Will Bowen Audio

JumpStart- Sweet tooth

Believe it or not, my mother used to blame her weight struggles on her mouth.

“I just have such a sweet tooth,” she’d say in her delicate southern drawl.

Many people have told me that they, too, are afflicted with a “sweet tooth” and yet, having been one of those people myself I can tell you that there’s no such thing.

A “sweet tooth” is a sugar habit.

The more sugar we eat, the more want (not less).

If you find yourself eating sugary snacks, don’t blame your teeth, it’s your willpower.

Try breaking the cycle one day at time. Go just 24 hours without sugar and see how you feel.

I’m betting you’re going to feel GREAT!

JumpStart- Feeling Sorry for Yourself

What if, rather than feeling sorry for yourself when something painful happened, you instead began to work to resolve this situation as best as you could?

Look, whatever is upsetting you, you’re going to get over it so why not do it now and feel free?

The pain of most experiences lingers not because of the seriousness of the incident but because we replay it over and over in our heads.

This keeps tearing open the wound.

If you’re dealing with a problem that seems unfair and too big (and, who isn’t?) take the shortcut to feeling better.

Skip the feeling sorry for yourself stuff -- get off the pity potty and do something about it.

JumpStart- Gratitude

Many people misquote the bible saying, “For all things give thanks.”

That’s not correct — it’s not FOR all things give thanks, it’s IN all things give thanks.

In other words, you’re not expected to be grateful for everything that happens, rather, you're supposed to be grateful overall.

I had this point driven home to me the other night when I stayed in a NASTY hotel room in Phoenix.

Watch today’s video and find out how I turn negative events around.

More importantly, learn how to frame your experience so you end up with feeling grateful.

To You Love God Tuesday- Release 4

I think the reason so many people love zombies is that we, as human beings, can relate to walking around half dead.

John Lennon was never more spot on than when he observed, “Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.”

As we work, plan, and dream life slips silently by.

Today, wake up to the good things that are around you. The things that you’d miss if they were gone. The little things that, in the end, mean everything.

Begin to focus on this moment for it alone is life and, as the highest act of gratitude, dare to enjoy this moment as much as you can.

JumpStart- Go For It

It’s amazing how many opportunities surround us that we rationalize letting slip through our grasp.

Recently, I was at a convention of professionals and was surprised to see every single one of them miss a blatant opportunity right in front of them.

In this video, I share why we fail to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves and how we can begin to take action.

In the end, you either make effort of you make excuses.

What’s it going to be for you today?

JumpStart- Who Decides?

Restaurant portion sizes in the United States (and elsewhere) have gotten much larger over the years in an attempt to convey value.

Unfortunately, this shift has lead to super-sized people who are unhealthy.

It’s amazing the little decisions about ourselves that we relinquish to other people from restaurant portion sizes to the styles that we wear.

Happiness comes from feeling self-determined and deciding how much we’ll eat, what we’ll wear, and other small decisions lead to feeling in control AND living a better life.

Today notice how often decisions are made in advance for you.

Then, where appropriate, make new, healthier choices.

JumpStart- Journaling

Have you noticed that most really successful people sit down and write their thoughts, plans, dreams, discoveries and problems?

Throughout history great people have left a diary of some sort not so much for posterity but as a tool to work out what is, in many cases, their own madness.

I was recently reintroduced to the power of journaling and reminded of the healing that awaits us when we sit with pen and paper to express our thoughts.

When you journal, your mind slows down and you’re able to put your problems down on paper where they often look much smaller.

Journaling is a great practice to lower stress and create a sense of purpose and direction.

Today, spend ten minutes reading your own thoughts as they spill from your pen.

You’ll find it enlightening.

JumpStart- Your Load

Ginger was a dog who showed up at our home one day and took up permanent residence.

Ginger had obviously been abused in the past and was always nervous and anxious.
She would cower whenever you went to pet her out of fear that you might hit her.

Teddy, on the other hand, is our current dog and he’s has been held, nuzzled and played with since the moment he was born.

Teddy has no fear of people--only trust.

People tend to fall along a similar spectrum from Ginger (been hurt before, stressed) and Teddy (totally loved and knows it!) and this creates a load on our nervous system that determines our relationships, reactions and even our health.

Today, let’s take a look at the stress life has placed upon us and how we can make it as light as possible.

To You Love God Tuesday- Release 3

There is a sad truth about dogs.

Back when scientific experiments were often quite cruel, in one study dogs were placed into cages that were randomly electrified painfully shocking the dogs.

(I told you it was cruel.)

The researchers found that when the dogs were released from their shocking cages and then put under stress, the dogs would return to the pain of their cage rather than seek safety elsewhere.

Some of us can relate to that “Well, it hurts so it must be home” analogy and it’s sad how often we, like dogs, stay in painful situations rather than making new choices.

Consider today how you might be staying with pain rather than growing beyond it and consider how you might find healthier, happier ways of being.

JumpStart- Time

Hedonic adaptation explains why our first bite of pizza always tastes better than your last. If it didn’t, we might continue eating nonstop.

Hedonic adaptation also helps us put life’s pain and struggles into perspective because over time even the most painful wound can sting a lot less.

Consider how time gives you perspective and how perspective gives you peace.

More importantly, think about the things that happened in the past that you continue to exhume and relive keeping the pain fresh and alive.

Discover the power of time to bring you ease and comfort in letting go the pain of the past.