.
Have correct expectations – The greatest reason for negative human emotions like anger, hurt, frustration and pain all stem from unmet expectations. In other words, you expected a certain result from a situation and you were disappointed that the outcome did not match those expectations. Think about the last time you were upset with your spouse or a close friend. It will be because you had a specific expectation that they would act a certain way and they did not. Your expectations were not met and you became frustrated, angry or hurt. (We will talk more about expectations in a later article, because I do believe it is important to have expectations and people often rise to what is expected of them. But for today’s article I simply want to share that it with a correct expectation that occasionally things and people will disappoint we can be better equipped to deal with them when they appear.) The beginning of getting through a terrible day is to have a correct expectation that they will occur. The next step of this process is now that you expect that they will show up from time to time is to identify the terrible day for what it is when it arrives…
Identify the terrible day for what it is – So you expected that occasionally there will be tough days and here one shows up. You have identified it. When you recognize something for what it is you gain power over it. Awareness is a massive key to unlocking awesomeness in life. The instant you can identify a challenging day is also the moment you can remember that negative days are temporary. You can also instantly recognize that you are in the circumstance but you are not the circumstance. Once you recognize that the situation will pass and that it is not your identity you can evaluate whether you need to provide solutions or simply let it pass. Many problems will just pass if you give them the needed time to do so. However the majority of problems will require some efforts from you to help them move out of your life. That brings us to the final point….
Move forward and create awesome. Forward motion and moment generally break through most negative funks or situations. It is near impossible for the power of positive and the anchors of negativity to exist in the same moment. I want to be clear that I’m not just saying think positive and everything will change. While that’s a good start positive thinking is only a starting point. for example, if you don’t have the rent money just thinking it will be okay won’t make it so. You need to add positive actions and solutions to positive thinking. As you get moving you will experience a state change as well which will immediately change your thinking and situation. All situations can be improved upon by generating forward motion. Often when negativity strikes people shut down and accept the negative fate. There is always something that can be done.
Not too long ago I had a very negative experience that left me with a bill of nearly $390,000. Naturally the day I discovered this was a terrible day. Some of this debt arose from something that wasn’t even my fault. At first I felt the paralyzing despair that everyone feels when faced with something that seems truly overwhelming, frustrating and difficult. I had bruised expectations of the way something should have happened – yet it did not.
Recognizing that there was nothing I could do in my frustrated state I decided to identify the situation for what it was. I knew this was a circumstance I had to deal with. I knew could get through this with time. I also knew that although I had contributed to this situation it was not a reflection of who I was. Even though I had helped to create an awful situation I was still capable of creating awesome too. I determined I would get through it.
I determined to move forward by exploring solutions that would get me through this situation and allow me to get back on track with creating more awesome. Naturally as I looked for solutions I found several ways to immediately make the situation more better and more manageable. I recognized payment options I could make to clear this obligation. I thought about additional business activities I could engage in that would provide for the debt. I thought about friends I could enlist to help me by letting me sell their services. I thought about talents, assets or gifts I had that I could utilize. Solutions began to appear.
As a result I actually developed a new opportunity within my business. This would never had appeared without the terrible day pushing me for solutions. Often solutions only appear out of necessity. This was a blessing in disguise.
In conclusion, don’t let a terrible day destroy your hopes and efforts for an awesome life. All terrible situations are temporary. If you have a committed and focused effort at making your life better your life will continue to follow the direction you have build for it.
P.S. – One last thought that I think is the most powerful way to shift out a negative situation is to find someone to serve. When you do something for others that helps them it allows you to escape the negative energy of your own problem. Often it is in the midst of this serving that your best ideas for solving your own problems shows up. That’s actually what happened to me in the above the example.
#BAM, #Douglasvermeeren, #Beawesomemovement, #Beawesomenow, #dougvermeeren, #Overcome negative thinking, #service, #douglasvermeerenawesome,
SPECIAL QUIZ – How Awesome are YOU?
HOW AWESOME ARE YOU?
A quiz to help you see where you are at and how
you can improve your Awesomeness Factor!
The following quiz by Douglas Vermeeren has been designed to give you a quick idea of how awesome you are currently. It is designed to get you to strive to improve your answers if you are not yet where you want to be. Naturally your answers will change from day to day and as your personal awareness becomes more clear. For this reason it is encouraged that you revisit this test every 30 days. Awesome living is a developed habit that comes as a result of trained thinking. In this world where much of what we encounter is geared towards to negativity a regular positive and awesome recharge is a necessary component of living an awesome life.
DEFINITION OF AN AWESOME LIFE: An Awesome life is living your life by decision. You are where you want to be, doing the things that excite you, inspire you and bring out the best in you and in those around you.
Do you have positive thoughts about your future daily?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you set intentions for your day and specific goals for your life?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Have you set boundaries on your energy and efforts to keep you overextending yourself?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you do things for the praise of others or for your progress?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you sacrifice your selfishness for the good of others?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you strive to progress each day by taking active steps towards your goals?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you leave things better than you found them?
a. Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
When with people do you seek to understand rather than be understood?
a. Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you spend time with those who matter most to you each day?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Are you kind and courteous to those who are not kind to you?
Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you regularly feel gratitude and express it?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you forgive mistakes made by yourself and others?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you perform random acts of kindness?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Are you taking care of yourself physically?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you pause to reflect on the importance of small moments?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you pause to take time to reflect each day?
Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you find yourself preoccupied with technology when in the room with real people?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you text while driving?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you celebrate the victories of others?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you find yourself responding to emergencies?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am willing to prepare my life better ahead of time.
Are you a finisher? Do you complete tasks completely regularly?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
How often are you hanging around inspiring people?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to eek them out
Do you find yourself criticizing others?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to stop
Are you taking regularly daily action to accomplish your goals?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you experience activities that make you go WOW!
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to seek them out
Do you share excuses to keep you from doing the things you know you should?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Are you true to the brilliance within you?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you let feelings of unworthiness keep you from being your best?
a.Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
Do you trust your feelings when they tell you to do something good?
Always b.Sometimes c.Never d.Not sure, but I am ready to do better
How would you describe your day?
a. AWESOME b.Average c.Depressing d.Chaotic
CONCLUSION and RESULTS: Only you can judge if you are living to your fullest and most awesome potential. For this reason I haven’t constructed a rating system for you to measure your answers against a standard created by me for you. That’s none of my business. The measurement you will want to consider is what your heart tells you in how you can improve and be the best person you can be. This is a process and not a destination.
And if it was my job to evaluate you my evaluation would be simple and is consistent with everything outlined in the Be Awesome Movement. YOU are AWESOME and I encourage you to continue every activity that will lead you to more awesome! Don’t be satisfied with who you are today. The you from tomorrow is excited to welcome you to the possibilities ahead. You are Awesome!
#AWESOMEQUIZ #Areyouawesome #BAM #Youareawesome #Douglasvermeeren #dougvermeeren #Beawesomemovement #Beawesomebook
You can’t attract what you criticize – BAM #4
You can’t attract what you criticize
By Douglas Vermeeren
An Awesome life is living your life by decision. You are where you want to be, doing the things that excite you, inspire you and bring out the best in you and in those around you.
This is the ideal that most people strive for, yet there are many who have a really hard time creating this as the reality in their lives. There are many reasons why they struggle creating the awesome life described above but the most common begins prevention is found in their thinking. Often this negative thinking manifests itself in the form of criticism towards other people, situations, circumstances or objects.
Criticism is a dangerous thing. Not only does it bring in negative energy it also established a fortress that keeps positive possibilities out. It becomes even more counterproductive when the individual criticizing other does so out of jealousy. In jealousy the offender is actually repelling what they what by criticizing other individuals who have achieved or are achieving what they want.
We have all been guilty of this.
As I have been guilty of criticizing others I have recognized that it never produced a positive or productive result. Criticism in my life has never produced better results or made me feel good. The more I thought about this there really has been no benefit to criticism, but it is still such an easy trap to fall into.
While in the criticizing mindset we shut off possibilities to create an awesome life as described above. The longer we stay in the mode of criticism the more it begins to affect others. What starts with a mutter or whisper in our mind soon becomes verbalized. What then is said to others gets repeated as a gossipy statement. These comments do not help to enlist the support of others you may need to accomplish your goals. Instead they let people know that you are not inspiring and fun to be around. You are a complainer.
Eventually the criticism will reach back to the person it discusses. This is when things really can turn for the worse. Have you ever had someone criticism you and felt to thank them for it? Of course not. The criticized person feels hurt and often distances themselves from the critic. It’s a great way to lose friends and create enemies.
While objects don’t have feelings I believe the same energy unfolds. You can’t attract what you criticize on any level.
My challenge to you today is to notice your criticisms and follow the two pieces of advice that your mother most likely gave you years ago:
“You get more with sugar than spice. SO be nice.”
and…
“If you haven’t got anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.”
Be awesome not a critic. No one is perfect although we are all trying pretty hard to do the best we can. Seek to praise and find goodness and praise and goodness will find you. It’s that simple.
And besides the world has too many critics already. Try being original instead.
#BAM #BeAwesomeMovement #Be Awesome #DouglasVermeeren #DougVermeeren #Douglas Vermeeren Awesome #Douglas Vermeeren wants you to be awesome #MoreAwesome