Blog – Page 2 – Dr. Paul Jenkins

Dec 18

Christmas Traditions, Then and Now

By DrPaul M-Power

What does your family do on Christmas? Do you hide a pickle ornament on the Christmas Tree? O.K., stop laughing, this is a real Christmas tradition. The first person to find the pickle on Christmas morning can open the first present, or they get an additional gift. How about putting a piece of fruitcake under your pillow to give you good dreams? Or, telling ghost stories? I wondered about this one with the line in the Christmas song, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” The line goes, “...there’ll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmas’s long, long ago.” Scary ghost stories? That was never part of our family tradition, but a long time ago in England it was a part of their traditions. The Victorians loved a good ghost story and that is why Dicken’s wrote, “A Christmas Carol.” Our family traditions have changed…

Dec 11

Increase Your Happiness by Increasing Your Gratitude

By DrPaul M-Power

Did you know there is a direct correlation between your level of happiness and your level of gratitude? A study done by Robert A. Emmons and Michael E. McCullough in 2003 shows that individuals who think about gratitude report being 10% happier than those who don’t focus on gratitude. In the study, the participants were divided into three groups. Participants of one group were led through a gratitude exercise, the others were not. When asked to recount 5 experiences from the past week that affected them, participants related more experiences that were categorized as positive than the other groups. Practicing gratitude creates positive thoughts and feelings. When asked to relate our level of happiness, we associate the feelings that are dominant and interpret our answer accordingly. We know that feelings are like spring weather in Seattle. Just wait an hour and they will change. Practicing gratitude helps to create and reinforce positive…

Dec 04

Rock the Blues out of your Christmas

By DrPaul M-Power

“I’ll have a blue, blue Christmas, without you.” We know Elvis is singing about unrequited love, but there are many reasons people can be feeling the Holiday Blues. Often other feelings accompany the malaise, including anxiety, loneliness, and stress. The good news is feelings change and there are things you can do to change your feelings. Everyone knows that taking care of yourself is the first and best way to reduce stress and manage anxiety, but with the busyness of the season, self-care often gets placed on the, “It’s a nice idea, but not happening,” list. Get out your list/calendar right now. That may mean getting out an actual planner or pulling out your phone or computer to access your calendar. Do it now. Take a look at your month and begin scheduling some self-care. When are you going to exercise, drink your water, get some sleep, or have time…

Nov 27

Believe in Others so they Can Believe in Themselves

By DrPaul M-Power

Recently my assistant told me that when she was young she thought she was going to die before she was 35 because she couldn’t imagine being that old. She couldn’t picture what she would look like, or what she would be doing so she thought that meant she would never be that old. We laughed because she is well past 35 and going strong. It got me thinking about why people don’t do things they are totally capable of. Maybe they can’t imagine themselves doing them. And sometimes it takes someone other than them to point out that they can do something they never thought they could. I have had people in my life like that. They told me I could do things I never thought I could do. For example, I was told I could learn one of the hardest languages in the world! I would have never signed…

Nov 15

Get in Front of Your But

By DrPaul M-Power

Have you been guilty of this? Because I have. I have been behind my but when I know I need to be in front of my but. I have said I want to do something, but I just can’t. Did you see it? I am behind my but when I need to be in front of it. Being in front of your but means you say, I want to do that and I am going to figure out how. You define the problem, the roadblock, the obstacle that interferes with doing what you want and chip away. Figure out how to get around the obstacle. This could mean a change in your perspective. This could mean a change in your priorities. This could mean a change in your activities. This could mean a change in your expenditures. When I get in front of my but it means change. And the biggest changes were the ones…

Nov 10

Are You Interested or Committed?

By DrPaul M-Power

What is that one thing you know you should be doing, but aren’t? For some it may be exercise, putting more into a relationship (spouse, child, parents), eating better, or getting enough sleep. If you are trying to “fit” these things in, well, they probably aren’t going to happen - especially as we near the holidays and we find our calendars crammed with extras. When someone tells me they “want” to do something and then don’t, that is when I know they are interested, just not committed. Committed people make it happen. Sometimes with giant steps, and sometimes with tiny steps. Committed people don’t find roadblocks, they find a way around them. Committed people put things on their calendars. Committed people show their commitment by where they spend their hard-earned money. Committed people look for ways to do things differently. Committed people surround themselves with people who believe they can.…

Nov 07

Make Your Days Count

By DrPaul M-Power

Don’t count the days, make the days count. Soon we will be in full holiday mode. That means the countdowns are about to start. Countdown to Thanksgiving. Countdown to Christmas. Countdown to the bowl games. Countdown to a favorite activity. Countdown to the guests arriving. So many countdowns. Get your advent calendar ready. When we count the days, for whatever reason, it is easy to forget about the value of the day we are living. The one you are experiencing right now. Sometimes we live in so much anticipation of a waited-for day, that we miss today. Don’t let today pass you by. There is much to be grateful for, to experience, and to learn. Make today count by starting that one thing you have been meaning to do. Make today count by reaching out to that one person who has been on your mind. Make today count by saying…

Oct 31

Every Day Scare Yourself

By DrPaul M-Power

“Do one thing every day that scares you.” Eleanor Roosevelt I see lots of ghosts and goblins, witches, and skeletons while I am out driving. There are plenty of other scary things in the world, but this challenge is about stretching yourself. It is self-inflicted and one of the best ways I know to become stronger and reach your goals. Muscle is created when we stretch our existing muscles beyond where they are comfortable. That is when growth occurs. It is also very difficult to do on our own. Our brains get in the way. We get outside our comfort zone and immediately our brains tell us to, “Get back in.” Often it takes an external source, someone who isn’t in our brains to tell us what to do. To encourage us to do something uncomfortable. My best coaches have been people who have stretched me, challenged my thoughts, and…

Oct 23

Just Wait a Minute

By DrPaul M-Power

What season is it where you live? Fall? Winter? Summer? Spring? The thing about seasons is if you wait they change. Feelings are like seasons - they don't stay forever. When I was a kid I hated certain vegetables. I mean I felt very strongly about some of them and knew that I would hate them forever. I actually love several of them now and gladly put them on my plate. Have you caught yourself saying, “I will never……” and then you find yourself doing that exact thing you were NEVER going to do? That is because feelings change. Our perceptions change and our feelings follow. I always tell people that they are never wrong about how they feel, and they aren’t. Those are your feelings. Own them. And, be open to changing your mind about them. Just because you have always felt one way about something doesn’t mean you have to…

Oct 23

Are Your Monday Morning Full of Opportunity?

By DrPaul M-Power

Are you one of those people who hate Monday mornings? I love them! Mondays are opportunity. The slate is wiped clean and I have a whole new week in front of me to create great things. Some people say they do not like Monday mornings because of their job. They aren't happy with the work or they don't like the people they work with. I can see how that could be challenging. It also creates discontent. And discontent is not in itself bad. If we can use the discontent to cause us to want to create something new then that is a beautiful thing. It is Monday morning full of opportunity. Getting from discontent to creation is where people get stuck. At Live On Purpose that is why we have Certified Positivity Practitioners - to get you from discontent to creation. This can be anywhere in your life - not…