Inspiration – Page 2 – Dr. Paul Jenkins

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…

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 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 02

Leave the Door Open for Spring

By DrPaul M-Power

In my part of the world, the leaves are turning those cool fall colors and spiraling from the trees. Sometimes we like to drive up the canyon and see all the leaves falling from their branches. Some people don't like to see the leaves fall as it means there will be bare trees and winter. For us that means lots of snow and frigid temperatures. People can get depressed with less sunlight during the day. We all have changing seasons in our lives. We have problems that seem to settle down upon us. Sometimes it feels like they are freezing us in place and we can't move on and deal with the rest of our lives. They leave us feeling cold and bare. Yet, in all my years of life, Spring has always come bringing new life, brilliant colors and warming the ground, transforming the snow and ice into life-giving…

Sep 20

The Only Constant is Change

By DrPaul M-Power

We often wish things wouldn’t change. We are content and we are happy, enjoying what is going on in our lives at the moment. Someone once told me, “The only thing you can count on is change.” As I have experienced decades of birthdays and life, I believe this is true. And, I am O.K. with change. Because it often leads us to better things than I could have imagined. We have been in the process of making changes at Live On Purpose. Changes to our learning platform, our products, and how they are delivered. There will be some changes to our email. We will be sending the weekly email on Mondays. We are changing the name, actually going back to something Vicki suggested years ago. Thanks, Vicki. The look will be similar, with just a few changes to the banner. The content will remain mostly the same - for…

Sep 12

All it Takes is 7 Seconds

By DrPaul M-Power

There is a Tedx Talk called 7 Seconds of Courage, Choice, Not Chance by Charlene Wheeless. There have been 7 Seconds of Courage Challenges circulating among different social media platforms. Basically, take 7 seconds to get into a task you have been avoiding or need to get done. Using those 7 seconds to focus and begin the task will propel you toward finishing. Those 7 seconds shift you from park into agent mode. And, powerful things happen when you are acting as an agent. When you are trapped in victimhood, you see things happening as being done to you. It feels personal. And this leads to feeling trapped in your circumstances. You can use 7 seconds to shift your paradigm and see that what is happening is not personal. It just is. Seeing yourself as an agent puts you into action mode. That is when you will make real progress toward your goals and no…

Sep 07

How Far Do You Want to Go?

By DrPaul M-Power

It may be easier to make decisions working alone, but I have found working with others usually results in a better outcome. This is because when I have the brain power, experiences, background, and resources of multiple people working with me, rather than just mine, we can create a superior product. When I have someone to challenge my thoughts, my preconceived ideas, and show me a different perspective, then I am able to level up. Our head trash can keep us in the same rut, doing the same thing over and over. That is perfectly fine - if you are okay with the outcome. If you want something different, then it is time to bring in a different perspective. It is time to find someone who will challenge your thoughts. It is time to find someone who will stretch you and suggest different ways of doing what you are doing to…