Feeling Good / Feeling Bad Reflection

Happiness is the feeling you’re feeling when you want to keep feeling it.”  Author Unknown

There is more to starting a business than deciding on what you are going to do, choosing a name for your business and setting up a website.  You have to develop the right mindset for starting a business, an entrepreneurial mindset which I address in my book, 31 Powerful Lessons: Empowering Teens and Young Adults to Develop an Entrepreneur Mindset.

The first step is making a decision that you want to have your own business.  Part of this decision making process should include taking stock of your life and giving yourself a reality check.  It requires complete honesty with yourself.  There is no point in trying to fool yourself into something that isn’t real because in that way, you set yourself up to fail.

The benefit of having a clear picture of what you are feeling about your life is that you can take steps to transform the things that are negative.  It is important to remember, that, whether you know it or not, believe it or night, it is TRUE that your thoughts create your reality.  The more positive your thoughts are the better chance you have at creating success.

Here’s the challenge I present to you now.  Look at the 12 areas in your life listed below.  Look at the words and ask yourself truthfully, which one describes you most closely?  Circle the one that most accurately describes your life, then answer the questions below.

                                       

 

 

                 

      Feels Good                            VS.                              Feels Bad

1.  Lifestyle                                                                    1.  Student/Workstyle

2.  Balance                                                                     2.  Disorder

3.  Financial Freedom                                                   3.  Financial Stress

4.  Great Health                                                             4.  Poor Health

5.  High Energy                                                             5.  Tired

6.  Love                                                                         6.  Fear

7.  Spiritual Connection                                               7.  Spiritual Disconnection

8.  Living on Purpose                                                  8.  Lost

9.   Healthy Relationships                                           9.  Toxic Relationships

10. Mental Clearness                                                  10. Mental Confusion

11. Experiencing Life                                                   11. Being Stuck

12. Being Satisfied                                                       12. Being Frustrated

 

Look through your responses to this activity.  Now answer these questions:

Which column has more descriptions of your life circled?

What do your responses to this activity tell you about your life?

 

Now you have something things to think about.  What can you do to transform those things that are in the Feeling Bad column?  It would be a good idea to prioritize in terms of which would be easier to take action on to change as quickly as possible.

Marcia Wieder calls this process of transformation completion.  You do what you need to do to change, fix, clear out, whatever is keeping you in the negative column and you have completed those things and find yourself in the positive column.

What have you identified as being in the thumbs down column, what is making that so, and how can you transform that?

Have you read 31 Powerful Lessons: Empowering Teens and Young Adults to Develop an Entrepreneur Mindset?  If not, why not?

About the Author

Chef William - September 8, 2012

One of the lessons I have learned in life is that poor health can show a vast improvement with the right mind set. And the right mind set includes a spiritual connection at some level. Life will happen, but with the right mind set we can find joy in getting out of bed in the morning and facing it head on….
Good article, thanks for reminding us to take an inner look now and then to help keep our focus.
Chef William recently posted…Is the Gluten Free Diet a Fad?My Profile

    Julia - September 8, 2012

    Thank you for your comment and continued support Chef William. Obviously, I wholeheartedly agree with you. The right mindset is essential to creating and maintain success in any area of our life.

Kama - September 8, 2012

Mindset is vital for growth in business or any aspect of life. I can also give an example of mindset in regards to health. I have arthritis in both hips. According to my x-rays I need hip replacements and I should be in extreme pain. I have decided that I am healthy. The specialists are baffled by my ability to walk and by the fact that I don’t take pain killers. I used this same mindset in 2011 when I decided I would write and publish a book. I had never been a writer but I was determined. I did it and with very little stress! My partner and I used the same mindset in early 2012 when we decided we wanted to travel and see where life takes us. We put everything in storage and got on a plane. 5 Months and several countries later, we are still travelling. I am now using the same mindset to create a business while I travel and I am sure I will succeed because I have the mindset to do so. I am in my 40’s, I can only imagine what I could have done if I had understood this concept in my 20’s.Teenagers and young adults have the whole world open to them, endless possibilites and the courage to follow dreams. With the right mindset a teenager or young adult can achieve anything.
Kama recently posted…Comment on BEGINNING Your Journey Towards Grey – Where Do You Start? B – (Confidently Grey A-Z) by KamaMy Profile

    Julia - September 8, 2012

    Kama, I didn’t realize before now that you are on the move. I think you’re doing a great job. And how great is it that you are strong enough to not be beaten down by arthritis. I can relate – I had surgery in 2008 when three biopsies showed malignant. I decided that I do not and will not have cancer and in the end, they were all mystified by the lack of cancer because they had already set up a treatment plan and schedule. So I say to you, “go girl!”

    It all goes to show that developing a mindset relative to what you want to accomplish is essential. The young people realize that, the more people teach that to their children, the better off the world will be.

    Thank you taking time to comment.

Sleepless In Newcastle - September 8, 2012

I used to have some real problems with where I was in my life even as recent as the beginning of this year but I changed my mindset (not easy to do) and start doing more things to make me happy. So far I have lost 50lbs in weight, ‘cured’ my diabetes, started a blog, enrolled on a photography course, enrolled on a creative writing course, become more involved in charity work and organised some fun events to fund raise for charity as well. At least those are a few things that I have ticked off my negative list and a lot more in the positive now.
Stopping to take stock of our lives every now and then can be a massively rewarding experience as your article shows.
Sleepless In Newcastle recently posted…My hidden illness: 30 things you may not knowMy Profile

    Julia - September 8, 2012

    Thank you sharing with us Keith. It’s like the statement about fear – everything you want is on the other side of fear. One just has to make the decision that their desire is greater than their fear. It’s about making a decision to go for it, that’s the basis for building a mindset. I love how you are transforming your life and moving things from the negative column onto the positive side. Congratulations on all you’ve accomplished far and all that’s still to come.

    Kellyanne - September 15, 2012

    Ive landed here for 1st time tonight and I always think there’s a reason for things.
    I’m in the dark place just now and reading the article and your comment Keith speaks to me a lot and giving me a little hope that I can try change my mindset after being so stuck past few years, not sure how I can yet but reading yourself and others will help.
    I would be interested in reading your blog Keith if you could let me know where to find it.
    Any help and advice from anyone very much welcomed.

      Julia - September 15, 2012

      I’m sorry to hear that you are in a dark place Kellyanne. If there is anything I can do to support you to move through that space, please don’t hesitate to contact me at julia@julianeiman.com. In the meantime, you can find Keith’s blog at http://www.keithaddison.co.uk/sleeplessinnewcastle/.

      If you tell us what you need help with exactly – where are you stuck? WE will be better able to help you. We all experience dark places from time to time. I keep myself going by reminding myself that this too shall pass.

        Sleepless In Newcastle - September 16, 2012

        Sorry you are having a hard time Kellyanne, it always seems to be a situation that you will never get out of but with a few very small changes in your life you will start to see the momentum build. Before long you will see some of the dark clouds part and you can step into the light again. If there is anything I can do to help then please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

        Thank you for such an enlightening post Julia, I am still using the columns but unfortunately some more things got added to the negative this week. I just need to get some more positives to balance it out!
        Sleepless In Newcastle recently posted…My world: an outpouring to those who will listen…My Profile

          Julia - September 16, 2012

          It’s done one step at a time Keith, but then I suspect you already know that. And it’s ever changing with ups and downs. All we can do at any given moment is our best and no one can ask more of us than that.

Alexandria - September 8, 2012

Great article Julia! I’ve always thought (and taught!) that regardless of the situation, we always have control over our perception of it – and perception is everything!
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    Julia - September 8, 2012

    Perception is everything! Amen to that. I try to teach my kids that as well. It’s really an essential lesson that somehow the adults in their lives never think to teach them.

    Thank you for leaving your comment. It’s important.

Patricia Lynn - September 9, 2012

I think for me I’ve been feeling overwhelmed lately with just how much I feel I need to do to keep my business moving forward – sometimes I drive myself so much I forget to take time for myself…
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    Julia - September 9, 2012

    Thank you for your comment Patricia. I do that as well. I try not to, but I know I need to have a reality check when I get to tired to focus anymore. I want to read everyone’s posts and reply back and just haven’t found the time when I’m alert and when I have time, I’m so tired that I can’t concentrate. This is on my list of things to transform into the positive column right now.

Kim (Mirror Moon Tarot and Coaching) - September 10, 2012

Great article! Sometimes it’s a Catch-22, you feel you need to build something in your life (business for more financial freedom, lifestyle changes to be more emotionally centered) and you feel you can’t until some other thing is sorted out. The interconnectedness of so many of these things definitely helps, that when one is evened out others may start falling into place, or at least be easier.
Kim (Mirror Moon Tarot and Coaching) recently posted…Remember who you are.My Profile

    Julia - September 10, 2012

    That’s an astute observation Kim. It can be like a domino effect. If you take care of this, then that will take are of that too. I love when that happens.

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