The 100-Day Journal by Anne-Sophie Gaspersz

This journal belongs to

The 100-Day Journal Published by Bliss & Bloom, Amsterdam 2017 ISBNâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;978-94-92420-00-8

ÂŠ 2017 Bliss & Bloom. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy or any storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representation or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for well-being. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

Concept & content

Design

Anne-Sophie Gaspersz

Studio Supernova & Floor Winter

To connect with us

hello@100dayjournal.com

Printed in China

Paper Printed on 100% recycled paper.

1 0 0 D AY J O U R N A L . C O M

THE 100-DAY JOURNAL HAPPINESS. GR ATITUDE. PR ODUC TIVIT Y. The daily habit that will change your life

'The more room you give yourself to express your true thoughts and feelings, the more room there is for your wisdom to emerge.' m ar i anne w i ll i a m s on

d ay s i w o u l d l i k e to remember

Day

Topic

Page

contents

– 1 0 – the benefits s e cr e t t o h a p p i n e s s

–

g i f t t o your f u t ur e s e l f

t ool t o p i c k your s e l f b ac k u p refreshed

–

p o w e r f ul

s l e e p b e t t e r an d wa k e u p mor e

wa k e u p t o your f ull p o t e n t i al

– 26 – t h e p h i lo s o p hy the power of habit

–

t h e num b e r on e h a b i t t h at w i ll ma k e a d a i ly

d i f f e r e nc e i n your l i f e

–

t h e ma g i c o f    d ay s

–

t h e t ran s f ormat i v e p o w e r o f d a i ly q u e s t i on s t o c h an g e your l i f e

– 46 – the how-to guide t h e morn i n g par t

–

t h e n i g h t t i m e par t

pa g e

–

t h e d a i ly b lan k

t h e t i m e ou t par t

– 1 1 0 – the journal t h e journal

–

t h e t i m e ou t par t

– 3 3 2 – c e l e b r at e con g rat s

–

r e f e r e nc e s

'If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;re serious about becoming a wealthy, powerful, sophisticated, healthy, influential, cultured and unique individual, keep a journal. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;t trust your memory. When you listen to something valuable, write it down. When you come across something important, write it down.' j i m rohn

the benefits The top five benefits of keeping this journal

the benefits

What if you were told that by investing as little as ten minutes a day and committing to a tiny lifestyle hack, you could improve the quality of your life in the next 100 days? Would you jump at the chance? Why wouldn’t you? Because you don’t have time for this, right? We get it. You are too busy mindlessly scrolling through your Instagram feeds. You are too busy watching stuff on YouTube. You are too busy waiting for a new message to land in your inbox. That ping on your phone needs your urgent attention. No judging here. We are all victims of today’s infinite buffet of information and devices. But don’t you think you deserve to have a life that is a little less plugged in? A little less addictive? Because when you do that, you not only become a little more human, you also reclaim the focus you need to create the life you truly desire. It all boils down to this simple formula: A pen plus this journal equals an extremely powerful tool to find more meaning, more balance, and greater happiness in the daily chaos of our lives. Still not convinced? These are the top five benefits of starting the 100-Day Journal challenge.

the benefits

secret to happiness

This journal will help you to develop positive thinking, a scientifically proven secret to happiness.

the benefits

Positive thinking is much more than just a soft and fluffy feelgood term. It’s one of the most powerful resources you have available to you. Researchers surveyed hundreds of thousands of people about what they have, what their lives are like, and how happy they are. They have found that: People who experience the greatest amounts of happiness are the ones who think more positively.1 In theory this sounds amazingly simple. Think positive thoughts and you will be happy. If we all lived in a fairytale then perhaps this mantra alone would do the trick. But, unlike in Peter Pan, our lives are a bit more complicated, and our human minds are too. Let’s dig a little deeper into how our minds work. The human mind is a magnificent thing. It’s also a complete liar that constantly tries to convince us not to do the things we know are good for us. This is because the mind does not like discomfort and change. According to scientists, each person has an average of 60,000 thoughts a day. Surprisingly, 95 percent of those are the same thoughts you had yesterday, and the day before, and the day before that. For the average person, 80 percent of those habitual thoughts are negative. This means that most people have more than 45,000 negative thoughts each day. This happens because our brain is hardwired to pay more attention to negative experiences than to positive ones. This was a useful survival instinct in the days when we were being chased by animals trying to kill us.2 Of course, in our modern life we don’t have to worry about being put in life-and-death situations like this. Yet, our mind is still programmed to respond in the same way.

the benefits

Over to you: Do you ever catch yourself thinking about a new dream, a new goal, or a new opportunity and almost immediately consider all of the negative things that could possibly happen? It’s important that we learn to spot such negative thinking patterns and squash them like little bugs. Neuroscience has shown that we have the mental capabilities to do so. The best way to do this is to make positive thinking a habit. As the Dalai Lama once said: ‘The way to overcome negative thoughts and destructive emotions is to develop opposing, positive emotions that are stronger and more powerful.’ This journal was designed for that purpose. If you use this journal daily you will start to give optimism, positive thinking, and positive questions a lot of importance and focus in your life. By doing so, these positive approaches get sealed in the brain and your mind will automatically be conditioned to think more positively. It’s not that we are going to wake up one day in a perfect world in which we don’t have negative thoughts anymore. But with this journal you are provided a tool to give positivity more of your priority, more of your energy, and more of your focus. It’s up to you to discipline your mind to work for you instead of against you. Keeping this journal every day is one of the easiest, yet most profound ways to make positive thinking your prevailing attitude towards life.

the benefits

g i f t t o yo u r f u t u r e s e l f

This journal is the most valuable and awesome gift you can give to your future self.

the benefits

Remember that day? You know the one. The one you can’t remember anything about, yet you remember that you went to bed that night thinking it was just the most awesome day? What was it that made that day so phenomenal? What did you do, feel, sense, experience, or contribute that day? Who did you connect with? That’s how you want most of the days of your life to be like, right? But how can you create and experience more of those days if you can’t remember what has made this day so ideal to you? What were the exact ingredients? Most of the time, we simply forget those things. We forget the moments, the feelings, the people we connected with. We forget about the successes and failures we had, the important lessons we learned. This journal was designed for that reason. Memory inevitably fades. What you are going to write in this journal will not. This journal inspires you to record the treasures of your life, day by day. Maybe you have this belief that the details of your days are so commonplace that they are not worth writing about. In her eternally moving The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank at first also questioned her writings: ‘For someone like me, it is a very strange habit to write in a diary. Not only that I have never written before, but it strikes me that later neither I, nor anyone else, will care for the outpouring of a thirteen year old schoolgirl.’ The daily entries of Anne’s diary did not only help us understand history better, they immortalized her and touched the lives of millions. Don’t underestimate the power and value of writing about the current events in your life, the moments around them, and how you felt while they were happening. These seemingly ordinary days 17

the benefits

become the memories your future self will return to for comfort, inspiration, and fun. Tell your story. You don’t necessarily have to shout it from the mountaintops, but at least tell it to yourself. Your future self will thank you. As Maya Angelou once wrote: ‘There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.’ At the beginning of this journal we made a table in which you can list days that were particularly special to you.

the benefits

powerful tool to pick yo u r s e l f b a c k u p

Feeling down? This journal can be a super powerful tool to pick yourself back up. Some even find it therapeutic.

the benefits

We’ve all had times when life’s demands left us feeling stressed and overwhelmed. Sometimes we just aren’t motivated. We have low energy, too much work, or this ongoing negative mood, feeling a little down, maybe even a little depressed. You can get caught up in a negative-thinking spiral – where one selfdoubt, worry, or bad thought about your life leads to another – until you no longer believe in yourself. It’s human to go through ups and downs. But sometimes, the best therapy is to grab your journal and just write. There is nothing quite like putting your thoughts on paper. Writing is an extremely powerful way to clarify your thinking. It will force you to crystallize your thoughts, make more sense of them, and break through the negative-thinking spiral. Maybe you will tap into the underlying emotions at play and understand why you became so stressed and uptight. Some people feel vulnerable and exposed when speaking about their emotions. This journal offers you the most private and secure space to unload your feelings. If you weren’t convinced already, studies have found that writing has the power to significantly lower your stress levels.3 Some studies have even found that writing can lead to faster recovery from physical injury.4 Simply put, there is something therapeutic about writing. So, the next time you feel down or overwhelmed, try to find comfort in journaling. Our minds are a puzzling mixture of thoughts, memories, worries, fears, dreams, and hopes. There is no one who has the capacity to keep a lid on that forever. You have to let it out. Try letting it out in this journal. Allow the blank pages in this journal to be your best, most-patient listener. And it won’t ever judge. That’s a promise. 20

the benefits

sleep better and wa k e u p m o r e r e f r e s h e d

â&#x20AC;&#x160;T his journal helps you sleep better and wake up more refreshed.

the benefits

A lack of a good night’s sleep can be a major drag on our happiness. If we don’t get enough sleep, our cognitive abilities throughout the day drop, our motivation drops, our stress goes up, and we tend to make worse decisions. It is a much-needed rest that helps us to function well and remain healthy and engaged with life. This journal was designed to help you unwind your mind at the end of the day. The daily quotes and questions are meant to inspire you to end the day with happy, grateful thoughts. Practicing gratitude daily promotes longer, sounder sleep.5 That’s the message of a recent study in Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being. Instead of replaying something that has happened or things that someone said, or worrying about something coming up – you can direct your mind to a more upbeat, positive state. Just think about all the great things that happened today or list the things you’re genuinely grateful for in life. Plan your day or list the things you can do tomorrow to get closer to the life you envisioned for yourself. This kind of daily ritual helps establish bliss and peacefulness in your mind and your body takes this cue and begins to prepare itself for a good night’s sleep. And you know what? A happy heart rests well.

the benefits

wa k e u p t o yo u r f u l l p o t e n t i a l

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to wake up to your full potential. This journal is your guide.

the benefits

Within you lies the power to change your life. You have beauty, talents, and potential inside of you waiting to be born. No matter what stage or state of life you’re in, you owe it to yourself – and the world – to tap into this treasure. Yet, the world we live in today is not the world of Mozart or Picasso. It’s a world in which we are more and more connected and up to our necks in a constant stream of information. Never have our daily distractions been so voluminous, so persistent, so overwhelming, and so intense as they are now. With so many people, screens, and alerts competing for our attention, it can be difficult to find the focus we need to live and maintain our full potential in life. Before we know it, we get wrapped up in the day-today and do everything as if on autopilot, without much thought for the dreams and ambitions we have. Totally cliché, but your life is short. Your time is limited. As Seth Godin once powerfully stated: ‘You don’t have enough time to be both unhappy and mediocre. It’s not just pointless, it’s painful. Instead of wondering when your next vacation is, maybe you ought to set up a life you don’t need to escape from.’ This journal has the potential to help you set up that life for yourself. It’s an empowering tool that was designed to help you achieve your goals, reclaim your focus, and find happiness from within. You hold the power to start living up to your greatest potential. Only you can decide to play the (distracted) victim, or be the hero of your own life. Allow this journal to be your guide along the way.

the benefits

What are you waiting for? Now is the time.

'We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.' ar i s totle

t h e p h i lo s o p h y The philosophy behind this journal

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

One evening, a Cherokee elder told his grandson about the battle that goes on inside people. He said, ‘My son, the battle is between the two “wolves” that live inside us all. One is Unhappiness. It is fear, worry, anger, jealousy, sorrow, self-pity, resentment, and inferiority. The other is Happiness. It is joy, love, hope, serenity, kindness, generosity, truth, and compassion.’ The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, ‘Which wolf wins?’ The old Cherokee simply replied, ‘The one you feed.’ Over to you: Which of the two wolves have you been feeding lately? We often feed the wrong one. This is because, as humans, we have an inborn tendency to register our negative thoughts, feelings, and experiences more deeply than our positive ones.6 The good news is that you can shift your focus toward giving more attention and energy to the positive side of you. The side of you that is buoyant, confident, and strong. Dancing to the beat of your own drum. Seeing the opportunity that others miss. The side of you with passion and drive. Hustling and chasing dreams. The part of you that loves, cares, and wants to create awesome things in the world. The part of you that realizes the beauty of life. You can be that person if you really choose to be. That’s right. You, and only you, are in control. This journal inspires you to activate that amazing part of you. It will trigger you to feed the right wolf. How does a piece of paper do that? Well, this journal has been designed to let you, on a daily basis, condition your mind to think positively.

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

When you use this journal on a consistent basis, starting with the next 100 days, suddenly you wake up one day and think: “I feel present, in control, and engaged with my life.” “I feel great, extraordinary, and positive.” You awakened your best, highest self.

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

the power of habit

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Su ccess is t h e sum o f smal l e ffor t s - repeated day in and day o ut.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

ro b ert c oll i er

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

There is one thing that you, that man in the subway, your neighbor, co-worker, friend, or partner have in common (probably a lot more than one, but this one is for sure). You were all born with the innate desire and drive to continuously grow and improve your life, and yourself.7 This doesn’t necessarily mean that there is something wrong with your current self or current life. It’s just in our nature. As human beings, we aim to advance and progress in life. It’s one of our core needs to self-actualize (manifest our highest potential), and discover the purpose and meaning of life. Here’s the problem we face, almost every day of our lives. Nearly everything that generates meaningful value to our lives requires effort, willpower, some discomfort, and most importantly: focus. The thing is: we are busy. You are busy. Your co-worker is busy. Everyone else is busy. Yet, despite all of this hustle and bustle, it often seems like our life pretty much stays the same. Whole weeks and months can flash by in a blur, while the “big stuff”, the stuff that is really meaningful to you, goes untended. Before you know it, another year rolls around. But we both know you have a great set of: - Unique strengths and talents - Amazing goals and ambitions - Big dreams and desires As the 19th-century thinker Henry David Thoreau once perfectly pointed out: ‘It’s not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?’ The only way to take back control of our super busy lives and focus on what we deem important is to relentlessly question how we are spending our most precious resource: our time.

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

reality check

You have the same amount of hours in a day as Bill Gates, Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, or any other given person who you personally define as “successful” in life. Sure, the details and circumstances of their lives are different, but we all have the same 24 hours in a day. We all have one life to live, and that life is passing by one day at a time. Sometimes we don’t realize that people who achieve the peak amounts of success, the happiest people in the world, are ordinary people, just like the rest of us. World-renowned transformational expert Marci Shimoff once powerfully stated: ‘People with high happiness set-points are human just like the rest of us. They don’t have special powers, an extra heart, or X-ray vision. They just have different habits. It’s that simple. Psychologists say that at least 90 percent of all behavior is habitual. So, to become happier, you need to look at your habits.’ 8 Simply put, the “secret” of these people is found in the habits they have integrated into their daily routines. So if you want to change or improve any area of your life (your health, wealth, well-being, relationships, career, or if you want to bring more happiness, purpose, or play into your life) you can do so by setting up new habits for yourself. Nothing will change unless you decide to make a daily change.

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

t h e n u m b e r o n e h a b i t t h at w i l l m a k e a d a i ly d i f f e r e n c e i n yo u r life

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; You will n ever ch an ge yo ur l ife until yo u ch an ge so met h ing you d o daily. Th e secret o f you r s uccess is fo un d in yo ur dail y ro ut in e.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

john c . m a x w ell

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

Do you want to live your best, most awesome, vibrant, successful, healthy, and happy life? Today could be the perfect moment in time to create that life for yourself if you decide to take care of your state of mind. What does that mean? It means that you need to take control of what you focus on. You need to consciously discipline and condition your mind to support you with positive, uplifting, optimistic thoughts and emotions. Why should you care? Your mind is an extremely powerful thing. It’s the greatest asset you have available to you to create the life you want. Here is why. As life coach Tony Robbins says: ‘Your mental and emotional state colors your perception and experience of everything in life.’ This means that each of us have a different reality. And we are creating that reality, and can shape it in many ways. Blogger and author Leo Babauta explains this concept beautifully: ‘We tend to think of reality as something external and absolute, like the sun shining down on us on a hot, lazy afternoon. That sun is really there, whether we believe it or not, right? But as humans, our reality is shaped by what we perceive. So one person will see the sun as overwhelmingly hot and oppressive, the other sees it as an opportunity for a great tan. Another will see it as a huge 34

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

cancer machine. And still another will think the sun is an angry god to be feared and served. Those people all have very different realities, even if the sun is objectively the same for all of them. In that light, whatever you think about and do on a regular basis shapes your reality.’ 9 Maybe this sounds way too philosophical to you and you’re like: ‘How does this relate to me?’ To sum it up, here is: reality check

Your life, right now, is controlled by your habits. And there are habits that put you in a positive, strong, empowering state of mind – and habits that put you in a less supportive, sometimes even destructive state of mind. A good question to ask yourself: What habits shape your reality and your life? And is that reality the life you want? The goal of this journal is to let you incorporate one simple habit that some of the most famous people, some of the highest performers in the world, have cultivated in their lives. It’s that one habit that has the potential to make the greatest positive impact on your life. Why? Because it will put you in the right state of mind. The state of mind you need to succeed in other habits and achieve the things you truly want – whether that is a fit and healthy body, a perfect spouse, the ultimate dream job, or anything else. It’s a keystone habit. A game-changer. 35

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

Getting excited already? Here it is: It’s the habit of writing in a journal daily. Maybe you are having an “aha” moment right now; maybe you’ve heard of this before. Whatever it is that you're thinking, we all know that starting a new habit isn’t too hard. It often actually feels pretty exciting. But to successfully stick to a new habit, that is a whole different ball game. Have you ever started the New Year with the noble resolution to work out more, got yourself a gym membership, started the new habit, and then in the third week you lose enthusiasm, you miss a day or two, you get distracted, and end up curled up in your bed every night watching Netflix? You think, ‘What happened? I said I was going to exercise more.’ The challenge for most people, when it comes to building new habits, is sticking to it long enough for it to become ingrained. Enter the 100-Day Journal. The 100-Day Journal is not an ordinary journal. It’s a journal designed in a way that will: 1 Make you stick to the habit of daily journaling. 2 Make you get the highest, most meaningful value out of your journaling habit. 3 Make you succeed at other habits and goals in your life by using the power of questions and the concept of accountability. This all sounds great, but you might be thinking: ‘How can a simple notebook work such wonders for me? And what can I write about?’

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

Then here’s more good news for you: You don’t have to think about what to write. We’ve done the work for you. We studied the best experts in the field of high performance and positive psychology, read all of the research, and found the best way to get the most out of your daily journal entries. All you have to do is let yourself be guided by the daily prompts and questions in this journal. It’s that simple. The sooner you develop the habit of keeping this journal, the sooner you will discipline your mind to support you. The sooner you discipline your mind to support you, the sooner you activate the best parts of you. The sooner you activate the best parts of you. The faster you inch closer to the life you truly desire and deserve. You will be amazed by how one simple, easy, positive action can change so much in your everyday life. You will notice yourself becoming more present and engaged in the here and now. You will feel happier, grateful, and in control of your life. You will feel excited and you will start to anticipate awesome things for the future. The shift that results from keeping this journal is nothing short of a miracle.

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

t h e m a g i c o f 100 d ay s

‘ Those wh o do n’t b elieve in m agic will n ever f in d it.’

roald dahl

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

As with any new habit, we know you may face some resistance while getting it started. That resistance is your mind, which desperately tries to get back into its comfort cocoon and stop you from making many great changes in your life. That’s why we created a product that makes the journaling habit so easy you won’t fail, and so simple (and rewarding) you won’t want to skip a day. This mini journal habit comes with a very high success rate. We challenge you for 100 days to set aside five minutes in the morning and five minutes in the evening to fill in this journal. That’s all your job is. That’s so easy it’s hard to say no. We know your life is busy. You have a million things to do, and probably another million things swarming around in your head. But we know you can find that time. You don’t even have to do it for five minutes – just start! Later, as you start to see positive changes in your life resulting from this new habit, you can (and will want to!) increase this block of time. Make using this journal an unmissable appointment with yourself, more important than any other appointment. Even your dentist appointment. Why 100 days? There is something magical about 100 days. 100 days is the perfect length to internalize a new behavior and make it a new habit. According to a recent study published in the European Journal of Social Psychology, developing a relatively simple habit, like eating a piece of fruit with lunch or taking a fifteen minute run each day, takes over two months of daily repetitions to become a habit. Although the average 39

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

was 66 days, there was a lot of variation (anywhere from 18 days up to 254 days), both among people (some people are more habit-resistant) and among habits (some habits take longer to form than others).10 What this research tells us, is that 100 days should be long enough for you to pick up the habit of keeping this journal. It’s also short enough not to cause you panic at the idea of having to keep up with this journal forever. Besides, remember that incredibly satisfying feeling you get from finishing a book? A project? A good run? You will experience the same sensation while keeping this journal. It’s an exciting challenge you know you can finish. Hundreds of millions of people around the world managed to hold themselves accountable and committed to a new habit or a lifestyle change. A simple Google search leads you to tons of pages where people just like you share how they are challenging themselves to squat for 100 days, to practice yoga for 100 days, to eat clean for 100 days, to meditate for 100 days, and so on. You will be completely blown away by what 100 days can do for you and your life. You will experience a total shift in how you think and feel, and what actions you undertake. In 100 days you will reconnect with yourself and have thoughts and feelings that you haven’t had for a long time. Each passing day will inch you closer to becoming the best version of yourself. Enough said. 100 days. This journal. That’s the plan.

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

t h e t r a n s f o r m at i v e p o w e r o f d a i ly q u e s t i o n s t o c h a n g e yo u r l i f e

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;At t h e en d o f t h e day, t h e q uest io n s we ask o urselves de te r min e t h e t ype o f p eo pl e we beco me.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

leo b a b auta

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

‘Always remember, your focus determines your reality.’ – Qui-Gon to Anakin, Star Wars Episode I The quote above, if transferred to your everyday life, is seriously an absolute game changer. Your focus (whatever you think about and do on a regular basis) shapes your reality. It’s something we don’t think about much of the time, but give it some consideration now: - If you wake up in the morning and immediately start thinking about all the terrible things you need to do that day, the stuff that is going to be dumped on your desk that day, the bad traffic you’re going to be in, you're likely to have a terrible day. If you wake up and focus instead on thinking of the things you can be genuinely grateful for in your life right now, or listing some powerful, uplifting affirmations, you're likely to have a completely different day. - Now fast-forward to the last hour of your day. If you focus on being exhausted and wanting to veg out in front of the TV, you will get a lot of Netflix watching done. Keeping Up with the Kardashians will shape your reality. If you use those final minutes of your day to focus instead on what a wonderful gift your life is, you’ll sleep great, and you’ll wake up great. You feel excited and ready to tackle the new day. This may sound simplistic, but this concept is so true and powerful; and yet, most people tend to overlook it. The remarkable story of Alice Herz-Sommer beautifully illustrates what choosing your focus can do for you and your life. Having lived a long 110 years, some of which were spent surviving the horrors of the Holocaust, where she lost much of her family, she still carries a smile on her face wherever she goes and even continues to play piano 3 hours a day.

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

What makes this outstanding woman keep such a happy and positive outlook on life? Her philosophy of consciously choosing to keep her focus toward the good, focusing on thankfulness, and always smiling even through the hard things, is an inspiring look at the power of clearly deciding one’s focus and thereby shaping the course of your life for the positive. Her prevailing attitude towards life was: ‘Life is beautiful. You have to be thankful that we are living. Wherever you look is beauty. I know about the bad things, but I look for the good things.’ Alice’s ability to condition her mind to focus on the positive was her weapon against the cruelties she had to endure. Life coach Tony Robbins, who interviewed Alice when she was 108, said that she experienced more joy in an average day than most people experience in a lifetime. How can we apply Alice’s wisdom to our own everyday lives? Here is the key takeaway: If you want to improve the quality of your life, and create a real breakthrough with a new state and a new you – you need to change the questions you ask yourself every day. Questions direct your mental focus, and therefore shape the way you think and feel, and thus how you experience your life. Tony Robbins explains this concept perfectly. ‘The difference in the quality of people’s lives often comes down to the difference in the questions they consistently ask themselves. If you ask a disempowering question (i.e. “Why does this always happen to me?”), your mental computer will look for an answer, even if it has to make something up! It might come up with “Because you’re stupid!” Or “Because you don’t deserve to do well anyway.” 43

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

On the flip side, if you ask an empowering question, such as “How can I take this experience and use it to contribute to others?” your brain will look for answers to this question and often come up with an answer that not only makes you feel better, but that can help others as well. The key is to develop a pattern of questions that empower you.’ 11 Over to you: What questions did you ask yourself today? Did those questions give you lousy answers, and thus put you in a lousy state? Or did those questions give you empowering answers, and thus put you in an empowered state? We don’t have any answers here, just wanted to influence your reality a bit. What power do you think you could you unleash in yourself if you regularly asked yourself great questions? Here is what we want you to get: You can put yourself in a strong and positive state of mind instantly, in a heartbeat, if you ask yourself the right questions. And if you get in the habit of doing that – your life will never be the same again. The main, ultimate purpose of this journal is to help you get in the habit of asking yourself the right questions consistently. The simple yet powerful daily questions and prompts in this journal are based on core principles from positive psychology and on an intensive study on what successful people do and ask themselves on a daily basis.

t h e p h i lo s o p h y

They are picked carefully to make sure you gain the most benefit from these concepts. As Tony Robbins says: ‘A genuine quality of life comes from consistent, quality questions.’ 12 The questions explained in the next sections are proven to be effective. They’ll most definitely work miracles for you, too.

'Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become a reality.' earl n i g ht i n g ale

the how-to guide The basic principles behind this journal

the how-to guide

t h e m o r n i n g pa r t

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Ea c h mor n in g we are bo r n again. What we do to day is wh at mat ters m o s t.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

ja c k k orn f i eld

d ay 1

d at e

j o u r n a l e x a m p l e o f t h e m o r n i n g pa r t

Daily affirmations 1

I have the courage to step outside of my comfort zone and embrace new opportunities

2 I am fit, healthy, and filled with energy to do all the daily activities in my life 3 I have been given endless talents, which I begin to utilize today

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

Block out at least 10 minutes to meditate before going to sleep

2 Call that friend I keep meaning to call 3 Give an awesome pitch for my team

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

the how-to guide

i n j e c t p o s i t i v i t y i n yo u r m o r n i n g s t o c r e at e r i d i c u l o u s ly a m a z i n g d ay s

When we arise in the morning we are asking ourselves questions, consciously or unconsciously. When your alarm goes off, what questions do you usually ask yourself? Are they: “Is it 7 already?! Why didn’t I go to bed earlier last night?! Should I hit the snooze button one more time?!" As you shower, brush your teeth, drink your coffee, and eat your breakfast, what questions are running through your head? Are they: “Why isn’t it the weekend already?! Why do I always feel so exhausted?! Why is my to do list not getting any shorter?!” Questions like these generally don’t serve any useful purpose. Lousy questions generate lousy answers, which generate a lousy state. Remember? You probably end up leaving your house feeling rushed and hurried, stress level high, face in a permanent frown, your mind in a million different places. What if every day you consciously started asking yourself different questions? Questions that put you in a more empowered, positive, uplifting state? You see, what you do in the morning is an indicator of how you approach your entire day. It sets the tone and your mood for the rest of the day. So are you choosing to have a stressed, difficult day…or are you choosing to have an amazing, wonderful day? Always remember this:

the how-to guide

‘Now matters more than any other time in your life, because it’s what you are doing today that is determining who you’re becoming, and who you’re becoming will always determine the quality and direction of your life.’ 13 - Hal Elrod, The Miracle Morning So, make the commitment today that tomorrow morning is going to be different. The sun is rising, the day is new and beautiful. It’s the perfect time to dedicate five minutes to asking yourself some power questions. The morning elements in this journal will trigger you to become more intentional with your day and activate a genuine desire and enthusiasm in you to make today ridiculously amazing. Stop with the hectic, negative, rushed mornings and have a peaceful, inspiring start to the day.

the how-to guide

m o r n i n g pa r t 1 : d a i ly a f f i r m at i o n s

‘I t ’s t h e repet it io n o f a ff ir mat io n s t h at leads to be lief. An d o n ce t h at b elief be comes a deep co nvic t io n , thin gs b egin to h ap pen .’

m uha m m ad al i

Guess who is the number one person you communicate with on a daily basis? It’s you! Every one of us engages in an inner dialogue that plays in our minds all day. This is a normal, human process. What most of us don’t realize, though, is that the things we say and repeat to ourselves, our self-talk, has an enormous impact on our level of success in every aspect of our lives – confidence, health, happiness, wealth, relationships, etc.14 What do you say when you talk to yourself? Is your inner voice positive? Loving? Encouraging? Nurturing? Try paying attention to your own internal musings for a day. Do a little tally sheet throughout the day, marking a tally each time you notice a negative thought. You will be shocked to see how many disruptive, negative, unwanted thoughts are entering your mind on a daily basis. We are own worst critic, right? According to statistics, 80% of women have self-deprecating thoughts about themselves (body image, job performance, other people’s opinion of them, etc.) throughout the day.15 This is not just a female thing. Maybe to a lesser extent, but men undoubtedly get caught up in the same negative spiral.

the how-to guide

It has been proven again and again that your thoughts have the power to shape your reality. Imagine how your reality, and your entire life, could change if you started to be conscious of your thoughts and actively decided to think positive, uplifting, and affirming thoughts. Imagine what amazing things that could bring you. Always remember: you are not a slave to your mind. You are in charge. You are responsible for deciding your focus. You decide what thoughts you want to identify with, dwell on, repeat, and believe in. It’s no secret that many of the most successful people in the world have all been vocal about their belief that positive thinking and the use of affirmations has helped them on their journey to success and wealth.16 Who hasn’t heard of Muhammad Ali’s famous declaration: ‘I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was.’ Muhammad Ali affirmed these words over and over again and ended up being widely considered as one of the greatest heavyweight championship boxers of all time. His belief was: ‘Don’t wait for someone to affirm you, affirm yourself!’ And Ali did this all the time. Ali said: “If you ever dream of beating me you’d better wake up and apologize.” He said: “I won’t be beat. I can’t be beat. No one can beat me.” He said: “It’s hard to be humble, when you’re as great as I am.”

the how-to guide

Ali made use of the incredible power of affirmations to bring about a desired result. According to Susan Jeffers, author of the famous book Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway, an affirmation is self-talk in its highest form. Affirmations are your greatest tool, and the easiest and cheapest to use.17 What are affirmations, exactly? What do they do, and how do they work? Affirmations are short positive phrases or sentences you repeat to yourself mentally in order to induce a certain state of mind. They describe a current or desired situation or state of being. The classic one being: ‘Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better.’ - Emile Coue Try saying this affirmation a few times and see how you feel. Say, “Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better.” Say it again! And again! How does that feel? Blogger and author Leo Babauta explains that ‘by stating affirmations to yourself in a mantra like way and repeatedly over weeks, months, and years, your mind becomes trained to think in a different way. If you don’t think this works, think about your fears for a second or two. People who are afraid of going into elevators have literally used affirmations and visualization to train their mind to produce a state of panic whenever they have to enter an elevator. So it is true in reverse. People who are confident have affirmed, at every opportunity, to tell their mind they are confident in every situation and confident enough to try new situations. We all use affirmations in our lives without ever knowing that we do so, why not put affirmations to good use and consciously train your brain to a better way of thinking.’ 18

the how-to guide

There are many examples of celebrities and other high performers who are known for their use of affirmations to drastically change their lives. At the age of only six years old, Tiger Woods asked his father for a subliminal tape. Tiger listened to the tape every single day, feeding his mind with a steady diet of positive, upbeat affirmations. This technique allowed him to block out any negativity and align his mind to his vision, his goals, and his success. Tiger also pinned the affirmations to his bedroom wall. Both consciously and subconsciously, he focused on the same set of high quality affirmations – affirmations like “My power is great”, “I smile at obstacles”, “I believe in me”, and “I focus and give it my all”. His affirmations became so deeply embedded in his mind that he started to believe them, and this strong belief allowed him to make them a reality.19 Movie star and comedian Jim Carrey shared a similar and pretty amazing story about his rise to fame. ‘I’ve always believed in magic. When I wasn’t doing anything in this town, I’d go up every night, sit on Mulholland Drive, look out at the city, stretch out my arms, and say, “Everyone wants to work with me. I’m a really good actor. I have all kinds of great movie offers.” I’d just repeat these things over and over, literally convincing myself that I had a couple of movies lined up. I’d drive down that hill, ready to take the world on, going, “Movie offers are out there for me, I just don’t hear them yet.” It was like total affirmations, antidotes to the stuff that stems from my family background.’ Jim even went a step further and wrote himself a check for $10 million, dated it Thanksgiving 1995, added the notation “for acting services rendered,” and carried it in his wallet from that day forth. The rest, as they say, is history. Carrey’s optimism and tenacity eventually

the how-to guide

paid off, and by 1995, after the huge box office success of Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, The Mask, and Dumb & Dumber, his asking price had risen to $20 million per picture.20 Will Smith, Oprah Winfrey, Anthony Robbins, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and many more have also been vocal about their belief in the power of affirmations. You could say that success comes down to your mindset. It’s the habits, attitudes, and behavior that you practice and focus on every day that make all the difference. For the next 100 days, you are going to tap into the phenomenal power of affirmations as well. You will be amazed by the effects it will have on you.

ho w

Every morning, list three daily affirmations. You can look at them again during the day. If you like you can read what you wrote out loud. This gives them extra power. Some people even like saying them out loud while looking in the mirror. See what works for you. Susan Jeffers, bestselling author, who is a firm believer of the power of affirmations, recommends to: 1 State your affirmations in the present 2 Phrase your affirmations in the positive, rather than the negative21 We’ll explain why. 1 State your affirmations in the present Wrong: I will attract my dream partner 56

the how-to guide

Right: I am attracting my dream partner Wrong: I will get a fit and healthy body Right: I am getting a fit and healthy body You could even say: I have a fit and healthy body, even when this is not yet your reality. Here’s why: Your affirmations will do three things: - Activate your creative subconscious, which will start to generate creative ideas to help you reach your goal. - It programs your mind to more readily perceive and recognize the resources you have or will need to bring you closer to the achievement of your goal. - It feeds your internal motivation to take the necessary and relevant actions to make your goal a reality.22 So don’t hold back. Write down all that you desire even if it sounds unrealistic to you right now given your current situation. Some people also believe that by putting out these positive statements into the universe you will start to attract the right people, resources, and events that you need to accomplish your goals.

2 Phrase your affirmations in the positive, rather than the negative Wrong: I am no longer feeding my body with junk Right: I nourish my body with nutritious, healthy food

the how-to guide

Wrong: I am no longer going to talk negatively about myself Right: I am strong, confident, and beautiful Although the affirmations above boil down to the same thing – they have a completely different impact on the way you feel while stating them. Words have a physical power. By stating your affirmations in the positive, you instantly lift up your mood. Don’t underestimate the power of daily affirmations. They’ll make your inner voice “chatter” about empowering, uplifting, positive things. And that will push you to a new level of thinking, a new level of energy, a new level of control, a new level of you. A new level of life. Your daily affirmations allow you to set the tone for your day, rather than outside circumstances. Here are some examples of affirmations you can tell yourself to get you in the right mood for the day. 1 I love and appreciate myself just as I am. 2 I feel happy and blissful. I am relaxed and centered. 3 I posses all the qualities needed to be extremely successful. 4 My relationship is becoming stronger, deeper, and more stable each day. 5 My body is healthy; my mind is brilliant; my soul is tranquil. 6 Everything that is happening now is happening for my ultimate good.

the how-to guide

7 My business is growing, expanding, and thriving. 8 I forgive those who have harmed me in my past and peacefully detach from them. 9 I choose love and I surround myself with positive people who appreciate me. 10 My ability to conquer my challenges is limitless; my potential to succeed is infinite.

the how-to guide

m o r n i n g pa r t 2 : w h at a r e t h e t h i n g s t h at w o u l d m a k e t o d ay a s u c c e s s i f i a c c o m p l i s h e d t h e m ?

' D o wh at yo u h ave to do u ntil yo u can do wh at yo u want to do.'

o p rah w i n f rey

Have you ever had a day where you went to bed with an amazing sense of pride and accomplishment because you got so much done? You were like wow! I absolutely crushed it today. Here’s another question: Have you ever had a day where you were incredibly busy and literally running yourself ragged, and at the end of the day you felt guilty and frustrated because you realized you had done nothing of real significance? You undoubtedly want most of your days to be like the first one. Yet, in reality a lot of people go to bed at night feeling like a failure. Either they didn’t get done what they wanted to do or what they got done felt insignificant and unfulfilling. We feel unproductive, and become anxious because of our lack of productivity. We become stressed and overwhelmed by all of our anxiety, and then crash into bed feeling drained and exhausted. Not the ideal way to end your day, right? We each want our days to be successful and productive for very personal reasons – to accomplish our goals and ambitions, to make more money, to satisfy our boss, to have more time for ourselves or our families and friends. Whatever the reason, with this journal you are going to use a simple 60

the how-to guide

productivity hack that will do the trick. These are the core principles behind the productivity hack that you will use in this journal. 1 You have to be intentional World’s leading high performance coach Brendon Burchard believes that a lot of people need to get more intentional about their day, to create their ideal lives; not to have an ideal day once a millennium, but to have a string of ideal days. According to Brendon: ‘You have to have aim and intention to have a phenomenal day.’ 23 2 You have to be definitive According to blogger Josh Christophersen, many of us are plagued by a vague sense of guilt that we’re not doing enough. He believes that until we define “enough”, the voices will never be silent. And until we define “success”, we will never get focused on what needs to be done, much less accomplish it. He says: ‘Defining success makes success possible. Defining the specific action items necessary to accomplishing success is what makes it practical.’ 24 3 You have to be specific You probably have a vague definition in your mind of what you call a successful day. Yet, if you never make your definition of a successful day concrete, then any attempt at determining whether you’re successful (or not) will also be vague. As Christophersen states: ‘A vague definition of success robs you of the satisfaction of knowing you ended your day well.’ 25

the how-to guide

4 You have to be realistic It’s very important that your definition of a successful day is realistic. Otherwise, you are setting yourself up for failure. The more unrealistic, the higher your hopes and the higher your hopes, the greater the letdown. Time to put it all together.

ho w

Every morning, ask yourself: what are the things that would make today a success if i accom plished them ?

Think of the minimum that needs to be done to make today a success. Write these specific things down in your journal, first thing in the morning. Try limiting the list to three things. If you have more than three things, use the blank page in the journal to list those as well, but remember, you need to be realistic. The things you write in this list will depend on your definition of a “successful” day. For some this may include getting some important work-related to-do’s done. For others the list may include more personal things such as going to a yoga class or spending quality time with someone close. This is not just a to-do or productivity list, this is also a list to support your well-being. Having said that, don’t skip this question on the weekends. To indulge in your favorite cocktail is also a small win! 62

the how-to guide

Let’s say you’ve asked yourself what will make today a success and there are 4-6 great candidates. How do you know what three to pick? Consider this question: What matters most to you? Don’t consider what seems most pressing, but what will make the biggest impact on your life. If you’re not sure, just make a gut pick – don’t dwell too much on it. It doesn’t have to be a perfect pick – you just want to pick it. If you still can’t choose, pick the ones you’re most excited about. Or the ones that are most fun. If all that fails, pick randomly. If you accomplish these three things today – that draft design, that call, that exercise – it feels like a successful day. But if you don’t nail those three things, it doesn’t matter how many little jobs you get done, you know in your heart you could have done better. Will you get a lot more done than these three things? Of course. But the idea is that no matter what else you do today, these are the things you want to be sure of doing. And since you picked a minimum number of tasks you must accomplish, you create small wins during the day that create momentum. These empower you to get way more done with whatever is left in the day. What’s the result? Picking out the three things that you want to accomplish today means you have thought through your priorities, and you know what makes the biggest difference in your work and life in general. It’s an amazingly rewarding way to start your day. And the best thing: you go to bed at night with a great sense of pride and accomplishment, because your day was a success. Do it all over again tomorrow. 63

the how-to guide

If you fill in this question in your journal every day, then when you look back at the week you’re like, ‘Wow, this was just an amazing week! I focused on the essential, I created amazing things and I felt balanced and happy.’ You deserve to have amazing weeks like that, amazing months, amazing years, amazing decades. You deserve to have an amazing life. That was it for the morning part. It will only take five minutes of your precious morning time. Excited already for tomorrow morning? Let’s continue with the night time part.

the how-to guide

t h e n i g h t t i m e pa r t

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;N e ver go to sleep wit h o ut a re q uest to yo ur subco n scio us.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

tho m a s ed i s on

d ay 1

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

I have the courage to step outside of my comfort zone and embrace new opportunities

2 I am fit, healthy, and filled with energy to do all the daily activities in my life 3 I have been given endless talents, which I begin to utilize today

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

Block out at least 10 minutes to meditate before going to sleep

2 Call that friend I keep meaning to call 3 Give an awesome pitch for my team

j o u r n a l e x a m p l e o f t h e n i g h t t i m e pa r t

What have I enjoyed today? A walk outside during lunch break with a colleague Yoga class with Anna

What have I learned today? Eating healthy gives me tons of energy and helps me to do more work and be more effective and productive throughout the day

the how-to guide

t h e i m p o r ta n c e o f e s ta b l i s h i n g a n i g h t t i m e r o u t i n e

If you read the first part of this section, you are probably already convinced that mornings don’t have to be disastrous, stress-filled affairs. Mornings are a beautiful time of day, when all is quiet and the world sleeps. A great time to activate a genuine desire and enthusiasm in yourself to make your day ridiculously amazing. But there’s another part of the day that is truly magical, and that can have great benefits for you at a cost of only 5-30 minutes each day: the time right before you go to sleep. What you do in the last hour of your day has a significant impact on your mood and energy level the next day, as it often determines how much and how well you sleep. What are your bedtime rituals? Do you enjoy watching YouTube? Or do you find it relaxing to scroll through Twitter some more? Why is the world controlling your last hour? High performance coach Brendon Burchard believes that we should go on a digital diet in the last hour (and the first hour) of our day: ‘Looking at our posts is like cocaine today for the brain, so what we have to do in that last hour is, don’t look at it.’ Burchard guarantees that this one simple habit will completely change your life.26 What can you do instead? Pre-bed rituals are personal and each of us has different rituals that work the best. Most importantly, it takes time to unwind the body and mind. 67

the how-to guide

In that last hour, start slowing down. For some people, that means practicing meditation. For others, reading a book works wonders for a good nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sleep. Michael Kerr, an international business speaker and author, says he knows numerous successful people who block off time at night to reflect on, or to write down, the things they are appreciative of that happened that day.27 Taking time to reflect on your day is an extremely valuable practice that you will learn to integrate into your night time routine as well. Over the course of 100 days, challenge yourself to put your phone on airplane mode a bit earlier. Use that last golden hour to unwind. Make yourself comfortable and grab this journal.

the how-to guide

n i g h t t i m e pa r t 1 : w h at h av e i e n j o y e d t o d ay ?

‘E njoy t h e lit t le t h in gs in life be c ause o n e day yo u’ ll lo ok ba c k an d realize t h ey were the big t h in gs.’

ro b ert b rault

At nightfall, when we are tired from our day, we often fall into the trap of replaying negative experiences from the day that we wish we handled differently. Regardless of how badly their day went, successful people typically make an effort to avoid this pessimistic spiral of negative self-talk. They consciously redirect their focus to something positive. Michael Woodward, Ph.D., organizational psychologist and author says: ‘The last thing you need is to be lying in bed thinking about an email you just read from that overzealous boss who spends all their waking hours coming up with random requests driven by little more than a momentary impulse. Remember to take some time to reflect on the positive moments of the day and celebrate the successes, even if they were few and far between.’ 28 Transformational expert Marci Shimoff explains that by “registering the positive” you are triggering ‘the reticular activating system (ras ), a group of cells at the base of your brain stem, responsible for sorting through the massive amounts of incoming information and bringing anything important to your attention. Have you ever bought a car and then suddenly started noticing the same make of car everywhere? It’s the ras at work. Now you can use it to be happier. 69

the how-to guide

When you decide to look for the positive, your ras makes sure that’s what you see.’ 29 In the next 100 days, save the treasures of your day and look forward to the treasures of tomorrow. Your brain is wired to notice what you focus on. Your brain is also wired to notice what you expect to find. In other words, if you decide to register your happy experiences more deeply during your day, you’ll notice more happy experiences the next day, and eventually every day. ‘By scanning the world for little positive moments and savoring them, like a jewel or a warm light entering us, we can kick off changes in the brain that will make us happier not just today but down the road as well. ’ - Rick Hanson

ho w

At the end of the day, ask yourself: what have i enjoyed today ?

- Make the conscious decision to look for the positive experiences during your day and write them down in this journal. Make it a game you play with yourself. Even if you had a bad day where you just couldn’t catch a break and nothing seemed to be going right – there is always something (even if it is a tiny, tiny thing) that went well. - Set the intention of registering the positive moments of your day. It can be a positive thought that enters your mind, something you see, feel, taste, hear, or smell that brings you joy, a breakthrough in your understanding about something, an object of beauty, something in nature, a smile from a stranger, a great coffee you enjoyed, how you helped someone with a problem, an unexpected good conversation 70

the how-to guide

with someone – the list goes on and on. - Some days you may feel like you want to elaborate a bit more on your experiences that day. Use the blank page for that. - At the end of the day, ask someone close to you what the highlight of his or her day was and share the highlights of your day. This is a simple, quick, and fun practice that yields amazing benefits to you and those close to you. If you stick to this simple happiness-affirming little practice over the course of 100 days, you will notice a complete shift in your life. - What you focus on expands. By focusing on the positive, good things in life, you experience more positive, good things in life. - You will teach yourself to become a life-long optimist. - You will end your day in a place of gratitude, which will help you fall asleep more peacefully and easily. Most importantly, this simple question that will only take a couple of minutes to answer is a great way to cultivate an attitude of gratitude, known as the number one shortcut to finding peace of mind and happiness inside. Almost twenty years ago, Oprah Winfrey started a gratitude journal and, every day, began writing down things she was grateful for. From fresh flowers to the kindness of a stranger, Oprah says acknowledging these things made her more receptive to the goodness in her life. Need inspiration? Here’s what Oprah was grateful for on October 12, 1996: 1 A run around Florida’s Fisher Island with a slight breeze that kept me cool. 2 Eating cold melon on a bench in the sun. 3 A long and hilarious chat with Gayle about her blind date with Mr. Potato Head. 71

the how-to guide

4 Sorbet in a cone, so sweet that I literally licked my finger. 5 Maya Angelou calling to read me a new poem. Oprah made practicing daily gratitude a priority.30 You will be amazed by what it will do for you, too. Not just in the moment you practice it, but in your life. Research has shown that recording experiences for which one is grateful for only two consecutive weeks has lasting positive effects that are sustained for up to six months. And you know what? By consistently becoming mindful of the beauty in your day, you will gain tons of self-knowledge. You will start to see a pattern in the things you write down at the end of your day, and all of a sudden it will all come together like a puzzle. You will know what an ideal day, and an ideal life, look like to you. You will know what you want to create, what you want to contribute and whom you want to connect with – in order for you to create the life you truly want and deserve. And that, in itself, is an extremely valuable life lesson. ‘Document the moments you feel most in love with yourself - what you’re wearing, who you’re around, what you’re doing. Re-create and repeat.’ - Warsan Shire

the how-to guide

n i g h t t i m e pa r t  : w h at h av e i l e a r n e d t o d ay ?

‘ We do n o t lear n f ro m exper ien ce…we lear n f ro m re f lec t in g o n ex p er ien ce.’

john de w ey

We are learning creatures. The lifelong practice of learning is what makes our lives worthwhile and meaningful. Learning is essential, because it allows us to survive, evolve, and succeed in life. Everything you have gone through so far – from the moment you were born until now – has taught you how to survive better, how to evolve better, and how to succeed (better). You could say that we are a product of our experiences. Each event, each piece of knowledge, each interaction in your day leave footprints in your dna and in your brain. Each of these experiences impacts the way you are and who you will become from that moment on, sometimes in profound ways and sometimes in subtle ways. Nonetheless, we are, and will always be, subject to change, each moment of our existence in this world. When you go to sleep tonight, you do that with new knowledge and experience. Tomorrow night again, and the day after tomorrow again, and the day after that, and on, and on, and on. No matter how simple or complex your day was, you learned something new and continued to refine yourself.

the how-to guide

If you think you didn’t learn something today – you just didn’t keep your eyes open – you just didn’t pay attention. The sum of all these experiences, all of these learnings, are unique to you. No-one else in the world shares the same exact set of experiences. Like your fingerprint, of which there is no other, the lessons you learned during your lifetime are unique. There may be aspects which may be similar to other people’s lives, but the specific mix of experiences you had, places you’ve been to, people you met and ideas they shared with you – that is one-of-a-kind. This means that you are valuable. You have a superior quality of worth. You have something to give to this world that no one else will ever be able to give in the same way. The thing with experiences is, you only learn from them if you reflect on them. You will never become the super hero of your own life if you never reflect on your experiences. Reflection is the most important part of the whole life-long learning process. Always remember: ‘Self-reflection is the school of wisdom.’ - Baltasar Gracian You will never reach your highest potential, become your very best self, if you do not reflect on what you have learned in your day-to-day life. Successful people do this all the time. They reflect on their successes, their failures, their dreams, and their hopes. They understand that the only person who can change their life for the better is the person they look at every day in the mirror. They see each day as a new opportunity for personal growth and learning. They understand that each day is full of lessons, for every aspect of their lives. Yet, most of us get so caught up in our busy lives that we forget how 74

the how-to guide

important it is to simply sit still and reflect a little. ‘We rarely take the time to pause, breathe, and think about what’s working and what’s not. There’s just too much to do and no time to reflect… [Learning] only takes a few minutes. About five actually. A brief pause at the end of the day to consider what worked and what didn’t.’ 31 In the next 100 days this journal will challenge you to take a few minutes every day to reflect on what you have learned that day. Asking yourself this simple question every day has tons of benefits, but these three are the most important ones: 1 By reviewing the things you’ve learned before you go to sleep, you increase the chances that you will remember them the next day. This is because ‘declarative memory is enhanced when sleep follows’.32 If you don’t take the time to stop and reflect, you quickly forget important occurrences, successes and failures you had, and important lessons you learned; memories don’t have a chance to form. Without reflection you are doomed to make the same mistakes again. However, if you reflect on those mistakes, figure out what went wrong, and see how you can prevent them in the future, you can use your mistakes to get better. Mistakes, then, are valuable learning tools, instead of something to feel embarrassed or upset about. Reflection is an important way to do that. 2 Reflecting on what you’ve learned makes you happier. On the flip side, if you don’t reflect on what you did right, on your successes, your new amazing insights - how on earth are you going to remember them so that you can repeat them in the future? Don’t trust your memory on this. Reflection allows you to celebrate every little success. It allows you to realize how much you’ve done right, the good 75

the how-to guide

things you’ve done in your life. Without reflection, it’s too easy to forget these things, and to focus instead on our failures. If you want your future self to be awesome, register what you’ve learned – the blunders, the errors, the tears, the wounds – and the wins, the successes, the aha-moments. 3 Reflecting on your daily learnings will give you perspective. According to blogger and author Leo Babauta, reflecting daily gives you perspective. ‘Often we are caught up in the troubles or busy-ness of our daily lives. A mistake or a high-pressure project or something like that can seem like it means all the world. It can overwhelm us sometimes. But if we take a minute to step back, and reflect on these problems, and how in the grand scheme of things they don’t mean all that much, it can calm us down and lower our stress levels. We gain perspective, and that’s a good thing.’ 33

Enough said. Just try it out yourself and you will quickly reap all of these benefits and many more.

ho w

At the end of the day, ask yourself: what have i learned today ?

- Check in daily. What have you learned today? If you find this question hard to answer at first – ask yourself some warm up probing questions first. How did your day go? Did you have an experience that may help you in the future? Or with similar situations? What successes did you have? What challenged you today? What did you learn about yourself? Who did you interact with? What did you learn from them? 76

the how-to guide

What did you learn about others? About the world? - Jot down the first thing that comes to your mind. It can be something significant (mastered a new skill, learned a new process, gained new understanding about the essence of life) or something trivial (conversation with a colleague, a new taste you liked, how to do or not to do something, how to crop a photo). If you can’t think of something (hardly possible), jot down a quote that you find inspiring. - Try to stick to one, max two things per day. This forces your brain to look for the things that are most valuable to you. - Be open and honest with yourself. Don’t feel ashamed to write about a mistake. This is your private space. Do this for yourself. To better yourself. Remember: ‘Failures are a part of life. If you don’t fail, you will never learn. If you never learn, you will never change’. Writing about your mistakes is the fastest way to benefit from them, move forward, and improve your performance in life. - This little exercise will already help you reinforce the new life learnings that come to you on a daily basis. Yet, some days you may feel like elaborating a bit more on your daily learnings. You can use the blank page to ask yourself what you are planning to do differently (or the same) tomorrow – based on your learnings. That’s it. Every day is full of beautiful new lessons, if you only keep your eyes open. Some days these lessons are small, some days they are more significant. Checking in with yourself to see what you learned today – even if it seems not worth writing about – is an essential life skill you’re about to gain with this journal. The very best aspect of this simple daily question is that it will deepen your character and make you more inspiring to the people around you. Don’t underestimate what a profound impact you can have on other 77

the how-to guide

people by sharing your life lessons. And don’t forget: ‘Knowledge is power. When you have knowledge, you have the power to achieve many things. You gain something important. One of the most crucial reasons to learn something new daily is that you gain power when you do.’ 34

the how-to guide

t h e d a i ly b l a n k pa g e

‘A blan k p age is n o emp t y s pace. I t is b r immin g wit h pote nt ial… I t is a master piece in wait in g – yo urs.’

a . a . p ata w aran

the how-to guide

Each day of this journal comes with a blank page. The possibilities of using this page are endless and the page may serve a different purpose every day, depending on your mood or needs. What will you use this space for? Be bold and embrace the beauty and versatility of a blank page. If you need inspiration, here are some suggestions: - The best ideas come from the unconscious. When they arise, immediately write them down. If you don’t, you’ll forget them. Don’t trust your memory. - Make sense of your innermost thoughts and feeling about the day by writing them down. If you have negative feelings about your day, writing about them will make these emotions lose their grip on you. - Write down the memorable moments of the day; you don’t want to let those treasures slip away in your memory. - Record the things that made an impact on you: an idea or philosophy you relate to, events, a person, experiences, articles, quotes, ideas etc. - Elaborate on your answers for the daily questions on the left page. - Use it for answering your own daily questions. - Scribble out little reminders and notes to yourself. - Sketch something or draw random doodles. Again, the possibilities are infinite. The value of recording our inner lives is amazing and extremely powerful. Some of the most famous people, some of the highest performers in the world, artists, writers, scientists, and other celebrated minds – they all kept journals. And now you will too.

the how-to guide

t h e t i m e o u t pa r t

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC; Th e st ar t in g p o int o f di scover in g wh o yo u are, your gif t s, yo ur t alent s, yo u r d re ams, is b ein g co mfo r t abl e wi t h yo urself. Sp en d t ime a lone. Wr ite in a jo ur n al. Tak e lon g walk s in t h e wo o ds.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

ro b i n s . s har m a

the how-to guide

This journal comes with 100 undated daily pages so that you have the flexibility to start the journal whenever you like. 100 days is the perfect length to develop a new habit or routine, and to see positive changes occur. To make an effective change in your life, it is important to periodically check in with yourself and reflect on your progress. In the next 100 days, you will be encouraged to have such a check-in meeting with yourself every ten days. A little time out moment from the daily hustle and bustle of life. The time out pages are planned every ten days, but feel free to fill them in whenever you want. As long as you consider the questions in this part from time to time. Every ten days, you will be encouraged to: 1â&#x20AC;&#x201A; Practice gratitude 2â&#x20AC;&#x201A; Turn your dreams and goals into a reality Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s go over each of them.

the how-to guide

t i m e o u t pa r t 1 : p r a c t i c e g r at i t u d e

‘ We do n o t see t h in gs as t h ey a re, we see t h in gs as we are. I f yo u can rememb er to be gratef ul, t h e t h in gs yo u see wi ll ref lec t t h at, an d in t h e long run , yo u will b e h app ie r, he althier, an d mo re p ro duc t ive fo r it.’

ana ï s n i n

If there is only one thing you take from this journal, let it be this. Practice gratitude. And no, that is not something that only monks, longhaired free spirits, earth mommas, or yogis do. As psychiatrist Keith Kesler says: ‘It’s tempting to dismiss the idea of gratitude as fluff, or newagey hokum, but that would be a huge mistake. Western culture is distinctly uncomfortable with gratitude. We pride ourselves on being ‘self-made’. We perceive gratitude as weakness. Best advice? Get over it.’ 35 It may seem cheesy and cliché, but consistently reminding yourself about some of the things in life you can be grateful for is one of the best things you can do for yourself. The measurable benefits of gratitude are actually backed up by hard science. Philosophers and spiritual leaders have been preaching the importance 83

the how-to guide

of gratitude for centuries, but just recently researchers started testing gratefulness in laboratories, and the results have been pretty remarkable. There have been various studies utilizing functional mri ’ s and brain imaging techniques to map the effect of gratitude on our brains. The effects are significant. It turns out that gratitude affects our brain in two ways: Biologic: Researchers found dramatically increased activity in the hypothalamus when participants were asked to evoke feelings of gratitude. The hypothalamus, a tiny part of your brain (about the size of a walnut) is responsible for many of the body’s day-to-day functions. Increased activity in your hypothalamus correlates to better selfcare, less stress, and overall better health.36 Cognitive: Consistently turning your focus toward gratitude is powerful because it engages your brain in a virtuous cycle. A research article in Psychology Today, called ‘Grateful Brain’, explains this concept very clearly. ‘Your brain only has so much power to focus its attention. It cannot easily focus on both positive and negative stimuli. It is like a small child: easily distracted. Oh your tummy hurts? Here’s a lollipop. So you lost your job? Isn’t it wonderful we’re having kfc for dinner? On top of that your brain loves to fall for the confirmation bias, that is it looks for things that prove what it already believes to be true. Once you start seeing things to be grateful for, your brain starts looking for more things to be grateful for. That’s how the virtuous cycle gets created.’ 37

the how-to guide

So you are sort of hijacking your emotional system – in a good way! That’s the fascinating neuroscience of giving thanks. But gratitude changes more than just brain chemistry. It’s amazing how one simple, easy, positive action can have such an incredible impact on our physical health, psychological well-being, and on our relationships with others. Robbert Emmons, the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude, has been studying the power of gratitude for more than a decade. In a series of studies, Emmons helped people systematically cultivate gratitude by letting them keep a gratitude journal in which they regularly record the things for which they’re grateful. Emmons says that keeping a gratitude journal often seems ‘so simple and basic; in our studies we often have people keep gratitude journals for just three weeks. And yet the results have been overwhelming.’ Emmons studied more than one thousand people, from ages 8 to 80, and found that people who practice gratitude consistently report the following positive effects, which are incredibly far reaching.38 Physical benefits - Stronger immune systems - Less bothered by aches and pains - Lower blood pressure - Exercise more and take better care of their health - Sleep longer and feel more refreshed upon waking Psychological benefits - Higher levels of positive emotions - More alert, alive, and awake - More joy and pleasure - More optimism and happiness Social benefits - More helpful, generous, and compassionate 85

the how-to guide

- More forgiving - More outgoing - Feel less lonely and isolated You are probably already jumping up and down from excitement. But this is an added bonus: Being grateful is sexy. Really. People who have a positive, grateful outlook on life are extremely attractive. It’s a blessing for the people around you. It makes you charismatic. What are you waiting for? Let’s start!

ho w

Gratitude is one of humanity’s most powerful emotions. Being grateful makes you happier and changes your attitude about life. Think of it as an emotional reset button, psychologists say.39 Every 10 days, you will be encouraged to push this reset button by answering the following question: what am i most grateful for in my life right now ?

- You may think that this question is similar to the daily question: what have I enjoyed today? They are similar in the sense that they’ll make you cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Yet, whereas that question is more focused on the events in your day that made you happy, this question is more focused around the main areas in your life in general such as:

- The good things you do have in your life

- The wonderful things that have gone on in your life lately

- The people in your life, whether they’re loved ones or just a stranger you met who was kind to you in some way 86

the how-to guide

- Life itself

- Feel free to interpret this question the way you like it. Fill in big things, small things, significant things, or trivial things. Fill in things that haven’t yet manifested in your life yet but that you want to manifest. Thank in advance. There are no rules. Include everything you feel like. If you like the warm and fluffy feeling you get from answering this question (‘What an incredible feeling, give me more!’) you can make it a daily question and write down your daily gratitude list on your blank page. - Remember: there is always something you can be grateful for. If you can’t immediately think of something (‘I am not grateful!’) – force yourself. What if you really, really wanted to be; what could you think of that you could be grateful for? Still can’t think of something? Be grateful for being able to breathe. - It’s easy to be grateful when everything seems to be going your way, right? When you are going through a difficult time, and the last thing you want to think about is being grateful – push through this resistance and do it anyway. We all have difficult times. We are stressed out from work, we lose a loved one, we hurt a loved one, we perform poorly on a project, lose a job, etc. It’s OK to feel bad about the bad things in your life or the things you are missing in your life. Remember that even the bad things make life as complex and interesting as it is. You will learn from these challenges. It will make you a stronger and wiser person. - If you make a gratitude list, despite your struggles, you will soon be reminded of the positive things in your life that are still there. It’s hard to complain about the little things when you give thanks that your family is alive and healthy. It’s hard to get stressed over a rude client at work when you are grateful there is a roof over your head. The negative things that didn’t go your way are now put in perspective. - Don’t rush through this little practice, and don’t do it mindlessly; re87

the how-to guide

ally try to feel gratitude for everything you list. Feel the amazingness of the things and people in your life. And there you go. The things you were maybe taking for granted are now put front and center before you. You just utilized your brain’s inherent ability to see what it wants to see. Neurons that fire together wire together. If you fill in your gratitude list regularly, you keep adding gratitude into the neural connections of the brain. You are developing that gratitude muscle. And things won’t only feel or look better because of that – they actually get better. Anthony Robbins has dedicated his life to modeling the most successful people in the world. He coached people from every walk of life, including some of the most powerful men and women on the planet. He worked with presidents of the United States as well as owners of small businesses. He found that virtually every moment, we make a key decision that dictates the quality of our life: the decision of what to focus on. ‘At every moment, millions of things compete for your attention. You can focus on things that are happening right here and now or on what you want to create in the future. Or you can focus on the past. Where focus goes, energy flows. What you focus on and your pattern for doing so shapes your entire life. Which area do you tend to focus on more: what you have or what’s missing from your life? I’m sure you think about both sides of this coin. But if you examine your habitual thoughts, what do you tend to spend most of your 88

the how-to guide

time dwelling on? Rather than focusing on what you don’t have and begrudging those who are better off than you financially, perhaps you should acknowledge that you have much to be grateful for and some of it has nothing to do with money. You can be grateful for your health, family, friends, opportunities, and mind. Developing a habit of appreciating what you have can create a new level of emotional well-being and wealth. But the real question is, do you take time to deeply feel grateful with your mind, body, heart, and soul? That’s where the joy, happiness, and fulfillment can be found.’ 40 What Tony Robbins is saying here is that it is not so much the conditions or circumstances that control our destiny. It is our attitude and the decisions that we make on a daily basis that control our lives. You have the power of choice. You can control what you focus on. Consciously utilizing the power of gratitude is yet another essential life skill that you’re about to learn and master in the next 100 days. You will be amazed by the results.

the how-to guide

t i m e o u t pa r t 2 : t u r n yo u r d r e a m s a n d g o a l s i n t o a r e a l i t y

‘ The f ut ure belo n gs to t h o se who believe in t h e b eaut y of t h eir dreams.’

eleanor roo s e v elt

Each of us has dreams and ambitions. We all have a picture (sometimes vague and blurry, sometimes crystal clear) of how we want our life to be in the future. You may have ambitions to build your career, to become an amazing person, to get into better shape, to gain financial freedom, to contribute to the world, to travel, to find your life partner, to start your own business, to get good at something, to give, to grow, to create, to love. We all have our own definition of what it would mean to be an awesome human being and succeed in life. But so many times, life has a way of getting in the way of fulfilling these beautiful dreams and ambitions. We can get wrapped up in the day to day busy-ness of life, handling our normal daily routine, without accomplishing anything new, special, or significant. Sometimes we feel like we have too many balls to juggle with too little time. Crazy-busy weeks flash by and it seems like we just can’t catch a break. Life throws us disappointments and heartaches and struggles and pain. We face adversity, and things don’t turn out the way we wanted. Sound familiar?

the how-to guide

We all face resistance in our quest for health, happiness, and personal excellence. We all have to deal with this beautiful thing called life. Yet, there will always be those who do live their dreams. Those who do manage to pull it off. Why is it that some people’s dreams come to fruition and others’ do not? What differentiates these people from others? Are they more special? More talented? More skilled? Do they have more time? Are they luckier than others? Is it magic? Spoiler alert: it’s none of that. Here’s what sets them apart: More than anything else, what differentiates people who live their ultimate vision for life from those who don’t is their pursuit of their dreams. Successful people don’t wait for opportunity to fall into their laps. They don’t wait for the perfect timing or desirable circumstances. They don’t wait for motivation or the right mood. They don’t wait for fate or luck to shape their future. They don’t wait for permission to be great. While others simply dream and wait, they dream and pursue. And keep in mind, these people deal with the same stresses and the same craziness of life. Here’s the key: People who make their dreams a reality are intensely goal91

the how-to guide

oriented. They know what they want and they have a laser-sharp focus on achieving it, every single day. As bestselling author and success expert Brian Tracy states: ‘Your ability to set goals is the master skill of success. Goals unlock your positive mind and release ideas and energy for goal attainment. Without goals, you simply drift and flow on the currents of life. With goals, you fly like an arrow, straight and true to your target.’ 41 Whatever it is that you desire to accomplish, all of that is impossible without setting goals. Goals are what makes us advance and progress in life; they are the oxygen to our dreams. And it is time to set yours. It’s time to act and start living your dreams. Don’t call your dream a dream. Call it a plan.

the how-to guide

ho w and w hy i t w or k s

' Pe ople wit h go als succeed becau s e they k now wh ere t h ey're go in g.'

earl n i g ht i n g ale

Thousands of books have been written about the incredible power of goal setting. Successful people throughout history have proclaimed goals to be the number one contributor to their success. Experts in the field of personal development, life coaches, business coaches, success strategists, they all agree: goals are a powerful toolÂ for creating positive change.42 Goals allow us to manifest some pretty magical things in life. And you are about to unleash this power as well. This journal will inch you closer to making your dreams a reality.

how it works

Setting goals and working towards them is a statement that you are taking charge of your own life, rather than reacting to life, and waiting for things to happen. You are the master of your life; your reality. Right now at this very moment, you can choose to become one of those very few who follow through to make their dreams a reality.

the how-to guide

Steve Jobs called them the ‘crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes’. T.E. Lawrence called them ‘dangerous men’. But both of these legends recognized that ‘those who dare to live their dreams are powerful outliers’.43 No single person knows the true limits of human potential. But what we do know is that most people only use a small fraction of their natural abilities. You are not one of those, right? You are a powerful outlier, right? A crazy one. A rebel. Yet, to achieve anything great worth having, we must constantly question what we focus on and how we spend our time and energy. The quote below says it all: ‘A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work.’ - Colin Powell This journal was designed for the sole purpose of putting you into a peak state of mind. The chances of you creating the life you want is incredibly unlikely if you’re constantly plagued by negative thoughts and worry. You can have the most wonderful uplifting dreams and goals, the best resources available, and the greatest willpower of all, but if you feel stressed, restless, and overwhelmed all the time, you won’t get any far. Having a positive attitude impacts your success rate significantly. In his book, The Happiness Advantage, Harvard professor Shawn Achor 94

the how-to guide

points to a mountain of evidence showing that happiness fuels success. ‘When we are positive, our brains become more engaged, creative, motivated, energetic, resilient, and productive at work. This isn’t just an empty mantra. This discovery has been repeatedly borne out by rigorous research in psychology and neuroscience, management studies, and the bottom lines of organizations around the globe.’ One of the scientific studies outlined in the book showed that doctors who are put in a positive mood before making a diagnosis consistently experience significant increases in their intellectual abilities, more than doctors in a neutral state, allowing them to make accurate diagnoses almost 20% faster. The same study found that optimistic salespeople outsell their pessimistic counterparts by over 50%. Students primed to feel happy outperformed their neutral peers. So it turns out that our minds are literally hardwired to perform at their best not when they are negative, or even neutral, but when they are positive.44 The basic principles behind this journal – the daily quotes, the questions, the blank pages – they are all designed to put you into a positive frame of mind. They direct your mental focus, and therefore shape the way you think and feel, and thus how you experience your life. The greater you feel about yourself and your life, the greater your inner drive and desire to accomplish the “big stuff”. The stuff that gives our lives true meaning and purpose. But still: Words and wisdom mean nothing if there is no action. As John Maxwell taught us: ‘Dreams don’t work unless you do.’ 95

the how-to guide

It’s easy to fall into the trap of getting caught up in the day to day busyness of life. People will sooner find reasons not to do something, not to move, not to act, than to action the one compelling reason to sacrifice and work diligently toward a goal. On top of that, research shows that we defer working on things depending on how distant we perceive their deadlines. If we decide that something falls into the “future” category, we simply file it in our “someday” folder and eventually those goals are tossed aside.45 It’s time to move your goals out of the “someday” folder into the “today” folder. Successful people don’t wait for “someday” to come. They recognize that a good plan executed today is better than a perfect plan executed someday. So even if their plans are not perfect yet, they move forward because they know their resistance to moving forward is solely based on fear. They take action here and now, today – because they know that’s the only way to achieve real progress and breakthrough. Sitting around, waiting for the best possible moment, only delays that progress.46 How can we turn our goals into action, not words? Put differently: how can we make sure we walk the walk, not just talk the talk? Brendon Burchard, one of the most influential leaders in personal growth and achievement, shares his vision on this: ‘If you don’t have routine and structure set up in a way that will keep you on track, then you’ll fall off. And having new goals without new habits is kind of like having a new car without wheels. The habits are the wheels. They’re the things that make you able to achieve the goals. 96

the how-to guide

So, you’ve got to have good habits.' 47 Enter the 100-Day Journal. In the next section you’ll be inspired to set goals based on your dreams in life, and then write them down. Then, every ten days, over the course of 100 days, you will be asked the following question: what actions can i take in the next ten days to move me closer to accomplishing my goals ?

Asking yourself this one simple question, on a consistent basis, can be an excellent boost to your productivity – i.e. making inroads on your goals, despite life’s incoming demands, (digital) distractions, and responsibilities. If this sounds like too much of a commitment to make, ask yourself this question: How bad do you want it? Let’s say you want to have a better quality of life. You want to eat healthier, get fit, switch jobs, create better relationships, or feel more balanced. You want to see things changed in your life. …But you haven’t yet, because life got in the way. You had the intention, you truly meant to do it. You felt pretty excited. And you started out trying your best. And then things just kinda faded away, fizzled out, flopped. That’s what we all repeatedly do and it absolutely doesn’t work. 97

the how-to guide

So what does work? You must make a commitment. You have to decide that you really want to make a change. And that you want it badly enough. This journal keeps you on track by providing a routine and structure. This journal is about really committing to your goals. Every time you find yourself deviating from this commitment, when you drift away from your goals and begin to fall into a pattern that leaves you feeling unfulfilled and alienated, remember to ask yourself: How bad do you want it? If you want your dreams to become a reality bad enough, then use the next 100 days to move the ball forward. Create your future. (You’re already molding it as you read this). Simply wishing for your goals to manifest, or saying you’ll do it “someday,” doesn’t make it happen. Always remember: ‘Your future is created by what you do today, not tomorrow.’ - Robert Kiyosak Hold your own feet to the fire. Take action and make it happen. This journal is your guide.

the how-to guide

why it works

Writing down your goals, and regularly asking yourself what you are doing to reach those goals, is not only an (ultimately) rewarding process, it just works. Here’s why. Commitment Committing to goals invests ourselves into the target as if we’d already accomplished it. If you set a goal (small or large, near or far in the future), part of your brain believes that desired outcome is an essential part of who you are. Your brain will want to close the gap between your present situation and your goal, pulling you upwards to achieve it. Your brain does this by setting up the conditions that drive you to work toward your goals.48 That’s the science of setting goals. Accountability & focus World-class goal achievers have a secret weapon in their arsenal: accountability. And now you do, too. This journal will give you a reminder and focus boost every ten days as to what you are trying to accomplish. It will force you to regularly sit and think of a set of specific and concrete actions that will move you towards your goals. This type of accountability is not only a real motivator, it may be just the thing you need to make your goals a reality. Pleasure Working towards your goals releases dopamine, the pleasure hormone. Dopamine acts as a motivator, creating a sensation of pleasure when the brain is stimulated by achievement. Every time you do something that is moving you in the direction of your goals, dopamine rewards our attention and achievement by elevating our mood. As a result, you will gain renewed motivation again.49 Put differently: this journal is a perpetual motivational machine on paper.

the how-to guide

The power of writing down your goals Amazing things happen when you write down your goals. Writing down your goals switches on your Reticular Activating System, or ras , for short. The ras works as a filtering system for the brain. Writing down your goals sets up the filter. It tells the ras what to look for and all of a sudden things and opportunities start to appear - it’s a matter of your filtering system. Have you ever had the experience of deciding to buy something, say a certain type of car or a denim jacket, and then suddenly seeing it everywhere? This is the ras in action. The cars and the jackets were always there; you were just not paying attention to them. Putting a goal in writing sets up a filter that helps you be aware of certain things in your surroundings. Your brain will be working overtime to pay attention to relevant details, signals, and signs that will help you reach those goals.50 That’s the beauty of your brain. And here’s a bonus fact: Research has shown that people who write down their goals are 50% more likely to achieve them51 – just by writing them down! Imagine how likely you are to achieve your goals if you write them down and take action. Excited already? Your turn.

w hat a m a z i n g g oal s w i ll you a c c o m p l i s h i n the ne x t    day s ?

In this section you will be asked to fill in your goals for the next 100 days. This may be very new for you. That’s OK; here’s a simple guide to kick-start your goal-setting. 100

the how-to guide

how to se t life goals

There’s never a ‘perfect’ time or moment to sit down and think about what you really want in life. Life is busy and even when we get some time off during the day, we might just feel more like zoning out in front of the TV or checking our feeds, than thinking about the rest of our lives. Why not do it today? It may require some serious thinking, but it makes all the difference in the world. How do you choose your life goals? There is no perfect answer here. Some people know exactly what they want out of life, they just haven’t yet pursued it. For them, it just takes a little contemplation to define their goals. Others will have a more difficult time, as they have never figured out what their dreams are, or what they’d like to achieve in life. If you are one of the latter category, these suggestions are for you: 1 Set aside some time for quiet contemplation Setting goals can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours. 2 Make goal-setting a priority Don’t be content with living a life of mediocrity if your heart aches for so much more. Be courageous enough to take the first step; lay the first brick. 3 Think about what’s important to you We each have our own definition of ‘success in life’ because we all have different definitions of what is important to us. Some may find that money, power, or status is most important to them. Some may believe that it is making a positive difference in the lives of others. Others believe that it is doing what you love or being around those you love. For others it is beauty, intelligence, spirituality, influence, acceptance – the list goes on. The truth is that there is no single correct answer as to what is or should be most essential to you.

101

the how-to guide

But the beauty and importance of answering this question – is that it allows you to simplify your life goals. Understanding what is important to you equals understanding what is not important to you. If you identify the essential it is easier to cut out all the rest that distracts you and keeps you from doing what’s important. 4 Think about what you’d like people to say about you at your funeral This comes from Stephen Covey’s bestselling book The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People – the habit called ‘Begin with the end in mind’. Covey invites us to fast forward to the end of our life. Imagine yourself looking back. What would you like to have accomplished? What is it that you would like to be remembered for, by family, friends, colleagues, community members, and everyone else? What kind of person would you like to have been? Imagine looking back. Will you say, “I have lived my life! These were the things I found important. These were the kind of relationships I build. These were the things that gave me happiness. This is what I contributed.” That is called vision. Here’s the key: live up to this vision, every moment of every day, starting right now. Work towards becoming that memory. If you don’t you are sure to wake up one day and wonder, “Where the heck am I and how did I get so far off my intended path?” Think about how your priorities in life would change, if you re-centered your mind and re-focused your heart on your vision. Start living 102

the how-to guide

by these priorities. Your vision of your ultimate life will help you set goals. 5 Now that you’ve reflected on that, get a piece of paper and jot down some ideas for life goals that you’d like to achieve This can be in many areas, but here are a few to start with:

health

relationships

career

personal growth

fun

finance

Think of all the things you want to accomplish in these areas. Things that sound fulfilling, exciting, and wonderful. You can probably think of a lot more, and you don’t need to have goals in all of these areas. These are just some areas to get you started. 6 Refine or expand your list After your initial brainstorm, you may want to trim it down to the essentials. But you may also want to expand the list. Dare to dream big. Remember to always compete and compare against yourself, not with other people or their goals. 7 Choose the best of the list Take a look at your list and ask yourself: What goals could I accomplish in 100 days if I really went for it? Maybe you have to refine your life goals into sub-goals. Whatever you do, make sure to pick the goals that you are most excited about because that’s where your focus is going for the next 14 weeks. You’re really going to commit to them. 103

the how-to guide

It’s completely up to you, but try not to pick more than three. There are only 24 hours in a day, and we sleep for about 8 of them. Subtract the hours we spend eating (3), showering and dressing and fixing up (1), cleaning and running errands (1), on the go/driving (2), working (8) … and you’re left with an hour or two at most. Often less. It’s just not realistic to tackle more than 3 goals at once in just 100 days. Besides, it’s hard to maintain focus on a whole bunch of goals. Why not focus on making progress on 1-3 instead of overwhelming yourself with wanting to accomplish them all at once? You can focus on the others in your next journal. Some goals are bigger than others and it’s just not realistic to be able to achieve them in just 100 days. But you can inch yourself closer to making them a reality. So pick them anyway. If you are ever going to transform your life and realize your dreams, it has to start someplace. Make sure your goals are specific and have clearly defined outcomes — you should be able to visualize what it looks like when you’ve accomplished the outcome. Take a look at your finished list – are the goals realistic, but still challenging? Will accomplishing these goals improve your quality of life? Do they feel good? Are you excited to commit to them in the next 100 days? If you can answer yes to all of these questions, then congrats! You have your final list of goals. Now take time to write them down at the end of this section. Feel free to be as specific or as general as you like in describing them. But remember – the more detailed you are, the easier it is to measure 104

the how-to guide

your progress after 100 days.

t i m e to wal k the wal k

‘ Th e smallest o f ac t io n is be t ter t h an t h e greatest o f intent io n s.‘

m oha m m ed i m ran udd i n udd i n

You can set the most amazing goals, and have the greatest intentions in the world, but unless you take action to reach that destination you will never arrive. Those who succeeded before you didn’t achieve success overnight. The famous, Harry Potter author JK Rowling suffered a dozen rejections before a publisher saw the potential in her book. It took her 14 years to become the first “overnight” billionaire author, ever. Mark Zuckerberg, founder and ceo of Facebook, went through years of development and had a yearly net loss of $3.63 million before becoming an “overnight” success. It took Steve Jobs over 20 years to become an “overnight billionaire”. Look, the truth is you won’t get the kind of success you desire without persistence and massive, massive amounts of action. It’s not magic, it’s action. So think baby steps, not overnight success.

105

the how-to guide

Use the next 100 days to commit yourself to taking action. Every ten days, ask yourself: Is what I’m about to do in the coming days moving the ball forward? Be intentional. Remember: There is always something you could be doing to inch closer to making your goals a reality. Always. List the actions required to make progress with the goals you set up for yourself. Be realistic, but optimistically bold. Push yourself. Sometimes you may fail to live up to your intended actions. And that is frustrating and disappointing. This will happen and that’s OK. That’s how it works – constantly adjusting and renewing. Consider it a learning opportunity. Don’t let yourself back down when things get tough. Set some more realistic expectations for yourself next time. Even if you list baby steps (e.g. make a phone call, sign up for something, schedule a coffee date, submit that resume, buy a book on that topic, attend that meeting, do some research on the internet) it is a victory. Remember: ‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.' - Lao Tzu Be courageous enough to commit to using this journal. Identify what actions are really essential to your success in achieving your goals and allow the power of momentum to propel you into a future where you live the life you want. Always remember: the journey is all. The destination is beside the point.

106

the how-to guide

May you be blessed during your 100 day journey, but may you busy your butt too. As high performance coach Brendon Burchard says: ‘I don’t say, “good luck.” I say, “Make it happen. Earn it. Be excellent.’

w h at i f y o u d o n ’ t wa n t t o u s e t h i s j o u r n a l t o t r a c k y o u r g o a l s

That’s OK. Maybe you have a different system set up that makes you succeed in making progress with your goals. Maybe you are content with your life and don’t yearn for much more. This journal just offers a science-based tool that will help you take your life goals to the next level. But it’s up to you. Use what works for you and what makes you feel good. But make sure you do use the other parts of this journal to condition your mind to think positively and to focus on the positive things in your life. It is the number one positive habit that will make a daily difference in your life.

107

the how-to guide

m y g o a l s f o r t h e n e x t 100 d ay s

Goal 1

Goal 2

Goal 3

108

the how-to guide

Notes

109

'The quality of our life tomorrow, depends on the quality of our thinking today.' ed w ard de b ono

t h e journal

d ay 1

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

112

d a i ly n o t e s

It is never too late to be what you might have been. george eliot

113

d ay 2

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

114

d a i ly n o t e s

A year from now you may wish you had started today. karen lamb

115

d ay 3

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

116

d a i ly n o t e s

If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. way n e d y e r

117

d ay 4

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

118

d a i ly n o t e s

Dream. Let nothing dim the lightÂ that shines within you. m aya a n g e l o u

119

d ay 5

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

120

d a i ly n o t e s

Don't be afraid to fail. Be afraid not to try. michael jordan

121

d ay 6

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

122

d a i ly n o t e s

May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears. nelson mandela

123

d ay 7

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

124

d a i ly n o t e s

A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions. oliver wendell holmes, jr.

125

d ay 8

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

126

d a i ly n o t e s

You must find the place inside yourself where nothing is impossible. d e e pa k c h o p r a

127

d ay 9

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

128

d a i ly n o t e s

You must learn a new way to think before you can master a new way to be. marianne williamson

129

d ay 10

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

130

d a i ly n o t e s

Every day get excited designing and building your amazing future. damien thomas

131

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What am I most grateful for in my life right now?

132

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What actions can I take in the next ten days to move me closer to accomplishing my goals?

133

d ay 11

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

134

d a i ly n o t e s

The little things? The little moments?Â They aren't little. j o n k a b at - z i n n

135

d ay 12

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

136

d a i ly n o t e s

It is the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting. pa u l o c o e l h o

137

d ay 13

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

138

d a i ly n o t e s

Don't wait for the world to change. Change it yourself. k i m o n u i h o lg e n

139

d ay 14

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

140

d a i ly n o t e s

The eyes see only what the mindÂ is prepared to comprehend. henriÂ bergson

141

d ay 15

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

142

d a i ly n o t e s

If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten. tony robbins

143

d ay 16

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

144

d a i ly n o t e s

Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself. g e o r g e b e r n a r d s h aw

145

d ay 17

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

146

d a i ly n o t e s

Don't wait. The time will never be just right. napoleon hill

147

d ay 18

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

148

d a i ly n o t e s

You don't have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great. zig ziglar

149

d ay 19

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

150

d a i ly n o t e s

Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value. albert einstein

151

d ay 20

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

152

d a i ly n o t e s

My life didn't please me, so I created my life. coco chanel

153

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What am I most grateful for in my life right now?

154

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What actions can I take in the next ten days to move me closer to accomplishing my goals?

155

d ay 21

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

156

d a i ly n o t e s

Rule your mind or it will rule you. buddha

157

d ay 22

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

158

d a i ly n o t e s

If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way. napoleon hill

159

d ay 23

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

160

d a i ly n o t e s

It doesn't matter what others are doing, it matters what you are doing. unknown

161

d ay 24

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

162

d a i ly n o t e s

Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end. john lennon

163

d ay 25

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

164

d a i ly n o t e s

I don't think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains. a n n e f r a n kÂ

165

d ay 26

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

166

d a i ly n o t e s

It does not matter how slowly you go as long as you do not stop. confucius

167

d ay 27

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

168

d a i ly n o t e s

The best way to predict the future is to create it. abraham lincoln

169

d ay 28

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

170

d a i ly n o t e s

Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. arthur ashe

171

d ay 29

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

172

d a i ly n o t e s

When your heart speaks, take good notes. judith campbell

173

d ay 30

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

174

d a i ly n o t e s

Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. steve jobs

175

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What am I most grateful for in my life right now?

176

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What actions can I take in the next ten days to move me closer to accomplishing my goals?

177

d ay 31

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

178

d a i ly n o t e s

Everything comes to you at the right moment. Be patient. buddha

179

d ay 32

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

180

d a i ly n o t e s

The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. wa lt d i s n e y

181

d ay 33

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

182

d a i ly n o t e s

Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn. john maxwell

183

d ay 34

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

184

d a i ly n o t e s

Life is 10%Â what happensÂ to you and 90% how you react to it. charles swindoll

185

d ay 35

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

186

d a i ly n o t e s

There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing. aristotle

187

d ay 36

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

188

d a i ly n o t e s

Strive for progress, not perfection. unknown

189

d ay 37

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

190

d a i ly n o t e s

The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. confucius

191

d ay 38

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

192

d a i ly n o t e s

We have a strategic plan. It's called doing things. herb kelleher

193

d ay 39

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

194

d a i ly n o t e s

Remember, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. dale carnegie

195

d ay 40

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

196

d a i ly n o t e s

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined. h e n r y d av i d t h o r e a u

197

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What am I most grateful for in my life right now?

198

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What actions can I take in the next ten days to move me closer to accomplishing my goals?

199

d ay 41

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

200

d a i ly n o t e s

It's not knowing what to do, it's doing what you know. tony robbins

201

d ay 42

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

202

d a i ly n o t e s

Don't let the fear of what could happen make nothing happen. d o e z a n ta m ata

203

d ay 43

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

204

d a i ly n o t e s

Comparison is the thief of joy. t h e o d o r e r o o s e v e lt

205

d ay 44

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

206

d a i ly n o t e s

If you want to lift yourself up, lift up someone else. b o o k e r t . wa s h i n g t o n

207

d ay 45

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

208

d a i ly n o t e s

You are what you do, not what you say you'll do. carl jung

209

d ay 46

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

210

d a i ly n o t e s

The temptation to quit will be greatest just before you are about to succeed. chinese proverb

211

d ay 47

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

212

d a i ly n o t e s

No one ever achieved greatness by playing it safe. h a r r y g r ay

213

d ay 48

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

214

d a i ly n o t e s

We are what we believe we are. c. s. lewis

215

d ay 49

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

216

d a i ly n o t e s

Don't let small minds convince you that your dreams are too big. unknown

217

d ay 50

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

218

d a i ly n o t e s

A smooth sea never made a skilled sailor. f r a n k i n d . r o o s e v e lt

219

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What am I most grateful for in my life right now?

220

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What actions can I take in the next ten days to move me closer to accomplishing my goals?

221

d ay 51

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

222

d a i ly n o t e s

The only person you are destined to become is the person you decide to be. r a l p h wa l d o e m e r s o n

223

d ay 52

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

224

d a i ly n o t e s

Eighty percent of success is showing up. woody allen

225

d ay 53

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

226

d a i ly n o t e s

The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. amelia earhart

227

d ay 54

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

228

d a i ly n o t e s

We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize. t h i c h n h at h a n h

229

d ay 55

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

230

d a i ly n o t e s

The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another. william james

231

d ay 56

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

232

d a i ly n o t e s

The scariest moment is always just before you start. stephen king

233

d ay 57

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

234

d a i ly n o t e s

Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection. m a r k t wa i n

235

d ay 58

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

236

d a i ly n o t e s

Who we become is the result of our disciplined actions. brendon burchard

237

d ay 59

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

238

d a i ly n o t e s

Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will. karim seddiki

239

d ay 60

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

240

d a i ly n o t e s

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. r a l p h wa l d o e m e r s o n

241

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What am I most grateful for in my life right now?

242

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What actions can I take in the next ten days to move me closer to accomplishing my goals?

243

d ay 61

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

244

d a i ly n o t e s

You don't need more time, you just need to decide. seth godin

245

d ay 62

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

246

d a i ly n o t e s

I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. nelson mandela

247

d ay 63

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

248

d a i ly n o t e s

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. anaĂŻs nin

249

d ay 64

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

250

d a i ly n o t e s

Everything you need is already inside you. bill bowerman

251

d ay 65

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

252

d a i ly n o t e s

In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different. coco chanel

253

d ay 66

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

254

d a i ly n o t e s

A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new. albert einstein

255

d ay 67

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

256

d a i ly n o t e s

You cannot pursue brilliant work and comfort at the same time. todd henry

257

d ay 68

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

258

d a i ly n o t e s

Wherever you are, be all there. jim elliot

259

d ay 69

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

260

d a i ly n o t e s

So go ahead. Fall down. The world looks different from the ground. oprah winfrey

261

d ay 70

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

262

d a i ly n o t e s

You can't get much done in life if you only work on days when you feel good. jerry west

263

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What am I most grateful for in my life right now?

264

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What actions can I take in the next ten days to move me closer to accomplishing my goals?

265

d ay 71

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

266

d a i ly n o t e s

The only person you should try to be better than, is the person you were yesterday. unkown

267

d ay 72

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

268

d a i ly n o t e s

What we see depends mainly on what we look for. j o h n lu b b o c k

269

d ay 73

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

270

d a i ly n o t e s

Being miserable is a habit; being happy is a habit; and the choice is yours. tom hopkins

271

d ay 74

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

272

d a i ly n o t e s

Fall in love with the process, and the results will come. eric thomas

273

d ay 75

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

274

d a i ly n o t e s

What you do today can improve all your tomorrows. ralph marston

275

d ay 76

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

276

d a i ly n o t e s

Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right. henry ford

277

d ay 77

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

278

d a i ly n o t e s

Don't wait for the right moment. The right moment is now. tina roth eisenberg

279

d ay 78

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

280

d a i ly n o t e s

Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fears. les brown

281

d ay 79

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

282

d a i ly n o t e s

Approach everything as a creative opportunity. danielle laporte

283

d ay 80

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

284

d a i ly n o t e s

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. confucius

285

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What am I most grateful for in my life right now?

286

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What actions can I take in the next ten days to move me closer to accomplishing my goals?

287

d ay 81

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

288

d a i ly n o t e s

Knowing is not enough,Â we must apply. Willing is not enough, we must do. bruce lee

289

d ay 82

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

290

d a i ly n o t e s

Fall seven times, stand up eight. j a pa n e s e p r o v e r b

291

d ay 83

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

292

d a i ly n o t e s

If you're bored, you haven't been looking at life closely enough. l e o b a b a u ta

293

d ay 84

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

294

d a i ly n o t e s

All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us. j.r.r. tolkien

295

d ay 85

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

296

d a i ly n o t e s

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. m a r k t wa i n

297

d ay 86

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

298

d a i ly n o t e s

The future depends on what you do today. gandhi

299

d ay 87

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

300

d a i ly n o t e s

I know for sure that what we dwell on is who we become. oprah winfrey

301

d ay 88

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

302

d a i ly n o t e s

Well done is better than well said. benjamin franklin

303

d ay 89

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

304

d a i ly n o t e s

I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become. carl jung

305

d ay 90

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

306

d a i ly n o t e s

It always seems impossible until it's done. nelson mandela

307

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What am I most grateful for in my life right now?

308

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What actions can I take in the next ten days to move me closer to accomplishing my goals?

309

d ay 91

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

310

d a i ly n o t e s

It is in your moments of decision that your destiny is shaped. tony robbins

311

d ay 92

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

312

d a i ly n o t e s

If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try. seth godin

313

d ay 93

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

314

d a i ly n o t e s

Create a vision that makes you wanna jump out of bed in the morning. unknown

315

d ay 94

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

316

d a i ly n o t e s

Either you run the day or the day runs you. jim rohn

317

d ay 95

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

318

d a i ly n o t e s

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. william wordsworth

319

d ay 96

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

320

d a i ly n o t e s

When things change inside you, things change around you. zig ziglar

321

d ay 97

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

322

d a i ly n o t e s

Don't be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams. r a l p h wa l d o e m e r s o n

323

d ay 98

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

324

d a i ly n o t e s

Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you. oprah winfrey

325

d ay 99

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

326

d a i ly n o t e s

Do something today that your future self will thank you for. unknown

327

d ay 100

d at e

morning

Daily affirmations 1

What are the things that would make today a success if I accomplished them? 1

night time

What have I enjoyed today?

What have I learned today?

328

d a i ly n o t e s

What is done in love is done well. v i n c e n t va n g o g h

329

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What am I most grateful for in my life right now?

330

t i m e o u t pa r t after 10 days

What actions can I take in the next ten days to move me closer to accomplishing my goals?

331

‘We write to taste life twice.’ ana ï s n i n

c e l e b ra t e

c o n g r at s

334

c e l e b r at e

Well done! Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve just finished 100 days of journaling. A huge congratulations on this amazing milestone! Take a moment to celebrate yourself. It requires a great amount of willpower to take a couple of minutes every morning and every night to reflect on yourself and your day. With so many people, screens, and alerts competing for your attention, it can be difficult to block out that time for yourself. It takes courage to be honest about your own thoughts and emotions. It takes even more bravery to translate these sentiments into words on paper. That is awesome and worth a celebration. What lies in front of you now is an absolute masterpiece. A record of your life and your inner world. A personal recollection of the current events in your life, the moments around them, and how you felt while they were happening. These seemingly ordinary days are now the memories your future self will return to for comfort, inspiration, and fun. Now take this successful feeling and build on it, with some reflection on the past 100 days. Consider writing a short journal entry about your reflections, to solidify your learning. On the next pages you can find space for that. Want to share your story on how the 100-Day Journal made a difference in your life? Email us at hello@100dayjournal.com or talk to us on social media. We can't wait to hear your story!

335

notes

Notes

336

notes

Notes

337

notes

Notes

338

notes

Notes

339

references

340

references

1. Positive thinking makes you happier Babauta, Leo. ‘The Three Secrets To Happiness’. Zen Habits 2007. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 2. 60,000 thoughts a day Clevelandclinicwellness.com,. ‘Don’t Believe Everything You Think’. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 3. Writing lowers stress levels Murnahan, Briana. ‘Stress And Anxiety Reduction Due To Writing Diaries, Journals, E-Mail, And Weblogs’. Eastern Michigan University, 2010. Print. 4. Writing leads to faster recovery from physical injury Szalavitz, Maia. ‘How Writing Heals Wounds — Of Both The Mind And Body’. TIME.com. N.p., 2013. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 5. Practicing gratitude daily promotes longer, sounder sleep Digdon, Nancy, and Amy Koble. ‘Effects Of Constructive Worry, Imagery Distraction, And Gratitude Interventions On Sleep Quality: A Pilot Trial’. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being 3.2 (2011): 193-206. Web. 6. We have an inborn tendency to register our negative thoughts, feelings, and experiences more deeply than our positive ones Shimoff, Marci, and Carol Kline. Happy For No Reason. Print. 7. We were born with the innate desire and drive to continuously grow and improve Elrod, Hal. The Miracle Morning. Print. 8. People with high happiness set-points are human just like the rest of us Shimoff, Marci, and Carol Kline. Happy For No Reason. Print. 9. Whatever you think about and do on a regular basis shapes your reality Babauta, Leo. ‘Your Internet Habits Create Your Reality’. Zen Habits 2015. 341

references

Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 10. How long to form a habit Lally, Phillippa et al. ‘How Are Habits Formed: Modelling Habit Formation In The Real World’. European Journal of Social Psychology 40.6 (2009): 998-1009. Web. 11. Develop a pattern of questions that empower you Tony Robbins Blog,. ‘Morning Questions: Use The Power Of Questions To Change Your Life’. N.p., 2013. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 12. A genuine quality of life comes from consistent, quality questions Robbins, Anthony. Awaken The Giant Within. New York, N.Y.: Summit Books, 1991. Print. 13. Now matters more than any other time in your life Elrod, Hal. The Miracle Morning. Print. 14. Our self-talk has an enormous impact on our level of success in every aspect of our lives Elrod, Hal. The Miracle Morning. Print. 15. 80% of women have self-deprecating thoughts about themselves Elrod, Hal. The Miracle Morning. Print. 16. Positive thinking and the use of affirmations has helped many successful people on their journey to success and wealth Elrod, Hal. The Miracle Morning. Print. 17. Affirmations are your greatest tool, and the easiest and cheapest to use Jeffers, Susan J. Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1987. Print.

342

references

18. The power of affirmations Babauta, Leo. ‘Virus Protection For The Mind’. Zen Habits 2009. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 19. Tiger Wood’s secret to success Subliminal Messaging - Videos, Articles, News, Research,. ‘Tiger Woods Secret To Success – Mind Power’. N.p., 2008. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 20. Jim Carrey and the power of affirmations Canfield, Jack, and Janet Switzer. The Success Principles. New York: Harper Resource Book, 2005. Print. 21. State affirmations in the present and phrase affirmations in the positive, rather than the negative Jeffers, Susan J. Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1987. Print. 22. What affirmations do to you Canfield, Jack. ‘Visualize And Affirm Your Desired Outcomes: A Step-ByStep Guide’. Jack Canfield: Maximizing Your Potential. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 23. People need to get more intentional about their day Burchard, Brendon. ‘How To Design The Perfect Day’. Brendon Burchard 2014. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 24. We have to be definitive about what we call a successful day Christophersen, Josh. ‘Three Keys To Keep You From Feeling Like A Failure At The End Of The Day’. Goins Writer. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 25. We have to be specific about what we call a successful day Christophersen, Josh. ‘Three Keys To Keep You From Feeling Like A Failure At The End Of The Day’. Goins Writer. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 26. Looking at our posts is like cocaine today for the brain Burchard, Brendon. ‘How To Unplug’. Brendon Burchard 2014. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 343

references

27. Successful people block off time at night to write and reflect Smith, Jacquelyn. ‘9 Things Successful People Do Right Before Bed’. Business Insider 2014. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 28. The importance of taking some time to reflect on the positive moments of the day and celebrate the successes Smith, Jacquelyn. ‘9 Things Successful People Do Right Before Bed’. Business Insider 2014. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 29. By “registering the positive” you are triggering the ‘reticular activating system’ (ras ) Shimoff, Marci, and Carol Kline. Happy For No Reason. Print. 30. Oprah Winfrey’s gratitude journal Winfrey, Oprah. ‘What Oprah Knows For Sure About Gratitude’. Oprah. com. N.p., 2012. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 31. We rarely take the time to pause, breathe, and think about what’s working and what’s not Shontell, Alyson. ‘How To Be Productive With The Last Five Minutes Of Every Day’. Business Insider 2011. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 32. Declarative memory is enhanced when sleep follows Gais, S. ‘Sleep After Learning Aids Memory Recall’. Learning & Memory 13.3 (2006): 259-262. Web. 33. Reflecting daily gives you perspective Babauta, Leo. ‘5 Powerful Reasons To Make Reflection A Daily Habit, And How To Do It’. Zen Habits 2007. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 34. Knowledge is power Bass, Matthew. ‘10 Reasons Why You Should Learn Something New Every Day’. Success Groove. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 35. It’s a huge mistake to dismiss the idea of gratitude as fluff, or new-agey hokum 344

references

Kesler, Keith. ‘Gratitude: Counting Your Blessings Works For Your Brain, Your Body, And Your Business - Really!’. Keith Kesler 2014. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 36. The biologic effect of gratitude on our brains Kesler, Keith. ‘Gratitude: Counting Your Blessings Works For Your Brain, Your Body, And Your Business - Really!’. Keith Kesler 2014. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 37. The cognitive effect of gratitude on our brains Korb, Alex. ‘The Grateful Brain’. Psychology Today 2012. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 38. The benefits of practicing gratitude consistently Emmons, Robert. ‘Why Gratitude Is Good’. The Greater Good Science Center 2010. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 39. Practicing gratitude is like pressing an emotional reset button Borenstein, Seth. ‘Why Giving Thanks Is Good For The Psyche’. The Huffington Post 2011. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 40. The decision of what you focus on dictates the quality of your life Robbins, Tony. ‘The 3 Decisions That Will Change Your Financial Life’. Entrepreneur 2014. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 41. Your ability to set goals is the master skill of success Tracy, Brian. Goals! How To Get Everything You Want - Faster Than You Ever Thought Possible. San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2003. Print. 42. Goals are a powerful tool for creating positive change Advanced Life Skills,. ‘The Proven Power Of Goals And YOU’. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 43. Those who dare to live their dreams are powerful outliers ‘Making Financial Dreams A Reality’. Tony Robbins. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 345

references

44. Happiness fuels success Achor, Shawn. The Happiness Advantage. New York: Broadway Books, 2010. Print. 45. We defer working on things depending on how distant we perceive their deadlines Spassova, Gerri, and Angela Y. Lee. ‘Looking Into The Future: A Match Between Self-View And Temporal Distance’. J Consum Res 40.1 (2013): 159-171. Web. 46. Successful people don’t wait for “someday” to come Chernoff, Angel. ‘12 Quiet Rituals Of Enormously Successful Humans’. Marc and Angel. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 47. Having new goals without new habits is kind of like having a new car without wheels Burchard, Brendon. ‘Sustaining Habits With Triggers’. Brendon Burchard 2015. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 48. Committing to goals invests ourselves into the target as if we’d already accomplished it Wax, Dustin. ‘The Science Of Setting Goals’. Lifehack. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 49. Working towards your goals releases dopamine, the pleasure hormone Wax, Dustin. ‘The Science Of Setting Goals’. Lifehack. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 50. Writing down your goals switches on your Reticular Activating System (ras ) Klauser, Henriette Anne. Write It Down, Make It Happen. New York: Scribner, 2000. Print. 51. People with written goals are 50% more likely to achieve them GoalBand,. ‘Gail Matthews Dominican University California. Written Goals Increases Success.’. Web. 3 Dec. 2015. 346

references

347

notes

Notes

348

notes

Notes

349

notes

Notes

350

notes

Notes

351

The 100-Day Journal Published by Bliss & Bloom, Amsterdam 2017 ISBNâ&#x20AC;&#x201A;978-94-92420-00-8

1 0 0 D AY J O U R N A L . C O M