Ten Powerful Phrases For Positive People

There are ten powerful phrases that can transform lives. Well that’s what Rich Devos, the founder of Amway and author of “Ten Powerful Phrases For Positive People” believes.

He believes that maintaining a positive attitude and encouraging others are two vital keys to not only his success, but to achieving anything that you want in life.

In the book, Ten Powerful Phrases for Positive People, he says that, “Simply by adding these phrases into your daily conversations you can help to build relationships, motivate achievement, instill confidence, and change attitudes, in your work and family life.”

So what are the Ten Powerful Phrases For Positive People?

Ten Powerful Phrases:

1. I’m wrong
2. I’m sorry
3. You can do it
4. I believe in you
5. I’m proud of you
6. Thank you
7. I need you
8. I trust you
9. I respect you
10. I love you

I think that you can add another one to this list of ten powerful phrases and make it eleven powerful phrases:

11. I miss you

Whether you hate or love Amway, and even if one of your friends tried to sell you 1000 rolls of toilet paper, I think the Rich Devos has actually hit the mark with these powerful phrases.

Simple words that can and will change lives. Yours and others.

When your stumped and don’t know what to say, just remember that you don’t need to be Shakespeare to touch someones heart.

Two simple words like, “I’m sorry.” may be all that you need to say.

What would you add to the powerful phrases list?

Please let me know below.

Be Inspirational!

Ian

No related posts.

And This Too Shall Pass – Two Stories, One Poem & A Video

And this too shall pass has brought comfort, hope and humility to millions of people for some time now. This simple phrase, “And this too shall pass” has shown up in tattoos, rings, posters, and wall plaques. You name it and it might just well be on it.

Sometimes it’s phrased, “This shall past too.” or shortened like, “This too shall pass.”

But however you say it, this simple sentence may help you on your journey in life.

I‘ve read two variations of the original parable for And this too shall pass.

Both of them are beautiful.

And This Too Shall Pass

Version 1 (Adapted and re-written by Ian Paul Marshall)

Long ago there was an Eastern Monarch who was troubled with many worries, harassed on all sides, so he called to him the wisest men in his counsel.

He asked them to create a motto, a few simple and magic words, that could help him in times of trouble and distress.

“It must be brief enough to be engraved on my ring.” he said.

That way he could have it close to him at all times.

The monarch lowered his gaze so that these men could not be shaken by the worry that plagued their ruler. He spoke, his words desperately trying to convey a courage that he hoped he would soon reclaim, “It must be appropriate in every situation, equally as useful in prosperity and adversity. It must be a motto wise and true. Something to last to the end of time. Simple words that any man, woman or child can be guided by their whole lives. In every circumstance, no matter what may happen”

For several days these wise men too to their task. They loved the monarch and it tore at their hearts to see him bear such a heavy sorrow.

Finally they emerged from their chambers and came to the Monarch with their magic words.

“These words shall comfort and give rise to wisdom for every change or or chance that life can take,” declared the wise men.

“Words that will fit every situation, good or bad, and our perceptions that cloud both extremes. Words to ease the heavy heart and tortured mind in every circumstance.”

And the words they gave the monarch to engrave of his cherished ring were:

And this too shall pass away.

And This Too Shall Pass

Version 2

One day Solomon decided to humble Benaiah Ben Yehoyada, his most trusted minister. He said to him, “Benaiah, there is a certain ring that I want you to bring to me. I wish to wear it for Sukkot which gives you six months to find it.”

“If it exists anywhere on earth, your majesty,” replied Benaiah, “I will find it and bring it to you, but what makes the ring so special?”

“It has magic powers,” answered the king. “If a happy man looks at it, he becomes sad, and if a sad man looks at it, he becomes happy.”

Solomon knew that no such ring existed in the world, but he wished to give his minister a little taste of humility.

Spring passed and then summer, and still Benaiah had no idea where he could find the ring.

On the night before Sukkot, he decided to take a walk in one of the poorest quarters of Jerusalem. He passed by a merchant who had begun to set out the day’s wares on a shabby carpet.

“Have you by any chance heard of a magic ring that makes the happy wearer forget his joy and the broken-hearted wearer forget his sorrows?” asked Benaiah.

He watched the grandfather take a plain gold ring from his carpet and engrave something on it.

When Benaiah read the words on the ring, his face broke out in a wide smile.

That night the entire city welcomed in the holiday of Sukkot with great festivity. “Well, my friend,” said Solomon, “have you found what I sent you after?”

All the ministers laughed and Solomon himself smiled.

To everyone’s surprise, Benaiah held up a small gold ring and declared, “Here it is, your majesty!”

As soon as Solomon read the inscription, the smile vanished from his face.

The jeweler had written three Hebrew letters on the gold band: gimel, zayin, yud, which began the words “Gam zeh ya’avor” — “This too shall pass.”

At that moment Solomon realized that all his wisdom and fabulous wealth and tremendous power were but fleeting things, for one day he would be nothing but dust.

This Too, Shall Pass Away

by Paul Hamilton Hayne, American editor, writer, poet.

“Art thou in misery, brother? Then I pray
Be comforted. Thy grief shall pass away.
Art thou elated? Ah, be not too gay;
Temper thy joy: this, too, shall pass away.
Art thou in danger? Still let reason sway,
And cling to hope: this, too, shall pass away.
Tempted art thou? In all thine anguish lay
One truth to heart: this, too, shall pass away.
Do rays of loftier glory round thee play?
Kinglike art thou? This, too, shall pass away!
Whate’er thou art, wher’er thy footsteps stray,
Heed these wise words: This, too, shall pass away.”

And This Too Shall Pass – Video

Shortly after I posted this page my friend Heidi pointed me toward a video that has as it’s main chorus “And This Too Shall Pass.”

OK Go – This Too Shall Pass – Rube Goldberg Machine version.

Another sort of related quote that I love along the same lines of And this too shall pass is one by Gandhi.

“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love has always won. There have been tyrants and murderers and for a time they seem invincible but in the end, they always fall — think of it, ALWAYS.” – Gandhi

Be inspirational!

Ian

No related posts.

Personal Development & Zombies

Personal development and zombies don’t usually get brought up in the same sentence. But in my crazy mixed up world somehow they’ve gotten smooshed together.

Me and my wife watched Zombieland last night and we loved it! It stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, and Abigail Breslin. There’s even a cameo by Bill Murray with a huge Ghost Busters reference.

Now I wasn’t watching the movie with the eye to discover real-world life lessons. But as it went on there were a couple of them snuck in there to really take this movie to the next level for me.

If you’re open to it, all things, people, and situations can teach you something and help you with your personal development.

Personal Development Lessons Learned From Zombies

Nut Up or Shut Up
One of my favorite sayings that I heard years ago is, “You can’t complain about what you permit.”

Complaining: We get sucked into it at work, we sit around the table and whine about it when we’re out with our friends, and we grumble about it under our breath when we’re alone. Sometimes secretly resenting a person or situation, pointing fingers and blaming external forces for our crappy life.

Well like Woody says in the movie, “Nut up or shut up.”

We have more power then we give ourselves credit for.

Is there something that’s bothering you about your life?

Why is it bothering you?

What have you done to help create it?

What’s the lesson hidden within it?

And remember the Serenity Prayer, “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, The courage to change the things I can, And the wisdom to know the difference.”

Nothing Stays The Same
Whether it’s the weather, your life, or a fast acting plague that quickly infects the human race turning them all into Zombies, nothing stays exactly as it was.

We can’t fight change because if we do we’re really fighting against ourselves.

Laurens van der Post said that, “Life is its own journey, presupposes its own change and movement, and one tries to arrest them at one’s eternal peril.”

Embrace change and your free. A natural spontaneity happens within us because we tap into the joy that’s at the center of our being.

Family is What You Make It
Family is more than the one we’re born into. And I know that sometimes our families are not all Brady bunch or what we want them to be, but the “perfect family” doesn’t exist.

And family isn’t defined by DNA.

If there’s anything that sites like facebook or twitter are teaching us it’s that we’re all connected.

We’re returning to a tribe mentality.

Realizing the we’re a global family sharing a precious home called earth.

So enjoy the family you have and go out there and make it bigger by honestly connecting with others.

Trust Can Be Given Freely
What’s to lose by starting each interaction from a place of trust? By being open and honest?

Have the courage to wear you heart on your sleeve.

I’m not saying to be a doormat or anything like that. But it’s OK to trust. It’s empowering actually.

Working from a place of trust fills you with self-confidence, power and clarity.

It gives you a chance to bond to your fellow travelers along the way. And it opens up doors where there were once walls.

Be Yourself
This is a scary one for a lot of people. Being yourself is sometimes crushed under the weight of trying to fit in. Or we have it beaten out of us in grade-school.

But life is all about diversity.

When we fall in love with a person it’s the unique qualities that set them apart from every other person you’ve met before. It’s those individualistic traits that makes them unique. Special even.

We’re all unique.

The philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche gave this advice about embracing and being ourselves, “At bottom every man knows well enough that he is a unique being, only once on this earth; and by no extraordinary chance will such a marvelously picturesque piece of diversity in unity as he is, ever be put together a second time.”

We are fragile creatures. We try to hide this. Build impenetrable walls around us. But it’s our fragility, our softness, our vulnerability that makes all the difference.

Our own fragility is an oasis of opportunity.

The opportunity to explore, create and connect.

Ask yourself the tough questions, “What do I like? What brings me the most joy? Who am I really?”

Work With What You’ve Got
Are you waiting for everything to be perfect before you do something about your life?

Well stop right now!

The perfect time that you’re waiting for is RIGHT NOW.

Woody and friends beat up and pulverized Zombies with whatever was around. They used hedge clippers, cars, sports equipment. Anything and everything became a tool for them to use.

Don’t get hung up on the fanciest gadget, the shiniest widget, or the stars to align.

Start right now and work with what you’ve got. I still use spiral bound notepads to jot down my thoughts and keep track of my life.

You’d be surprised what you can come up with and achieve by just doing your best with the tools, talents and gifts that you posses right now.

Enjoy The Little Things
Maybe it’s twinkies, a hot cup of orange pekoe tea, or sitting on street benches watching the world go by. You’ve got to take the time to enjoy the little things in life.

Take what happened to me this morning.

I had stumbled to bed at about four in the morning hoping that the kids we’re going to sleep until nine (pipe dream).

At about 7am I heard the little pitter patter of feet coming down the hall. It was my son Shea.

He came into our room and climbed into the bed with me to cuddle.

And sure he had a little bit of dragon (morning) breath but that really didn’t matter compared to the couple minutes of joy he brought to my day.

Maybe it was the warmth of his little head in the crook of my arm. Or the big grin he had when I hid his little hand in mine 25 times. Or the fun he had going “boop” every so silently, being sure he didn’t wake Mommy, while he turned my nose into a button.

But for those few minutes I lay there, taking the time to really enjoy the moment.

Be inspirational!

Ian

No related posts.

The Power of Acceptance

12 hours.

That’s how long we spent in the emergency room at Sick Kids hospital in Toronto.

My son Shea had broken his arm.

He’s doing good and is a little trooper living his life as if he’s not even wearing a cast.

He broke his arm by doing what he does best, being a kid. Jumping around and having fun on the bed.

The little guy taught me something that day as we saw countless doctors, nurses, and staff.

He taught me about the power of acceptance.

Acceptance isn’t resignation. Acceptance is empowerment.

When we accept situations for what they are we are given the clarity, the power and the resolve to move on with our lives without frustration.

When we accept people for who they are and not who we want them to be we taste freedom. Freedom from unfair expectations, illusions and misconceptions.

Acceptance places us within the heart of reality. A place that let’s us love each other and more importantly love ourselves.

The art of acceptance is like a shield that keeps the hardships of life at bay. It’s an inspired indifference that allows our energy to move freely again.

William James psychologist and philosopher had this to say about acceptance, “Acceptance of what has happened is the first step to overcoming the consequences of any misfortune.”

Using the art of acceptance brings us back to this moment. Being present to the present fills us with energy because that’s where the power is.

So come back to this moment, see it clearly and accept it deep into your heart.

It’s OK because you’ll be just fine.

Just like my son.

Be inspirational!

Ian

“Inspiring You To Greatness”

No related posts.

Perfection is the enemy.

Leonard Cohen, the famous songwriter sang, “Forget your perfect offering. There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.”

That light is light of your hopes, your dreams and the doorway by which new opportunities are given a chance to enter into your life.

Life isn’t perfect. Do yourself the favor and accept that truth now.

And what is perfect anyways?

Asking myself that question I was reminded of when my two children were born.

Perfection was my wife, exhausted, sweaty and ready to get some well deserved sleep.

Perfection was my kids covered in slime and goo and crying their faces off trying to make sense of the world they just entered into.

Perfection was me, a bubbling and delirious mess of emotions, overwhelmed, and crying with joy.

That’s true perfection.

It’s messy.

It’s unscripted.

And it’s happening in the everyday moments of your life.

Be inspirational!

Ian

Inspiring You To Greatness!

No related posts.

The Law of Attraction: 4 Manifesting Tip

Mastering the law of attraction takes practice. It’s not like were taught about the law of attraction in school. It’s something that we stumble upon when we’re ready. Or it’s a power we discover through insight. Or we’re taught the law of attraction through a friend,  a book or movie.

However you’ve come to know the law of attraction in your life the truth is we usually need a little help with it at first. Some tips and tricks to get in the flow of co-creating.

Here are 4 tips to help you manifest your desires with the law of attraction:

1. Get Clear
   Get clear on what it is that you really want to attract into your life. Determine exactly what it is. We tend to work from a place of knowing to clearly what we don’t want. Turn that around and discover what you DO want.
2. Do It Daily
   After you’ve gotten clear and what it is that you want to manifest using the law of attraction you can’t just think about it once and be done with it. You’ve got to vision it daily. The more you focus on what it is you want you create a field around you that get’s stronger and stronger.
3. Act As If
   Acting as if energizes your field of influence. The reality you’re trying to create externally has already been created internally. An alignment happens. This then draws into your life the people and opportunities you need to manifest your dreams.
4. Take Action
   Start to take action now. And be ready to pounce on opportunities when they arise. Don’t be blind about it though. Be wise and use your intuition so that you’re not making rash decisions. But don’t let fear paralyze you from moving forward.

I hope these law of attraction tips help you unleash the greatness that sleeps within you.

Have any tips that have been working for you? Please share them below.

“Throw your dreams into space like a kite, and you do not know what it
will bring back – a new life, a new friend, a new love, a new country.”
Anaïs Nin

Be inspirational!

Ian

Inspiring You To Greatness.

Related posts:

1. The Law of Attraction
2. 10 Ways To Increase Your Attraction Factor
3. Using the Law of Attraction

The Multimillionaires Secret To Success

When bestselling author and motivational speaker Jack Canfield of the “Chicken Soup for Your Soul” fame had the good fortune to work for the multimillionaire W. Clement Stone, the uber-successful Stone had this to sage advise to pass along to Jack.

Wisdom that will echo throughout time and that you can find in Jack’s amazing book the Success Principles:

“Taking one hundred percent responsibility means you acknowledge that you create everything that happens to you. It means you understand that you are the cause of all of your experience.

If you want to be really successful, and I know you do, then you will have to give up blaming and complaining and take total responsibility for your life — that means all your results, both your successes and your failures. That is the prerequisite for creating a life of success.

It is only by acknowledging that you have created everything up until now that you can take charge of creating the future you want.

You see, Jack, if you realize that you have created your current conditions, then you can uncreate them and re-create them at will.

Do you understand that?”

And when Stone asked the young Jack Canfield if he was willing to take one hundred percent responsibility for his life the eager young millionaire in the making answered him with a confident and determined, “Yes, sir, I am!”

The secret to success on your personal development quest is taking 100% responsibility for your life. Doing this fills you with the strength and confidence that you need to unlock the greatness within you. Accept your power now. Take responsibility for your life and it’ll never be the same.

Be Inspirational!

Ian

Inspiring You To Greatness

Related posts:

1. Using the Law of Attraction
2. The Secret 100 Secret Quotes
3. Four Thoughts That Steer Your Mind Toward Success

I heard an interesting story the other day about Koi fish. Not sure if it’s an urban legend or not.

It said that Koi fish will only grow as large as their environment will allow for.

For example if you place a Koi in a fish bowl it’ll only grow up to about three inches. If you took that same fish and placed it in a backyard pond it’ll grow to about eighteen inches.

Most amazing though, is that if you place that same fish in a large lake, the Koi will grow to be about three feet or more.

So the fish’s growth it totally dependent on the environment it’s placed in.

This is similar to our own lives and the undo limitations that we place on ourselves.

We’ll only grow as far as we give ourselves permission to.

So if you want your life to grow, shatter your bowl.

Break free from the fears and doubts that are holding you back.

Realize that the boundaries and limitations that are in your life are more often than not self imposed prisons.

If your going to impose anything on yourself why not impose greatness?

4 Ways To Push Your Boundaries

1. Try something new:
   Maybe a new food, a different genre of books, a new restaurant.
2. Go somewhere different:
   Another part of the city or maybe even another country.
3. Talk to everyone:
   People on the street, in line, on the subway
4. Be spontaneous:
   Skip, sing out loud, where a Hawaiian shirt to work

Figure out what’ll work for you to help you get past yourself.

Everyday we build and oroperate our lives from a mental construct that we’ve created about ourselves.

So if we’re the ones that created it that means we have the power to change it. We can choose a different way and a new direction.

Maybe it’s time you jumped out of your bowl…

Be inspirational!

Ian

“Inspiring You To Greatness”

Related posts:

1. Heaven On Earth

“If nothing ever changed, there’d be no butterflies.” ~ Unknown

Nothing is fixed. Everything’s evolving. All things are in a constant state of becoming. You, me and even the stars.

We forget that sometimes.

Becoming rigid in our views of the world, each other and even ourselves.

But this life is mere putty. To be shaped by a set of skilled hands that are our own.

This is what we must remember.

That we make ourselves into whatever it we choose.

This is the blessing and sometimes the curse of freewill. We have the power to direct our thoughts, words, emotions, actions and press our will upon the formless realms of existence. This then gives rise to form. Giving birth to ourselves.

Change happens in the unseen realms of our lives. With each choice that we make we collapse potentiality into reality. The images that we hold within our minds and hearts get outpictured into our lives.

Life is but a feedback loop of the process that is happening within you.

So how can we transform our lives and use this inherent power that is within us?

6 Ways To Become Better Co-Creators Of Creation:

• Meditate daily. Just set aside a little time and focus on your breath
• Take an extra moment to tune into your inner self when your about to choose
• Take five minutes to reflect on your day
• Substitute thoughts of good and bad for skillful and unskillful
• Take five minutes to vision your future
• Have fun. Laugh, play and give thanks for the miracle that is your life.

Little changes can and do lead to big results.

Be inspirational!

Ian

Inspiring You To Greatness!

No related posts.

“Only one who devotes himself to a cause with his whole strength and soul can be a true master. For this reason mastery demands all of a person.” – Albert Einstein

Is there something that you really love to do? I mean something that time just stands still while your doing it? A talent or skill that you have, that you love, and that the neighbors envy a little bit?

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Heck I think I could be really good at this?”

I think we all have had that thought at least once in our lives.

But for whatever reason we never really did anything about it?

Well there’s hope my friends…

2 Hours A Day To Become Picaso

There’s a theory that gets bounced around in business and self-help books. It’s the; “10,000 Hours To Become A Master At Something Theory”

At first blush everyone’s usual response is, “Who that’s a lot of time.”

Well yes and no.

Let’s chunk it down a little: Say you devoted 2 hours a day to becoming totally awesome at something. I mean like Wayne Gretzky or Pablo Picaso kind of awesome. How many years do you think it’d take you to get that gold star?

Just a little over 13 years to become amazingly awesome at something.

So if you woke up an hour early and watched 1 hour less of TV a day you could be one of the best in the world at something.

It really helps if you like that something. It’ll give you that stick with it power.

But just imagine if you took something that you loved, were naturally gifted at and you worked on it for just two hours a day.

Within the blink of an eye…BLAMMO! You’re the most stupendous cheese sculpture in the world.

Here’s 6 Simple Ways To Be Totally Awesome At Something

1) Start it
2) Do it
3) Do it more
4) Get feedback from people who know more than you
5) Do it even more
6) Continually look for ways to improve

The best part about this is that if you’re doing something that you love the 10,000 hours will just slip by.

So what do you want to become awesome at?

Ian

Inspiring You To Greatness

Copyright © – Permission is granted to copy and redistribute this article on the condition that the content remains complete, full credit is given to the author(s), the links are active and that it is distributed freely. Source: http://ianpaulmarshall.com Photo Credit: Randy Alcasid

No related posts.