Mikolaj’s Monday Maunder-First thing every morning

Inspiration and lessons for your leadership journey!

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“It's so important to know that you can choose to feel good.  Most people don’t think they have that choice."
~ Neil Simon ~

Many people may not know that many years ago I went through a heart-wrenching divorce, was diagnosed with depression, and battled with a mortgage company that ended in a bankruptcy.  For a period of time, I even had to borrow a car from my sister and brother-in-law and then my own son, just to get to work.  Today, I am happily married to an amazing woman and teacher, am healthy and fit, and enjoy more financial abundance than I’ve ever had.  What turned my life around?  How was I transformed?  For some clues, read what I began to do first thing every morning in these excerpts from Chapter 3, GPS for Leaders, of A Travel Guide to Leadership:

(Don't forget to watch this week's video at the end!)

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Excerpts from A Travel Guide to Leadership
Chapter 3, GPS for Leaders

So first, pick a quiet time that you can contemplate every day.  When I first started daily contemplation, I knew I was trying to reach deeper parts of myself and my subconscious mind.  So, I chose a time when my mind is more closely resonating with subconscious frequencies: when I first wake up in the morning.

Many monastic traditions awake and meditate early in the morning.  Jack Canfield, known as America's success coach and founder and co-creator of the billion-dollar book brand Chicken Soup for the Soul also recommends a morning intention, visualization, and releasing practice.

For me, a morning contemplation practice quickly became a part of my routine and now it seems to take little effort to start.  I don’t even think about it much.  It has become a habit that I find very powerful and rewarding in and of itself.  But you can contemplate anytime.  Pick a time that seems right for you.  You may find, as I did, a desire to contemplate more frequently.  I’ve since added a nightly contemplation before I fall asleep each night and often find myself taking a few minutes during the day to simply sit back and focus on my vision, mission, purpose, guiding principles, or goals.  It re-energizes me and fills me with enthusiasm…

One of the most powerful tools you can take with you on your leadership journey is the regular and consistent practice of contemplation.  Consistent, focused, and positive contemplation of your vision, mission, purpose, guiding principles, and goals results in their manifestation.  The problem may be that you were not taught how to contemplate productively.  You may be contemplating the wrong thing or going about it in the wrong way.  Those nasty subconscious beliefs and old thought patterns– and the feelings that come with them – just keep resurfacing…

The times that we need to reflect on it most are during the busiest and most stressful times.  Taking time out to re-center and re-focus is a crucial part of effective leadership.  As I mentioned before, I contemplate my guiding principles and values every morning and every night on a continual and routine basis.  If I get stressed or busy, I take time-outs to reconnect to purpose, mission, and vision and guiding principles and values.

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You can learn all about the Four Rules of Contemplation (and more!) in my new book, A Travel Guide to Leadership – and for readers of this blog, I’m offering a holiday gift to you: 

Receive more than 30% off the price of the book!  Click any of the links to order the book from CreateSpace (an Amazon company) and enter the discount code:  NDBLXGVC when ordering.  You’ll instantly save $5 on each book you order!  With that kind of savings, you can buy one for yourself, your boss, and your direct reports!  

This Week's Affirmations
(Repeat these quietly to yourself multiple times throughout the day.)

I have a choice to feel good.

I can change my life by changing what I think.

It’s okay to be happy.  In fact, it is my happiness that makes me successful!

I choose to contemplate positive thoughts first thing every morning.

My joy lies not in things, but in my heart, mind, and spirit – my state of being.

Have an amazing journey today!

Alan

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