David told me stories of how “keeping up with Joneses” made him live up to other people’s expectations, and how he now chooses to simply live up to his own expectations instead. What a great thought, huh? It got it got me to thinking as well, and to ask this question that I share with you now:

How would I live my life differently, if I lived it only for me? I mean, do I have to wait until I’m wealthy before I begin to enjoy simple pleasures that surround me each day?

Imagine freedom we’d have, not attempting to impress anyone other than ourselves. Imagine free time we’d have in our minds, dreaming of what inspires us…rather than wasting time attempting to please everyone else.

I suppose lesson to be learned here is that this freedom can be ours . . . and already exists before us. We simply need to accept its challenge.

The challenge is this: For one month, make a conscious effort to do what pleases you. Be proud of your success (but don’t brag), wear clothes that make you comfortable and happy, eliminate fear to dance, take that risk you’ve been holding back, and whatever you do . . . Keep smilin’

If this is true, it explains a lot. It could be why, when we feel out of place and chaotic on inside, we tend to attract more chaos and drama to our outside self. If we feel anger and resentment on inside, we will, in turn, attract it to our outer world as well.

With that said, let me ask you following question:

How’s your outside world looking lately? Are people around you happy and productive? Are they full of life and passion, or do you find yourself in your own little tornado that seems to constantly bring nothing but negative energy your way? In other words, does it seem like everyone around you has problems and can never catch a so-called break?

Remember, in life you have choices. You have choice to work on your inner self, to create a brighter outer self. Have you ever seen someone who’s lost some weight and noticed that they seem to have a new glow? Or looked into someone’s eyes just after their first child was born? There’s a spark there, right?

Well, here’s good news. You have ability to re-spark yourself.

Here’s this month’s challenge: Take notice.

That’s it. I’m not asking you to do anything but become aware of how you’re viewing things around you.

By doing so, you’ll find that when you’re at your happiest, everyone else around you will be as well. On flip side, if you want to know why world seems to be crashing in on you, look inside and see what’s out of place, and then take action to repair it.

It’s that simple.

Because when it’s all said and done,

Our perception determines our experience.

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