Apr 9, 2017
Love to travel?
Travel has many points of views. It is probably not as fascinating to those who travel on business for obvious reasons but to those of us who travel on pleasure, we definitely look forward to them. You may be on your way to a nice destination now!
Where to go? What to take? Who to go with? Yes there are a lot of factors on planning a good trip unless you are really spontaneous and feel like "winging" it.
Most people, if you are like me, like to plan things ahead of time. For instance: Where to go? Feel like browsing the states? The usual comes to mind: New York City, Miami, Las Vegas, Los Angeles. Whatever your style, go for it.
However, three are many hidden treasures in our country. If you're a nature buff you might consider the Sequoia National Park in California. Perfect for hiking and just simply staring at these beautiful trees!
How about camping? Oklahoma offers pretty nice camping sites near their lakes. Try Broken Bow or Beavers Ben sometime. Word to wise, avoid mosquito/tornado season. Eesh!
If you are an adventurer that needs real challenges and surprises there is always the mid-west. The grand canyon can have the most intense rafting conditions on many rivers. Colorado might surprise you too with numerous activities such as rafting, horse back riding, skiing, snow boarding and for those shopping lovers they offer many shopping centers all over.
Not an outdoorsy person but still like thrills? Plenty of amusement parks all over the states can accommodate to that. From Cedar point in Sandusky, Ohio down to Busch Gardens in Tampa, Florida these roller coasters will flip you in ways you did not know were possible.
Last place you might think of for this type of entertainment is in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Stratosphere Hotel has few thrilling rides right on its rooftop. Just a little over a thousand feet high, no biggie.
Also, if you are like me and would never think of skydiving, there is actually a simulated one you can try out in Las Vegas too. Indoor skydiving is a safer alternative if you will. You lay on the floor, turn on the high fan under you and hope the power doesn't go off mid-air: kidding!
If you however are considering a real calm vacation and just want to kick back and relax you have plenty of options as well. If you like snow Colorado can help with that. Breckenridge is actually a hidden treasure not many know about and offers quiet cabins in the mountains with all the modern luxuries you can ask for.
However, if you would favor warmer climates there is always the calming Florida Keys or the virgin islands. Many resorts and beach house rentals await. It does not have to weigh heavily on your wallet at all.
Whatever your choice from thrilling to peaceful, be sure to take what you need, plan out the basics and just have fun.
Gratitude: The Personal Development Tool
If you are serious about improving yourself, what you need to know is that there are a few different ways you can accomplish that. Of course, what you need to know is that it is imperative that you start somewhere. A lot of the time, people get overwhelmed by all the personal development tools that are out there. That leads to no improvement whatsoever.
A great tool for you, if you're serious about improving your personal development, is to think of the concept of gratitude. Gratitude is something that can be exceedingly helpful to you in your quest to better yourself, and here are some ways you can put gratitude to work for you.
Think about what you are grateful for every morning. For most people, waking up is a chore. They wish they could sleep more often, and they don't cherish the idea of waking up and going to work. That's why you should make a real effort to get up in the morning giving thanks instead of complaining. Then, you start your day on a high note and you start helping good things to happen.
Now, it doesn't matter who you give thanks to. If you are religious, you may wish to thank God, but if you are not, it is as acceptable to just feel the gratitude in your heart.
Another way gratitude can help you is if you keep a journal about things you are thankful for. Keep the journal with you at all times so you can jot down notes if you need to. That way, whenever you are feeling down, or as if you don't have anything, you can open your gratitude journal and see all the things you like about your life. It doesn't have to be huge things you are thankful for, either. Even if you are thankful for jellybeans, that counts!
Express your gratitude for those around you who make your life a better place. We all spend a lot of time complaining about the people who make us miserable, why not take that time and talk about people who make us happy!
Look for ways to show your gratitude to people. You may not have much money, but you can write them a kind note. You can do them a favor, or babysit, or cook them a meal. Showing your gratefulness helps other people do to the same. Everyone has a tough time in life, so it is a good thing when you can alleviate someone else's suffering.
Finally, before you go to bed at night, think of times during the day where you were not grateful, but could have been. This teaches you how to act in the future.
As you can see now, gratitude can be a really important part of your life. Even if you start with just a little gratitude, it can grow into something that is beautiful in your life. If you want to see your life blossom, become someone who is more grateful.
From “I Can’t” To “I Have”
How often do you hear people say “I can’t do this”? All too often, isn’t it? Now, time to be honest with yourself, how often have you said it. “I can’t” can be two of the most dangerous words in the English language. Those two words are a big factor in people being unable to accomplish anything.
If you find yourself constantly saying, “I can’t” you need to change your thinking. In many cases, “I can’t” really means “I won’t”. Think about how often you say that you can’t do something. How many times is it just a minor obstacle standing in your way, something small that you will not try to overcome? Often, with just a little bit of effort, you can get around these small obstacles, and accomplish something. Take a look at what is standing in your way, think of ways around it, and “I can’t” can become “I can”.
Now that you are starting to think “I can”, you need to move on from there. Certainly, it is better to think that you can do something than thinking that you can’t. However, “I can” can also be dangerous. Now that you think you can do something, that’s a good thing. So, now you can, the question becomes, why aren’t you? I can is a good step, but at this point there is just the belief that you can accomplish something. But belief without action is nothing. At this point, you need to stop saying that you can do something, and do it.
The next step is to think “I will”. This is where you take a hard look at what you want to accomplish, and start thinking about how to do it. Write out your goals, and the steps needed to achieve the goals. Spend an adequate amount of time planning what you need to do to accomplish your goals. Do not spend too much time planning, though. It is easy to get caught up in the trap of over planning, and over thinking. At some point you need to simply start doing. You need to start taking action on your plans.
Now, you have reached the “I am” stage. You have overcome the fear and inaction of “I can’t”. You have moved beyond simply believing of “I can”. You have made your plans in the “I will” stage. Now you have to look at the list of steps to reach your goals, and start taking action. Just take it one step at a time and move closer and closer to your goals. Other obstacles may crop up on the way. If this happens, don’t let it stop you. Step back for a moment, and figure out a way around them. Keep moving forward and soon you’ll find yourself at “I have”.
“I have” is accomplishment. You’ve overcome your fear, believed that you can do it, planned it out, and taken action. Now you are seeing the results of your efforts. You’ve reached your goals. Think of some areas of your life where you can apply this. Apply these principles to your life, and keep moving from “I can’t” to “I have”.
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