Hello all! From wherever you're reading this post, I hope you are truly blessed. Sometimes, a blessing may not look positive in the moment, but it is a blessing indeed. Coming from a Christian household and embarking on my own spiritual path, I often encounter what a fellow follower would cite as a "trial." In some cases, we don't even know that we are experiencing a trial, whether it be big or small in the grand scheme of life as we know it.
What is a trial to you? I'm not speaking of a trial to prove someone guilty or innocent, or something you get for free for a certain amount of time. By definition, a trial is a test of the performance, qualities, or suitability of someone or something. So in essence, your trial--whether you believe it is divine or earthly--is meant to fine tune certain aspects about yourself. The word that resonates deeply with me is suitability. In certain times in your life, consider yourself to be molded to fit the blessing you will be walking into. You may not currently be suitable for your blessing, and that's a hard pill to swallow--especially when you feel that you are ready. In reality, the best times for your personal & financial growth are in periods of discomfort--or as the economy has dubbed,"contraction."
"Well if struggle is inevitable, how do I combat the ups and downs of bettering myself and creating passive income?"
Wow, what a great question. ;)
Before I go any further, I want to disclose that I do not have all the answers to keeping your relationship with yourself, others, and your finances healthy. However, I do know what has worked for me--and if given a fair shot, it could possibly work for you too. My mother always told me: "It's one thousand ways to skin a cat." So, with that said, here are three "cat-skinning methods" I use to rejuvenate my mind, body and soul as I travel along the road of financial independence & self-improvement.
1. MEDITATE!
From the ages of 7-8 all the way up to about 11-12, I had a sizable anger problem which caused me to act very volatile towards people in situations I found distasteful. I am currently about 5'6-5'7, so as you can probably tell from me being 19 and going on 20 in two weeks as of writing this, I was a vertically challenged youth in grade school. And as you may have guessed, I got teased relentlessly, so in turn I would always lash out--usually un-proportionately to the insult made in itself. This is what kids do. High school, as well as the transition to adult life, put many things in perspective for me. Such realizations were made clear to me, like 5'8 is the average height for a human male. And there are people shorter than me that exist. Very cool realization. This also led me to the realization that there are people, insults, and the like living in my brain rent free! The fact that you give someone free space in your thoughts and you don't profit at all didn't sit right with me.
SO, I began the journey of self awareness. Meditation isn't like the "omm" exercises you see in modern day TV. Lots of people believe that you need a quiet space, or solitude to truly meditate. While I will say that these two things will enhance your experience, it is not an end all be all basis for meditation. Going back to my volatile anger as a youth, in my adulthood I often have to meditate on the spot. What do I mean by that? Let me give you an example. Let's say...I dunno...you're at a drive thru at McDonald's on your lunch break (lame example, but stay with me). As the line represents, you were not the only one with this idea. Gotta cop that Cactus Jack burger! On top of the fact that you only have a 30 minute break and it takes 5 just to get back into your parking spot you nabbed (luckily) as you came in this morning. At these "obstacles," you're already irritated. But are you self aware? Why are you irritated? Can it be fixed? Will it be a problem tomorrow? Answer these questions as you take deep breaths--in through the nose, and out through the mouth.I guarantee that by the time you reach the window, you'll be able to greet both cashiers with a smile and perhaps even made their day worthwhile with your smile.
I say this to say that centering your mind is important when you feel yourself about to get what some of my lady friends would call "getting out-of-character." Stay in your role, because you are the director, producer & the star. If you're running the show, you deserve to take 5. However many 5's you need.
2. EXERCISE!
For those of you who are not aware, you cannot have a sound mind and an out of order body, and vice versa. I like to think of my body like a car. It is indeed a vehicle, for the souls that we are. You have to fuel up, you have to maintain upkeep, and obviously you need insurance on this vehicle. Luckily I am a male, so to the sir reading this, congrats. They're better than us still, but we have less upkeep. That being said, cardio, strength building and recovery are three facets of my personal fitness I like to focus on. The main point I intend to drive home to you, reader, is that a routine is very subjective. Find what works for YOU. Here's a short bulleted list on how I attack my three areas of personal fitness.
- Cardio - running (At least 1 mile. Doesn't matter how long it takes, just kill it!), biking (use the resistance and make the mile count!), elliptical machines, anything that gets your ENTIRE body moving.
- Strength Building - push-ups (multiple variations to attack different areas. I use the 8 week chest workout from Men's Health.), planks, squats, wall sits, crunches & more. I like to do sets, so pick an attainable rep amount for the stage that you're at, and gradually build. For example, I like to do 3 sets of alternating push-ups, and maybe follow with 3 sets of wide press push-ups.
- Recovery - refuel (WATER, WATER, WATER!, protein shakes & lean meats!), awareness (listen to what your body is telling you.), and stretching. I cannot stress enough how important stretching out your muscles on a daily basis is to the well being of your body. I find that once I'm loose, I can enjoy a better workout, which in turn will allow yourself to have a better recovery.
3. HUMILITY!
Although all of these tips are vital, this is one of the most important and will bring you more prosperity and abundance in the long run. A lot of times when we're up, we celebrate. It's natural to celebrate our achievements and progress. It feels good to win. A quick anecdote: it's a brisk February night in 2017. I'm on Snapchat like DJ Khaled. I had placed a few bets with some friends from school. I'm from Indianapolis, and since I have been alive--since the RCA Dome came & went and Lucas Oil after it--no one in the city, nor the state was a Tom Brady fan. Years of AFC battles with prime Peyton Manning and a somewhat sturdy defense with Gary Brackett, Bob Sanders, Dwight Freeney & Robert Mathis cost them a few championships more than the one we gained by finally beating Brady. So for context, uck-fay rady-Bay.
28-3 in the 3rd and like MOST OF AMERICA, I nearly turned it off and went about my night. I'm looking to collect in the morning. You already know. As you may have guessed, my extreme high flipped on me like a bearish stock. It was the moment I saw Julian Edleman catch a would-be interception off of someone's shoe, that I believed that either this game is fixed or 12's will to win just overcame it all. Maybe it's a combination of both, but that's neither here nor there. The point I'm making is this: It's okay to be confident. Brag a little. Emphasis on a little. Which is why if it goes anything above a little, that slice of pie will be swiftly served, and without option or recourse. Allow yourself to be the last of many. Be a servant. My personal life goals revolve around the fact that I will be giving, both with my businesses & my knowledge. This is the greatest achievement of them all.
I believe that if you apply these three key behaviors during a down time in your situation, you will prosper in any and everything you do. Don't allow yourself to get immersed into a situation that does not deserve the negative attention that you feed it. Whatever you water, you will grow. That is how your brain works. Sow good and positive thoughts within yourself! You will see that you are embracing yourself for who you know yourself to be. As we go through life, we never stop learning. Whether it be about ourselves, or the purpose as to why we are existing at all. Make sure that you are true to who you are and who you aspire to be.
- II
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I purchased the Reloaded Field Manual from Chris Johnson (Follow him on IG @chrissssjohnson) on July 15th, 2020. Honestly I only wish I would've bought it earlier. In the manual are essential resources and information regarding strategies to leverage social media to your advantage to gain more traffic to your online business(es). If you're looking to invest in passive income and creating a social media presence that will bring you income, then this is the course for you.
I also purchased the Stock Market Gems course. This course gave me such a great insight on how to point out trends in the market using many different methods & tools. He explains in the course that he wants to be able to teach the stock market to an 8 year old, and that he does. I was able to clearly grasp and understand the vital information from this individual who has used these same methods to achieve monumental success. Again, if you are looking to become financially independent and create wealth for yourself for generations to come, then you will find it beneficial for you to purchase this course
Full list of Chris Johnson's courses
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1 comment
MUCH needed cuzzo stay inspired, keep inspiring ♡