Meditation and More

Do you want to be an outlier?

2009-02-24T10:58:00.000-08:00

In statistics that term means standing out. Being in the top 2%.

Malcolm Gladwell, in his newest bestselling book, Outliers, identifies many of the factors that contributes to becoming an outlier. Some of the contributing factors we don't have control over. The one we do is the amount of time we spend "practicing". He identified how real world outliers in all areas of life put in time. Gladwell identified that they all practiced their craft for more than 10,000 hours before they were recognized as exceptional performers.

So, if you want to be an outlier, you need to be willing to put in the time.

But don't just go out there and start taking action.

First get clear about what you are looking to create or achieve.

Here are some questions to ponder:

What do I want to do with my life?

What do I want to experience?

Who do I want to be?

What do I want to change or shape?

What legacy do I want to leave?

Who and how do I want to impact people?

Mindfully,

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"

P.S. If you need help pursuing your Big Dream, contact me at 847 490-7689 or mike@meditationandmore.com .

All I really need to know I learned in Kindergaten...

2008-08-28T12:30:00.001-07:00

My youngest child was off to his first day of Kindergarten today.

What a special day. It may be reflect on many things. One was Robert Fulghum's book "ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN".

This book get me to think about my tendency to overcomplicate things at time. So my thought for you (and me) today is keep it simple, slow down, pay attention and be kind.

Here is some words directly from Robert Fulghum...

All I really need to know about how to live and what to do and how to be I learned in kindergarten. Wisdom was not at the top of the graduate school mountain, but there in the sand pile at school.

These are the things I learned:
Share everything.
Play fair.
Don't hit people.
Put things back where you found them.
Clean up your own mess.
Don't take things that aren't yours.
Say you're sorry when you hurt somebody.
Wash your hands before you eat.
Flush.
Warm cookies and cold milk are good for you.
Live a balanced life - learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
Take a nap every afternoon.
When you go out in the world, watch out for traffic, hold hands and stick together.
Be aware of wonder.

Remember the little seed in the Styrofoam cup: the roots go down and the plant goes up and nobody really knows how or why, but we are all like that.

Goldfish and hamsters and white mice and even the little seed in the Styrofoam cup - they all die. So do we.
And then remember the Dick-and-Jane books and the first word you learned - the biggest word of all - LOOK.

Everything you need to know is in there somewhere. The Golden Rule and love and basic sanitation. Ecology and politics and equality and sane living.

Take any one of those items and extrapolate it into sophisticated adult terms and apply it to your family life or your work or government or your world and it holds true and clear and firm. Think what a better world it would be if we all - the whole world - had cookies and milk at about 3 o'clock in the afternoon and then lay down with our blankies for a nap. Or if all governments had as a basic policy to always put things back where they found them and to clean up their own mess.

And it is still true, no matter how old you are, when you go out in the world, it is best to hold hands and stick together.

(Source: "ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN" by Robert Fulghum)

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. Are you paying attention?

The Best Night's Sleep Ever - No Pills Required

2008-08-19T05:36:00.000-07:00

If you're like most people with sleep problems, your
mind is simply overloaded with tension and strain by
the time your head hits the pillow.

You lie there trying to relax, yet you play the day's
events over and over in your mind. You dwell on money
problems. Kid problems. Marriage and relationship
problems. You can't shut off your brain and get to
sleep, no matter how hard you try ... and the frustration
mounts up.

But imagine if you could release the weight of the
world at bedtime. Automatically, too, so you don't even
give it a thought. And without taking a single pill,
either.

Well, that day is finally here...

And I don't want you to miss out.

Today, my friend Mike Brescia of Think Right Now
International has gathered together over 105 leading
authors and experts to show you breathtaking new ways
to ease your stress, calm your mind, enjoy greater
success - including the one, best way to get the
blissful night's sleep you deserve, night after night.

Go here now to find out what's going on:
- http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmt.asp?s=826227

Mike and the research team at Think Right Now have
just released a remarkable new program called "Tranquil
Sleep Now." But this isn't just another self-help book
or tape. It's so important - life-changing, really --
that over 100 other health and self-improvement experts
are helping them spread the word.

You see, "Tranquil Sleep Now" does what no other sleep
aid in the world can do: It corrects the root causes of
your sleeplessness, instead of just knocking you out
with brain-altering substances like drugs and herbal
supplements do.

This program has only been out a few weeks, yet Mike
has already received testimonials from dozens of people
whose sleep problems disappeared the very first night.

That's right; lifetime insomnia gone -- just like that.

It's THAT powerful.

Go here to learn what the fuss is about -- and get
access to over 105 free bonus gifts:
- http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmt.asp?s=826227

By the way, "Tranquil Sleep Now" is NOT hypnosis or
one of those "sounds of nature" tapes. Instead, it
combines two proven mental conditioning techniques in a
unique audio format that has a remarkable track record
for success.

It breaks the chains of troubled sleep naturally by
targeting and transforming the self-defeating thoughts,
feelings, and beliefs that loom in your mind when you
go to bed.

So if you're sick and tired of waking up feeling like
you've been through an ultimate fighting match,
"Tranquil Sleep Now" guarantees a full night's sleep
every night.

No drugs. No herbs. No time investment. No ongoing costs.

You'll love it.

This program is like an audio knockout pill that trains
your mind to shut down on command so that you can fall
asleep anytime you want anywhere you want without any
strain or effort.

Please take advantage of this now before this special
is over. Check it out here - and claim your 105 free
bonus gifts, too.

- http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmt.asp?s=826227

To the best night's sleep of your life every night,

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

P.S. Check it out at http://www.thinkrightnow.com/cmt.asp?s=826227

Create authenticity in your life...

2008-08-05T09:38:00.000-07:00

You will never be enough when you are not being yourself.

That's right.

You will never be enough when you are not being yourself.

Don't settle for the half lived life.

Don't settle for a wimpy life.

Don't quell your passion.

There are consequences for going 1/2 throttle.

Don't give up on your intensity.

You see, many of us train ourselves to disconnect or disown important aspects of who we are.

We do this to fit in or not upset the apple cart or not upset others.

But...

Being strong makes others feel strong.

Being yourself gives other people permission to be their best self.

So...

Be yourself.

Recover your true self.

Take off the masks.

Don't hit the mute button on your life.

It's all about alignment.

Align with your nature.

Find relationships and environments where you can fully show up.

Step out of fear or limitations into your true self.

To quote Marianne Williamson...

'Your playing small does not serve the world'.

'The world needs you'.

You need you.

Have an authentic week.

Sincerely,

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. Have you considered hiring a coach?

5 Steps to Success

2008-07-24T10:39:00.001-07:00

Follow these guidelines and you’ll find each day more productive! You’ll be amazed at how much you begin to accomplish!

1. Set out deliberately to make every day highly productive.

Decide on one main purpose for each day. Determine that you’re going to achieve that one object above everything else. If you accomplish even one worthwhile thing each day, you’ll be inspired to keep moving ahead! And a series of successful days makes a highly productive year!

Achievement begins with a definite, written plan for each day’s work. Be strict with yourself on this one. It’s vital to your best progress.

After planning your day, start working right away with passion and excitement. Do your honest-to-goodness best. If some part of your work seems boring, put more heart and purpose into it, and you’ll be surprised at the satisfaction and motivation that’ll pop up!

2. Make the most of your opportunities each day. Whatever you do, always expect success. Make the most of your best talents.

There are opportunities all around you! Look for them. Grab them and hold on tight! Keep your eyes fixed upon one purpose, and remember that perseverance may carry you far beyond your immediate goal. It could bring you even greater success than you anticipate.

Don’t wait for your best working mood, but create it. Concentration is one of the great secrets of achievement. Apply yourself wholeheartedly to a task for one hour. You’ll accomplish more than you will from several hours of aimless effort. Get used to doing one thing at a time and to do it thoroughly.

3. Appreciate the privilege of work.

You can’t afford to take things easy while climbing the ladder of success. Don’t back up because difficulty comes knocking at your door. Move ahead. Don’t be scared of a little work. Work is the medicine of the soul. It’s more than that - it’s your very life.

You don’t need extraordinary abilities for the highest success. In most instances successful folks rise to the top by making the most of ordinary talents and opportunities. A person of average ability inspired by hard work and determination will outstrip a genius who doesn’t know where he’s headed.

4. Be courageous!

You’ll be confronted by difficulties and discouragements, but decide to be strong and focused at all times. Make yourself do the difficult things. Get them out of the way first. Your courage and motivation will grow.

5. Develop extra energy reserves.

Store up energy for future use. Now, you may wonder how you can store up what you don’t have, but you’re better equipped than you think.

At the next sign of mental or physical laziness or inclination to give up because of a challenge, try the following exercise: Stand up straight, breathe deeply, rise on your toes, and stretch your arms toward the ceiling. Repeat this several times with gusto. Shake out the lazies, and then get back to your work with renewed energy.

Change of work is restful and revs up your brain power. People don’t often break down from overwork but from lack of organization and knowledge.

Work during all the working hours of the day. Try to make every moment count. Put your whole strength and best effort into the work of the moment.

Also, make time for leisure outside of your regular business hours. Free time is actually most enjoyable when there’s plenty of hard work before and after it. Really!

Take action on these 5 steps, and you’ll find your days filled with great joy and effectiveness.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@meditationandmore.com

Creativity and Success

2008-07-21T06:45:00.000-07:00

As you ponder your goal and determine the best course to achieve it, you will need some creative ways of thinking and facing challenges that will arise. The most creative-thinkers out there will encourage you to think outside your box and to consider even the wildest of ideas.

One way to do this is to “Wild Mind Brainstorm.” Wild-Mind is done by having a piece of paper and writing down EVERY idea that occurs to you about the situation you’re facing. Do NOT evaluate your ideas—just write them down. Do NOT consider something “ too silly” or “too dumb” to write down—just write it down!

Evaluate your ideas in a few days, but not when you’re writing them down. Consider these ideas much like a newborn baby. You must cradle that baby and hold it lovingly and help it grow to a responsible adult. The same goes for your new ideas. You might find that one idea you would consider to be the “silliest” turns out to be your key for unlocking the door you’re facing.

Remember the guy who came up with the idea for Post-It Notes? The adhesive was discovered long before they found a use for it—and the person who said, “Let’s make some note pads that are small and can be easily removed,” was laughed at. But now—do you even see ONE office without Post-Its around? I have at least 6 pads of Post-Its in my desk drawer alone. There’s one in the kitchen, and one in the car.

Another way to increase your creativity is to be around others who are creative. Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so people can improve each other.” If you hobnob with those who are known for creativity, it will wear off on you. And you will find new ways of looking at things and thinking about situations, as well.

You can find audio-books and speeches that will stir up your creative juices as well. Professional speakers and those who have “been there, done that” often hit the speaking-circuit and can pump fresh ideas and life in your goal and the ways you attain those goals.

I prefer removing myself from the goal-achieving mode and moving to a truly creative outlet—the arts. You may not consider yourself artsy or think you have any ability in this realm, but it’s worth taking a lump of clay (or Play-Doh) and working with it.

You may find, as I do, that when I’m working on a hobby that I truly love, I free up a portion of my brain that was engaged in my problem-solving. When that happens, I typically find a potential solution to my dilemma. Artistic creativity often sparks other forms of creative-thinking, as it engages a different area of the brain than what we’re used to using. Pick up a paintbrush, a pencil, arrange some flowers, or begin a needlework project. You may find in color and artistry you have a new lease on what you’re doing!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

Relationships and Success

2008-07-20T06:54:00.001-07:00

Once you know the formula to success, it’s time to consider different avenues in which that formula should be put in to action. The main one you’ll find in every area of your life is relationships.

Why relationships? Because we are human beings, designed to interact with other human beings. This, by default, entails relationships. And also by default, if you don’t have appropriate skills to manage your relationships, you will fail miserably at whatever success you’re aiming for. The first relationship you must consider is the one you have with yourself. If you don’t like yourself, chances are great you will project that dislike to others and your lack of self-appreciation will not propel you to success in any given field. The higher your integrity is, the more you will like yourself. The more you like yourself, the better your relationships will be with others—from the inside out. Your family relationship is the next thing to examine. The most successful Harvard Business graduates (class of 1949, by percentages) had several things in common:

o They had wives who supported their work and endeavors; women who were intelligent and able to share ideas and be a sounding board

o They built their personal, family, and business lives on a foundation of integrity Family relationships are extremely important as you consider your path to success. If you fail here, you will not succeed elsewhere—we’ve already covered that in depth. Business relationships follow closely behind family relationships. They play a major role in the security and productivity of every individual involved in them, as well as the success and growth of the company.

You must also learn to manage your frustration as you deal with relationships. Because we are all human, we all have problem-areas and “sticking points” that will irritate and inflame others. If you can manage your frustration and turn a bad situation with an individual in to something you can learn from and make profitable, you will be that much farther ahead on your road to success.

Consider also, that the next person you meet is important. He or she might look like someone who cannot help you in your field, but then again, looks are deceiving. You never know when the person you assist might be able to assist you or report back to your boss what a great job you’re doing!

Summing up this section, you should be able to see how healthy family relationships, a willingness to go above & beyond at work, and an ability to consider the next person as important can have a monumental effect on your path to success. We cannot do it alone, and that mere fact means we must deal appropriately with people and relationships!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@meditationandmore.com

Reflect Your Way to Success

2008-07-18T13:04:00.001-07:00

At some point on your road to your goals, you’ll need to take some time to reflect and assess where you are, where you’ve been, and how this is affecting where you want to go. One way you can determine how you’re doing and where you’ve been is to journal. I personally am not a journaler, nor do I think everyone needs to be. But journaling is a great way to track your progress. If you feel intimidated by a blank book that’s sold as a “journal,” blog it. Blogging is a good way to put your thoughts down and out there in cyberspace.

Or choose an audio-method: speak in to a tape recorder. If, like me, you’re not a journaler, keep track of your progress and setbacks in the form of check-marks or some other recording-method. I personally like to reassess after achieving some part of my goal. There is usually a natural denouement that comes with an accomplishment—a little bit of “time off,” as it were. I use that time to consider what I’ve finished and how it fits in to my goals and success.

Another time to reflect and consider is when you’ve hit a stumbling block. As you look at the obstacle in front of you, try to figure out where it came from and why you might not have seen it before you tripped over it. If you have strayed off-course and found this boulder that way, this is the time to determine that. If you’ve lost sight of your values, you may have found this problem as a result of that. Reassess now and get back on track. Don’t forget your key value of integrity and realize that integrity is the most important thing as you pursue success.

Finally, use reflection time to re-evaluate your goals. Have your goals changed a bit since you wrote them down? An example is a goal to pursue your doctoral degree and defend your dissertation within 4 years of starting your program. If you were single when you started your program and got married during your education, you might find that your timeline is less important now than it was 2 years ago. You might find that if you take an extra year to defend your thesis, you’ll have a richer, more productive document to defend, as your spouse may be able to help you consider things you hadn’t seen before.

Regardless of how you assess and consider your goals and your path to success, it’s important that you do. Everyone needs tweaking along the way, and that also applies to the goals we set for ourselves.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@meditationandmore.com

Get into the Success Zone

2008-07-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression “in the zone,” particularly as it applies to athletes or others who are unflappable as they eye the goal. Sometimes you can be in the zone regarding your success and nothing gets in your way; other times you can do everything right and find that whatever can go wrong, will. Here are thoughts on building the habit of success and getting “in the zone.”

o Achieve Success by Expecting It: You must understand that the path from where you are to where you want to be is not always smooth or straight. When you hit those inevitable bumps in the road, your character, commitment, and attitude will help get you “in the zone” or at least, keep you there.

o Success Breeds Success: “Mo.” That shortened word of “mo” speaks of momentum—the ability to continually succeed and build on the past successes you’ve had. Most people understand that when they have one (big or small) success, it encourages them and makes them believe they can do anything. Salespeople know it, and they strive for it. When you’ve unlocked the key to your success (whatever that may be), you’ll find your “mo” and that nothing can get in your way.

o Choosing Success: We all understand that we can choose to be happy or miserable, and that our choices will affect our lives for the better or worse. When you opt to be happy, you choose to identify with the accomplishments in life that exude who you are and who you have striven to be. You can choose to look on the positive side, just as you can choose success. Remember, success is more than just wealth. Choose the positive side of things and you choose to remember and live your successes, not your failures.

o Experts Don’t Know Everything: If you have a plan that seems to go against all the conventional wisdom and yet you know in your soul that this WILL work, then follow your gut instincts. The “experts” are wrong all the time—from medical experts who predict incorrectly to future-trending experts who foretell the wrong trends and costs corporations millions.

More than 100 years ago, someone wanted to close down the US Patent office because he thought everything that could be invented had been and that no one would need to patent anything else, ever. So don’t listen to the nay sayers and “experts”—sometimes they are dead wrong!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@meditationandmore.com

Overcoming "failure" for success

2008-07-15T04:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, so you’ve been giving it your all. Well, maybe not your *all*, but a good portion of your all. And you’re not seeing any progress. So now what? Are you doomed to failure and never to succeed? No! Keep reading.

One thing that you need to understand is that failure is an event, not a person. It doesn’t define you as a “loser” for the rest of your life—unless you let it. Failure happens to you—it isn’t who you are. You’re not a victim, but it also doesn’t define you. So when it happens (notice I didn’t say “if”), pick yourself up and get ready for the next event in your life.

You must adjust your attitude as you recuperate from a failure. You will rise to your own expectations. Psychologists call this a “self-fulfilling prophecy,” and we are suckers to believe our own words. So adjust your attitude to the positive side of things.

Remember the guy who came up with the brilliant idea to change Coke? Back in the 80s (for those of you who were mere babes during that decade), someone had a stroke of genius—or so he thought. The Coca Cola company decided to compete more with Pepsi, and changed the formulation of their signature product—Coke.

They called it “The New Coke.” It bombed. No one enjoyed the new taste and the calls were immediate to bring back “the old Coke.” After a few months of hemming and hawing, Coca Cola executives brought back the original formula of Coke and ditched the new stuff—and its creator.

So what happened to the guy whose idea this was? He left Coca Cola and began to look for new work. The trouble was, his name was well known in the business community and everyone connected him to the failure that New Coke was. He finally landed an interview in which he got a fair shake: the interviewer asked what he had learned through the problems the New Coke had created.

Naturally, he indicated that he had many lessons learned from the fiasco. He didn’t let failure define him, and he ended up landing the job for which he was interviewing. Good for him, right? But good for the company that hired him, too. They were willing to take a chance on a creative risk-taker who had a very public failure on his record.

Many of those who are considered to be “successful” have had failures dot their lives.

Think of Abraham Lincoln. Do you remember learning about all of his so-called faulures on his path to becoming the President of the United States? Here is a short short list of those “failures”:

1831 – Failed in business
1832 – Defeated for legislature
1833 – Again failed in business
1834 – Elected to legislature
1835 – Sweetheart died
1836 – Had a nervous breakdown
1838 – Defeated for speaker
1840 – Defeated for elector
1843 – Defeated for Congress
1846 – Elected for Congress
1848 – Defeated for Congress
1855 – Defeated for Senate
1856 – Defeated for Vice-President
1858 – Defeated for Senate
1860 – ELECTED PRESIDENT

“Failures” were merely events from which he recovered from, learned from and moved on from. And you should take the same tact when confronted with something that didn’t turn out like you hoped it would.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@meditationandmore.com

Focus on Success

2008-07-13T05:37:00.000-07:00

I have heard the saying many times that “what you think about expands”.

Earl Nightingale said “you become what you think about most of the time”.

So…

Start thinking more about success. Start thinking about your successes - the big ones and the small ones.

I suggest that you start keeping a success journal. Simply get yourself a spiral notebook. Pick a time each day to write down at least one success that day. Pick that connection you made, that accomplishment, that thing you tackled that you have been putting off.

Focus more on your success and your successes, and you will create even more success.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@meditationandmore.com

Overcoming Anxiety for Success

2008-07-10T04:32:00.000-07:00

Anxiety is the result of either a) not believing you can achieve your goals successfully or b) having a fear of not achieving your goals. Either can stop you in your tracks when it comes to being successful.

Worrying is not anxiety, but it can accompany being anxious. Ultimately, what anxiety does as well is distracts you from your stated goal.

You must plot your course for success. If you have your goals well-defined and your “insurance policies” in place (such as friends who can encourage you, experts in your chosen field who can guide you, etc.), anxiety and worry don’t have much room to take root. If you are a negative person, however, you can give birth to these twins without much effort.

If you don’t believe in your goals or don’t believe you can achieve them, your attitude will determine your level of success. And that’s where worry and anxiety come in to roost.

Your first step in overcoming anxiety is to make sure you have your goals written down—or at least, entered in a PDA where you can easily retrieve them and view them regularly. If you can see your goals and the small steps you’ll take to achieve them (and have a check-mark system to chart your progress), pull it out and read over it when you begin to feel anxious.

The second step is to correct your attitude. If you dwell in the “I can’t” and “I’ll never,” you’re right—you can’t and you’ll never. Instead, you need to dismiss those thoughts and consider what you have already accomplished and what next goal your series of baby steps will achieve. We go back to the truth “attitude is everything.”

Henry Ford famously said, “Either you think you can or you think you can’t. Either way, you’re right.” On this point, I think he was correct. As an inventor, he had the opportunity to dwell on all the times his Quadricycle prototypes failed. Instead, he moved on, learning from the failures and mistakes. He didn’t let a bad prototype stand in his way of succeeding. He overcame any anxiety and worry with positive attitude and a gritty determination.

The final step to overcoming anxiety is to have those around you who can encourage you. We talked about this when discussing setting your goals and making sure that you have the appropriate support system around you. Anxiety and worry rarely come to a party of more than one—they like to torment individuals. Two or three people have the benefit of seeing different angles of a challenge and being positive about the outcome. So if you find yourself worrying or anxious, tap your support system. Don’t do it at 3:00 in the morning (your support system won’t be very supportive at that hour!), but do it as soon as it’s practical. You’ll thank yourself and continue on towards your goal.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

Let your success begin today

2008-07-08T14:54:00.000-07:00

Today – it’s simply the “bottom line”. Today is yours, with all its magic possibilities of being and doing. Yesterday, with its mistakes, lost opportunities, and failures, is gone forever. Fretting about those fiascoes won’t get you anywhere, except maybe the doctor’s office for ulcer medication!

And we’re not concerned about tomorrow right now. It’s still just a wink and a promise.

Today you have the here and now -your reality. Today is the clay in your hands. You mold it and make it what you choose.

One effective today plus another effective day – add 365 of those and you get one incredible year. That whiz-bang, take-you-to-the-top year is created simply by focusing on what’s in front of you right now. What can you take action on right now - even if it’s just for a few minutes- that will bring you closer to your goal?

Do you want a stronger family life? What can do you right this minute that will support that goal? Perhaps it’s to communicate, perhaps it’s to forgive. Maybe it involves setting work aside and playing with your children. Do it – right now. Take the next step immediately.

Do you want greater income from your business? Then what money making activity can you focus on right now to get you closer to that goal?

Decide to make every moment of your life enriched by the right use of each passing moment. When you do so, you naturally eliminate worry from your life – and that’s one disease out of the picture!

How do you reach success? Simple. Do your best every day, with whatever you have.

By all means, plan for the future, and revise your plans in relation to what you accomplished yesterday. But in order to move forward, you must take action today.

Just get started. Set a timer for five minutes and decide you’ll work on the most pressing job for that long. Then you have complete permission to stop. 99.9% of the time, getting going is the tough part, and once you’ve taken one baby step, you’re motivated to tackle more of the job. As one of my mentors Mike Litman frequently says, “You don’t have to get it right, just get it going.”

This simple rule, if followed on good days and blah days and terrible days, will create an incredibly beautiful life! And the legacy you leave for others will inspire them to greatness as well.

Remember, today is a precious possession and your happiness and success , or misery and failure depend on it!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

Develop Your Will Power for Success

2008-07-07T07:33:00.000-07:00

Developing your will-power is directly related to success in life. No one can ever estimate the power of your will.

Most people don’t end up failing because of too little education, but from lack of determination and concentrated will-power.

Just as the athlete trains for his physical race around the track; the mind must be put into training if you want to win life’s race.

The process of obtaining this self-mastery – the complete command of your mind’s powers – is a gradual one. It involves determination and the daily task of making it a habit. Once you have self-mastery, the cost of obtaining it will seem like a drop in the bucket.

You don’t need to be a genius to succeed – just make yourself do the thing you have to do when it has to be done, whether you like it or not. It’s the best lesson you can learn!

When Henry Ward Beecher was asked how he could accomplish so much more than others, he replied, “I don’t do more, but less than other people. They do all their work three times. Once in anticipation, once in actuality, and once in rumination. I do mine in actuality alone, so I end up doing things just once.”

Beecher could concentrate his mind on what he was doing at a given moment. Then he’d go to something else and concentrate on it. One of the secrets of a successful life is to be able to focus all our energies on one thing.

The habit of worrying crowds your thoughts with worthless clutter. Focus on what you’re doing while you’re doing it, and stop worry in its tracks. The worry habit constantly saps your energy. It reduces your chances of success.

If you don’t learn to focus your efforts, you will never achieve the success you’re capable of. The earlier in life you learn this, the better! Here’s a recipe for a wasted life – just go about every day trying to do too many things at once. Splitting yourself up into a hundred parts leads to nowhere.

Concentrate your efforts on one task at a time, and you’ll reach the top. It’s not the amount of work that you can do in one stretch, but your persistence that pays off.

Keeping at it – that’s the key!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

Become a success magnet

2008-07-06T07:13:00.001-07:00

It's amazing how people gather around a person who exudes confidence. Someone who believes in himself and sees the potential in others around him. A man or woman who perseveres, continuing to put one foot in front of the other until success is attained. How does a person develop such a magnetic personality?

She chooses to be enthusiastic and develops the positive attitude of “knowing no defeat”.

Think about it. How many successful people do you know who have gloom and doom personalities? If a person like that even exists, it’s likely any success that came to him was out of pure chance.

The successes are folks who’ve developed the ability to smile in the face of challenge and who step right in and take charge when others just stand around doing nothing. And they keep going when others give up. The confident person hears obstacles say, “jump over me” not, “too bad, now you’ll never make it.”

To really develop a magnetic personality, start working on a cheerful attitude. You can’t start too early. Actually, if you learn the power of cheerfulness and self-confidence when you’re young, you’ll always carry it with you.

I’m not talking about being self-absorbed and cocky. It’s about self-mastery and realizing you’re on the map because you belong here.

And the importance of enthusiasm and a good sense of humor can’t be overstated at this point. Whenever you lose your ability to laugh, your physical and emotional health start to decline rapidly.

Don’t you enjoy being around someone with a genuine laugh and fun sense of humor? It really is one of the characteristics of great personalities.

So laugh heartily! A real laugh springs naturally out of confidence and a positive mental attitude. Never miss a chance to laugh aloud. A smile and a good chuckle will encourage--but out and out laughter is the real thing that will draw others to you. They’ll wonder who on earth is enjoying life that much!!

You can triumph over the challenges and obstacles of life when you believe and stay excited about

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

Your Confidence Must Exceed Your Doubt and Fear for Success

2008-07-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

How many people do you know with impressive self-confidence and courage? The kind of confidence that tackles every obstacle before them without considering turning back?

Would you like to develop this kind of belief system for yourself?

Try this activity. Don’t be fooled by its simplicity. Anyone can do it, but few will realize its power. Give it a try and see what positive changes occur in your life.

Just before going to sleep, focus clearly on whatever you want to achieve. Speak passionately and resolutely to yourself. Impress upon your mind any new goals you’ve made, and say to yourself, “I will accomplish this task—I will concentrate my best efforts upon this goal—I have the power to achieve it and I will absolutely, positively do it.” As your eyes grow heavy, reaffirm your dedication.

Some folks advise telling the world when you’ve set a goal you want to achieve. This isn’t necessary. Don’t tell others what you’re doing or plan to do, but just go ahead and do it. If you tell them, they may try to bring you down or tell you every terrible scenario or challenge you could ever face.

Keep your cool. Keep thinking of your clearly defined goals, and don’t allow your mind to be influenced by others’ opinions or accidental circumstances. That’s not saying to ignore sound counsel. But when you’re sure that what you’re doing is the right thing, and you’ve thought seriously and deeply about it, just go ahead and proceed regardless of negative people around you.

The right kind of self-confidence acknowledges the talent within yourself and others. It radiates from your whole being. Your faith in yourself, in what you have to offer and in your abilities will unmistakably be revealed in your speech and body language. You can’t hide it! The confidence you feel in yourself causes others also to feel confidence in you, so that they will be ready to listen to you and be more persuaded by you.

Given a choice, it’s usually better to have too much confidence than too little! And it’s certainly within your power to take it!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

Moving through fear for success

2008-07-04T07:48:00.001-07:00

There are times when simply thinking positively won’t move you past your fear and anxiety. There are times when simply plodding it out is the thing you must do.

The Evangelical speaker Joyce Meyer says, “If you’re afraid to do it, just DO IT AFRAID.” No one will blame you for being fearful—what you will be blamed for is letting that fear immobilize you. So no matter what it takes, keep moving.

Fear is much like a quagmire—it slurps at our feet and if we stand still long enough, it begins to suck us down. It’s hard to get out of, but it is possible.

If you’re stuck in fear as you shoot for success, there are several ways out:

First, consider the source. Where did the fear come from? Have you been dwelling on the difficulties instead of the opportunities? Have you been listening to those who are cynics and pessimists, instead of coaching yourself with positive words and people? If so, MOVE ON. GET AWAY from people and situations that drag you down.

Second, take your checklist and note what you HAVE accomplished. Look at your list of goals and the baby steps you’re taking to get there, and on a separate sheet of paper (or a separate document in your computer), begin to list everything you have accomplished. This will begin to empower you to move on and leave the fear behind.

Third, take stock of your talents and skills. Fear often tells us that we “don’t have what it takes…” Show fear as the liar it is: list your skills, all your positive attributes. Then look at the problem again, after you have a new appreciation for your God-given talents and abilities.

Fourth, don’t underestimate the power of prayer. Regardless of your spiritual beliefs, there is an amazing power that comes from releasing your fear to a God Who loves you and is looking out for you. Don’t bottle the fear up—let it go. You don’t need it anyhow!

Finally, remember this acronym when facing fear:

o F= False

o E= Evidence

o A=Appearing

o R=Real

For that’s really what fear is—it is an unrealistic look (false look) at something and attempting to make you believe it (appearing to be real).

Once you know these things, you’ll be able to move past your fear and on to the next step you need to be successful!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

I have "the success attitude", now what?

2008-07-03T07:40:00.000-07:00

Let’s say you’ve got your attitude correct, the right skill set honed, and the right philosophy. Great! You’re on your way – somewhere. If you don’t have the right direction planned out, you’ll simply wander aimlessly.

You don’t attempt even the smallest of construction jobs without a plan, and yet many people work in a field they just happened to “fall in to” because someone suggested it, or a friend was doing it, or even worse—they didn’t have anything else to do.

Wandering through your career can be just as deadly as wandering through a desert without a compass and canteen—in both places, you can die a slow death of thirst and exhaustion.

You must know where you want to go in order to set a direction for your life and career. You’ve probably heard the adage, “No one plans to fail, but they do fail to plan.” So determine where it is that you want to go (i.e., what you want to do) and set a course for it.

I recommend doing something you love. Not something that you can tolerate or achieve a reasonable pension from after 30 years of work (do pensions even exist anymore?), but something you are truly passionate about.

If it’s music, think about how you are gifted in that area. Do you sing? Would your singing chip paint off a house? Do you have an ear for pitch and tune? Do you play an instrument? Consider the field of professional golf for a moment. Do you love to golf? Would you be willing to commit days, weeks, months, and years to bettering your game to the point when you could hit the pro-circuit?

Do you have a means to support yourself (and your family) while you work on your dream job? Would you be happy and content doing whatever you chose—for the rest of your days, if need be? These are all questions you should ask yourself as you try to set the direction for your life, and ultimately, for your success.

Now that you know where you want to go, you must plan and prepare for your destination. As you plan and prepare, it’s fair to expect that you will achieve that goal—expectations play a large role in success, no matter what the field. If you plan well and are committed to the work involved, then and only then, can you expect to achieve the desired results in your life.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

Defining Success

2008-07-02T07:53:00.000-07:00

Success is defined in different ways by different people, but let’s talk about what most people agree “success” looks like.

Success Is: knowing you did a good job during your day and had positive interactions with other people

Success Is: looking forward to going home to your family and sharing yourself with them

Success Is: knowing you have enough funds to pay this month’s bills and the bills that will arise in the future

Success Is: knowing that your spiritual life is in order and that you have somewhere to turn when you hit a bump in the road

Success Is: having hobbies that you enjoy and having the time to work at them

Success Isn’t: putting your work ahead of your career

Success Isn’t: running home and then hiding from your family because you’ve “had a hard day”

Success Isn’t: having all the money in the world and then trying to figure out how to amass even more

Success Isn’t: going to a worship service and creating your “to-do” list during it

Success Isn’t: burning the candle at both ends, never having time to play or relax

In short, success is not always monetarily-related; you aren’t deemed “un-successful” if you don’t earn a six-figure salary. Success is more than moving up a corporate ladder and it touches more than just your career. It affects your marriage and family, your home life (finances, etc.), your spiritual life, and more.

Being successful is a balancing act. One isn’t considered successful in life if s/he climbs the corporate ladder but has a home- or family-life that is in shambles. One isn’t considered “successful” if s/he earns plenty of money to retire on, anticipating spending that retirement with family, only to find that his/her children are gone and disinterested in any family relationships by the time retirement is possible.

So is there one formula to be successful? I think there is, and the components are: positive thinking, the right skill set, the right philosophy, having direction, and having character. All of these things make up a formula for success, and each of these things, if left out of the formula, will cause an individual to lack success in life.

Learn how to think “success”so that you are successful at whatever you choose to do.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

Your Success, Your Character

2008-07-01T05:56:00.001-07:00

Without character, the puzzle of achieving success falls apart. It is most important of all pieces to life’s puzzle. Without character, you can make money. But it will be worthless to you and to those around you. Look out in the world today: drug dealers and con artists have money—but they lack character.

If you go to all the work of achieving success, you don’t want to mar it with a lack of character that will make people pity you as you age and become less than you were intended to be.

Character equals integrity. Integrity is doing the right thing all the time, even when no one else is watching. You don’t have anything to fear when your integrity is in tact, because you have nothing to hide. You experience no guilt and no fear. And without those two traveling companions, it’s much easier to climb higher and farther, faster!

What does this mean in a practical sense? It means that you will put the right philosophy (the golden rule) in to practice in all that you do. You will not step on someone else to climb the corporate ladder; you will not stack bodies in order to reach the CEO position that you desire. You will treat people with respect, honesty, and trust. You will behave towards others how you want (and expect) them to behave towards you.

You will be the model of “doing the right thing” in your office, even if it isn’t appreciated or understood. Chances are very good that if you’re the only one doing the right thing, you won’t last where you are, but you will find something better where your integrity is appreciated and applauded.

Character realizes that the most important things in life are not office- or work-based. They are family and a sense of responsibility to that family. Character will not sacrifice your family on the altar of “I’ve got to finish this project,” nor will it tell you children, “Maybe next time, hon,” when asked to play catch.

Your character will shine through as you put your family before your work, as you purposefully schedule time with them (and then keep those appointments you put in your planner), as you “date” your spouse and remember why it is you got married in the first place, and as you set an example that your spouse and children can be proud of.

The most important thing to remember as you consider character is that your children will grow up to be just like you. John Maxwell once said, “We teach what we know; we reproduce who we are.” So as a person who is full of integrity and character, you will reproduce those same traits in your children as you climb towards success in your life. And isn’t that really what it’s all about, anyhow?

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

More wisdom for your success journey...

2008-06-30T06:40:00.000-07:00

Saturate your consciousness with these ideas as you walk your Road to Success:

Know that Failure is Just an Event. We talked about this at length previously, but it bears repeating. If you fail, it doesn’t define you—it just puts you back at ‘square one’ with your idea and plan.

Consider Your Responsibilities Before Your Rights. Our American culture drums it in to us that we must “have it now,” and many of us comply. You are successful when you are mature enough to delay gratification and move your focus from your “rights” to your “responsibilities.”

Fill Up on Faith, Hope, & Love. Your outlook determines your output, and your output determines your outcome. Choose to be optimistic, to read uplifting books, to listen to inspirational speakers. When you put faith, hope, and love in your mind and heart, you’re able to overcome adversity and live free from anger, greed, guilt, and envy.

Make Friends with Your Past—and then Look Ahead. You can use your past as a stepping stone to your future or you can let it cripple you. Either way, it’s your choice. When you can make friends with your past, be focused on the present, and have a bright opinion of your future, you have succeeded, no matter what your goal is.

Know that Success Doesn’t Make You. Along with the idea above, understanding that a win doesn’t make you and a loss doesn’t break you. If you win, you’ll still have more wins to make before you “arrive,” and if you lose, you’ll have more opportunities to turn that around in the future.

Stand up for What is Right. If you take a stand for what is right, even if it’s unpopular or costs you your job, you are successful. There is no disputing this fact.

Be a “Servant Friend.” Success isn’t defined by how many people wait on your every whim or need; it’s defined by how many people you can help or serve while you achieve your goals. If you can help others as you climb, you’ll learn more and climb quicker. A servant’s heart is the true hallmark of a leader and shows the character of the person in the position of leadership.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

5 Success Skills...

2008-06-28T14:57:00.000-07:00

There are many “Success Skills”. Below I identify 5.

Incorporate these skills into your strategy for success and you’ll move forward quicker than you ever dreamed!

Hustle: generally, people who make it big have one thing in common—they are dissatisfied with the status quo. They will not take what is “common” or “expected” and let that define their lives—they move past it and excel. You must work hard and hustle.

Character: someone coined the phrase, “character is what you do in the dark.” In other words, when no one is looking, will you behave differently than if someone was looking? If not, then you have character. If you are attacked, be tough—not hard. Don’t be a pushover, but be compassionate, gentle, and flexible—especially on procedure (not principle).

Risk Taking: this isn’t gambling, it’s a willingness to be bold, hearty, and to push forward. People who refuse to take risks are definitely going to lose. If you refuse a new promotion because you’re not confident of your skills, you will likely be passed over when a different chance arrives. Don’t be afraid of rejection, just take it as part of life and you’ll find there’s nothing to be afraid of—especially in the word “no.” “No” is just another opportunity to find a way around an obstacle and to use creative problem-solving skills.

Time Management: we all know that one minute has 60 seconds and that one hour has 60 minutes. One day has 24 hours, and one year has 365 days. But one year also has 525,600 minutes. We don’t think about a year in such small increments, but maybe we should. We waste minutes as if they’ll always be around, and the fact is that time wasted is time we can never get back. We might miss a deal or promotion of a lifetime by wasting just a few minutes.

Proper time management is essential as you climb to success. Continue to break goals down in to manageable chunks—do that with relation to your day and the time you’ve been given. You’ll accomplish far more this way and you won’t regret using your time wisely.

Master Non-Verbal Communication: it is said that our body language and facial expressions do much more communicating than our words will ever do. When the words that you speak don’t match the expressions on your face or the stance of your body, you confuse the listener and muddle your message.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@meditationandmore.com

Sustainable success...

2008-06-27T10:05:00.000-07:00

Develop these 5 attributes of a successful person, and you will find yourself moving quickly toward your goals in life!

Thick Skin: You cannot be easily offended or hurt if you want to be successful. There will always be people who are jealous or envious or out to bring someone else down—you must develop a way to see past that and let it roll off your back, like “water off a duck’s back.”

Ducks have feathers that are tight and their density act like oil—it keeps the duck dry and warm. So when water (cold or otherwise) lands on the back of a duck, it simply rolls off. Let criticism roll off your back in a similar manner—because if you are going to be successful, you will have your share of criticism. Count on it.

Obedience: although this might seem strange to talk about to adults and not children, it is important to consider that in order to be a leader, you must first learn how to obey a leader. You must learn the principle of loyalty to a leader if you want to lead others.

Once you have learned how to obey and to follow directions, you can lead others and understand what commands and orders do for an organization and an individual. Consider this: 175 of the CEOs of Fortune 500 companies are former US Marines, and 27 US Presidents served in the military.

Courage: Bravery is not courage, but you cannot have courage without being brave. Courage is the moral fortitude to stand up for your character (touched on in the last article) and to do the right thing—even in the face of adversity.

When you have courage, you follow through on your vision. It’s on display every day and only the courageous have the ability to get the most out of life. When you have the strength of your conviction, find the courage to put it in to action. You won’t be sorry you did.

Intolerance: not exactly what you might expect to find in an article about success, but each of us must be intolerant of any number of things: Intolerant of abuse, of injustice, of the things that you know are immoral, unethical, or illegal. If there’s anything in this world you should be intolerant of, those are some of them. I hope you are an intolerant person—in the right way.

Sense of Humor: If you don’t have a sense of humor, you will fall flat on your face and never be someone who succeeds. A good portion of the road we walk to success is filled with blockades and potholes. If you come up against one and go down, you must have the ability to laugh at the situation and yourself. If you don’t, you will be angry and bitter about your misfortune and never move past it. Laugh at yourself and what you run up against and you’ll find your climb to the top is quicker and more enjoyable than you thought it would be.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

Your Success Philosophy...

2008-06-26T04:23:00.000-07:00

Why does it always come back to the ageless truths? Mostly because that which is truth is ageless and truth doesn’t change with the wind. “The Right Philosophy” can be defined by any number of phrases, but it always comes back to the “golden rule.” It’s re-phrased, but the essence is the same:

You can have whatever you want in life if you will just help others get what it is that they want.

This isn’t some pie-in-the-sky-feel-good theory, this is practical and will be strongly linked to your success, no matter what field you’re in. It shows that all aspects of success—business, personal, etc.—are linked together and will all have an impact on your financial success.

Everyone largely wants the same things in life; to be happy, healthy, to have at least some amount of prosperity, to be secure and have friends, to have a happy family life, to have peace, and to have hope.

Abraham Maslow called it the Hierarchy of Needs: our physiological needs are met, then we move on to the need for safety, then to the need for love, then on to the need for esteem, and finally what he called “self-actualization.” Fancy words to say that we all need the same things (the basic needs met) before we can achieve success, however it is that we define success.

No matter what your religious beliefs are, the golden rule is inherent in each religion; each just uses different words. The philosophy that you need to care for others (the “do unto others”) as you want to be cared for yourself (“as you would have others do unto you”) is at the heart of my phrase above—you will find success when you consider the needs of others as not only achievable, but something with which you can help.

When you do this, you not only set yourself to be assisted as you face needs in the future, but you also show others (and yourself!) that your own ambition hasn’t blinded you.

Remember: success doesn’t happen in the vacuum of work only. It’s something that touches every aspect of your life and the right philosophy will help get you there!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

Success: Developing a "Can Do Attitude"!

2008-06-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

You must develop the right mental attitude on your road to success. Without being overly simplistic, think of “The Little Train Who Could.” Instead of having an “I Can’t” attitude, replace it with an “I Can!” attitude.

A positive outlook is necessary to see change coming, to be able to work with the change, and to make the most of whatever change comes down the pike in your life. If you expect change (but not from a vending machine!), you’ll be in a better position to accept it and make the most of it.

A fabulous book regarding change and positive attitude is “Who Moved My Cheese?” by Spencer Johnson, MD.

In order to gain right thinking (being positive), you must decide to look at the bright side of life. Instead of seeing the cloud, see the silver lining in the cloud. Instead of seeing downsizing as a horrible thing that will plummet you in to bankruptcy and homelessness, consider it an opportunity to look for a better job and a chance to try new skills and career paths that you wouldn’t have had the opportunity to try before. Don’t be pollyannaish, but do consider all sides of a situation before you adopt a negative perspective.

In order to maintain a positive outlook, you must also be realistic. For example, if you’ve gained 30 pounds in the last 3 years, it would be highly unrealistic to expect to drop those 30 pounds in 3 weeks. If you take an honest and realistic assessment of your skills and goals, you’re much more likely to find success in whatever field or career best suits you.

Maintain a cautious optimism as you seek success, not be blindly optimistic about every situation. There are some situations in which positive thinking cannot overcome the situation you’re faced with.

Consider Tom Brady, quarterback for the New England Patriots; he’s a man who’s in excellent shape. But if he decided to trade in his helmet and pads for ballet toe shoes, he likely wouldn’t make it, despite his physique. Blind optimism also puts you at the mercy of con men and charlatans—your optimism must be tempered by context and relevance.

No matter what your abilities are (and they are fabulous!), using them realistically will get you much farther than not. Your right thinking, paired with your abilities, put you on a course for success—no matter what field you’re in!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

Develop a Success Attitude!

2008-06-24T11:40:00.000-07:00

In his book The Winning Attitude, John C. Maxwell, noted author and speaker tells us that attitude is:

The “advance man” of our true selves

Has inward roots but outward fruits

Is our best friend or worst enemy

Is more honest and more consistent than our words

Is an outward look based on past experiences

Is a think which draws people to us or repels them

Is never content until it is expressed

Is the librarian of our past

Is the speaker of our present

Is the prophet of our future

Your attitude, or your willingness to think positively, affects many people—from your family to the stranger you smile at in the grocery store. An optimist will see opportunity in difficulties, while a pessimist will see difficulty in opportunities.
You must choose which you will focus on: if you choose poorly, you will doom yourself to never achieving your goals and being successful. Count on that.

So how do you begin to think positively if you’re a natural pessimist? I don’t really believe there ARE natural pessimists, just people who have been taught how to consider the darkest side of every cloud.
You cannot change the fact that a problem exists, but you can do a lot to determine what opportunity is within that problem. Begin to see that problems are a fact of life and that your job is to find a way over, around, under, or through them—as quickly as possible. When you’re upbeat and consider how quickly a problem will be behind you, it’s easy to be optimistic.

Cynicism is another killer when it comes to attitude. It’s a cousin of pessimism—it considers everything suspect and everyone as having an ulterior motive. It never looks at someone handing you a piece of candy just to be nice, it always considers that there is a reason you’re being handed the candy and the motivation of the person who’s giving it.
Cynicism comes from having unrealistic expectations. Many people expect great and wonderful things to happen to them with little-to-no work on their parts. They expect things to fall from the sky in to their laps. When it doesn’t happen as they expect, they become suspicious of others who have achieved success and ultimately, cynical.

You must harness the power of your thoughts and words when setting your course for success. Use positive affirmations daily: remind yourself that a stumbling block is temporary and that you will overcome it; admit to yourself that you are courageous and able to move on when others cannot; agree with your vision for your life and your goals.

As you discipline yourself to do this, you will find optimism and positive thinking chasing you down the street. And who couldn’t use these two friends when we’re aiming for success?

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

Buckle up for a month long success ride.

2008-06-23T09:07:00.000-07:00

For the next 30 days I have a gift for you. I am going to blog every day about success prinicples. It will focus on the principles and practices of success. The fundamentals.

To kick off today, I am going to address how success in not an individual sport. I need a success team. You need a success team. We all do.

Somewhere on your road to success, you’ll begin to understand that you are really never alone. There are amazing sources of strength and help everywhere you look—you just have to use them. You’ll have to look to find them and then know how to use them, but it beats the heck out of not having them at all!A team is incredibly important as you walk along your path. You may reap the benefits of success in your world, but you don’t get there alone. The fallacy of the “self-made man” is just that—because everyone is influenced directly and indirectly by scores of people. Let’s look at a list of those involved:

Parents: if they were there to raise you, they had the greatest influence on your life. Feelings of love and security are established early—as early as birth. Children who have parents who love, care for, and protect them gain enormously both psychologically and physiologically.

Teachers: chances are there is a teacher who has made an impression on you that you remember to this day. Positive or negative, there are teachers in our lives who have the power to mold us and shape us. Sometimes we choose paths in response to a negative example a teacher has left us; more often than not, we choose paths that are due to the positive influence they’ve left in our lives.

Friends: the happiest and most successful people tend to have a wide range of friends from different walks of life. They encourage us, lift us up, and are part of an inextricable support system in our lives.

Mentors: smart people who truly desire success find mentors that will walk with them as they traverse their road. Mentors can point out pitfalls and potholes in the road that we might otherwise miss, and their experience and willingness to teach us is an invaluable gift.

Spiritual Leaders: ministers, priests, rabbis, pastors, etc., are in an amazing position to contribute positively and significantly in your life. Their ability to see past the circumstances and share life and light is unparalleled. Having a spiritual leader doesn’t guarantee that you’ll never feel despair, but it does guarantee that you won’t have to go through the dark times alone.

Just as you have a team as you work towards success, you can be a part of someone else’s team as well. Be a friend to someone who is just starting out on the road to success—encourage them, mentor them (if appropriate), and commit to be there for them when they need you. Do the right thing (remember your integrity), and have compassion in all situations. You’ll build your team and your success as you do these things!

To Your Success,

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. If you are looking to take your success to the next level, consider hring a coach. If you are interested in a free coaching consultation, please email me.

Have a purposeful weekend!

2008-06-12T21:34:00.001-07:00

Do you think that true happiness happens by luck or chance?

No way!

The truth is that you can cultivate a happy life if you fully connect
with your life's purpose.

Take a few moments today to more fully connect with your Life's
Purpose.

Consider doing yourself the favor of answering these questions
regarding your LIFE'S PURPOSE:

1) 'What is my life's purpose? What do I want to have accomplished
when I look upon my life in old age?'

2) 'How would I have to think, speak, and act in order to bring that
purpose into being?'

3) 'What daily choices, attitudes, and concrete accomplishments
would I do if I lived as if my purpose meant something to me?'

4) 'How would I live each day if I respected myself, others, and my
life's purpose?'

'The unexamined life is not worth living.'
-Socrates

Have a purposeful weekend!

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. Happy Father's Day!

The Secrets of a Fearless Life

2008-06-11T06:24:00.000-07:00

Something big is happening today, and I knew that you wouldn't
want to miss out.

Today my friend Guy Finley has gathered together 108
leading authors and experts (including me!), to show you new ways
to lift your life to breathtaking heights -- including the one great secret
to being wise, fearless, and free.

You can go here now to find out what's going on:

http://www.EssentialLaws.org/special/CD946/

Guy has written an earth-shaking new book that is being
simultaneously released today in 142 countries. It's called
"The Essential Laws of Fearless Living." But this isn't just
another book launch. This book is so important, and Guy is
so well respected by his peers, that 108 other authors and
experts are joining in to help spread the word...

If you're interested in solving the great inner-mysteries of
our time -- and enjoying more success, more love, and less
stress in the process -- this is your chance to learn EXACTLY
how, and get over 100 free bonus gifts to boot. One of the bonus
gifts is an mp3 of my audio 7 Insights for Creating and Living Your
Life's Purpose.

Just go here now for all the details. You've got literally
nothing to lose, and everything to gain.

http://www.EssentialLaws.org/special/CD946/

All best wishes for a fearless life,

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. Are you ready to start living a fearless life?

Got goals?

2008-06-08T13:57:00.001-07:00

“Genius” has been described as the “ability to focus on one thing at a time.” Many people who are “geniuses” are so not only because they have a high intellect, but because they are a gift of being able to focus on the objective or goal at hand.

This same focus must come in to play when determining what your goals are in relation to success. You need to learn to work towards one major objective and juggle a few short- and mid-range goals at the same time.

One way to determine what your direction is (and ultimately your goals are) is to do a check-up. I suggest listing 7 categories: Financial; Career, Family, Personal, Spiritual, Mental, & Physical. Rank your goals in these categories and how you’re doing. This will illustrate to you where you are and where you’d like to be and exactly how balanced you are as you move about your process.

Set goals that are smart. Big goals must be broken down in to manageable pieces. Don’t set more than 4 goals to work on during a single day. Seek divine guidance and direction on each goal.

Then identify what the pay-off is when you achieve your goal. Nebulous rewards don’t motivate people to achieve much.

List the obstacles that stand between you and your goals. If you’re not aware of potential problems, you’ll be side-tracked when they arise and lose sight of your objective.

Have someone in your corner who can dispense counsel & guidance.

Think about who can help you achieve your goal. Identify friends who can be encouragers and who can help keep you motivated and on-track.

List the skills and knowledge required to attain your goal.

Develop a plan of action to achieve your goal.

Set a deadline for achievement. It’s hard to achieve something that has no ending date.

As you consider your goals, ask yourself the following questions:

Is this really my goal?

Is this morally right and fair to everyone involved?

Will it take me closer to my long-range goal?

Can I commit myself to start and reach this objective?

Can I see myself attaining this goal?

You should answer yes to each of these questions. If not, re-evaluate!

And then give each goal a final test of the “basic wants” in life:

Will it make me happier?

Will it make me healthier?

Will it make me more prosperous?

Will it increase my security?

Will it help me make more friends?

Will it give me peace of mind?

Will it improve my family (and other) relationships?

Will it increase my hope for the future?

If you can’t answer yes to each of these questions, re-evaluate your goal.

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. If you want help clarifying your goals, consider hiring a coach.

What is your Big Dream?

2008-06-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

Everyone has big dreams they want to achieve.

However..

Why is it only a few people reach them?

If you study the most successful men and women of our time, you will notice at least three characteristics they have in common.

1.) Successful people know what they want. It sounds simple, but most people just drift. They have a vague idea of what they want. But they have no direction. Think of the man in the first boat, who didn’t know which way to go. Where did he end up? Before you succeed at anything, you need to have clear direction. Take some paper and a pen, and write down your goal. It doesn’t have to be your life’s huge ambition. Just something that will bring you happiness and satisfaction. Keep writing until you have a very clear picture of what you want. When you are finished, you should be able to sum it up in one sentence.

2.) Successful people know how to stay on course. If they get off, they immediately correct themselves. The man in the second boat had a compass to keep him on target. You also have a fantastic compass within you. It’s called Intuition. All you have to do is learn to listen to it. Tune into your body right now. How do you feel when you think about your life? If you often get headaches, tension, or other ailments, it might be a sign from your Intuition that something needs to change..

3.) Successful people take action. A vision with no action plan is just a fantasy. What step will you take today to make your dream a reality? Research someone who has achieved what you want. Learn from them. How did they become a success? What first step might they have taken?

You don’t have to shake the foundations of the earth just yet. Just start with something small. Be consistent. Soon you will take action out of habit. If you persevere, you will take the prize.

My next message will further expand on principles on goal setting and goal achievement.

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
Mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. Have you considered hiring a coach to help you achieve your Big Dream?

Are you consistently growing?

2008-06-02T13:36:00.001-07:00

So. Are you?

Are you consistently growing?

Let's take your relationship with yourself and with others.

How much do you participate in your relationships?

I have a young male client at this time who openly acknowledged to me today that the most he ever participates in his relationships is 40%. By that he means only 40% of who he is, is known by others. He is able to identify that his tendency to play it safe by keeping others at a same distance is connected to the death of his mother early in his life. While he understands it, his isolation perpetuates his pain and feeling of disconnection from others.

This young man clearly sees that there is a connection between his lack of participation in relationships and his emotional problems. He sees that the roadblock to participating more fully in relationships is fear of rejection, feelings of inadequacy, shame, and the potential of abandonment. Opening ourselves up to others does involve risk. At the same time a true sense of personal peace is only possible when we have an intimate circle in which we can be transparent.

You may be able to identify in some way with the challenge of the young man mentioned above. Are there aspects of who you are, or parts of your personal history that you have held back from people in your most intimate circle? What has blocked you from being more open? Not to sound trite, but the saying "The only way out is through" is true. Translated, the only way to transcend the self-centered emotions of fear of rejection, inadequacy, shame, and fear of abandonment are to show up more fully in relationships. Opening up and engaging more fully in relationships is good for your emotional, spiritual and physical health.

The theme of deeper involvement with others is emphasized throughout psychological and spiritual literature. The language used to describe this process may be different in various contexts. It may be referred to as being more of who you are, being authentic, opening up, confessing or countless other ways. From my perspective, it doesn't matter what you call it. Deep involvement and deeper disclosure is good for all aspects of your emotional, physical, spiritual and relational health. In the medical and psychology literature there are countless studies that validate this notion.

Within the major spiritual traditions the benefits of opening up are emphasized. In the Christian tradition, the value of confession is emphasized as a way of deepening one's relationship with God and reducing emotions such as guilt. Guilt is fueled by secrecy. Guilt is counter to personal peace and leaves us feeling separated from ourselves, God, and others. We all know on some level the negative emotional and physical consequences of guilt.

Within the Jewish tradition, Yom Kippur is the Day of Atonement. This is a day that is devoted to confessional practices to achieve restitution and ultimately deepen one's relationship with God.

Within the Buddhist tradition, author Pema Chodron described the process and benefit of confession. The process of opening up leads to a spiritual cleansing, which allows an individual to transcend repetitive unfinished patterns of thinking, feeling and/or behaving.

The aspects of self or past behavior which we feel shameful about continues to have a way of running us if we continue to resist openly acknowledging them. I have heard it said many times, "that which we resists, persists".

I have also seen the emotional, physical and spiritual benefits of "opening up" for individuals (from different faith traditions) with drug, alcohol or other addictive problems who participate in 12 step programs. In 12 step programs there is also an emphasis on moving toward a greater experience of connection with God and others through the process of disclosure and sharing. In one of the steps, members as asked to conduct a "fearless moral inventory". In another step it is suggested that members take that inventory and share it with "God, ourselves and another human being..." There are later steps, which involve cleaning up past messes, repairing damaged relationships (with oneself and others) and conducting daily inventories and promptly acknowledging when one does wrong. I have seen amazing transformation occur within individuals who practice these principles at deep levels. They experience a greater connection with themselves, God and others, and as a result enjoy profound emotional and physical benefits.

This week's daily practices will be focused on helping you identify what you have not been completely open and honest about. Please use your journal. Remember, what you write is for your eyes only. You may at some time choose to share what you have written with someone. However, I believe you will be less likely to censor if you are writing for your eyes-only.

Here is a week of Daily Practices that can help you do some massive growing this week in the area of your relationship with yourself and others.

Day one: What is something(s) that you have not been completely honest with yourself and/or others regarding your relationships?

Day two: What is something(s) that you have not been completely honest with yourself and/or others regarding your health or health practices?

Day three: What is something(s) that you have not been completely honest with yourself and/or others regarding your career?

Day four: What is something(s) that you have not been completely honest with yourself and/or others regarding your spiritual life and/or adherence to my own moral standards?

Day five: Identify ways that you compromised in a way that has lead to me being less of yourself? Keep in mind the positive aspects of who you are, goals, dreams or aspirations you have let go in the name of compromise?

Day six: Identify something(s) you have done that you would not want anyone one else to know about or you have never share with anyone?

Day seven: Based on this weeks exercises, is there anything you could do to show up more fully in your life, such as transcend feelings of guilt or feel more authentic with yourself or others?

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"

P.S. Live deep and wide with a coach at your side. Do you have someone like Dr. Mike to help you live your best life?

P.S.S. If you have any questions about individualized consultation or coaching to help you live your big dream, contact me at mike@meditationandmore.com.

Secrets of being unstoppable

2008-05-28T12:11:00.001-07:00

My friends over at non-profit Life of Learning
Foundation have an amazing program I
felt sure you'd want to know about.

It's called Secrets of Being Unstoppable: a
comprehensive 14-hour audio program that shows you how
to realize and release a secret power most of us don't
even realize is ours!

A power that can help you:

- Outsmart any fearful, anxious, or stressful
feeling.
- Have fun wherever you are, no matter what you're
doing.
- Be daring, bold, courageous, and audacious.
- Walk straight into moments that have always
scared you.
- Follow through and achieve what your heart is
yearning to do.
- Put the magic and meaning back into your
relationships.

The program features groundbreaking insights and
instruction from best-selling self-realization author,
Guy Finley.

Guy has worked tirelessly for nearly 30 years
fine-tuning and honing this material. And now in this
latest release, the staff at his non-profit Foundation
have taken the very best of his individual programs and
packaged them all into one complete course.

Here are some of the great titles you'll receive:

- The Secret of Being Unstoppable
- 5 Simple Steps to Make Yourself Fearless
- Awaken the Greatness Within
- The Power to Let Go and Live In the Now
- Secrets of Higher, Happier Human Relationships
- 5 Words to Make You the Master of Your Own Life

...plus ten more titles on other vital topics.

The reason I recommend this so highly is because it's
one of the few programs out there that actually
delivers on its promise. There are a lot of experts who
talk about living fearlessly, and about living from an
indomitable spirit. But they never seem to answer the
one question everyone asks:

"How do I do it?"

In Secrets of Being Unstoppable, you'll finally get
the answer to that question. But even better than
that, you'll find yourself holding the keys to an
extraordinary new kind of understanding that will prove
itself - by far - to be the greatest benefit of all.

I urge you check it out at

http://www.guyfinley.com/Welcome/40/CD946/0

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. Check out this life changing program at
http://www.guyfinley.com/Welcome/40/CD946/0

On Creating Success Habits...

2008-05-19T05:09:00.000-07:00

Here are some thoughts (and an audio) that are related to "get going" and creating success habits.

Success is all about conditioning the mind to new beliefs, visions, dreams and goals.

Here are some ways to condition yourself for success:

Create vision boards. This could be of anything that you want to be, achieve or do when you are able to afford it, have more time doing so etc.

Write down powerful affirmations an read them with emotion each day.

Visualize your way towards success. Take any spare moment you have to imagine and visualize your dream life and what you would be doing.

Write down new beliefs and declarations that you need to change in order to achieve your goals.

A lot of us have limiting belief patterns that get in the way of what we want in our life and thus prevent us from achieving it.

These beliefs are a results of environment and what we believe to be true for ourselves and our lives. For example you could believe that you are not good enough and will never amount to much due to what people may have told you, you may believe that you are not worthy enough to have massive wealth and so on.

Now, we don't need to identify each and every of these moments and change the belief but rather do the steps above and all that will take care of itself automatically.

I found it extremely helpful to be absolutely clear what I want in life and condition my mind towards that new belief and vision multiple times per day.

I suggest looking at your goals and doing the reinforcement process once upon getting up, another time in the day time and right before you go to bed.

You will see a dramatic change takes place. Keep in mind that this does not have to take a lot of time. A few minutes a day a few times a day is enough.

Also check out this brief article that further makes this point:
http://partnersinpurpose.blogspot.com/2007/04/are-you-using-your-brain-to-your.html

Please feel free to contact me any time. My email address is Apsychdoc@aol.com or mike@meditationandmore.com.

Regards,

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"

Also check out this audio:

http://www.audioacrobat.com/play/W9RTNrBQ

A quick thought for an extraordinary week.

2008-05-05T08:51:00.000-07:00

When you know what you want, eliminate the roadblocks and distractions, AND take daily inspired action - Then you can build the life of your desire.

Have an extraordinary week.

Your Coach,

Dr. Mike Davison
Psychologist and Life Design Coach
mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. An new free audio, hot off the press, to help you achieve your Big Dream http://www.blogtalkradio.com/todaysguest/2008/05/05/Who-do-you-have-to-be

Anncouncing New Group Coaching Program...

2008-04-29T08:05:00.000-07:00

Is your life inspired?

Do you feel fully awake?

Discover how to live a life that's alive and strive to achieve your greatest personal and career potential with Life Design Group Coaching: Tools for the Real World.

If you arrive eager to discover yourself, you WILL emerge inspired, self-aware and empowered to change your world.

Learn what it takes to navigate this path called Life.

Life Design Group Coaching: Tools for the Real World is about developing all of the important life skills and strategies you were never taught in school. Forget what society has told you about success and achievement and goals and winning. Rediscover your authentic self and create a rich and successful life.

This program will help you recognize, plan, and achieve the life you want. You will...

Creates awareness and clarity about who you are.

Create en empowering image for your future.

Learn to leverage your strengths and accomplishments.

Gain the confidence to believe in yourself and your success.

Generate new behaviors.

Learn principles for sustainable financial, relational, emotional, spiritual and physical health.

There are 8 Sessions. Each session will be conducted live by a telephone bridge line.

You will also...

Receive a proprietary weekly manual.

Have access to the audio archive of the session.

Receive email support for me for the duration of the program.

Sign up today and be part of an intimate, life enhancing group that will help you take your life to the next level.

To reserve your spot email me today. The investment will be $277. The group will be live at 12:00 noon EST every Wednesday. This program is starting on May 24th.

Session 1: Where are you now and why?

Session 2: Defining Success.

Session 3: Success Principles and Strategies.

Session 4: Financial Success.

Session 5: Relationship Success.

Session 6: Physical Health.

Session 7: Emotional and Spiritual Well-being.

Session 8: Creating Your Powerful Vision for the Future for Sustainable Success.

To reserve your spot email me today. The investment will be $277. The group will be live at 12:00 noon EST every Wednesday. This program is starting on May 24th.

To Your Best Life,

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@partnersinpurpose.com

P.S. To reserve your spot email me today.

What is holding you back?

2008-04-18T10:31:00.000-07:00

There are a number of things that can hold you back from creating and living your best life.

I find it helpful in my coaching to think in terms of five broad categories that can contribute to holding people back. Think of these as they relate to yourself.

The first category is related to clarity. Some people are held back because they don't know what they are trying to create.

Another category is related to "the plan". You need a clear game plan to achieve your most desired outcomes.

Another is related to "skills". Do you have the skills you need to accomplish your big dream? Maybe there is a skill set you need to develop.

The fourth potential area that may be holding you back is your inner life. By that I mean things like your beliefs, your attitude, your confidence level, and your overall mindset. Do you have the current consciousness you need to achieve your dreams?

A fifth area that maybe holding you back is your environment. Is your environment, and the people in it, supportive of the direction you want to move in?

Ask yourself questions about these five areas. If you feel stale, stuck or stagnant in anyway I encourage you to consider coaching to help you move forward.

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"

P.S. You can receive a fr.ee coaching consultation call with me if you one of the first five individuals who send me an email at mike@meditationandmore.com

More ideas on Spring Cleaning Your Life

2008-04-11T13:05:00.000-07:00

I would like to offer you three quick ideas to guide your Spring Cleaning Your Life acitivites.

Idea #1: Out with the old, in with the new. Get rid of stuff, habits, beliefs, relationships, friends, etc. that no longer serve.
Idea #2: Revisit old dreams, passions and plans. Were there plans, dreams, hopes, wishes, goals etc. that you had put away due to lack of time, deciding you needed to be "realistic," others' disapproval, fears, and so on? Revisit them. Reclaim them.

Idea #3: Commit to healthly habits. Since this is a major change time, why not commit to renewing or developing healthy habits, like exercise, meditation, healthy eating, regular spiritual or religious practices, and so on?

Check out this show I did on Tuesday with some simple ideas to improve your health habits.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/todaysguest/2008/04/08/More-Spring-Cleaning-for-the-Health-of-It

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@MeditationandMore.com

P.S. Happy Cleaning!

Are you ready to spring clean your life?

2008-04-01T12:46:00.000-07:00

“Identify the things that drain you and eliminate them--people, places, and things--once and for all.”
-Cheryl Richardson

A friend and mentor of mine, John DiLemme, introduced me to the concept of “addition by subtraction”. My sense of what he meant was that having a quality life involves not only involve adding things and developing new healthy ritual, but also means “cleaning house”.

This is important in the area of relationships.

Ask yourself:

Do you have toxic people in your life?

Do you have people in your life that are on a different and perhaps incompatible path?

You only have one life to live. You may as well make it as happy, meaningful and filled with peace as you can. Don’t waste your time with people who are consumed with negativity. This is not a judgment. Wish them well, but do it from a distance. I refer to folks like this as emotional vampires or dream stealers.

There are other areas of your life that are important to look at as long as you are in Spring Cleaning mode. Your Environment. Your Health. Your Work. And Your Behavior.

I spoke about this topic on my Blog Talk Radio Show today. I referred for it as Spring Cleaning Your Life. It is a simple, yet powerful concept. I encourage you to jump on the Spring Cleaning bandwagon by listening to this audio at:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/todaysguest/2008/04/01/Spring-clean-your-life

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”

P.S. Let the Spring Cleaning begin by going to
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/todaysguest/2008/04/01/Spring-clean-your-life

Get quiet and get connected

2008-03-31T11:00:00.000-07:00

If you want to feel fulfilled in life, you need to get crystal clear about what you want to accomplish, and pursue those goals with energy and determination. In the words of one of my mentors, John Di Lemme, “You need to be relentless in the pursuit of your why!"

Don’t get trapped in the someday syndrome. Someday is now. It is here. So many people never reach their potential because they never get started.

Take that first step.

Expand your self image.

As I have heard John Di Lemme say before – "You need to find your why and fly!"

Spend some time today getting quiet and allow yourself to connect with your passion and purpose.

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
www.AnInvitationtoPersonalPeace.com

P.S. Take some time every day this week to get quiet and connect with your essence.

Are you ready to accept the invitation?

2008-03-21T06:31:00.000-07:00

Will You Accept the Invitation?

By Dr.Mike Davison

Stop the merry-go-round! I want to get off! "I've learned that the more stressful and chaotic things are on the outside, the calmer you need to get on the inside." Oprah Winfrey

Do you agree that Oprah would know about chaos? Yet, one of the keys to her success is finding the calming force on the inside, in order to be her best self on the outside.

You may not be America's most loved talk show host, but your stress is just as real and just as important to being the best you can be.

Tell me if this sounds like you:

1. Do you go to bed exhausted and wake up the same way?
2. Do you long for just a moment of quiet time to take a break from your "crazy busy" world and relax without feeling guilty?
3. Do you feel that something is missing in your life, but you just can't put your finger on what it is?

If you said yes to any of the above questions, I invite you to keep reading, because this may be the most important letter you'll read today...

I know how you feel. I've been exactly where you are.It seemed as though breathing took up time from my day.

That's when I knew that something had to change. My two sons,daughter,and my wonderful wife deserved better.

I deserved better.

You deserve better!

Take this invitation to personal peace today and change your life like it changed my life and my family's life.

An Invitation to Personal Peace is my newly published Book written with Kay Guzder. We take you on a simple step by step journey on how to create the life that fulfills the core of you.

What I am asking you to do is order this life transforming book today by visiting http://www.aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com/products

In a few short days your book will arrive. In the meantime, sign up for The Invitation to Personal Peace Newsletter. It's specifically designed to help you find the quiet place within yourself this very moment. Get ready to thrive and be fully alive in your life.

If you are a serious seeker of inner peace and would like to expand your life to "be" and "live" your true desires without the struggle and stress, order this book today. You'll be thrilled you did.

One last thought:

If I am not for myself, who is for me? When I am for myself, what am I? If not now, when?-

Hillel

Choose yourself today!

Copy and Paste the following web address in your web browser to

order "An Invitation to Personal Peace Today" http://www.aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com/products

Dr. Mike Davison

P.S. Check out this interview about the book An Invitation to Personal Peace @
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/PowerTalk/2008/03/18/PowerTalk-grills-Dr-Mike-Davison-about-his-new-book

Meditate on Your Greatness

2008-03-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

"A man is as great as the dreams he dreams,

As great as the love he bears;

As great as the values he redeems,

And the happiness he shares.

A man is as great as the thoughts he thinks,

As the worth he has attained;

As the fountains at which his spirit drinks

And the insight he has gained.

A man is as great as the truth he speaks,

As great as the help he gives,

As great as the destiny he seeks,

As great as the life he lives."
~C. E. Flynn

To Your Greatness!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"

If you keep doing what your doing...

2008-03-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

Yes.

If you keep doing what your doing, you will keep getting what you are getting.

Do you like what you are "geting" in life?

People who say "YES" to this question are typically very purposeful and intentional in how they design and live their life.

I spelled out some quick things you can to to get more purposeful and intentional about designing and living your life.

The first step is to examine where you are coming from. What have yor results been the the first 2 1/2 months of the year?

Ask yourself...

What have I accomplished?

What went well? What am I proudest of? What did I learn?
How did I grow? Where did I miss the mark? Where did my limitations occur? What did I learn? How will I grow?

Once you have examined your recent past, start to look forward. Be purposeful about creating the vision and your goals. Think like you are the architect of your life (because you are). Purposefuly design your life.

Write out answers to the following questions...

What is my vision (what I see that is possible), purpose (who I need to become to make the vision work) and mission (actual steps I can take) for the rest of the year.

What are my top ten goals?

The key is to align and integrate all aspects of your life with your core values.

Further ponder the following questions (preferably in writing!).

Who will I be accountable to (besides myself) to accomplishing my goals?

Who will I talk to and check in with to support my progress?

How will I celebrate my successes?

Regarding the set backs and challenges, how will I accept them and correct them?

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"

P.S. Are you slowing down enough to be purposeful about how you are designing and living your life?

P.S.S. If you have any questions about individualized consultation or coaching to help you live your big dream, contact me at mike@meditationandmore.com or 847 490-7689.

=============================================
Copyright, 2008. www.Meditationandmore.com
All rights reserved. For more information, contact:
Dr. Mike Davison
3295 N. Arlington Heights Rd. Suite 103
Arlington Heights, IL 60004
Telephone: (847) 490-7689
mike@meditationandmore.com
=============================================

Take a look at your footprints on the sands of time.

2008-03-13T13:20:00.001-07:00

"Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sands of time.

Footprints, that perhaps another,
Sailing o'er life's solemn main,
A forlorn and shipwrecked brother,
Seeing, shall take heart again."

—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)

I have a question for you.

What "footprints" are you leaving to inspire and teach others?

As you answer this question, don't allow fear to limit you.

There is no unreasonable outcomes or goals.

However, sometimes there are unreasonable timelines.

Keep in mind the words of recording artist Jackson Browne.

"Don't be afraid to go out on a limb. That's where the fruit is."

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@MeditationandMore.com

P.S. Are you happy with the footprints you are currently leaving?

P.S. If you are interested in coaching, please feel free to contact me at mike@meditationandmore.com or 847 490-7689.

What matters most to YOU?

2008-03-07T07:34:00.000-08:00

On the surface, this seems like an easy question to answer.

This question is thrown around so often, I think it is not typically taken seriously. Many people would reflexively answer my family, my values, my ...

Take some time this weekend and roll up your sleeves and answer this question.

Two resources that can help you in answering this question include my video blog entry from Monday.

Another is the audio from my radio show this week:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/todaysguest/2008/03/04/Connecting-with-what-matters-most

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"

Invest 76 minutes in YOU!

2008-03-03T08:40:00.000-08:00

Wow! Once in a while I come across something that impacts me on such a deep level. Today I had one of those expereinces.

Please take 76 mintues of your precious life to help you remember at a deep level just how precious it is!

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

Come on, have some fun...

2008-02-29T05:37:00.000-08:00

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"

Looking on the bright side...

2008-02-22T07:29:00.000-08:00

Optimism is the ability to look at the brighter side of life and to maintain a positive attitude, even in the face of adversity.

The ability to bounce back from disappointment.

I have some questions about optimism.

Optimism involves always believing that everything will turn out well. Right?

No! That is merely poor Reality Testing.

Optimism means always giving yourself pep talks - just keep saying positive things to yourself. Right?

No! First, you won’t hear the pep talks after a short while because you know that they are phony. Second, you are in danger of hiding too much from real negatives that you need to notice and plan around.

Then what is Optimism, really?

You practice Optimism when you choose to view setbacks, downturns, and disappointments as temporary rather than permanent. Even if times are bad right now, you recognize that this need not be a permanent condition. Things can and probably will improve.

You practice Optimism when you choose to see misfortune as situational rather than pervasive. For example, your company is reducing its workforce and has let you go. While this may be a bad situation, it does not mean that you are an undesirable employee and will never work again.

You practice Optimism when you choose not to personalize bad events with statements like “Just my luck.” “This always happens to me.” “I have a black cloud over my life.” “I always screw things up.”

While optimists recognize that there are elements in a failed situation that they may not have been able to control, they are realistic about the aspects that they can control. If their performance in one of those aspects was poor, they take heart in the fact that it is within their control to do better next time.

Learn more about training your brain to think more optimistically from my show earlier this week.

www.BlogTalkRadio.com/todaysguest/2008/02/19/The-Science-of-Optimism

Also, listen for another fr.eebie that I mention on the audio.

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

P.S. Don't forget to grab your fr.ee audio from your favorite Life Design Coach at:

www.BlogTalkRadio.com/todaysguest/2008/02/19/The-Science-of-Optimism

Learn to embrace your inner tortoise from the Slowskys

2008-02-19T13:04:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but I can learn a thing or two from the Slowskys. You know the charming couple from the commercials.

We live in a world where the pace and complexity can be mind blowing at times. It is everywhere. There is speed dial on your phone, speed reading classes, I even saw a DVD on speed Yoga. Modern life seems to be stuck on fast-forward.

It is why I have followed the sage advice of the Slowskys. Check out their wisdom below.

Mindfully,

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
Co-Author of An Invitation to Personal Peace
http://www.aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com/products

Coaching for Personal Peace and Purpose

2008-02-18T09:39:00.001-08:00

A loving person lives in a loving world. A hostile person lives in a hostile
world: Everyone you meet is your mirror. -Ken Keyes, Jr.

Are you clear about the kind of person you want to be?

The source of true happiness resides within you. Until you allow yourself
to fully connect with and pursue your life's purpose you will never experience
true joy. It will take courage. It may mean fighting. Never! never! never! let other's opinions, their rejection or ridicule, or their complete opposition stop
you from being who you are. Show up. Speak up. Develop your gifts and
talents. Live the life you were meant to live. Dare to do what you want to do. There in is true happiness.

Complete the following sentence stems below to help you plug in more fully
to your life's purpose.

My life's purpose is…

My empowering self-definition is…

I want my life to be an answer to what question?

My personal purpose statement is…

The sort of influence on others I’d like to be is…

If you complete this brief coaching tool pass your responses on to others.
Making public declarations is a powerful way of building in accountability
for yourself. I would love to see your responses.

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
Y"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. Check out more information about my coaching programs at www.drmikedavison.com

Need a double shot of passion and inspirtation?

2008-02-15T07:44:00.000-08:00

If you do, you have come to the right place.

Today I am serving up 2 helpings of passion and inspiration.

#1 is a clip of Artist Michael Israel in action. It is undescribable. Check it out.

#2 is a clip of a contestant on American Idol practicing his craft. Even if you don't like his style of music, I beleive his passion will come though.

Have a passionate weekend!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"

P.S. Are you connected to your passion and purpose?

It works for Monkeys, make it work for you...

2008-02-12T11:49:00.000-08:00

Have you ever heard of mirror neurons?

It is a hot topic in the brain sciences right now.

It has huge implications about the power of modeling, and how being purposeful about modeling others we can more rapidly learn new behaviors.

This research was originally conducted on monkeys. However, it applies to human learning as well.

I recorded a show today where I talked about this highly technical research in a highly simple and practical way.

Check out the audio at:

http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/todaysguest/2008/02/12/Using-Your-Mirror-Neurons-for-a-Change-Modeling-Your-Way-to-Success

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@MeditationandMore.com

P.S. Get purposeful about designing and living your best life.

Shift happens...

2008-02-08T07:16:00.001-08:00

I have mentioned in previous messages thing such as...

Your thoughts make a difference.

The environments you put yourself in make a difference.

Your emotions make a difference.

I came across some cool research that reinforces the notion that your MINDSET MATTERS.

What you focus on makes a difference.

Small shifts in your focus can make a difference.

Here is the Source: Crum, A. & Langer, E. (2007) "Mindset Matters: Exercise as a Placebo," Psychological Science, 18, 2.

Here is the ABSTRACT—In a study testing whether the relationship between exercise and health is moderated by one's mind-set, 84 female room attendants working in seven different hotels were measured on physiological health variables affected by exercise. Those in the informed condition were told that the work they do (cleaning hotel rooms) is good exercise and satisfies the Surgeon General's recommendations for an active lifestyle. Examples of how their work was exercise were provided. Subjects in the control group were not given this information. Although actual behavior did not change, 4 weeks after the intervention, the informed group perceived themselves to be getting significantly more exercise than before. As a result, compared with the control group, they showed a decrease in weight, blood pressure, body fat, waist-to-hip ratio, and body mass index. These results support the hypothesis that exercise affects health in part or in whole via the placebo effect.

Pretty powerful stuff, huh?

Have a great weekend.

Remember, shift happens...

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. Consider life design coaching so you can design and live your best life.

More on meditation (and on creating lasting change)

2008-02-05T09:14:00.001-08:00

Check out my series on meditation on our blog at www.aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com/blog/

Another fr.ee resource I want to share with you is the audio from a show I did today on the fundamentals of change. I know you will find the information helpful.

http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/todaysguest/2008/02/05/The-fundamentals-of-change

Remember, the only difference between a rut and a grave are the dimensions. Knock the walls off your personal ruts today!

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com

P. S. If you are interested in creating massive change in your life, consider hiring a coach.

Another misconception about meditation

2008-02-04T12:29:00.000-08:00

Another misconception about meditation that came up in my recent teleconference was about a concern about meditation slowing a person down. One participant expressed a concern that their job requires them to be energetic and move quickly. He expressed the concern that meditation would lead to losing his "edge".

Here is what I know to be true about meditation. It helps you hone your edge. Meditation leads to being more centered and increases your capacity to be focused. Therefore, meditation will help you be more focused in a fast paced setting that requires you to focus on multiple tasks throughout the day.

One example would be working at the board of trade. Now that is a fast paced, high energy environment. I have worked with individuals who work in such environments that have reported learning to meditate helps them stay focused on what is most important in any given moment.

Think about it. We all have millions, probably billions of bits of information in our sensory field at any given moment. We can't focus on all of them. We need the ability to effective filter out the non-essential information. On the flip side, we need to be able to stay focused on the absolutely most essential. A meditation practice can help you develop that kind of edge. That kind of focus.

Mindfully,

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@MeditationandMore.com

P.S. Have you checked out my book An Invitation to Personal Peace? www.aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com/products.php

Simple idea about meditation...

2008-02-01T09:25:00.000-08:00

I recently conducted a teleconference on the value of meditation in creating more personal peace in your life. It was a lively conference and many questions were asked about meditation that I will spend the next week or so responding to.

One of the question that was asked in a number of different ways was "how long should I mediate for?". The other variations of this question included, "how do I find the time?" or the statement, "I don't have enough time to meditate".

These questions seemed to be based on the notion that you need to meditate for a long to experience benefits. Let me say loud and clear that you do NOT need time to set aside large period of time to meditate. You may not even need to set aside any time. You can look for those moments of natural down that come up throughout your day. You can meditate for 1 minute or 5 minutes in your car or while taking a walk on a brief work break.

Keep in mind that mediation is not a specialized activity that requires a special room or special equipment.

One of my favorite times to meditate is when I am at a stop light. I simply put my car in park, close my eyes and focus on my breath cycle. It is a very rapid way for me to slow down and fully orient myself to the present moment. This one minute mediation technique has also renew my faith in humanity. Every time I use it there is a kind soul who will give me a gentle reminder when the light turns green. It is so reassuring to know that others in the community are so committed to helping me on my path to create more personal peace in my life.

Mindfully,

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. Have you checked out my book An Invitation to Personal Peace? www.aninvitationtopersonalpeace.com/products.php

Transcend Fear...

2008-01-24T07:34:00.000-08:00

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest
fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light,
not our darkness, that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented
and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a
child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other
people won’t feel insecure around you.
We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to
make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just
in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light
shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do
the same. As we’re liberated from our own fear, our presence
automatically liberates others.”-Marrianne Williamson

In An Invitation to Personal Peace, We devote an entire chapter on how to work through fear instead of letting fear work on you.

Let me ask you a question: What dream has fear taken away from your life? How does that make you feel?

Some years ago, I noticed a certain fear confronting me whenever I started to write a book. The Inner voice would go something like this "You're getting to big for your britches!"

Can you guess what happened next?
Okay, I'll tell you.
Frustration with myself for giving in to a voice that kept me small in the world.

Frustration and Inner Peace aren't a great match.

This all changed when I changed my reaction to my fear.

Instead of giving into the fear I used thought and action to confront it.

I started saying " We'll I'm up to something big."(thought)

I then proceeded to write (action).

This led to me to Personal Peace.

If I listened to the voice that limited my spirit, An Invitation to Personal Peace may not have been born.

Use the 5 simple exercises today in An Invitation to Personal Peace to walk through fear with boldness and courage.

Your desires are waiting for you. Don't disappoint them.

Believe in yourself today.

Make your Destiny a masterpiece.

Your Destiny Doctor
Dr.Mike Davison

I have a dream...

2008-01-21T15:20:00.001-08:00

I have a dream...

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. had a dream.

You have a dream...

We all have dreams.

You know deep down that you have something extraordinary inside of you.

What is it?

What is that special contribution you will make to this world? What are you going to do to leave the world a better place?

Make a commitment to make 2008.

Make a commitment to unleash your dream.

Don't allow yourself to disconnect from your dream and settle for a routine life.

Make 2008 the year you reclaim your dreams, and recapture that sense of excitement and certainty that makes a good life great.

It is not as hard as you think.

Consider a simple exercise of creating a bucket list.

I have been inspired by the movie titled "The Bucket List" to create a blog site at bucketlistblog.com to inspire you to make your dreams a reality.

To Your Dream!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. If you would like additional information about my Life Design Coaching Program for 2008, let me know. Contact me at 847 490-7689 or mike@meditationandmore.com .

Help to create your ultimate bucket list

2008-01-17T08:03:00.000-08:00

Creating your ultimate bucket list requires your willingness to self-reflect.

Here is a 45 minute audio about creating your ultimate bucket list.

http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/todaysguest/2008/01/15/Do-You-Have-a-Bucket-List

Below is the questions I make reference to in the audio.

Make 2008 Great!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

P.S. If you are looking to make 2008 great, consider hiring a coach.

P.S.S. Feel free to contact me if you are interested in my life design coaching programs.

The power of quality questions to help you discover you life purpose and create your ultimate bucket list.

Starter Questions

Why am I here?What are my gifts and talents?How can I use my gifts and talents to contribute to the world?When do I feel most blessed?When do I feel the most opportunity to love?When do I feel I am contributing most? Whose drum am I marching to?If I had unlimited money and time, what would I do?What do I most like to give?What am I most passionate about?What is my favorite hobby?What is my favorite book of all time?What deeply gladdens me?What is the world hungering for?When do I experience my greatest moments of fulfillment? How do I want to be remembered?What am I most proud of?

What increases my energy?

When do I feel most alive?What vitalizes me?What fires me up?What activities energize me even though I have exerted myself or worked at them?What drives me?What gets me out of bed in the morning?What keeps me up late?

What grabs my attention?

What holds me spellbound?What do I continue to return to when I have some time?What do I day dream about?What do I have an unquenchable sense of curiosity, awe and wonder about?

What upsets me?

What pisses me off about the world?If I had an hour of prime time television to influence people, what would I use the time to talk about?What I am I committed to changing in the world?What is the “cause” I am most committed to?

What’s my calling in life?

Where or what have I done that feels “just right”?What do I feel like I was born to do/be?What would I do for work if money didn’t matter?

Who are my heroes?

Whose work or life do I admire?Who inspires or moves me?What are others doing that I think I could also make a profound contribution doing?Who do I think has made the greatest mark in the world in my area of interest?What leaders do I admire?

Miracle Questions

If I was guaranteed success at one thing in life, what would that one thing be?If I was living the life of my dreams what would that look like? Who would I be? What would I do? What would I have?

An Expanded Bucket List: Creating a Purpose Statement

2008-01-15T05:02:00.000-08:00

Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens”. -Carl Jung

I strongly believe everyone has a purpose or reason they were placed on this planet. I personally have not reconciled the issue of whether one’s life purpose is divinely inspired or if it is of our own choosing. However, I am certain that through the process of self-reflection, contemplation, prayer and consultation with others we can discern how to live our lives in the most purposeful and meaningful way.

There is tremendous power in creating a written document that can be best thought of as a purpose statement. It is best to look at your purpose statement as a fluid and evolving document. Your life purpose is not fixed or static. We certainly are not fixed or static beings. A purpose statement simply documents your purpose in life and how you will play out your life’s purpose. Your purpose statement answers such questions as: Who am I? What are my values? How am I going to use my time in the service of my life’s purpose?

In the process of writing a purpose statement I have some ideas that have worked for me. One is to keep it brief. By this I mean a paragraph or two. I think it should be peppered with language that is inspiring to you. I also believe that it should include how living your most purposeful life will contribute to the lives of others. Living your life’s purpose involves connecting with something beyond you; something bigger than you.

Once you complete your purpose statement, you should refer to the statement on a regular basis, perhaps even daily. I also think you should consider revisions at least once a year. A purpose statement ultimately gives you a springboard to evaluate yourself to determine if you are on track in life. Your purpose statement allows you to create your short- and long-term goals. A purpose statement also helps you schedule your time each day in a way that is congruent with your highest personal priorities. This sort of alignment will allow you to feel a profound level of clarity, certainty, fulfillment, and inspiration. This will allow personal peace to more effortlessly unfold in your life.

Some simple exercises to create a purpose statement as part of your bucket list:

Get clear about the kind of person you want to be.

Get out some paper and write out your responses to the statements below to get clearer about their life’s purpose.

My life’s purpose is…

My empowering self-definition is…

I want my life to be an answer to what question?

My personal purpose statement is…

The sort of influence on others I’d like to be is…

My life is about…

What I stand for is…

Also identify what you are willing to do on the level of your behavior to have your life be consistent with your responses.

Please feel free to share your thoughts or relections to these questions.

To You Most Purposeful Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@Meditationandmore.com
847 490-7689

P.S. If you would like any additional information about creating your own bucket list, or living your best life, feel free to contact me about life design coaching.

P.S.S. Check out www.bucketlistblog.com to learn more about creating your own bucket list.

P.S.S.S. Remember, the best way to predict your future is to design it.

Dr. Mike Davison, Life Design Coach, Launches New Blog to Help People Create a Bucket List

2008-01-14T07:24:00.000-08:00

Mike Davison, Life Design Coach, Launches New Blog to Help People Create a Bucket List

Dr. Mike Davison has put together a new blog inspired by the movie 'The Bucket List' to encourage people to be more purposeful about living life.

Arlington Heights, IL (PRWEB) January 14, 2008 -- Dr. Mike Davison, life design coach, has put together a new blog inspired by the movie 'The Bucket List.' The site is intended to be a vehicle help people make and share a bucket list. The broader goal is to encourage people to be more purposeful and intentional about living life.

Dr. Davison believes that everyone has dreams -- people to meet, places to go, experiences to have. People do not have to wait until a terminal diagnosis to create a bucket list.

Dr. Mike Davison's philosophy is that the best way for an individual to predict the future is to design it.

The blog is fun, inspiring and motivating. It encourages people to be purposeful designing their life.

Dr. Mike Davison is author of "An Invitation to Personal Peace" and a Clinical Psychologist and life design coach. The busy and successful use his life design coaching programs to be more intentional about how they live their lives.

Learn more about Dr. Mike Davison at http://www.bucketlistblog.com or http://www.partnersinpurpose.com

MEDIA AVAILABILITY
Are you working on a show or article about life coaching, living an inspired life, or the new movie The Bucket List?

Dr. Mike Davison is an articulate, entertaining, funny and high energy expert that delivers fresh ideas to motivate and inspire.

Dr. Mike Davison is available for print, TV and radio interviews, including expert comments on fast-breaking news.

To SCHEDULE Dr. Mike Davison, call:
847-490-7689
or email: mike@PartnersInPurpose.com
http://bucketlistblog.com
3295 N. Arlington Heights Rd., Suite 103
Arlington Heights, IL 60004

###

Press Contact: Mike Davison
Company Name: Dr. Mike Davison
Email: Email Us Here: http://www.prweb.com/emailmember.php?prid=619251
Phone: 847-490-7689
Website: www.partnersinpurpose.com

More Information: http://www.prweb.com//releases/2008/1/prweb619251.htm

Do you have a bucket list?

2008-01-11T07:52:00.000-08:00

We all have dreams.

We all have those things we want to do, people we want to meet, experiences we want to have.

What are those things for you?

Do you have a bucket list?

While I have not yet seen the new movie Bucket List, I can't wait to see it.

It has already helped me.

I have already started putting together my bucket list.

Here is a partial list of what I have so far.

Meet Oprah.

Take my wife and kids on 2 week Hawaii vacation.

Have a nationally syndicated radio show.

Write a screenplay.

I encourage you to create a bucket list.

That is why I created a new blog at www.bucketlistblog.com

To encourage others to make and share their bucket list.

Please share what is on your bucket list.

It is fun.

It is inspiring.

It is motivating.

and...

It encourages other people to expand their sense of what is possible.

To Your Best Life!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

P.S. I beleive that the best way to predict your future is to design it! Start to design yours. Create and share your bucket list at www.bucketlistblog.com

The Cure for Negativity

2008-01-08T12:21:00.000-08:00

While reading Think and Grow Rich today, I was moved by the following passage. It reminded me how easy it is to be influenced by the company we keep into the trap of negativity.

If you have a burning desire to achieve a vision that benefits others and brings joy to you, it is your divine right to go for it. Let the Nay Sayers be left in the dust of conformity. Often times the burning desire given to you is a treasure to be nurtured and acted upon despite the blindness of others. Believe that you can conceive the idea with divine guidance and give birth to brilliance.

Men with negative minds tried to convince Thomas A. Edison that he could not build a machine that would record and reproduce the human voice, "because" they said, "no one else had ever produced such a machine." Edison did not believe them. He knew that the mind could produce ANYTHING THE MIND COULD CONCEIVE AND BELIEVE, and that knowledge was the thing that lifted the great Edison above the common herd.

Men with negative minds told F. W. Woolworth, he would go "broke" trying to run a store on five and ten cent sales. He did not believe them. He knew that he could do anything, within reason, if he backed his plans with faith. Exercising his right to keep other men's negative suggestions out of his

mind, he piled up a fortune of more than a hundred million dollars.

Men with negative minds told George Washington he could not hope to win against the vastly superior forces of the British, but he exercised his Divine right to BELIEVE, therefore this book was published under the protection of the Stars and Stripes, while the name of Lord Cornwallis has been all but forgotten.

Doubting Thomases scoffed scornfully when Henry Ford tried out his first crudely built automobile on the streets of Detroit. Some said the thing never would become practical. Others said no one would pay money for such a contraption. FORD SAID, "I'LL BELT THE EARTH WITH DEPENDABLE MOTOR CARS," AND HE DID! His decision to trust his own judgment has already piled up a fortune far greater than the next five generations of his descendants can squander. For the benefit of those seeking vast riches, let it be remembered that practically the sole difference between Henry Ford and a majority of the more than one hundred thousand men who work for him, is this--FORD HAS A MIND AND CONTROLS IT, THE OTHERS HAVE MINDS WHICH THEY DO NOT TRY TO CONTROL.

Henry Ford has been repeatedly mentioned, because he is an astounding example of what a man with a mind of his own, and a will to control it, can accomplish. His record knocks the foundation from under that time-worn alibi, "I never had a chance." Ford never had a chance, either, but he CREATED AN OPPORTUNITY AND BACKED IT WITH PERSISTENCE UNTIL IT MADE HIM RICHER THAN CROESUS- (From Think and Grow Rich)

(Croesus is the guy below with the crown)- Must have been one rich dude!

If you've fallen victim to the influence of negativity, take heart.

Here's the Cure:

That's right. There's about 5 chapters dedicated to Removing Blocks to Personal Peace. This will be your Kryptonite to Any Forces that try to squelch your fire.

Dedicated to giving you back control of your destiny,

Your Destiny Doctor,

Dr. Mike Davison

Inside the troubled mind of Britney Spears

2008-01-07T07:59:00.000-08:00

"Accurate self-examination is an important part of one’s personal
growth. It is so easy to fall into self-deception. If you are not honest with yourself
about certain matters, then doubts and fears will haunt you.
You cannot develop a healthy sense of self when you
have a self-serving and false appraisal of yourself."

Transcending Self-Delusions, Chapter 10 An Invitation to Personal Peace

What is Self-Delusion?
Great Question!

According to SELF-DECEPTION, SELF-DELUSION and SELF-DENIAL: And How to Act from What You Know to be True,When we deceive, delude or deny to our self, we mislead our self, we misrepresent or disown what we know to be true, we lie to our self, we refuse to acknowledge that which we know.

Why would we lie to ourselves?
In a book called Vital Lies, Simple Truths, Daniel Goleman notes that we do not see what it is that we do not see, because:

The mind can protect itself against anxiety by diminishing awareness. This mechanism produces a blind spot: a zone of blocked attention and self-deception. Such blind spots occur at each major level of behavior from the psychological to the social. (p. 22)

Well, I'm glad that cleared everything up!
Basically, it's a protective behavior that keeps the person from experiencing or facing the consequences of reality. Eventually the truth wins. Sometimes in a very public way! For Example:

Then:Britney Says in May 2007
"I used to be angry at the tabloids for printing horrible things about me, but now I try to just be numb to what I see."

Now: Britney Says June 20,2007
"Spears Angered By Shaved Head Ads
Britney Spears has admitted to having some problems, but she's drawing the line at a "nut job."
I guess being numb didn't work.
Again from Britney:
"It is so sad, because if anyone is a family person...it is me."

"I feel like some of the people in my life made more of some issues than was necessary."

"I also feel like they knew I was beginning to use my brain for a change and cut some ties, so they wanted to be in more control of my life than me."

Britney, I'll even sign the book for you!

Now why didn't I think of that before. That'll convince her!

Bottom Line: Self Delusions can't hide from reality forever. As you can see they surface sooner or later.

Why not Grab a copy of an Invitation to Personal Peace to avoid this happening to you? Make sure you do the daily practice on day 4 in Chapter 10 that could instantly give you guidance and comfort on your journey to inner peace.

What are you waiting for? The only time you have promised to you is the present. Let this be a gift to you of powerful transformation and bliss.

Your Destiny Doctor
Dr.Mike Davison

Britney Spears is in need of some Personal Peace

2008-01-04T11:20:00.000-08:00

Please Don't Try this at home.

Cultivating a sense of Personal Peace in your life doesn't have to come down to this.

According to my close sources ( MSN News web site), Lynne Spears says her daughter Britney, whose public meltdown included shearing off her own locks, is

"just figuring things out."

Britney all you had to do was ask.

I could've given you a much simpler way to figure things out.

SOFTCOVER

Since Britney took a different route, allow me to share a powerful tool you can use today to invite more peace in your life.

Materials Needed: Pen and Notebook- no shears involved

From the chapter Exercise Your Write:

"Writing is a powerful personal development and spiritual
tool. Writing can help you explore your self, your desires and
intentions, and the reasons why you do the things you do."

- (page 36) An Invitation to Personal Peace

Try “free writing” or writing down
whatever comes to mind, without judgment.

You don’t have
to share it with anyone.

Isn't it amazing that a simple exercise while so small is so powerful.

And we're just getting started!

An Invitation to Personal Peace reveals the hidden secrets on using journals

to relieve depression, stress, and anxiety among a host of other things.

We give you step by step activities that will infuse peace in your day

instead of disturb it with one more to-do task.

Your body will thank you.

Wait a minute,

You do have the book right?

If not, I'll make it real easy for you to order. Just Click the book below .

How's that for peaceful?

Ju
SOFTCOVER

Until next time,
This is your Destiny Doc Signing off.
Dr.Mike Davison

Wishing you peace in everything you do!

Make 2008 Great!

2007-12-30T21:36:00.001-08:00

Happy New Year!

I wish you the best in 2008. Here are some ideas to
help you take your life to the next level in 2008.

Be mindful of how you interpret the world around you.
Human beings are meaning making machines. Life is
how you interpret it.

Prepare for change by inviting it.

Change is a given, so don't fight it.

Welcome change.

Embrace change.

Volunteer for change - or you just might find yourself being
drafted for it.

All people want to claim something, even if it is there own
confusion.

Transcend confusion.

Transcend mediocrity.

Make a commitment to claim something extraordinary.

Claim something bigger than you.

Learn to accept yourself. Dance lightly with your goblins.

Open yourself to the lessons the universe places in your lap.

Surround yourself with consciousness raising ideas.

Connect with people who help you raise your personal standards.

Read life changing material.

Be open to influence.

Be willing to alter old assumptions and ideas that no longer work
for you.

I leave you with a powerful proverb that for me captures a
consciousness I choose to embrace in the New Year.

Look to this day,
For it is life,
The very life of life.
In its brief course lie all
The realities and verities of existence,
The bliss of growth,
The splendor of action,
The glory of power --

For yesterday is but a dream,
And tomorrow is only a vision,
But today, well lived,
Makes every yesterday a dream
of happiness
And every tomorrow a vision of hope.

Look well, therefore, to this day.

Sanskrit proverb
by Kalidasa
Indian poet and playwright,
Fifth century A.D.

Be well! The best to you in the New Year.

Make 2008 Great!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@Meditationandmore.com

P.S. If you are ready to start out 2008 strong, consider
one of my Life Design Coaching programs.

Are you ready for action?

2007-12-28T10:47:00.001-08:00

As strange as this may sound at first, there are certain things you can DO just by saying them.

This is possible if you use a verb that names the very act you are performing. There is an area of
study in linguistics called PERFORMATIVES. This is the study of what I call ACTION TALK.

YOU can use language that moves you to action. Language that is action.

Donald Trump does… “You’re Fired!” (That’s an action, not just words).

Ministers do… “I now PRONOUNCE you man and wife”.

Michael Vick knows about performatives since his Judge said “You’re guilty” (That is a declaration).

Use performatives.

Make declarations.

Be action oriented.

Make commitments to yourself and others that are couple with action.

Avoid empty promises.

Commit to your own personal development!

I am offering a free 'goals' check -up for the first 10 committed people who sends me an e-mail
at mike@PartnersInPupose.com . This involves an email questionnaire and a 15 minute phone
coaching consultation. A $100. Value fr*ee!

Make 2008 Great!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@Meditationandmore.com

P.S. Be among the first 10 action takers!

Passive Meditation and Active Meditation

2007-12-26T13:00:00.000-08:00

There are many different ways of thinking about and categorizing different types of meditation.

Let me briefly explain two simple and general ways of categorizing meditation techniques - Passive and Active Meditation.

Passive meditation is a way of clearing the mind of all thoughts. Passive meditation is good for reducing stress, increasing creativity, or just getting in some quiet time. It is a powerful way of renewing yourself.

Active meditation is when you keep your mind active by working on a particular problem in your life or focusing on accomplishing certain goals you have set. One strategy of active meditation is to use affirmations while meditating. A relaxed mind is a mind that is open to influence.

If your interested in learning more about stress management or personal development, let me know.

Make 2008 Great!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”

If you have any questions about my Life Design Coaching Programs contact me at mike@Meditationandmore.com .

This is my wish for you...

2007-12-24T08:17:00.000-08:00

"This is my wish for you: peace of mind, prosperity through the year, happiness that multiplies, health for you and yours, fun around every corner, energy to chase your dreams, joy to fill your holidays!"
--D.M. Dellinger

God Bless you in this holiday season and always.

In Peace and Gratitude!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@MeditationandMore.com

If you would like additional information about my Life Design Coaching Program for 2008, let me know.

Also, check out my month long series on mindfulness and meditation at www.drmikedavison.com

Also...Check out my month long series on mindfulness and meditation at www.drmikedavison.com .

Do You Believe in Magic?

2007-12-21T11:00:00.000-08:00

You have the power to create magic.

Human beings (ALL HUMAN BEINGS) are unique from other "creatures", as we have the ability to radically change our life by changing our personal story.

While we all have the capacity to re-author our most dominant stories, not everyone believes they have this capacity.

Some people are addicted to their story.

Some people are addicted to their chronic negative emotions.

Some people are addicted to whining and complaining.

Consider the following:

Your current life circumstances are a reflection of your core beliefs about yourselves, others and the world around you.

Who you are is a manifestation of your most dominant thoughts. Put another way, "As you think, so shall you be". What you think, you become.

Your moment-to-moment words, thoughts, feelings and behaviors are a result of your most dominant personal stories.

You ultimately can't see what you can't imagine.

You ultimately can't create what is incompatible with your most dominant stories.

This is why we are often creatures of habit, continually re-creating the circumstances of our life.

Albert Einstein once wrote "The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them". In other words, in order to change, we need to change our beliefs.

So how do we do this?

Thanks for asking.

You need to first get clear about where you currently are in your life. Don't downplay or minimize. This is not a time to be delusional.

Second. Get clear about where you want to be.

Third. Get clear about the thoughts, images and behaviors that you would need to have to create your most desired outcomes.

Fourth. Align your daily thoughts, images, and behaviors with your desired outcomes.

Here are some quick and simple daily activities that can help shape and reinforce the necessary consciousness to create your ideal life:

VISUALIZATION. Your behavior will match your image of yourself. Spend a few moments each morning clearly imaging your desired outcomes. The length of time is less important than having your images specific and vivid.

DECLARATIONS. Write several declarative statements that are worded in the positive, present tense, are highly specific, and inspiring. State them out loud each day with TOTAL BEHAVIOR – with complete alignment of your behavior, thinking, emotion and physiology.

CREATE A DREAMBOARD. Include words, phrases, pictures and anything that symbolizes your desired outcomes. Look at your dreamboard daily.

WRITE A PURPOSE STATEMENT. Similar to your declarations, use emotionally charged words, state it in the positive, keep it brief.

Write it as if you have already created and are living out your purpose. Keep this statement in your planner and review it daily.

KEEP A PURPOSE JOURNAL. Each morning write down at least THREE things you WILL do that day in the service of your purpose. Identify specific action steps. This is not a time to be mushy. Be precise. Think of these as your DAILY MARCHING ORDERS. Make a nightly entry, identifying what you did or accomplished each day that was in the service of your purpose.

MANAGE YOUR SELF-TALK. Smash the ANTS in Your life – Automatic Negative Thoughts. Learn to notice, catch and interrupt unproductive and limiting patterns of thinking.

USE LANGUAGE OF INTENTION. Avoid destructive language like can’t, I’ll try, I have to…

ASK FOR WHAT YOU NEED. Ask and you shall receive – unless you don’t. Keep in mind, if you don’t get what you ask for you are no worse off.

TEACH YOUR PURPOSE. Research is clear that teaching something helps us understand it at a greater level. A principle used in medical residency training – learn one, do one, teach one.

One other important aspect of creating and sustaining the necessary consciousness to help you achieve your dreams is to surround yourself with the right people.

You won't achieve greatness hanging out with complainers.

Does this all sound like too much work?

Only you can answer that.

However, like any habits and rituals, once they are created they become automatic and effortless.

I don't quote shampoo commercials much, but as I heard pronounced in one shampoo commercial -

"Your worth it!"

You really are.

Your life is.

Your dreams and goals are.

Your legacy is.

Have a great holiday season!

Your worth it!

Power up to create some magic in the upcoming year.

Make 2008 Great!

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"

If you have any questions about my Life Design Coaching Programs, contact me at mike@meditationandmore.com or 847 490-7689.

Don't forget to check out my month long series on mindfulness and meditation at www.drmikedavison.com

Life Design and Self Reflection

2007-12-10T08:57:00.000-08:00

Ready or not...

2008 is coming.

Are you ready?

What are some of your goals for 2008.

As a Psychologist and Life Design Coach, I am a HUGE fan of being deliberate about living your life.

Life Design is about

Getting absolutely clear about what you want.

Taking consistent deliberate action.

Take note of what happens when you take action.

An make necessary corrections. As the saying goes "If what you are doing isn't working do something different".

Here is a gift for you (link below). It is a audio on Self-Reflection: The breakfast of champions.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/todaysguest/2007/12/04/Todays-Guest-with-the-Fab-5

If you are interested in my Life Design Coaching Programs for 2008, please feel free to contact me at mike@meditationandmore.com or 847 490-7689.

To Your Success!

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”

P. S. Check out my month long series on mindfulness and meditation at www.drmikedavison.com

Take a brain walk.

2007-12-03T08:29:00.000-08:00

I know this does not sound very inspiring, but...

Stress in inevitable.

However...

You don't have to let stress overwhelm your life.

One strategy to manage stress in to take a "brain walk".

You may be wonder, How do you take a brain walk?

I am glad you asked.

First step? Get up from your stressful situation and walk away. Sound too good? Well, you're coming back, so don't get too excited! :)

Find a place outside to walk - some place that will take your mind off your current stressful ordeal. As you walk and enjoy the scenery, let your brain wander. Whatever you do, don't rehearse your stressful situation or relationship.

While you are walking, think of all the nature around you. The trees.... how beautiful the leaves are, how tall they've grown to be, how long they've been there. Just focus totally on the natural scenery around you.

Look at the sky. How vast it is. What's in the horizon? Now look at the clouds in that beautiful, endless sky. What do they remind you of? Maybe a marshmallow, or a mountain, or maybe even a train? What about the color of the sky they are resting in? Is that a true baby blue or is it amber and purple, white and cottony?

What about the birds? Are they quiet today or are they singing to the beat of your footsteps? Are they chattering to each other or are they silent - listening for the sound of approaching wind or rain or snow?

Is that a squirrel climbing over there? Does it have a nut for storage? I like to let my mind wonder where it might be headed. Maybe it's just going to eat it right now, forgetting the storage places.

As you are getting close to returning to your work place, think about the first thing that you need to do when you get there...only one thing. If you think about any more than that you will begin to get overwhelmed again. When you return, do that one thing and thing you will be able to move forward with your project.

By removing yourself from the immediate stressful situation, even if it is for just ten or fifteen minutes, you will greatly reduce your stress. There is something about watching and thinking about nature that alleviates stress and puts you in a much more relaxed frame of mind. You will find that as you return, your thoughts and vision will be clearer, productivity greater. You will return with a fresh start on your project.

Brain walks actually utilize nature to alleviate immediate stress! Enjoy them to the fullest!

Mindfully,

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"
mike@meditationandmore.com
847 490-7689

P.S. Don't forget about my month long series on mindfulness and meditation at www.drmikedavison.com .

An entire month of Mindfulness and Meditation

2007-11-30T10:50:00.001-08:00

This time of the year can be so joyful and can at times be so stressful. That is why I am dedicating the next month to putting daily entries on my other blog www.drmikedavison.com on mindfulness and meditation. Check it out!

Here is a brief message on stress you will NOT find on my www.drmikedavison.com blog.

Stress, stress, and more stress:

There are more definitions of stress than you can shake a stick at. But what we particularly targeting when we’re talking about the stress that causes disease and chronic pain is “the stress that produces too much adrenaline too much of the time”. I like this definition, because it fits me to a “t”.

I used to work in a high-adrenaline job. I mean, every second you had to be on guard for a disaster. When your mind is in that kind of gear, your body responds almost as if in an emergency state that it can’t get out of. Our bodies produce adrenaline like crazy. That lovely hormone, in small doses, gives color and joy to life. In an over-dosed state, however, the rest of our hormones battle to stabilize – some of them increase and wreak havoc with our bodies.

When you’re living in a constant “flight or fight” manner, you end up becoming excitable, anxious, jumpy and irritable. Naturally, these emotions diminish our abilities to be productive and focused. They especially interfere with developing and maintaining quality relationships (one of the best remedies for a stressful life!).

To be most productive, our day-by-day lives require a calm, focused, sensitive approach to living. You may have heard it said that being in the “here and now” is one of the quickest ways to alleviate stress and lower adrenaline levels. When we’re unable to control our flight or fight response – when the adrenaline is high all day long, we’re headed to disease and burnout fast. If we can focus on one thing at a time and breathe normally and naturally while completing that task, we lower our stress levels almost immediately.

It takes practice – living in the moment. But if you can accomplish just five minutes a day of calm focus on only one task at a time, you will begin to feel the heavy stresses of life dissolving like the morning dew. You’re not ignoring reality. You know you will take time to focus on each problem and situation separately. But for this moment, all you’re doing is one thing.

You will find yourself relaxing, your shoulders less tense, your back and leg muscles loosening. Enjoy the feeling of being at peace with yourself and focus on each little step of your present activity. Allow no thought of what you have to do later to creep in to this sacred time.

With practice, you can free your mind and body of anxiety and stress. Start with a few minutes a day, and then increase it to half an hour. The difference in your ability to enjoy life will motivate you to keep up this simple technique. You’ll find yourself accomplishing more and worrying less!

Many Blessings,

Dr. Mike Davison
“Your Destiny Doctor”
mike@Meditationandmore.com

P.S. Don't forget about my month long daily series on mindfulness and mediation on my blog at - www.drmikedavison.com

Count Your Blessings!

2007-11-20T05:33:00.000-08:00

As we enter the holiday season, I hope all of you
are prospering and pleased with the quality of your life.

I know some of you continue to struggle and I want
to invite all of you to make a radical shift in the way you
go about doing what you do.

Give yourself the gift of personal development.

Remember, personal development is never truly personal.

The happy you are the more you impact others positively.

The more grateful you are, the more generous you will be.

When you go after your dreams, you are giving others a model
of inspiration to follow.

I do believe that personal development is never simply about you.

I recently developed a quick inventory to help you assess your quality of life. If you would like a copy, please e-mail me and I will send you a copy.

Remember there are two parts of Thanksgiving. Thanks and Giving.

Thanks…

If you express gratitude and thanks for what you have it will always be enough.

Giving…

The more you are giving and contributing, the more fully alive you will feel.

Thank You!

One additional gift I would like you to receive is at my friend Frank Gasiorowski's website.

Check out the free audios on his site at:

http://90daygoals.com/media.php

While your there, accept the gift of his newsletter. When you sign up you will receive his 90 Day Goals "7 Step Program" "How I Hit My BIGGEST Goals in 90 Days!"

With Deep Gratitude,

Dr. Mike Davison
www.Meditationandmore.com
mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. Remember to take time to count your many blessings. It is truly the most rapid pathway to increasing your expereince of personal peace.

Happy Thanksgiving Week

2007-11-15T09:13:00.000-08:00

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Let us rise up and be thankful, for
if we didn’t learn a lot today, at
least we learned a little, and if
we didn’t learn a little, at least
we didn’t get sick, and if we
got sick, at least we didn’t die;
so, let us all be thankful.
-Buddha

I don’t know if your experience
in life has been the same as mine,
but things don’t always do the way
I want them to. Life inevitably has
it’s ups and downs. Challenges
come my way from time-to-time.
I have not yet figured out a way to
live an effortless and problem free
life. However, I have taped into the
next best thing. The next best thing
for me is living in gratitude. To
quote the popular saying, having
an attitude of gratitude. I believe
the greatest payer we can pray
is one of deep gratitude.

In my work as a Clinical Psychologist,
I have seen many depressed individuals
over the years. While I am not suggesting
this is a complete conceptualization of
depression, but folks who are depressed
have difficulty access feelings of gratitude.
This perspective is biased toward all that
is wrong and all they do not have. This
does not mean that depressed people
are making up ‘negative’ things, but I
am suggesting that they are likely to
filter out that which they can be grateful
for. I am not exactly suggesting positive
thinking. I am suggesting more of what
I call inclusive thinking. That is
acknowledging it all. The good, the
bad, and the ugly.

There is always something to be grateful
for. It may be things. People. Health.
A stable job. The list goes on and on.
Remember, I am not suggesting that
you deny the challenges. However,
don’t deny the ‘good stuff’ either.

I believe that having a deep spirit of
gratitude is contagious. It somehow
seems to give others permission to
stop and take notice for that which
they can be grateful for. Look for
opportunities to cultivate gratitude.
Keep a gratitude journal. Say prays
of gratitude. Write a letter of thanks
to someone who has positively impacted
you. Don’t miss an opportunity to say
words of appreciation and gratitude to
people in your life.

While the idea of expressing gratitude
or keeping a gratitude journal may
seem overly simplistic. I must tell
you - it works! I have a knowing from
my own experiences. I also know that
individuals who have kept a gratitude
journal for as brief as 6 weeks have
been studied and have been shown
to have a greater sense of subjective
well-being and also had increases in
immune system function.

Thanks for reading this weeks message.
I would be grateful if you considered practicing
the following daily exercises for the next week.
May it a week of gratitude and giving thanks!

7 Daily Practices:

Day one: Read this beautiful prayer from
Marianne Williamson that amplifies the
importance of gratitude and being clear
about what impact you want to have on
the world, and write your reflections in
your journal.

A New Day

Dear God,
Thank you for this new day, its beauty and its light.
Thank You for my chance to begin again.
Free me from the limitations of yesterday.
Today I am reborn.
May I become more fully a reflection of Your radiance.
Give me strength and compassion and courage and wisdom.
Show me the light in myself and others.
May I recognize the good that is available everywhere.
May I be, this day, an instrument of love and healing.
Lead me into gentle pastures.
Give me deep peace that I might serve You most deeply.

Amen.
Marianne Williamson from ‘Illuminata’.

Day two: Take at least 10 minutes to close
your eyes, quiet yourself and recollect
experiences over the past several months
when people were kind to you, you had
moments of deep appreciation for others,
you experienced a deep sense of joy and
connection with others. Imagine or
recollect these memories of gratitude
using all of your senses. Specifically
try to bring in what you saw, emotionally
felt, physically felt, heard, thought,
smelled or tasted. Visualizing past
experiences allows us to re-experience
them. Flood your mind, body and
consciousness with gratitude.

Day three: Write in a journal today for
10 minutes without stopping. Use the
statement, today I am grateful for…

Day four: Repeat the journaling exercise
from yesterday. Remember, in life what
ever you focus on you attract. A gratitude
journal is a powerful way of saturating
your consciousness with thoughts of
gratitude, which attracts more of what
you are grateful for into your life.

Day five: Tell at least one person you
are grateful for them today. Be
extremely specific for what and why
you are grateful for and why you are
blessed to have them in your life.

Day six: Write a letter to someone
who has had a positive impact on your
life. Express a heart felt appreciation
to this person. Be specific about what
they did that had a positive impact on
you. Be specific about the lasting
impact their generosity and kindness
had on your life.

Day seven: Repeat the visualization
exercise from day two. This time go
back as far in your life as you can to
recollect people, things, experiences,
occasions and accomplishments you
are grateful for. Allow yourself to fully
re-experience multiple vivid memories
of gratitude.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Dr. Mike Davison
Your Destiny Doctor
mike@MeditationandMore.com

P.S. Have you considered hiring a personal coach?

Give Thanks...

2007-11-09T11:37:00.000-08:00

I know I am a bit early with this, but I could not help myself.

Maybe Thankfulness is for anytime...

The Pilgrims who celebrated the first Thanksgiving fled religious persecution in Europe to seek a better life in America. The Thanksgiving holiday was established to provide a national day of thanksgiving for all Americans.

Even if you follow no particular religion, however, Thanksgiving is a good time to count our blessings.

Whatever else you do on Thanksgiving, make it a time to say thank you to the people in your life who matter most and, if possible, to spend time in their company.
Life is short, it is the moments that count most, and many of the best moments in life are those spent with friends and family.

If distance or circumstances prevent you from spending Thanksgiving with some of the people you love, call, email, send a card or write them a letter.

If you don't already, maybe this Thanksgiving you can continue to give thanks and express gratitude by making it a daily practice- whether it be in the form of a prayer, meditation or just a simple pause and reflection at some point in your day- everyday!

Until next time...

To your Mind, Body & Spirit ~

Many Blessings,

Dr. Mike Davison
Your Destiny Doctor

P.S. Do you have a family member, friend or collegue that would be interested and/or might benefit from our Newsletter or Blog? If so, please feel free to guide them on over! -http://www.Meditationandmore.com/

Got Integrity?

2007-11-02T12:00:00.001-07:00

I hope you have a wonderful weekend

I want to give you a gift to help you cultivate integrity.

My gift to you is an audio clip on this very topic.

Integrity is the one virtue that can make all the difference in life.

Check out the audio at:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/todaysguest/2007/10/30/Build-your-spiritual-muscles

Your Destiny Doctor,

Dr. Mike Davison

P.S. If you are interested in personal coach to help accelerate your forward movement, simply contact me at mike@PartnersInPurpose.com or 847 490-7689

Relating to others (better) through Meditation...

2007-10-29T09:55:00.000-07:00

Do you sometimes have difficulty relating to others?

I know I do at time.

I think we all do at times.

A simple Buddhist "loving kindness" meditation technique can help us relate better to those around us.

Here are some ways of going about it ~

* Relax deeply in a seated position with your spine erect
* Breathe in, drawing "loving kindness" from the universe into yourself
* Breathe out, directing that loving kindness with gratitude a toward particular person or group
* Breathe in more loving kindness
* Breathe out, directing loving kindness with blessings to a person or people you love dearly - to all those who have nurtured and nourished you
* Breathe in...
* Breathe out, directing loving kindness with forgiveness to people who annoy you or obstruct you, who are unkind or dismissive
* Breathe in...
* Breathe out, radiating the prayer - "May all people everywhere be happy"
* Breathe in and give thanks for all the loving kindness you receive
* Repeat as needed!

Any part of this technique can be used in any situation and be a avenue in promoting peace and harmony.

Until next time...

To your Mind, Body & Spirit ~

Many Blessings,

Dr. Mike Davison
"Your Destiny Doctor"

P.S. Do you have a family member, friend or collegue that would interested and/or might benefit for our newsletter or blog? If so, please feel free to guide them on over! - www.meditationandmore.com

Meditation in Daily Life...

2007-10-25T10:33:00.000-07:00

How can we turn the mundane chores of our daily lives into a form of meditation and be uplifted? ~

Through practicing "mindfulness" -by focusing all our thoughts on what we are doing.
We can also experience a sense of spiritual enlightenment/uplift from appreciating the beauty of everything around us- as well as use meditative practices when trying to gage and understand our emotions, and we can introduce meditation techniques such as mindfulness) into the ways in which we relate to others.

Here are a few ways in which we can bring meditation into the many aspects of our day-to-day lives:

~ Focus your mind and body completely on what you are doing at this moment- letting any distractions simply drift on by.
~ Live in the present moment as much as you can.
~ Try to see the beauty and worth in everything (and everyone) around you, as well as in everything you do- no matter how mundane.
~ Learn and try to use your "senses" to the full.
~ Develop self-awareness, and work with the connection between your emotional and physical self - noticing how certain breathing practices and posture/positions affect how you're feeling.
~ An everyday activity, such as eating - again, by taking the time to really be aware of and focus on your food and eating it- is a form of meditation that can make it more enjoyable and better on the digestive system!

Mindfully,

Dr. Mike
Your Destiny Doctor

Finding Your Path to Life Enrichment Coaching Program

2007-10-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

If you've ever thought about utilizing a personal coach to help you achieve your goals, this program was designed especially for you. Finding Your Path to Life Enrichment Coaching will give you the opportunity to work one-on-one with Dr. Mike Davison and discover firsthand the enormous benefits to be gained from making a commitment to yourself and developing your spiritual path.

In this unique Finding Your Path to Life Enrichment Coaching program you will learn to implement the fundamental tools used to create an extraordinary life of peace and prosperity.

For additional information, contact me at mike@PartnersInPurpose.com

Finding Your Path to Life Enrichment coaching program includes eight (8) phone sessions along with accompanying materials.

The eight sessions will help you:

1. Build your path

2. Get on your path

3. Stay on your path.

Your path leads directly to your Destiny.

The focus of the 8 Session include:

Session 1.

Introduction to the program. Understanding your own "default mode". What it means to be on YOUR spiritual path. Training in morality, master of the mind and wisdom. Overview of 10 spiritual muscles*.

Session 2.

Training in Mastery of the Mind #1- Right Effort, Mindfulness, Concentration
– instruction in the practice of mindfulness and meditation. Meditation retrains your mind toward your spiritual path.

Session 3.

Training in Mastery of the Mind #2 -- Handling your default mode. Learning strategies to self monitor yourself., interrupt unhealthy patterns, and strengthen your spiritual path.
Spiritual muscle: equanimity - having a clam and balanced mind.

Session 4.

Training in Morality #1 - Discuss the importance of inner alignment of right speech, action, and livelihood. Discuss concept of mindful action versus automatic reaction. Treating yourself with compassion, only then can you treat others with compassion. Remember, all beings are just like you, they want to be happy and free of suffering.

Session 5.

More on Morality. Spiritual muscles of Loving Kindness and Tolerance. Learning metta meditation.

Session 6.

Training in Wisdom #1 -- right thinking and right view -- filling the mind with
the Spiritual self. Knowing that everything starts with the mind. Need a daily plan for weakening your default mode and strengthen your Spiritual self. Daily plan includes making a daily commitment to your spiritual path, using all your senses to activate your spiritual self.

Session 7.

Training in Wisdom #2 -- Spiritual muscles - renunciation and generosity. Renunciation - give up whatever separates you from your spiritual nature. Generosity - give to yourself and others your true spiritual nature. 5 friends of your spiritual path. 5 enemies of your spiritual path. Acting "as if".

Session 8.

Maintaining your Spiritual Path. Spiritual muscle- Truth. Truth is essential for maintenance of your Spiritual Path. Honesty with self and others. Taking refuge in spiritual guides, teachings, and communities.

For more information contact me at mike@Partnersinpurpose.com

*Spiritual Muscles

1 Strong Determination

2 Effort

3 Equanimity

4 Morality

5 Loving Kindness

6 Tolerance

7 Wisdom

8 Renunciation

9 Generosity

10 Truth

Meditation ~ Mindfulness Walking...

2007-10-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

In an article on complementary and alternative medicine, the Mayo Clinic Web site calls walking meditation "an efficient and healthy way to relax."

Meditation while walking is a great way to achieve calm and relaxation as well as physical exercise.

If you like to walk, in adding meditation or mindfulness to your walking regime- you not only get the health benefits of exercising your legs/arms and cardiovascular system, but you add on benefits and a dimension extending to your whole being - mind, body and spirit.

Here are a few tips on meditation or mindful walking:

1. Begin your walk by concentrating on your breathing. Breathe deeply from your diaphragm or belly.
Feel your rib cage expanding and contracting with each breath. After a few deep breaths, begin to count how many steps you take on each inhalation and exhalation.

2. Try not to think about what you have to do for the day, your last conversation or what you'll make for dinner. Just think about how your body is feeling as it moves.

3. Feel your feet as they touch the ground: heel, ball, toe. Stay with the rhythm of heel, ball, toe and imagine yourself striding with confidence.

4. Try bringing your awareness up past your feet to your legs and hip joints. Feel how they move as you walk. Then notice your arms swinging freely from your shoulders in counterpoint to your legs. Picture yourself moving through life with perfect rhythm and flow.

5. Focus on your center, just below your navel. Imagine that you feel all your movements originating from there. Feel your entire being as one whole/smooth movement.

6. Expand your awareness to include everything around you. Feel your-self and your environment merging. Try to notice every rock, tree, cloud, breath, dog, breeze, smell, etc. Remember to include yourself in the picture.

7. As you walk, add a verbal affirmation and repeat it silently to yourself, such as, "I feel great today" or whatever makes you feel good.

Most of these tips can be adapted while exercising on a treadmill or other cardiovascular machine as well.

Until next time...

To your Mind, Body & Spirit ~

Many Blessings,

Dr. Mike Davison
mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. Do you have a family member, friend or collegue that would be interested and/or might benefit from our Newsletter or Blog? If so, please feel free to guide them on over! -http://www.meditationandmore.com/

The best 5 bucks you will ever spend!

2007-10-04T05:30:00.000-07:00

"Life Was Never Meant to be a Struggle" by Stuart Wilde. Here are some take-a-ways that were useful to me:

If I have an ailment with my physical body: realize the weakness is a gift. It allows me to express power in spite of my condition. And the extra time it takes will allow me to enjoy the journey more fully.
Train myself to be more forgiving of myself, and I will see my life in an infinite sense – not a finite sense. Everything becomes a lesson, a way of strengthening me.
Only the fool stands and fights; the sage walks away. Avoid people and situations that drive me crazy.
Are my circumstances designed to nurture me?
To win a moral victory at the expense of my sanity is dumb
Am I going too fast??
Never be afraid to let people go if they’re not right; often that’s the only way you can make room for the right person
If conditions don’t suit me, then set about changing them
I am the cause of struggle if there is struggle
Place myself in a non-confrontational mode, first with myself, and second, with the world around me

Your Coach,

Dr. Mike

Invest in Personal Coaching

2007-10-01T09:11:00.001-07:00

If you've ever thought about utilizing a personal coach to help you achieve your goals, this program was designed especially for you. Introduction to Personal Coaching will give you the opportunity to work one-on-one with Dr. Mike Davison and discover firsthand the enormous benefits to be gained from having more personal peace in your life.

Purchase on my secured site at:

http://meditationandmore.com/coaching.php

In this unique Introduction to Personal Coaching program you will learn to implement the fundamental tools used to create an extraordinary life of peace and prosperity.

You'll begin by working with Dr. Davison to take stock on where you are currently by completing a Quality of Life Profile. This profile will give you a greater understanding of yourself and your desires in life than you've probably ever experienced. It will give you the clarity you need to begin turning your dreams into reality.

This Introduction to Personal Coaching program includes four 1/2 hour phone consultations with accompanying materials.

The four sessions are as follows:

Session 1: Your Quality of Life Profile

Session 2: What Do You Really Want?

Session 3: Pursuing Your Path with Passion and Personal Peace

Session 4: The Creation Equation: Achieving Sustainable Personal Peace

Remember this special offer includes 2 additional sessions at no additional investment.

Sign up now.

Purchase on my secured site at:

http://meditationandmore.com/coaching.php

MIKE'S COACHING; WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING:

Dr. Mike Davison may be called a Psychologist, Philosopher, Philanthropist, Professor and even a Positive Motivator but what I see him as is a true Visionary. Anyone lucky enough to be associated with Dr. Mike (Your Destiny Doctor) will immediately see that his Vision is magnetic and you are overcome by his sense of Purpose. I have personally used Dr. Mike's meditation techniques to restore my own sense of balance and to bring a calm into my life. Dr. Mike Davison is living proof that these techniques can be taught and available to the seeker of his wisdom."

Frank Gasiorowski
"Mr90DayGoals"
www.90DayGoals.com

Dr. Mike is the coach's coach. He can take you on a journey for achieving your own personal peace. He can help you connect to your bigger picture. Allow him to be your travel agents to greater personal peace and prosperity."

Mike Litman, #1 best selling author,
Conversations with Millionaires
www.MikeLitman.com

"There is good news AND the awesome news...

The good news...
There are many coaches available to us and they each serve a purpose

The awesome news...
Dr. Mike Davison is available to all of us and serves many purposes

He is a master in the art of balance in life, from vision... to self-evaluation... to goals... to creating and implementing a plan... to self improvement... to gratitude... to having fun... to peace.

If I was asked to create a marketing campaign for Dr. Mike Davison, it would be:

Dr. Mike Davison, Your One-Stop Coach For Life"

Jacqueline A. Kennedy, CITRMS
Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist
Identity Theft Awareness Group
www.IDTheftCanHappenToYou.com

Purchase on my secured site at:

http://meditationandmore.com/coaching.php

Q & A with Jeffrey Brantley, MD

2007-09-30T15:59:00.000-07:00

Q & A with Jeffrey Brantley, MD ~ Author of Five Good Minutes

Q. Let’s start with the question everyone asks when they hear about
Five Good Minutes:
How in the world can only five minutes in the morning help someone who’s overwhelmed by stress?

A. In mindfulness-based stress reduction classes, we like to say, “It’s not the stress but how you handle the stress that makes all the difference.”

People often handle their stress ineffectively in ways they do not even realize. One of the results of stress is that the stress reaction in the body becomes activated.

The familiar elements of this reaction include a general state of hyper-arousal, racing heart, tightening muscles, and increased blood pressure.

When stress reactivity becomes chronic—frequently arising over extended periods of time—then the person experiences this hyper-arousal as distressing and usually develops ways to deal with the distress they feel.

They might say they are “stressed out” or feel “overwhelmed by stress.” They look for ways to reduce the feelings of distress they feel, both consciously and unconsciously.

Unfortunately, many of the ways of coping with chronic stress that people exhibit actually become harmful over time.
These ways frequently involve habits of inattention to what is present, denial of feelings, seeking distraction, and engaging in destructive compulsive behaviors (such as substance abuse, overeating, or doing MORE work!).

Because the experience of stress reactivity is felt in the body and emotionally and cognitively as well, then the means of coping may target all of these dimensions of oneself. Increased susceptibility to stress-related illness, and vulnerabilityto addictive behaviors are common examples of the cost of not coping successfully with stress.
This is where even five minutes can make a difference.

By stopping and becoming present through mindful breathing, setting intention, and acting wholeheartedly to practice ease, relaxation, awareness, joy, connection, or any of the other subjects in Five Good Minutes, one actually interrupts the unconscious patterns of reacting to stress and tastes a different way of being in the world and in one’s own life.

Of course, the old habits are strong. But, if one has had a personal taste of something different, if they have had a direct personal experience of ease or connection, for example, then the truth of this experience can be a catalyst for change in how they approach other moments of life.

The practice they do for five good minutes can be a seed that becomes a beautiful flower in their life if they can learn to cultivate it.

Q. How did a conventional doctor, a psychiatrist, get so involved with practices that have historically found a home in monasteries, not in hospitals?

A. I was fortunate that during my psychiatry residency at the University of California at Irvine Medical Center, there were opportunities to explore what have now come to be known as mind-body practices.

Mind-body simply means any method that takes advantage of the connection between mind (including brain and nervous system) and the organ systems and functional elements of the body. Examples of mind-body methods include practices such as imagery, clinical hypnosis, and, of course, meditation, including mindfulness meditation.
In the last twenty-five to thirty years or so, Western medical science has come to recognize increasingly the power of mind-body methods in an overall approach to health care.

One of the most important aspects of mind-body medicine, at least for many of us in the field, is the fact that when a person takes up a mind-body method, they are taking increased responsibility for their own health, and are more empowered in that direction.

So, in response to your question, I could say that I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time! I was exposed to mind-body methods, including meditation, at a time when Western medicine was becoming interested in the subject.

Q. The subtitle of your book promises increased calm and focus. How do they influence each other?

A. Focus here refers to directing attention. Where is attention “focused?” What interferes with focusing attention? What supports focused attention?

Without realizing it, many people are actually training themselves not to have sustained focus of attention.

Their attention moves rapidly and habitually from one object to another. Often, there is an underlying sense of urgency or even distress driving this movement of attention.

The exercises in this book call for focusing attention during the “five good minutes” on the experience itself.

Focus here actually supports acting wholeheartedly. When attention is focused it can actually lead to increased feelings of calm and ease (as when the “relaxation response” is activated in mind and body). Or, when one is relatively calm (not agitated), then the ability to focus is usually stronger.

Q. One of the practices in Five Good Minutes is called “license to do nothing.” For many Americans that’s like saying license to be lazy, after all we’re steeped in the Protestant work ethic. Do you see this attitude in people you work with and how do you respond to it?

A. I don’t think the issue is so much about being lazy, as it is about the importance of practicing self-care. I see many people with significant health issues related to stress who work heavy schedules, but who do little to manage the stress or to bring balance and support into their lives. Unfortunately, many people have come to believe that the only time they can be relaxed is when they are sleeping! We live in an over-stimulated, hyperactive culture where doing, doing, doing seems to have become the standard of behavior.

If activity does not produce measurable, “billable” results, then somehow it is not deemed worthy. Health consequences of such busyness abound.

They include all the signs of stress, such as irritability, fatigue, poor sleep, poor concentration, increased vulnerability to infections and colds, and impact upon a variety of illnesses including hypertension, diabetes, allergies, and even cancer.

Being willing to stop and to make time for oneself is not being lazy or selfish, it is simply being smart. I like to think of making time for oneself this way as practicing self-care.

Of course, one could be selfish about self-care, but in my experience, most people err way too far the other way. That is, they more often tend to neglect their own interests related to health and well-being.
People do NOT tend to neglect their obligations in favor of excessive self-care!

Taking the time to do any of the 100 exercises in Five Good Minutes is one way to practice self-care.

There are many other ways as well.

The important thing is actually to begin some form of self-care.
Self-care is closely related to values, and the sense of meaning, and purpose in life.

Self-care includes taking time to inquire: what is important in your life? What are your deepest values? How are they being served, or not served?

Once in the habit of doing some self-care, it is easier to look more broadly at the demands in one’s life.

Then, wherever and whenever necessary, the work of restoring and maintaining a more balanced approach to work, life, family, and personal needs can happen.

Five Good Minutes ~ a book well worth reading- just click on the icon below:

Get a copy for yourself (also a great gift for someone you care about).

Until next time...

To your Mind, Body & Spirit ~

Many Blessings,

Dr. Mike

P.S. Do you have a family member, friend or collegue that would be interested and/or might benefit from our Newsletter-Blog? If so, please feel free to guide them on over! -http://www.meditationandmore.com/

Can You Beat Stress in Five Minutes?...

2007-09-28T12:09:00.000-07:00

Psychiatrist Jeffrey Brantley says you can and he should know.

Dr. Brantley is an extrodinary Psychiatrist. I interviewed on two separate occassions. He is a kind and generous person.

He’s the founder and director of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Program at Duke University’s Center for Integrative Medicine and he has written a wonderful book - "In Five Good Minutes: 100 Morning Practices to Help You Stay Calm & Focused All Day Long" (April 2005).

In "Five Good Minutes" you will find five-minute exercises that you can use everyday to:
• Increase mindfulness and stay in the present moment
• Keep focused on what really matters
• Develop self-nurturing skills that you can use anytime, anywhere
• Stop minor annoyances from creating major stress
• Limit your reaction to stress-triggers

Why five minutes in the morning?
The morning is the best time to break away from old habits of thinking and feeling and to set a new direction for yourself and how you will be in your day,” says Brantley.
For many of us, our minds and spirits are clouded by worries within minutes after waking and it seems as though the tone of our day is set shortly after our eyes open.
In Five Good Minutes, you’ll learn that your mood doesn’t have to by governed by worries and anxieties. By taking just five minutes in the morning to do one of the exercises you can change course and infuse clarity and calm into your day.

Mindfulness and why it’s so important ~
Mindfulness is an awareness that is not thinking.
It is awareness that is capable of recognizing thoughts and emotions as they occur and does not identify with them.
Mindfulness is a friendly, nonjudging, allowing, present-moment awareness,” says Brantley. For over two-thousand years mindfulness has been a key component of Buddhist practice and thought.
Now, its made its way from the monastery to the therapist’s office because research shows that it’s effective in relieving the anxiety and stress that plague us an unprecedented rate.
In Five Good Minutes, Dr. Brantley offers mindfulness exercises that draw from ancient spiritual practices and have the imprimatur of modern science.
Making an important and life-changing intention just another item on your to-do list is a common pitfall to achieving it.
In Five Good Minutes, Brantley shows you how to skillfully set an intention. This means declaring your intention to move toward an important value or goal and making a commitment to maintain a nurturing attitude as you work toward it.
When you set an intention skillfully you don’t sacrifice temporary joy in the present for everlasting peace in the future.

Check it out at:

Creating personal time...

2007-09-25T19:51:00.000-07:00

Each of us needs some time that is strictly and entirely our own, and we should experience it daily.

Preferably, it should be the same time every day —perhaps a half hour after dinner or fifteen minutes just before the start of work, or a few 10 minute breaks during the work day/ afternoon uninterrupted by meetings, phone calls or chats.
Try making this a time for meditation, for contemplation or just for the enjoyment of the things/world around you.

This can sometimes be perceived as "nonproductive" time - but it truly isn't when you see it instead as a way of being Present in the process of life, and not having some end result in mind.

People who take this time, particuarly first thing in the morning, will notice a positive effect.

Starting the day tuned in to your own rhythm sets up a pattern that you can continue throughout the day.

A leisurely walk by yourself or with the dog, taking a bath, inhaling a good scent, meditating, conscious breathing, just listening to music, reading poetry or something inspiring — these all allow us to feel our inner rhythm, and strengthen it, so it can stay with us.

While the importance of such time has long been acknowledged, actually doing it and sticking to it, can be difficult. Among other things, it requires developing the ability to say no.

In this case, the boundaries should not be too flexible. The benefits are only obtainable if you insist on the time for yourself alone.

One of the hardest interruptions of creating this time is - self-interruption. There are the bills to pay, the lawn to be mowed, the kids, the important phone call, the letter/email waiting for an answer, etc...-

But, just do it - make a concerted effort to create a block of time for yourself.
Try cutting a half hour out of your busy schedule to do something you find compelling in itself without tying it to the progress of a "productive" goal or outcome.

"Taking care of yourself, helps you to better take care of everything else"

Until next time...

To your Mind, Body & Spirit ~

Many Blessings,

Dr. Mike

P.S. Do you have a family member, friend or collegue that would be interested and/or might benefit from our Newsletter or Blog? If so, please feel free to guide them on over! -http://www.meditationandmore.com/

Affirm your best life.

2007-09-20T08:24:00.000-07:00

Learn to use visualization and affirmations to transform your life, your health and renew the joy and passion for life.

Imagine this...

Image waking up each morning bursting with excitement, joy and enthusiasm.

Image being able to create the life of your dreams.

Image bypassing struggle.

That is what this new program can do for you.

Learn how to leverage the power of affirmations.

Your Coach,

Dr. Mike
"Your Destiny Doctor"

Meditation and Affirmations

2007-09-18T20:28:00.000-07:00

Don’t you hate it when you feel overwhelmed?

Maybe for you it’s more of a feeling of being “stuck in a rut?”

Or perhaps are you searching for a way to turn your life around but you just don’t know quite how to do it?

If you can relate with any of these questions, you will not want to miss this Thursday's teleconference.

This Thursday evening at 9pm EST I have the honor and pleasure of interviewing Dr. Patricia Ross.

I’ve just discovered a Workbook that Dr. Ross co-authored with Scott Armstrong that takes you by the hand and walks you step-by-step through a program that will help YOU master using affirmations to achieve your desires in life.

Any desires.

Their powerful handbook called “Affirmations Handbook: A 30-day Guide to Actively Creating the Life You Want,” by Dr. Patricia Ross and Scott Sharp Armstrong.

To learn more about their new Workbook check out:
http://www.bestaffirmations.com/affiliates/jrox.php?id=1025

To participate in this call tonight (Thursday, September 20th) simply call in a few minutes before 9pm EST.

Conference Dial-in Number: (712) 775-7100

Participant Access Code: 388951# I look forward to "seeing" you on the call.

Your Coach,
Dr. Mike
"Your Destiny Doctor"
www.MeditationandMore.com

Now it is your turn to write YOUR book!

2007-09-17T19:45:00.000-07:00

You may know that I recently published my book, An Invitation to Personal Peace. It has been such a blast to get feedback from people in different parts of the world about the impact the book has had. I am so proud of the success of the book.

A question I have for you is...

Have you ever dreamed of writing a book?

If you have, please do yourself a favor and check out this site?
http://www.booksmeancredibility.com/vip/80

I'm going to do this (I have another book in me waiting to come out!).

I would love for you to do it too. I think we'll both love it.

The site explains everything.

Let's be "writing buddies," OK?

Your coach,

Dr. Mike Davison
P.S. Don't let your dream of a book die! Check out http://www.booksmeancredibility.com/vip/80

Wake up tonight

2007-09-13T08:15:00.000-07:00

Most Thursday evenings I have teleconferences.

Tonight I am going to be discussing mindfulness.

What is mindfulness? (Good question)

Mindfulness is simply being in the present moment.

Mindfulness is an effective way to reduce stress, increase self-awareness, enhance emotional intelligence, and undermine AUTOMATIC and REPETITIVE destructive thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

Mindfulness is about falling awake, connecting with ourselves, and appreciating the fullness of each moment of life.

If that sound like something you want more of, join me tonight.

To participate in this call tonight (Thursday September 13th) simply call in a few minutes before 9pm EST.

Conference Dial-in Number: (712) 775-7100
Participant Access Code: 388951#

I look forward to "seeing" you on the call.

Your Coach,
Dr. Mike
"Your Destiny Doctor"
www.MeditationandMore.com

P.S. You will get specific techniques to help you cultivate mindfulness.

Listen to this!!

2007-09-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Here is the link to today blog radio show. Check it out!

http://blogtalkradio.com/hostpage.aspx?show_id=95581

Today we talked about Finding Your Life's Purpose.

This daily show is a collaboration with 5 individuals.
We humbly refer to ourselves as the Fab 5!

This is who we are.

Me, Dr. Mike Davison, Your Destiny Doctor, http://www.partnersinpurpose.com/ or http://www.meditationandmore.com/

Frank Gasiorowski, Mr90DayGoals, http://www.90daygoals.com/

Tracy Repchuk, Marketing Makeover Maestro http://www.millionairemarketingmiracles.com/

Ronda Del Boccio, The Storyation Lady http://www.storyation.com/

Penni Wild, The Dalai Momma http://www.reallifemagic.com/

The TodaysGuest Radio Show is aired each day, Monday to Friday at 10 am ET.You can listen 3 different ways:

1. You can listen to our show with your phone at:1-646-716-9817

2. You can listen on the internet at:www.BlogTalkRadio.com/todaysguest

3. You can listen to archived shows at:
www.BlogTalkRadio.com/todaysguest

I hope you check us out.

Your Coach,

Dr. Mike Davison
Your Destiny Doctor

More on meditation...

2007-09-11T07:33:00.000-07:00

Meditation is a process (or mental techniques) by which we can get some insight into our 'consciousness' to better understand our entire mind-space and really get to know our real 'self' - mind, body and spirit.

Meditation has different meanings at different levels of the mind.At a physical level, the process of meditation can be focused on just what we see, hear, taste, smell, touch or feel - one at a time. It is a state of experience without any thought about the experience.

At a behavioral level, meditation can help us to focus on our actions while working or talking -to have complete awareness of those actions.

At a emotional level, meditation can be focused on and have influence on our emotions while thinking or talking with our inner voice (spirit/soul)- to be aware of our thoughts and emotions.

At a spiritual level, meditation can just be listening to our inner spirit/soul without any opposing thoughts and without any emotion.

At the "edge" of the mind, meditation is mind without any thought, like a paper on which nothing is written. It is to feel the silence within- venturing into an empty space- alone, yet connected and one with all!

At all "levels" - meditation = beneficial to our over-all well being.

Until next time...

To your Mind, Body & Spirit

~Many Blessings,

Dr. Mike
"Your Destiny Doctor"

P.S. Do you have a family member, friend or collegue that would be interested and/or might benefit from our Newsletter or Blog? If so, please feel free to guide them on over! -http://www.meditationandmore.com/

An at work "breathing break"...

2007-09-10T13:05:00.000-07:00

An at work "breathing break"...Most of us tend to breathe very shallowly, working for hours without taking a good, deep, cleansing breath.

When we catch ourselves sighing or yawning during the day, this may be a sign that the body is trying to take in more oxygen for optimal functioning.

But, it is quite common for many of us to continue to work long hours, eating meals on the run or skipping them altogether and not taking some well needed breaks...

Here is a quick breathing exercise that is easy to do in the middle of the day and can relieve stress and help to rejuvenate your well being both emotionally and physically.

It can be done while sitting at a desk- the steps are as follows:

1) Take a deep breath as you drop your chin toward your chest, touching the chest if possible. Exhale as you gently raise your head slowly to an upright position. Repeat as desired. It may also be helpful to do some “head rolls,” in which the head is rolled slowly to the right, to the chest, to the left, and to the chest in a semicircle.

2) Take a deep breath as you stretch your arms over your head. Hold your breath and the stretch for a few seconds, and then release both slowly.

3) Take a deep breath as you stretch your arms out in front of you. Hold your breath and the stretch for a few seconds, and then release both slowly.

4) Take a deep breath as you stretch your arms behind you. Hold your breath and the stretch for a few seconds, and then release both slowly.

After doing this I usually find myself a little more energized, getting more work done and with better quality.

Try it and maybe you will too!

Until next time...

To your Mind, Body & Spirit

~Many Blessings,

Dr. Mike

P.S. Do you have a family member, friend or collegue that would be interested and/or might benefit from our Newsletter or Blog? If so, please feel free to guide them on over! -http://www.meditationandmore.com/

Taking Meditation Seriously...

2007-09-09T20:41:00.001-07:00

A lot of people take anything they think has to do with religion, spirituality or any sort of "practice"- very seriously.

But, it doesn't have to be this way- First off, "meditation" is not a religion and it might behoove some of us to start taking a lot our daily stuff, "to-do-list" and Ourselves a little less seriously and embark on new (or old) endeavors/practices (like meditation) less seriously and more playfully!

Meditation is different than the sort of things that people are supposed to take seriously.

It doesn't have to involve intense "work".

It's not like practicing tennis, piano recitals, managing a company or studying for a major test- which one does in order to attain a certain level of perfection.

The practice of meditation can be much more laid back, and at the same time- really help to center, calm/relax and reduce the stresses of daily life (mental and physical) that come with "work".

Meditation Technique: Simply just watch what's going on - not only what's going on outside, but what's going on inside. Treat your own thoughts, your own reactions, your own emotions about what's going on outside as if those inside reactions were also outside things.

But you are just watching.

Just follow along, and simply observe how they go.

If you sit or lie still and simply observe what is happening: all the sounds outside, all the different shapes and lights in front of your eyes, all the feelings on your skin, inside your skin, belly rumbles, thoughts going on inside your head -- chatter, chatter, chatter. "I ought to be doing such and such.... I should have done this, maybe I should do that, etc..." -- all that is going on -- when you simply just watch/observe everything, without attempting to change it in any way, without judging it, without calling it good or bad - just watch - it can be fun and it somehow has the magical power of letting us release and let it go.

A lot of our daily stress/anxiety, etc... can be alleviated this way - it's kind of like releasing a balloon to the sky and watching it simply and gently float away and out of sight.

The benefits of meditation are serious and powerful, but the way of thinking about and practicing it- doesn't have to be so serious.

Enjoy, have fun with it!

Until next time...

To your Mind, Body & Spirit

~Many Blessings,

Dr. Mike Davison

P.S. Do you have a family member, friend or collegue that would be interested and/or might benefit from our Newsletter or Blog? If so, please feel free to guide them on over! -http://www.meditationandmore.com/

Insomnia, Bedtime Rituals, Meditation...

2007-09-07T10:29:00.000-07:00

Insomnia is a common response to the normal stress of daily life.

In a lot cases involving insomnia/sleep disorders- with the help of anti-stress mind-body practices, herbal remedies and self care routines, you can gently ease the tension and anxiety built up throughout your day.

Creating a regular bed/sleep time and routine is key to achieving healthy sleep- also incorporating a nightly ritual of a meditation technique or listening to guided visualization/meditation cds with calming music can have a strong influence on the nervous system and help to slow down your mind and contribute to a better -solid night's sleep.

For some people, meditation, deep breathing or any relaxation-promoting practice before sleep can reduce alertness and arousal.

But no matter what routine you adopt, it’s crucial to resist fretting over your sleep (or lack thereof).

Just try taking a moment or many moments- to devote yourself to some healthy tension-melting pampering, during the day and at bedtime to aid in catching some quality zzz's!

Until next time...

To your Mind, Body & Spirit

~Many Blessings,

Dr. Mike
mike@meditationandmore.com
847 490-7689

P.S. Do you have a family member, friend or collegue that would be interested and/or might benefit from our Newsletter or Blog? If so, please feel free to guide them on over! -http://www.meditationandmore.com/

Meditation and emotional balance

2007-09-06T05:46:00.000-07:00

Regular meditation is very effective in stabalizing one's mood and achieving emotional balance. Just by sitting still and observing our experience without trying to change it, we realise that every mental state comes and goes- that nothing is permanent and fixed.

Neither pain or happiness lasts forever.When we understand the "coming and going" of our emotional states (somewhat like the weather!) we can begin to feel less fearful or bothered by our "negative" emotions and take them more in stride and less driven to run away, lash out or perhaps push and bury them deep down inside.

Although it is often drowned out by our mental busyness with the stresses and responsibilities of daily life, no matter what our outer circumstances may be, there is a natural, quiet place available to all of us.Meditation is a wonderful way to connect with that place- our inner balance and once we come in contact with it, it becomes an invaluable refuge."Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It's a way of entering into the quiet that's already there-buried under the 50,000 thoughts the average person thinks every day." ~ Deepak Chopra

Until next time...

To your Mind, Body & Spirit

~Many Blessings,

Dr. Mike

P.S. Do you have a family member, friend or collegue that would be interested and/or might benefit from our Newsletter or Blog? If so, please feel free to guide them on over! -http://www.meditationandmore.com/

Another dimension...

2007-09-05T08:14:00.000-07:00

Another dimension...

While many people are initially drawn to meditation for myriad of health related benefits - learning to relax, stress reduction, better focus or to boost energy, they might also discover that meditation can be a wonderful window to self-exploration.

Sometimes without intending it, people who practice meditation find themselves opening up to new ways of questioning and thinking about themselves and their lives.This is a more difficult and personal attribute/benefit of meditation and one hard to describe, but nonetheless, is one that many people who meditate come to experience and benefit positively from in many ways.

I have come to realize the power and importance of meditation.It helps to control your mind and your heart and controlling oneself is a step towards success.

Meditation can bring a great change in every mind and soul."The soul loves to meditate, for in contact with the Spirit lies its greatest joy. If, then you experience mental resistance during meditation, remember that reluctance to meditate comes from the ego; it doesn't belong to the soul."- Paramahansa Yoganan

Until next time...

To your Mind, Body & Spirit

~Many Blessings,

Dr. Mike

P.S. Do you have a family member, friend or collegue that would be interested and/or might benefit from our Newsletter-Blog? If so, please feel free to guide them on over! -www.meditationandmore.com

From a doubter to a believer in meditation

2007-09-04T00:08:00.000-07:00

"At first a doubter, but now a believer in meditation"(This post was written by Dr. Tom Gross - an emergency medical services director for the Novato Fire Protection District) -

I am coming up on an anniversary of sorts, but not an anniversary that warrants a brass band, jewelry or flowers, but nonetheless an anniversary that will remain fixed in my calendar for many years to come. It's the anniversary of the only time that I ever participated in an invasion.We knew it was coming. We prepared our equipment. We loaded a C-130 transport to within a margin of its carrying capacity, a hard thing to accomplish. Finally, in accordance with the old rule that warfare is 99 percent boredom and 1 percent sheer terror, after an incredible wait, we were in the air at night, lights out, for a seven-hour flight, tracked by the air defense radar of several different opposing forces.Sitting still for seven hours was the easy part, but what do you do with your mind during that interval? How do you prepare yourself mentally for the great unknown that is bearing down upon you?

Some people went over their checklists in their minds. Some people fiddled with their personal gear, such as night vision goggles, backpacks and vests. Others pretended to sleep.

Then I remembered that I had a special skill for occasions like this. Many years before I had learned to meditate; that is, to make my mind as "still as the flame of a candle in a windless place."I was not sitting in a lotus position on a bed of elephant grass. I was bent into a cloth troop seat. I was not smelling incense or fragrant oil, unless you consider jet fuel to be fragrant. I was not sitting quietly in a meditation hall; I was 15 feet from an Allison turboprop engine. I was not seeking nirvana, but I was seeking to focus my attention on where I wanted it to go, and not where it wanted to go. I focused on the present and not on the future.

When you see a newspaper advertisement for meditation, you usually see an attractive person, often female, sitting in a lotus position with eyes closed, the very image of serenity. When I think of meditation, I see something entirely different.

I see my friend Walter lying on a gurney with a 10-inch wound on his thigh, all the way down to the bone. The anaesthesiologist was there to "put him under," in order to have the wound repaired. Walter said, "No, doc, I can handle it. Just don't talk to me." Walter closed his eyes and meditated while the surgeon repaired his laceration. For over an hour, he neither winced nor flinched.

Meditation is not what most people think. It is not about religion. It is not about how you sit. It is not about how you vote or what books you read. It is about only one thing; namely, learning to put your mind where you want it without distraction or interruption. It requires intense concentration. In fact, it may be the most challenging task that I have ever attempted. The mind is a very noisy place. It is used to having its own way. It doesn't like being told what to do.There are 50 good reasons to meditate, and no good reasons not to. You may start meditating for one reason, and then continue it for many others. How would you like to gain control of your blood pressure without medicines?

Do you need help quitting smoking or alcohol or drugs? How would you like to control anger? How would you like to sleep better every night? How would you like to have more energy during the day? How would you like to do better in school? How would you like to improve your tennis game? Or, as in my situation, how would you like to stay focused and calm during periods of absolute terror?I was a "doubting Thomas." I thought that meditation was not for me; it was for those other kinds of people. An elderly man, a teacher, proved me wrong. He said, "Tom, don't take my word for it. You're a scientist. Try it on yourself. Give it eight weeks, and if you see no difference, then put it down and never come back."That was 20 years ago.

After reading this column, some people will say to me, "Meditation? Doc, you are a real flake." Some people might look at me and just nod their heads, almost imperceptibly.

Some will come to me, alone, and ask quietly, "Hey, Doc, tell me more."

Until next time...

To your Mind, Body & Spirit ~

Mindfully,

Dr. Mike
mike@meditationandmore.com

P.S. Do you have a family member, friend or collegue that would be
interested and/or might benefit from our Blog? If so, please feel free to guide them on over! - www.meditationandmore.com

Creative Visualization

2007-09-03T06:55:00.000-07:00

The Power of Creative Visualization is a tried and true technique that helps you create the things you want in life. Creative Visualization is the art of sending an image - a picture to your subconscious mind.Your subconscious mind creates your reality based on a number of messages you send to it. One of these messages is the pictures and images that you visualize and send to your subconscious mind. It then picks up this creative visualization or picture and begins creating what it sees.

The key to understanding how creative visualization works is to first understand that your subconscious mind does not know what is real and what is fiction. It simply creates your reality based on the image that you visualize.So if you visualize yourself struggling, poor, unhappy, single or depressed then this is the reality that your subconscious mind creates. There have been many books written on creative visualization all of which tell you that if you visualize you will create the things you want. But there's only one problem - it can take years before you see results through simple creative visualization.

Don't get me wrong - I believe in the power of creative visualization - when it's done properly. But I have yet to find a book that tells you exactly how to get the most out of visualization. Most of the books I've read tell you to simply close your eyes and visualize yourself having what you want. Yes, this will work - in the end. But remember - your subconscious mind receives a number of messages from you - and it creates your reality based on these messages. In order to get the most out of visualization all your other messages to your subconscious mind have to be in agreement with what you visualize - otherwise you'll never create the things that you visualize no matter how hard you try.

Think of it this way. You're in a boat and there are a number of people rowing this boat for you. You tell one of them to row in a certain way so that you go in a certain direction. But if all the other people rowing for you are going in the opposite direction - that one person rowing will have little or no impact. The boat will never go the way you want. In order to get the most out of visualization you need to add a few other techniques during and after your visualization. When you do that get everybody rowing your boat in the direction you want - and you'll naturally get to your destination sooner.

When you work with creative visualization you begin automatically using a number of techniques that tap into all your powers creating a tidal wave of positive energy sent to your subconscious mind. All this works to create the things you want sooner. With creating visualization you begin rowing your boat with a number of oars - suddenly you're cutting through the waves and headed straight for what you want.

Learn how to visualize and tap into the amazing power of your subconscious mind. With creative visualization you'll be on the road to success by working just 5 minutes a day and manifest success, happiness and much more.

To your Mind, Body & Spirit,

Many Blessings,

Dr. Mike

P.S. If you need additional information about creative visualization, contact us.

P.S. Do you have a family member, friend or collegue that would be interested and/or might benefit from our Blog? If so, please feel free to guide them on over! - www.meditationandmore.com

The wandering mind

2007-09-01T12:42:00.000-07:00

What if my mind wanders while meditating?

If your mind wanders, don't be concerned. Notice whatever has captured your attention, then let go of the thought or feeling, and return to the awareness of the breath. In this way, meditation teaches us gentleness and an ability to forgive our mistakes in life and to go on.

What do I do when my thoughts just won't stop?

Some people have a mistaken idea that all thoughts disappear through meditation and we enter a state of blankness. There certainly are times of great tranquility when concentration is strong and we have few, if any, thoughts. But other times, we can be flooded with memories, plans or random thinking. It's important not to blame yourself. Notice that you don't invite your thoughts. You haven't said, "At 6:15 I'd like to be ruminating about the past or future." Thoughts will automatically and randomly come and go, but we don't have to be ruled by them.

So, with the wandering mind:

Accept that it is wandering. Try to let the thoughts go and focus on your breathing. You can also give the mind an internal travel plan of where to journey- a favorite place/setting and/or use a positive mantra/affirmation as a focus point. Try to be in a physical place/position that is most comfortable for you.

Remember to breath smoothly, quietly, with no jerks or pauses, and at a comfortable, somewhat slow rate.

Enjoy & Relax!

Until next time...

Mindfully,

~Dr. Mike
P.S. Do you know of a family member, friend or collegue that would be interested and/or might benefit from our Newsletter? If so, please feel free to guide them on over! - www.meditationandmore.com