selfhelp

HAPPY HOLIDAYS 2024-2025!

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Happy holidays everyone! One thing I used to do years ago for the holidays was hand out themed compilation CDs of music people couldn’t buy anywhere to give them something special and unique and wonderful to listen to over the holiday season (and beyond). They did not contain holiday music or anything which, for me, tends to get old after a short while – just unique music that is nice to listen to for something different. I was always particular and intentional about the themes I came up with and always ordered the tracks in such a way to ensure they created a wonderful musical experience and a smooth flow from one track to the next.

I used to do this year-after-year up until the widespread use of I-tunes, media players, Spotify and such. So, I started to realize CDs were probably a waste of time and effort. Well, the last couple of years I decided to recreate some of those CDs as Playlists on Spotify.

For this year I recreated my Laid-Back Lounge CD as a playlist with a few extra tracks. So, check it out when you get the chance: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5szvQk9eJlHix5KRs9TcL2?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1K6jE_L8fFaRFD7xH6y8sdSDw4mGtEJKQ47FhkGM9gOxQadwvITpHlJ5U_aem_bDKXVL4R48UPfwfUmu8oQQ

I hope you will enjoy this as much as I do. Also, one song missing (not available on Spotify) is the Cafe del Mar version of Kalliope’s Lunar Landing (Here it is on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X-Rg13QyTE ). I encourage you to check that out and insert it just after the track 13 (Blank & Jones: Desire – Ambient Mix) if you create your own playlist outside of Spotify. It fits in well with this playlist. Also, feel free to modify the playlist to make it your own including adding some of your favorites.

Below is the complete set of playlists I have provided so far over the past few years (including this one). So, feel free to check each of these out as well over the holidays (and beyond):

1. Classical Gems (nice and soothing classical music): Classical Gems – playlist by Joe Brennan | Spotify

2. Candlelight Classic Jazz I (mainly old classic vocal jazz): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1R0tZBB8MOZUJgA01LrK2C…

3. Candlelight Classic Jazz II (mainly old classic instrumental jazz): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/10ZO5Mrv5fF2Uns7QEzWVT…

4. New Age (Morningtide-Eveningtide): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5S0Re0yHvQma9WMai20w36…

People really seemed to love this one for helping them to relax and even sleep. One song (What a Beautiful Sunset by Angelwing) was not available on Spotify but I encourage you to check out this excellent song as well: https://youtu.be/pXgjQPgh4bM?si=ovRvGhgp3V_G47JI . You can add this wonderful track if you create your own playlist outside of Spotify.

5. Acoustic Tracks: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4rjwsNOCPfWZJFK72cKvji… This is a playlist that I love to listen to around the start of Autumn. For some reason the music really seems to fit at that time. None of the Joni Mitchell songs were on Spotify but tracks such as: the acoustic live version of “People’s Parties” (my very favorite: https://youtu.be/NktbeZiMYfA?si=dV0LcJEL6uo1aTbJ), “Urge for Going” (https://youtu.be/ZvSvTRhAJxg?si=hKeMtJUa95dTLGUk), “Little Green” (https://youtu.be/HTxUrDtoPP0?si=fo0yREfcqCIxaznn), “A Case of You” (https://youtu.be/0YuaZcylk_o?si=hwbPrgdwdmxUYHlM), “Court and Spark” (https://youtu.be/_1Z6I62yvfg?si=irKLbee4rBS5evAI), and “That Song About the Midway” (https://youtu.be/O9R82TThjdw?si=jA4wsRNPDVaNUJXo) are excellent. So add the above tracks if you create your own playlist outside of Spotify.

6. Smooth Sailing 50s/60s (old 1950s &1960s pop songs): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3x0UnPJDMQqXcgxDIemCep?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3RHM9yqOIQOjrOnqISFry887itxeznZ0d2wZ0XQrgwCmPqzIi_nOfYXyQ_aem_r18OoHjvhW4nyAOVmuw-ag I heard some old music on a radio station a few months ago when driving around in New Smyrna Beach and I loved it so much that, for something different, I made a whole playlist to share with everyone. So, check it out when you get the chance: Some of the lyrics are outdated for these modern times but the music is Wonderful. Also, the Sue Raney version of the second song (Till There Was You – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEoG1TYLBWI) is much better than the Peggy Lee version but Spotify didn’t have the Sue Raney version. I encourage you to check that out and replace the Peggy Lee version with the Sue Raney version if you create your own playlist outside of Spotify. It’s so much better than the Peggy Lee version and fits in well with this playlist.

7. Laid Back Lounge (chill-out lounge/cafe music): https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5szvQk9eJlHix5KRs9TcL2?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR1K6jE_L8fFaRFD7xH6y8sdSDw4mGtEJKQ47FhkGM9gOxQadwvITpHlJ5U_aem_bDKXVL4R48UPfwfUmu8oQQ. One song missing (not available on Spotify) is the Cafe del Mar version of Kalliope’s Lunar Landing (Here it is on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X-Rg13QyTE ). I encourage you to check that out and insert it just after the track 13 (Blank & Jones: Desire – Ambient Mix) if you create your own playlist outside of Spotify. It fits in well with this playlist.

Enjoy this music over the holiday season (and beyond) and feel free to share with anyone else who might enjoy these or could use a positive thought and a smile to brighten up their day.

Lastly, just in case it might be helpful to you (or others in your life):
As a first step when I take on new life coaching clients, I usually assign the following as a homework assignment: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/how-to-defeat-any…/
Why? Because this is the entry level step for putting them into a more positive place and ensuring we are working towards actual, instead of perceived, problems. It can be a substantial waste of time, effort, and energy working towards solving non-problems and taking this step (and Step 2 below) can be instrumental in avoiding that. After 3-4 weeks of consistently addressing the external factors indicated in the post above, many people feel much better about themselves and about their lives and are better able to focus on what they really want in life instead of spending time, money, and energy trying to solve problems which are really not problems at all.

After Step 1 has been completed, Step 2 is here which offers a guaranteed way to live increasingly happier : https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/happiness-tip-clear…/

I hope the above will be helpful to you or to others in your life.
Happy Holidays everyone! May 2025 be the best year of our lives EVER! 🙂

#selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #mindfulness #peace #joy #positivethinking #balance

A SIMPLE LESSON IN FINANCE: WHY INVESTING INVIGORATES AND DEBT DEVASTATES YOUR FINANCES

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Here’s a simple lesson in finance for those who might need it: Investing money substantially increases your finances overall while carrying debt does much worse than the opposite. And the difference is astounding.

A simple common expression used to demonstrate how investments grow over time is called “the rule of 72.” The average interest rate expressed as a whole number times the number of years required to double an initial investment equals 72. Let’s take a look at how this simple rule can impact your finances. Let’s start with investing first.

Imagine you invested $10,000 earning 8% interest (8% is a reasonable figure given that the long-term average earned in the stock market has historically been about 7.5% – it has been much higher in recent years but at some point it could revert back to its long-term average). This means, using the rule of 72, that your $10,000 initial investment will become $20,000 in 9 years (8 x 9 = 72), $40,000 in 18 years, $80,000 in 27 years, and $160,000 in 36 years. And that is all from just making a single, one-time, initial investment of $10,000 at the beginning. I want you all to stop and think about that for a moment: Your $10,000 grew to $160,000 by doing nothing else. This is how compound interest works and how you make your money work for you – instead of against you.

Most people will do much better than the above because they will continue adding to their investments over time – and as long as they do not remove money from their investment (a mistake many people make by the way), then the power of compound interest will continue working in their favor.

The above example also illustrates why starting saving and investing at an early age is very important. And if you want to learn how to how to invest well and create a brighter future with minimal effort, please read this: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/how-to-invest-well-and-create-a-brighter-future-with-minimal-effort/

Now, let’s take a look at the opposite side of things to see how debt can devastate your finances. Imagine you had the same $10,000 as credit card debt at a 24% interest rate (24% is a little high by today’s standards – credit card rates presently average about 21% – but are higher for people with lower credit scores) but using 24% simplifies calculations and makes it much easier to compare both sides of the story between investing and debt.

Using the above figures mean, using the same rule of 72, that for your $10,000 in initial debt, you will end up paying $20,000 in 3 years (24 x 3 = 72), $40,000 in 6 years, $80,000 in 9 years, $160,000 in 12 years, $320,000 in 15 years, and $640,000 in 18 years if you didn’t make any payments at all (Note: this is not realistic since most people make at least the minimum payments – which largely reflect the payments on interest only – I’m just trying to demonstrate how much more quickly and deeply debt impacts your finances as compared to investing your money). And that is all just from having an initial debt of $10,000. I want you all to stop and give this some serious thought: Your $10,000 of initial debt grew to $640,000 in only 18 years. This is how debt can quickly, deeply, and easily devastate your finances.

Most people would do much worse than the above because they won’t stop at the initial debt – but will continue adding to their debts over time up until reaching their credit limits – which means the power of compound interest continues working against them.

Let’s now compare the two: In 18 years, your $10,000 investment grew to $40,000 but your $10,000 in debt became $640,000 over the same period of time. This illustrates why so many people get so far behind in their finances, and the simple but very important lesson in finance is this: Make your money work for you over the longer term instead of working against you by living with a strong sense of financial discipline – eliminating debt and investing your money instead. I have no objection to people having credit cards and such to help build up their credit scores and such but get into the practice of paying them off every month so you don’t have to pay interest or fees. If you do this and invest in your future, then you will create a brighter future for yourself and others in your life for the years and decades to come. So, do this if you can.

Again, the above isn’t truly accurate on the debt side of things because it reflects the overall impact if you made no payments at all – I have not factored in the fact that when you make the minimum payments on credit card debt, you are usually paying the interest. So, the interest portion of that debt isn’t working against you the way the much larger debt portion is. However, the interest only payments tend to be quite large (and provide no benefit since they typically pay little to nothing down on the debt portion) and, between that and the debt overall, it would still have a devastating effect on your finances as a whole in a short amount of time and would have required a more complicated calculation to get more precise numbers. I’m really just trying to illustrate the basic concepts of investing versus debt using simple calculations so that people can easily understand why debt can be so devastating in a short amount of time and why the power of compound interest works in their favor on the investment side of things. Also, rest assured the credit card companies will cut you off long before you reach such excessive numbers in terms of your debt to them for their own, financial well-being. However, the impact to your finances would be substantial.

You can read more about my finance and investing tips here: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/category/financial-planning-management-and-investing-related-posts/

You can learn about my investing techniques via my “Invest Like a Pro in 10 Minutes a Day!” series of 4 books where you can learn the “end to end” process to investing: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/.

And, lastly, you can read about my stock market activities here: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/stock-market-activities

I wish you much finance and investing success for 2024 (and beyond!).

#selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #mindfulness #peace #joy #positivethinking #balance #finance #stocks #investing #stockmarket #bonds #bondmarket

HOW TO INVEST WELL AND CREATE A BRIGHTER FUTURE WITH MINIMAL EFFORT

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Over the past couple of weeks, I have been traveling through Portugal and have met some very nice people. And once they find out I’m a life coach, many of them have become very interested in any financial advice I can provide to help them create a brighter future. So, this inspired me to write the “Joe Brennan 6-Step Process to Financial Success” with minimal effort:

1. Get into the practice of automatically saving a minimum of 20% of everything you earn – wages, gifts, tips, whatever and open an online brokerage trading/investing account to place your money in such that it earns a decent interest rate (I earn about 5% interest via my Fidelity standard trading account). The reason this is important is because you don’t want to fall behind inflation when saving money. A lot of banks pay much less interest than online brokerage trading/investment accounts do. The 20%+ automatic savings is important because it forces financial discipline – resulting in a greater ability to accumulate financial wealth and achieve financial freedom much sooner than would be experienced otherwise. In fact, if you have kids and get them into this practice at a very young age, then this would serve to not only benefit them, but you as well since you won’t have to worry so much about their finances and they won’t have to rely on you as much in the years and decades to come. The earlier you start saving, the less of your overall income percentage wise you would need to save over the years of your life. I generally recommend 20% for people who start at the age of 20 and increase it by 1% per year if they start later than age 20. So, if you start at age 24 you need to save 24%, if you start at age 31 you need to save 31%, and if you start at age 41 you need to save 41% for the rest of your life. So, the earlier you start, the less of your overall income you have to save percentage wise over the years of your life. So, if you start at age 20, you can save 20% for the rest of your life and be in good shape financially speaking – but if you start at age 34, you’ll need to save 34% for the rest of your life. So, the earlier you start, the better. And the percentages above include any matching funds or financial incentives your employer might provide (some employers provide up to 5% or so of matching funds and such for retirement plans).

2. Track one of the major stock market indexes representative of the overall stock market. In the United States, I like to track the S&P 500 index [SPY is an Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF) that tracks the S&P 500 Index]. When the major index falls 10% or more (I’m a very low risk investor so I will wait for a 25% drop), check the other major indexes and see which one has fallen the most. In the United States, frequently the Russell 2000 index (IWM is an ETF that tracks this index) falls much more than the S&P 500 index – especially, when a recession is expected. A 5% drop in the S&P 500 index generally happens about three times a year, a 10% drop generally happens about once a year, and a 20%+ drop generally happens about twice every five years. A lot of times major stock indexes will decline more once they drop 20% (defined as a bear market). However, the recovery is often swift. So, you want to be fully invested fairly soon after that happens. Otherwise, you can miss out on substantial gains. Just for some points of reference: a 25% drop results in a 33% gain once the index or ETF gets back to breakeven, a 33% drop results a 50% gain once the index or ETF gets back to breakeven, and a 50% drop results a 100% gain once the index or ETF gets back to breakeven. So, waiting for a drop before putting money to work can be greatly beneficial while being fully invested when a drop happens can substantially hurt your finances. This is why avoiding investing at the top can be an important factor for your overall, financial well-being (e.g., if you experience a 33% drop, you need a 50% gain just to get back to even, and if you experience a 50% drop, you need a 100% gain just to get back to even).

3. Move your accumulated savings to date into the ETF you have selected in Step 2. As long as this ETF continues falling or rises somewhat, keep putting your new savings into the ETF.

4. Once your ETF gains to the point to where it approaches the all-time high (or if you are a higher risk investor, you might wait for additional gains before selling or not sell at all), stop putting your new savings into the ETF and just keep it in your online brokerage trading/investing account earning the standard interest rate.

5. Only pull money from this account when gains are experienced and only for that which invests in your future such as a down payment for a house, educational expenses likely to lead to a higher paying job, rental properties as an investment, a new business you want for yourself, or after reaching your long-term financial freedom or retirement goal.

6. Repeat steps 1-5 for any new savings accumulated.

The above is a simplified process which might be helpful for some of you. If you are in your mid-thirties or so (or even less – the younger you are, the better you will likely do over time), then this process should get you where you need to be in your life financially speaking. However, there is never a guarantee, and you might want to adjust this process. If you elect to take a higher risk approach, then you can earn substantial gains if you wait things out – although you might experience substantial losses in the near term. If you elect to take a lower risk approach, then you may not experience substantial losses in the near term but will probably not make as much in gains over the longer term. For example, a higher risk investor might start moving savings after only a 10%-15% drop in the major index and stop investing new savings once the ETF hits its all-time high (or above) while a lower risk investor might start moving savings after a 20% drop or more in the major index and stop investing once the ETF gains to the point that where it is about 5%-10% from the all-time high.

The above process guarantees that you never invest at the market top. It also ensures that you invest early enough in bear markets so that you will hopefully, eventually, earn substantial gains.

The reason the above process should work well for many people is that in the first few years of investing, the amount saved matters much more than the actual gains or losses experienced in the stock market. So, people can just save and wait for a substantial stock market drop to invest and will probably do pretty well over time. Once savings have been accumulated for a few years or so, then the gains and losses experienced matter increasingly more over time and a lower risk investment approach will probably be more appropriate.

The above process is not perfect, but give it a try, make adjustments over time, and if you need help with any of this just ask.

You can learn about all of my investing techniques via my “Invest Like a Pro in 10 Minutes a Day!” series of 4 books where you can learn the “end to end” process to investing: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/.

Also, you can read all about my stock market activities here: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/stock-market-activities

I wish you much investing success for 2024 (and beyond!).

selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #mindfulness #peace #joy #positivethinking #balance #finance #stocks #investing #stockmarket #bonds #bondmarket

HAPPINESS/SUCCESS TIP: EMBRACE THE JOURNEY

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Whenever I come across common expressions in life, I like to try to mindfully stop, reflect, and take a deeper, closer look. Because people frequently become numb to such expressions and these don’t have the influence and impact that they otherwise might. One such common expression is “enjoy the journey.” And, while I am very supportive of this idea, the truth of the matter is that not everything in life is enjoyable. However, that does not make them less valuable. So, a more encompassing expression might be “embrace the journey.”

Sure, for the subset of activities applicable (and to the extent possible), you will want to take steps to better “enjoy the journey.” But for everything else, you will simply want to “embrace the journey” by getting started, putting in the work, addressing or dealing with challenges, learning the lessons, doing some exploring, taking steps to engage in the life experiences you truly desire, and making any sacrifices needed to create a better and brighter future. So, there is much more to life than simply “enjoying the journey.” As such, make it a point to “embrace the journey” and by all means avoiding tendencies to resist the journey. Because resisting the journey will create a lot of unnecessary stress and negativity, delay the learning of key lessons in life, and limit you and hinder progress.

Prior to beginning any journey, it’s a good idea to take some time and put in the effort to figure out what specific pursuits you truly want to work towards or engage in (whether associated with goals, activities, people, purchases, work, addressing or dealing with challenges, and such) – especially those which require a substantial amount of money, time, effort, or energy. And here’s something you can do to help figure that out. And here’s something else which can be helpful along these lines as well as this and this. And for those bigger pursuits, try to find ways to test drive or simulate those experiences first to make sure they are what you truly want before putting in the money, time, effort, and energy. You can read about how to do that here. It’s also a good investment of time and effort to come up with plans for execution – even if they are initially only preliminary plans. You can always make refinements along the way.


The journey you start out on, at any given time, doesn’t have to be perfect because you can (and should) make adjustments as you go. And even if the path you are presently pursuing is not the exact right path for you right now, simply embrace the journey anyway and make any desired adjustments along the way. You will still gain valuable experiences, skills, insights, and knowledge, and you will learn valuable lessons. And learning what doesn’t work for you is also a valuable lesson to learn which can benefit you over your entire life journey. So, do some mindful planning, set out on your path, and embrace the journey all along the way.

Now, the above being said, there are also things you can do to better “enjoy the journey” for those specific activities which apply. One thing I like to do along these lines is mindfully incorporate “enjoying the journey” into what I do on a day-to-day basis. So, I make it a point to remind myself that my focus is happiness, peace, and enjoyment for whatever I am engaged in at the time (where applicable).

For example, if I need to drive or walk somewhere, I make it a point to leave early so that I can take a nice, relaxing, leisurely drive or walk, taking in the scenery (and perhaps even taking a different path to getting there), and reflecting or perhaps even smiling and daydreaming a bit when stopped in traffic or waiting at a stoplight or intersection. Because, anytime you are in a hurry or running late the opposite happens. You become so focused on getting there that you miss out on opportunities for happiness, peace, and enjoyment along the way – creating a lot of unnecessary stress and negativity in the process. Don’t do this to yourself.

As a another example, if I am engaged in reading or viewing something, I try to mindfully slow down and enjoy what I’m reading/viewing and take a more leisurely, thoughtful pace – reflecting on what I’m reading/viewing and how I might apply it – and taking mini-breaks to relax and take in the sunshine and sip a soothing, warm beverage before continuing on with my reading/viewing.

And, as a third example, if I am working out, I try to mindfully focus on the body part I am working on (or stretching) or the specific pose I’m presently doing when doing yoga. My workouts would not be nearly as enjoyable if I focused instead on rushing things and just getting it done so that I could get on with other things.

So, the point is to always “embrace the journey” to get the most out of life, make progress, and create a better and brighter future. And for the subset of activities where “enjoying the journey” applies, slow down a bit and make enjoyment a part of your regular, daily practice. Because once you start mindfully doing this on a day-to-day basis, it will grow from there from week-to-week, month-to-month, and year-to-year, and you will find yourself making happiness, peace, enjoyment, and progress a priority and a regular practice in your life. And that will feel wonderful. So, do this for yourself if you can.

This and other happiness and self-improvement related tips are provided throughout my self-help oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books…/

#selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #mindfulness #peace

HAPPINESS/SUCCESS TIP: IF YOU WANT A BRIGHTER FUTURE, THEN INVEST IN IT… AND THIS IS ABOUT SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST MONEY

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

In order to achieve longstanding happiness and success in life and to create the brighter future and the life you really, really want, you must be willing to make short-term sacrifices in order to create your most desired longer-term future – and anything and everything that might include for you (and others in your life). And this is about so much more than just money.

Do you want to live a long and healthy life so you can spend more quality time with those you love and appreciate, create memorable experiences, and live a life full of freedom, peace, and independence for the remaining years and decades of your life? Well, then you probably need to mindfully invest in yourself by engaging in fitness activities and making healthy lifestyle choices. Sure, it might seem a bit painful and time consuming right now, but like most investments, it will really pay off over the longer term.

Do you have a dream that you really want to achieve or a cause where you really want to make a difference? Well, then you probably need to mindfully invest by performing the research, gaining the skills, and defining and taking the steps needed to achieve that. Sure, it might seem a bit painful right now, in terms of all the time and effort you might have to put in but, again, like most investments, it will really pay off in the long run.

Are there people in your life you would like to strengthen your relationships with or have you a strong desire to create a future relationship with a special someone? Well, then you probably need to mindfully invest by creating the balance you need in life so that you can mindfully participate in those relationships and take steps towards creating new relationship(s). Sure, things might seem a bit distant and awkward right now, but if you take regular, consistent steps to participate more in the relationships which matter most to you and position yourself for creating new relationships then, again, like most investments, it can really pay off over the longer term.

Do you want to achieve a sense of financial freedom in your life? Well, then you probably need to mindfully invest by getting in the practice of automatically saving 20% of everything you earn, developing and living with a sense of financial discipline, and learning how to invest and manage your money. Sure, you might not be able to live that exciting, lavish lifestyle filled with luster, experiences, and adventure right now but, again, like most investments, it will really pay off over the long run.

Are there any life experiences you really want for yourself? Well, then you probably need to mindfully invest by defining and taking steps to achieve that. Sure, it might seem a bit painful right now, in terms of all the time and effort you might have to put in but, again, like most investments, it will really pay off over the longer term.

And the above are just five broad categories of investment kinds of examples. There are several others we could come up with.

Lastly, don’t forget about the cross effects. For example, if you live an unhealthy lifestyle, do you suppose that could affect your finances, your relationships in terms of your abilities to inspire and actively participate, and the energy you have available to put towards the dreams you desire to achieve, the life experiences you would like to have, or the causes you would like to make a difference in? You better believe it might.

So, invest in yourself and invest in your future. And start today. Get in the practice of making all of the small sacrifices needed today, tomorrow, and all along the way so that you can achieve the brighter future you really, really want.

This and other happiness and self-improvement related tips are provided throughout my self-help oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books…/

#selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #mindfulness #peace #investment #love #relationships

HAPPINESS/SUCCESS TIP: ALWAYS BE MINDFUL OF WHAT YOU EXPEND YOUR TIME AND ENERGY ON

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Here’s a Happiness/Success Tip which might be helpful to some of you out there: always being mindful of how you expend your time and energy. Focus on filling more of your life with that which makes you happy and inspires and fulfills you instead of focusing so much on that which does not. Because life isn’t short. We make it short by wasting time and energy.

So many people seem to get lost from time to time and forget the true purpose of their life is to be happy – and anything and everything that includes – for each and every one of them.

So, keep doing anything that makes you happy. And be mindful of anything which does not.

A lot of people seem to forget the latter – especially when they get consumed by negativity, bitterness, politics, conspiracy theories, and such. So, I wanted to provide a “friendly reminder” in case it might be helpful to some of you out there. Because your life is precious. And you’ll be a lot happier if you treat it that way.

#selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #mindfulness

HAPPINESS/SUCCESS TIP: FIND, FOLLOW, AND FOCUS INTENTLY ON YOUR BURNING WHY

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

One of the keys to motivating yourself (and others) and making consistent and continual progress involves discovering what your burning WHY is and keeping it in clear focus over the weeks, months, years, and decades that follow – whether towards your life overall, for a specific goal or accomplishment, or some success you desire to achieve.

So, some of you might find, focus on, and follow a big, burning WHY in terms of your life overall for the long term if that creates enough motivation for you. Alternatively, you might find, focus on, and follow smaller, burning WHYs for right now in order to create motivation for each of your shorter term goals and such. Or you might use a combination of these approaches.

For example, in my own life, having the peace and freedom to do whatever I want, whenever I want, has been my life overall big, burning WHY for many years now and was enough to drive me to create and embody the financial and investing discipline and balance I needed to achieve that success. Some other person might have a smaller, burning WHY right now, which might involve spending a month in Paris a year from now. So, that smaller, burning WHY for the near term might motivate the individual to do whatever research, take the actions, and earn the money needed to achieve this goal. Someone else might have a smaller, burning WHY right now, in going hiking in the Rocky Mountains. So, that smaller, burning WHY for the near term might motivate this individual to engage in more fitness activities, eat healthier, and embrace healthier habits.

Visualization approaches can also be used to personify your big or small burning WHYs to motivate progress such as the following:

(1) Positive Visualization Approach. This is primarily a positive oriented motivational approach personifying your WHY(s). This essentially involves visualizing the person you greatly aspire to become, the ideal life you would greatly desire to live, or the highest success you greatly desire to achieve and collecting reminders of these – whether reflective of your life overall or your shorter term goals and such. By developing a positive means in which to visualize success and proceeding to visualize, or remind yourself of, this success on a regular basis, progress can be made towards achieving this success.

(2) Negative Visualization Approach. This is primarily a fear oriented motivational approach personifying your WHY(s) from the opposite end of the spectrum. This essentially involves visualizing the person you would most not like to become, the life that you would most not like to live, or the failures and other experiences you would most not like to have and collecting reminders of these – whether reflective of your life overall or your shorter term goals and such. For example, images of a homeless person suffering the effects of a prolonged addiction problem or a character in a movie who played such a role might serve this purpose. Another approach might be collecting reminders of those you love and appreciate who might be greatly affected by your nonsuccess. By developing a negative means in which to provide reminders of your life fears and the negative implications and consequences of nonsuccess, these can help to provide the strength and the motivation to resist or avoid these. And many studies have shown that pain can serve as a powerful motivational force since human beings tend to be “wired” towards avoiding pain/suffering and being risk averse.

(3)  Combined Positive/Negative Visualization Approach. This approach essentially involves two contrasting visualizations: One which represents the positive aspects (item 1 above) and another which represents the negative aspects (item 2 above).

Each of these approaches can help motivate success and improve progress. And the key to this progress and success hinges on finding, following, and focusing on your burning WHY(s) over the weeks, months, years, and decades to follow – whether in life overall, for a specific goal or accomplishment, or some success you desire to achieve. So, do this for yourself (and others) if you can.

This and other happiness and self-improvement related tips are provided throughout my self-help oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/ 

#selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #mindfulness

HAPPINESS/SUCCESS TIP: MAINTAIN A SENSE OF OPENNESS, OBJECTIVITY, AND FLEXIBITY

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Here’s a Happiness/Success Tip on maintaining a sense of openness, objectivity, and flexibility throughout the days, months, years, and decades of your life. The human quality of consistency is overrated. Ways to learn and grow and evolve as a person include being open to new information and ideas and making adjustments along the way. This is an intelligent way to live and you’ll be much happier and more successful in life if you do.

So, get in the practice of embracing openness, objectivity, and flexibility and releasing close-mindedness, subjectivity, and rigidity. And don’t worry so much about maintaining a sense of consistency. Things change and you must adapt to these changes all along the way.

What a wonderful world we could all live in and share if we each lived in this fashion.

This and other happiness tips and topics are provided throughout my self-help, happiness, and investment oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/

#joy #love #gratitude #appreciation #selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #peace #mindfulness

HAPPINESS TIP ON LIVING SIMPLY

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Here’s a Happiness Tip on living simply.

What should you do with your life?

Enjoy it, smile a lot, and be happy.

Simply explore and experience anything and everything in life which might create these happy kinds of things for you.

It’s that simple.

You’re welcome! 🙂

This and other happiness tips and topics are provided throughout my self-help, happiness, and investment oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/

#joy #love #gratitude #appreciation #selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #peace #mindfulness

HAPPINESS TIP: ALWAYS LEAD WITH A SMILE AND HAPPY THOUGHTS TOWARDS OTHERS

Posted on by Joseph M. Brennan Jr.

Here’s a simple Happiness Tip guaranteed to bring immediate and sustained joy throughout the days, weeks, and years of your life… Every time you come in contact with someone, lead with a smile and the thought: “I wish you much happiness and hope you find many reasons to laugh and smile today.” And mean it. You can also bring people in your life to mind (past and present) and do the same.

Observe how wonderful it makes you feel every time you do this – and do it often. What a wonderful world we could all share if we all did this. A world filled with joy and loving-kindness instead of judgment and negativity.

So, do this for yourself (and others) each and every day and smile a little more. 🙂

This and other happiness tips and topics are provided throughout my self-help, happiness, and investment oriented books: https://brighterdayslifecoaching.com/published-books-and-life-coaching-services/

#joy #love #gratitude #appreciation #selfimprovement #selfhelp #selfdevelopment #intention #fulfillment #success #inspiration #happiness #peace #mindfulness