Keeping Your Head in the Game

Sometimes in life it's rather easy to defeat ourselves even before the race, or the game ever ends.  This usually happens during tough moments from day to day when we let our heads play games with us and get the best of us.  It's so easy to psych ourselves out, to get caught up in our own negativity and self doubt, rather than to keep traversing down the path of self confidence and empowerment.  The truth is though, in life you are never defeated, unless of course you believe you are.  And none of us are ever really out of the game, unless we take ourselves out of the game.  That's the beauty of life.  There are always new days, new beginnings, new opportunities to rise forth from the ashes, to find a way to win again.
 

Sometimes every once in a while we all just need a reality check, so we can bring ourselves back into focus in the game of life.  Reality is an interesting thing though.  We all form realities, ideas and beliefs in our minds that we in turn live by, in spite of whether they are true or false.  And we need to be careful with this too, because the things we believe to be true usually end up becoming our experience or our created realities.  We mustn't forget that we are all helping to shape our realities with our persistent thoughts, beliefs and focus.  And this thing called life is oftentimes just like a game that we win or lose mostly in our heads.  It's a game we play against ourselves a lot of the time.  And most of us are a lot harder on ourselves than we need to be. 
   

The cool thing about life is that life's battles don't always go to the strongest or fastest man or woman, but oftentimes to the one who perseveres the most and who keeps their head in the game.  When you can can keep your cool, as well as keep your focus positive and well directed then you always have the upper hand.  Sooner or later the person who wins the battles of life is the person who masters the art of keeping their head in the game.  If you want to become victorious in the game of life you have got to learn to do this. Keeping yourself in a good head space will keep you heading in a positive direction. It can certainly be a constant battle that you have to keep on fighting day by day though. Keeping Your Head in the Game is a constant choice, but it's definitely the choice of champions.  Maintaining a positive focus in life is vital to any achievement or success.  Don't psych yourself out in the game of life, rather learn to psych yourself up.  The power lies is in your own mind...


Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

Happiness is an Inside Job

 

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success."
-Albert Schweitzer

Happiness is an individual, internal process.  It has nothing to do with your circumstances, but everything to do with your mentality, consciousness and state of mind. Oscar Wilde, an author and poet said, "A man who is master of himself can end a sorrow as he can invent a pleasure. I don't want to be at the mercy of my emotions. I want to use them, to enjoy them and to dominate them." This is a great secret to happiness-being the master of your emotions, rather than a slave to them! Mastering your emotions is an utmost, essential component to maintaining happiness.

Here's an important thing to understand though, unhappiness and happiness are both like glue.  They can definitely be a sticky thing. The more you dwell on negative and unpleasant things, the more they will stick to you and bring you down. And vice versa, the more happiness you choose to experience and let in your life, the more good things will find their way to you, stick to you and lift you up. 

Happiness is an Inside Job. It always has been and always will be. You can't just sit around and wait for the great guru of the east or west to bring it to you. For true happiness, you have to look to the guru within. You have to find it and create it inside, for it to show up on the outside.

The pursuit of happiness is a road well worth pursuing. And only you have the power to let more of it into your life, or to keep it out. Happiness, like anything else is an art you can develop by practice. Once you refine and perfect this art, you become a master of your life. The art of happiness is one of the most important arts to master, if not THE most important one. Increasing love and positivity is more than a feel good mechanism. It is also a shield which keeps out poison and draws in more life energy and vitality. As you raise the positive,  happy energy in your life, your negativity and unhappiness will be overcome and overrun by happiness. Happiness is an Inside Job.  And it's a job you have to take responsibility for creating and maintaining as well.  Nobody else can do it for you. 


Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

A Recipe for Success

Achieving or finding success in life is a tricky business for sure.  And the pursuit of it can be a downright frustrating and complex journey, especially if you don't have any kind of guidepost, or recipe for that matter.  But no need to worry, I thought maybe I could help you out with that here.  See I have spent a rather large portion of my life studying the formula for achieving success, as well as learning how to implement it quite effectively in my daily life.  And I thought maybe I could make it easy for you here by sharing with you my top ten ideas (ingredients) in my own personal recipe.  So here it is in a nutshell, all laid out for you.  My Recipe for Success consists of these ten things listed below:
 

1.You Gotta Have Enthusiasm
 
This includes doing what you love as often as possible, being true to yourself and following your own heart.  If you aren't on fire with your passion, you will never be able to inspire others or ignite their fires.  Enthusiasm is highly contagious.  Others want to support you and encourage you whenever you are radiating success and happiness from within.

2.You Gotta Have Hunger
 
If you don't want something bad enough, you will never attain it period.  This includes chasing your passion relentlessly and tirelessly.  Because those of us who want something bad enough usually find a way to get it sooner or later.  The greater your hunger, the greater your chance of tasting victory and success becomes.

3.You Gotta Have Clarity
 
If you don't know what target you are aiming for, you will never get anywhere.  FOCUS, FOCUS, FOCUS is the key here. You must keep your target in view at ALL times in order to hit it...

4. You Gotta be Bold, Persistent and Dedicated

People who succeed are people who don't take NO for an answer.  They don't back down in the face of fear or challenging circumstances. They fight and keep on fighting, UNTIL they find a way to win.  They dare to stare life in the face and exclaim "I won't back down. I won't give up until I get what I want!"

5. You Gotta Know How to Keep Yourself in Empowering, Resourceful States
 
This includes learning to manage your emotions and keeping yourself in positive emotional states on a regular basis.  This is imperative to success on any level.

6. You Gotta Surround Yourself With Successful, Positive People
 
Energy rubs off for good or bad.  The people you hang around become your mentors and role models.  Surrounding yourself with like minded people, or people you want to become like is crucial for achieving your goals and desires.

7. You Gotta Maintain Positive Expectancy
 
This is always looking for and expecting good things to happen, as well as maintaining hope and desire even when you can't see the other side, or the rainbow through the storm. 

8. You Gotta Take Time to Sharpen the Saw

People who succeed usually have learned how to keep themselves in top notch shape mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically.  Showing up ready to play in any walk of life is half the battle to winning the game.

9. You Gotta Have a Clear Action Plan

You absolutely need to have a plan and work the plan.  And oftentimes when you do this, the plan works.  Having a plan will most definitely help you get from point A to point B.    

10.You Gotta Have a Positive Attitude and Outlook on Life

This is way bigger than most people realize.  Positivity opens doors and makes others want to assist you.  Arm yourself with optimism.  It's the weapon of choice for success warriors.


There you have it folks.  This is A Recipe for Success.  If you will do these 10 things consistently, life will start to work better for you I guarantee it.  These are things I practice unceasingly in my own life.  And I have found more success than I can even contain by doing these exact things.  This list is basically my success Bible.  Hope it works wonders for you as well...  


Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

The Power of Being Positive

I truly think positivity is one of the most misunderstood and underused powers in all of the human race.  It's like we are all holding this super mega-force in our hands, but we don't even realize it and for the most part we have no idea how to fully use it.  The Power of Being Positive is nothing to take lightly.  It is transcendental and its effects are ginormous and far reaching.  And though it's an invisible power, it definitely works miracles when utilized.  It creates grand opportunities, opens marvelous doors and moves over, around and even through seemingly insurmountable obstacles.  And when this sublime power is understood and mastered, the person who masters it becomes like a florescent light bulb illuminating the darkest of places. 

Here's the thing about positivity though, it's certainly an art form which requires a tremendous amount of diligence and practice to master.  It's a way of life really.  It's something you have to grow into, kind of like exercise and healthy living habits. It is learning how to harness and direct the power of your thoughts, focus and emotions, which when combined produces a mighty power that is always shaping your life for either good or bad.  Ultimately you have to train yourself to be more positive and look for the positive in life.  It's all a matter of focus and perspective.  There is always positivity and negativity staring you in the face in any situation, but whichever one you look at most holds the most power for you.

The Power of Being Positive is mighty in scope and can help you in getting closer to any of your goals and also in activating your life potential.  Positivity is definitely for real.  It gets results.  It makes other people want to be around you, to assist you in reaching your goals and achieving greatness.  Utilizing its magic, people are drawn to help you succeed, to help you soar to great heights.  Positivity is a magnetic energy which magnetizes you to be able to draw great things your way.  So take the time to magnetize yourself and to exercise this superb little life changer.  It's a little power which goes an enormous distance.   

Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

Live Outside of The Fear Zone

A lot of people it seems are so afraid of failure, that they never really try and push their boundaries and go for what they really want and/or desire.  Yet there is a danger in living this way.  It keeps you locked in the "comfort zone," which is often synonymous with the "fear zone."  And let's be honest here, in life amazing things rarely happen when you are in either one of these places.  And that's simply because if you are not growing or expanding, then you are shrinking.  If you are not pushing the limits of what's possible for you to achieve or experience, then you are most likely bound to be stuck in the muck of mediocrity.  And if you're stuck here it's only because you are afraid to live.  Joseph Campbell said, "The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek." 

We all have fears.  It's a normal, natural part of life, but instead of letting your fear debilitate you, why not transform your fear into action?  You have to live boldly and authentically to be truly free.  You have to really throw yourself out there and put your whole self on the line in order to reap the harvest of a splendid life.  But it's so worth it and you can do it.  All you have to do is exercise a little bravery, a little bit of vulnerability. 

In relationships, business, the pursuit of excellence, or any type of personal fulfillment, risk equals reward.  And there is no way to get what you want without breaking out of the "fear zone."  The thing about life though is you will always be scared and feel vulnerable taking a risk for something you want.  There is no getting around this, yet it's only in really throwing yourself out there that you ever attain a life that is enriching, enlivening and empowering.  I'm here to tell you the risk is so worth the reward.  Stepping outside of your "fear zone" is where magical, unexplainable, incredible things often happen.  It's just a matter of taking that first step into uncharted, unknown territory.  It's always a little scary at first, but it's absolutely necessary to get you where you ultimately want to end up.  Live Outside of The Fear Zone and you will find a life truly worth living.  As you break out of fear, you will break free into a brighter, happier reality.  When you want something bad enough to risk everything, then you will feel the rush of life truly beginning.  And when you are ready to live as you were meant to live, you will also be ready to walk out onto the scary limbs in search of the juicy fruits.  Let's face it, without the risk, there is no possibility of attaining the fruits of your desire...

 Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

The Beauty That Surrounds You

Breathe deeply, take it all in-The Beauty That Surrounds You.  The world all around us is picturesque, astounding and absolutely mesmerizing.  Sometimes you have to slow down and be still to take it all in.  Stopping to appreciate the intrinsic beauty in everything and everyone opens you to a whole new world.

 
Take time to look for things to bless and appreciate. Keep yourself focused on what you love and appreciate about your life. As you do this, you are practicing gratitude, one of the most powerful and underused tools in all of the world. How this tool works is actually very simple. The more you can bless and appreciate about life, the more life will give you to bless and appreciate. It works just the same when you're moaning and groaning as well. As you complain about what you don't have, life gives you more of these things to be unhappy about. Wherever attention goes, energy also flows. Life works in a great circle. Whatever you put into the circle is sooner or later going to swirl back around.
 

The moments of life we're given are a gourmet experience. And if we're too busy to stop and really appreciate them, the moments just pass. Whenever you are taking time to appreciate something, you are blessing it. As you do this, you give energy to the object you are focusing on. And as energy is given, energy is reciprocated back to you. So throughout your day today, I encourage you to pay extra attention to The Beauty That Surrounds You, the beauty that is all around you. Appreciating the beauty in all of creation will help you develop more gratitude, which is the highest honor you can pay the creator. Muhammad, the founder of Islam once said this about gratitude, "Gratitude for the abundance you have received is the best insurance that the abundance will continue." 
 

Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

Get Your Hopes Up

It seems like people are always saying, "be careful not to Get Your Hopes Up too high, just in case things don't work out." But I've never been one to support this type of philosophy.  I personally think living like that is absurd and ridiculous. Truth is, you should most certainly Get Your Hopes Up and keep them up. If you want something, you've gotta fight for it, hope for it and keep your focus on attaining it. And if you think about failing, or things not working out, that is exactly what will happen.  Will Smith once said, "There's no reason to have plan B, because it distracts you from plan A."
  

People who get what they want from life always have high hopes and high expectations.   
Our expectations, hopes and beliefs are self fulfilling prophecies. They hover around us in an invisible force field and attract, or repel the very things we desire. So always expect the best, look for the best and hope for the best in all situations, and that is what you will experience. And when anyone tells you not to Get Your Hopes Up too high, just smile and tell them perhaps they should not to set their sights too low.
 

Don't live your life in fear of life letting you down. Instead, live an amazing life. Put yourself out there. Don't back down under a little pressure, or from a little failure. Life will give you whatever you ask, but sometimes you've gotta break down the door first. It is only we who let ourselves down. It is only we who ultimately decide what we will allow into our lives and what we will keep out. So aim high, fly high. Step out of your comfort zone often and just see what life can do for you. 
 

As you learn to keep your hopes up, you will experience life taking you on a grand, thrilling roller coaster ride. Keep your hopes up and life will raise you victoriously for all the world to see. And you will be a living, breathing example of what is possible for anyone who never gives up and holds onto hope.  With enough hope and belief ANYTHING is possible...
   

Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

Own Your Life

If you are not fully satisfied with your life in any area, there are things you can change  instantly now. I challenge you to take back your power and Own Your Life. Stop blaming, complaining, whining, justifying and rationalizing. These five things will only poison your life and make your power go down the drain. They will also keep you in a mindset of why you cannot have something or do something constructive in your life. So do yourself a favor and toss them all overboard in your life story. 
 

You are the captain of your life, the captain of your ship. So why not live with passion and make the voyage unforgettable?  Quit playing the victim card and instead, take out your sword, dagger and shield and play the hero in your own life story. Be the hero you have it in you to be. Use your sword to cut down anything standing in the way between you and your dreams. Use the dagger to defeat fear that keeps you stuck and use the shield to fend off people who tell you it isn't possible to have or create the life of your dreams.
 

Truth is, once you start really exercising your power, you will find yourself to be far more resourceful, more witty and empowered than you may have ever even imagined. Now is the time to take back the power you have been giving away. It's time to live an electrifying, fascinating and provocative life. Simply decide what you want and go after it. Get serious about success and happiness. Practice "doing" instead of merely "talking." If you want more money, do what it takes to create more money. If you want more happiness and inspiration, do the things that bring you joy and inner satisfaction and things that stir inspiration in you. If you want to reach a goal, whatever it may be, then start out on your journey toward that goal today by taking the very first step today.


Always remember your life is in your hands. You are not at the mercy of life, but rather you are creating your life experience each and every moment. So take advantage of the ability you possess to refine and mold yourself, to create whatever kind of life you want to create.  You are the only one holding you back from whatever it is that you desire. Once you take back your power and Own Your Life, NOTHING can stand in your way. Use your God given strength and inner tools for making your life extraordinary. You have these things within, so for heaven's sake, don't let them go to waste, use them!!!


Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

Where the Doors Swing Open

Sometimes in life you've gotta go Where the Doors Swing Open for you. Every once in a while life throws random, unexpected opportunities your way. And if you wanna see just what they may hold in store for you, you've got to walk through that door to see where it may lead and what's on the other side. In fact, some of the best things in life come from unexpected opportunities, whether it's an unplanned, joyful, loving child, an amazing job or business opportunity, a chance encounter with a stranger which totally shifts your life for the better, or coincidentally meeting that dreamy significant other. It's really a trust thing a lot of the time too. You've gotta learn to trust the rhythm and timing of the universe, not knowing where it may lead you next, yet following that unpaved path anyways. The universe is unfathomably wise. It will open the doors, but you've gotta take the next step.


Some of life's greatest experiences come from walking through mysterious doors that swing wide open. When you trust the infinite intelligence, or the power that created you and go down roads which you feel it guiding you on, you are blessed, sometimes even rather abundantly. Oftentimes life is just waiting for the opportunity to put gifts in your basket and to shower you with possibilities. Actually the universe is like Santa Claus with a never ending array of gifts to give out. Your only job is to ready yourself to receive the gifts and walk through conduits Where the Doors Swing Open. 
 

You never know when or where doors will open for you, but when they do, seize the moment. Walk through them and observe the rainbow of possibilities that show forth impressively and vividly guiding you along. Always remember, swinging doors often lead to fruitful adventures, treasured moments and golden opportunities. Walk confidently, willingly and trustingly Where the Doors Swing Open.  You just might find yourself in a world of amazement when you do...

 
Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

Finding Your Dharma

 

There are so many books out there about Finding Your Dharma, discovering your purpose and mission, or your divine destiny. The answer is though, no one has all the answers for you. Your purpose is yours and yours alone.  So although these books, CD's and resources may assist you in helping you uncover or discover your mission or dharma, you have to look within to discover your call of duty, or what is your work to do...


Dharma can be a complicated concept and there is definitely more than one meaning. So what is dharma you may ask? Dharma is a Hindu and Buddhist term. In Buddhism, the wheel of dharma represents the 8 fold path to enlightenment, while the Hindu meaning states that we have all taken on a physical form to fulfill a divine purpose. It is this particular meaning I am going to focus on here. Dharma then, according to Hindu philosophy is uncovering your life purpose, or doing what you were meant to do. It can also mean the way YOU should go, the way that feels natural or inspiring to YOU. Emerson, a great poet and writer once said, "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. " To be unique and follow your bliss, your passionate voice is one of the highest achievements for anyone. This is finding and following your dharma.


Where I find my power, my inner voice is in quiet mornings of reflection. This is the source of inspiration and illumination I have come to rely on more than anything else. If you don't have a time of inner reflection, I challenge you to make one for yourself, to study, pray and meditate, and also to really put it before God or spirit-the question of what is your path. Looking to everyone else as a "How to" guide for finding life fulfillment without going within, is bound to lead you to complete and utter confusion.
 

Dharma is finding your mountain to climb, your sea to sail, your path to trod. Your true path is etched in your soul. When you attune to the divine within, you will attune to the melodic, rhythmic melody of your life calling, or purpose. Everyone has a unique mission, a unique spiritual purpose for being here. When you find your dharma, you will find the source of great power in your life. Finding Your Dharma is like finding a path that was always there, you just have to uncover some of the overgrown weeds to see it.


An important point to consider about your destiny, or dharma is that it may be more than one thing. For me, it is writing music, poetry, books, doing yoga and meditation just to name a few. Whatever it is for you, when you find your way, you will know, for you will feel alive, renewed, refreshed, invigorated, full of passion and purpose when you are doing it. You will be radiant with the stuff of life. Being in your dharma feels heavenly, dreamy, like you are soaring to breath taking heights, riding on the wings of eagles. Rumi said, "Let the beauty of what you love, be what you do."


I would like to end this with a poem I wrote recently called:



Let Dharma Unfold

Entertain the possibilities,
begin with a single step,
dance to the melody you hear
inside your heart of hearts,
carve out the path etched in your soul,
roll out the carpet,
let dharma unfold...

Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

A Zest for Living

Enthusiasm, inspiration, joy, love and positivity are keys to longevity, as well as essential parts of any life truly worth living. They are also tickets to a dynamic life experience and a zestful passion filled existence.  And here's the thing, the more excited, passionate, on fire and alive you are, the more good things will flow into your life. 


By maintaining A Zest for Living, you open the flood gates of life energy and tap into the well springs of joy and positivity. Living this way brings with it countless other blessings too, some of which include: youthfulness and vitality, both of which are deterrents to sickness, disease and depression. 
 

Being excited about life is a cure for all that ails. When you are living with zest, you are adventurous, spontaneous, able to be inspired and in the moment like a child. You are a joy to be around. You are magnetic and full of irresistible charm.  And just like the soap maker Zest's slogan says, "You're not fully clean unless you're zestfully clean." The same applies to living with zest. You're not fully living unless you're zestfully living. Really though, why would you want to live any other way? The reality is every human being can live with a heightened sense of life, overflowing with rich passion and inspiration. It's a choice, just like everything else in life. So if you're not living in this fashion already, I challenge you not to wait for the perfect moment to turn your life experience up, but instead do it now. Live with zest, jump into the flow of passion, joy and positivity. And let it carry you into a new life and a new you.


Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

The Game of Life Mastery

What if all of life was a game and life mastery was not only possible, but attainable and relatively easy to accomplish? Well it can be easy, especially if you approach life mastery as a game, then that's precisely what it becomes. And certainly it can be a fun game too. When you realize the power you have to shape your life, as well as the capacity you have to choose what you think, feel and experience, it can be exciting and freeing. This is part of life mastery--tapping into your inner power and using it to steer your life in a particular direction, but also included  in this is: being able to stay positive, motivated, inspired, keeping your spiritual cup full and overflowing, feeling fulfilled and maintaining abundant, life energy. Mastering your life is about all of these things and many more. It is also about designing a life, rather than making a living.
 

On the road to life mastery, it's easy to take daily living way too seriously and get all stressed out over the many details. To many, this task can seem overwhelming and insurmountable, but it doesn't have to be. When treated as a game, life mastery becomes fun and exciting. This game is not about perfection, but is about mastering the fundamentals daily.  These fundamentals include positive thinking, taking responsibility for yourself emotionally, physically, spiritually and financially. Anyone who practices life mastery takes responsibility for themselves in all of these categories. They also take responsibility for accomplishing their goals and achieving success.


The Game of Life Mastery is not a walk in the park, but a game well worth learning. And though it may take you a while to figure out, when you do, your life will operate much more smoothly and efficiently. Oftentimes the biggest mistake people make in The Game of Life Mastery is abandoning or under-utilizing their personal power. It's a great waste too, because it's right there waiting to be called forth into existence. Tony Robbins said, "For motivation you need inspiration or desperation."  This is a humorous, but insightful quote at the same time. It is imperative that you are motivated and inspired to play this game called life, but you also have to discover and utilize your own personal power to get yourself to act and to keep taking action. But remember it's just a game-this thing called life mastery. And you CAN win the game of life. So don't take it so seriously. Just get in there, play hard, have some fun and you will be victorious...


Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

Recognizing the Signs

 

We live in a loving, responsive universe which is constantly looking out for our best interests. Sometimes it gives us intuitions, warnings and occasionally even irrefutable, undeniable signs. It can also offer us a cosmic nudge to do something, or go somewhere. If we pay attention, this guidance can be found all around us. We all receive impulses, insights and hunches.  And sometimes these things can seem abrupt, seemingly impractical, whimsical and may even go totally against our practical mindsets. But nevertheless, it is oftentimes in our best interests to act on and follow their lead, as the universe knows more about whats up ahead, as well as what's coming into our lives than we often do. The higher self, or intuitive self will challenge you to extend yourself beyond rational barriers at times, as it wants to teach you to rely on higher wisdom than your own limited wisdom. 
 

Being on the spiritual path means being open to and aware of the signs and synchronistic events happening all the time in our lives. But it is also about honoring them and heeding their counsel or advice too. Living in this fashion is not something you can learn overnight. It's a way of life and it doesn't come easily. It can take years to grow into and/or master. But with practice it can be integrated into any one's life. It can turn a normal, everyday person into a highly intuitive, integrated and balanced, multi sensory human being. Gary Zukav says this about intuitions and signs in his book, The Seat of The Soul, "Impulses, hunches, sudden insights, and subtle insights have assisted us on our evolutionary path since the origin of our species." It seems pretty obvious this is true, as many great leaders, authors and inventors have attested to receiving this type of guidance and inspiration at crucial turning points in their lives or careers.
 

Intuitions and signs serve many purposes in our lives. These things help us to survive, thrive, be inspired as well as to be creative. Sometimes they also assist us in remembering our souls purpose or dharma. It's not always about how loud they speak to us either, but how much we are able to listen to and perceive their subtle, life changing messages. Sometimes hunches and signs are very faint, other times they are like fluorescent billboards on the side of the road that you just can't miss. The more we are in tune with our spiritual selves, the more we can pay attention to and follow their wisdom. As the human species is evolving, we are becoming more integrated beings in mind, body and spirit. Learning to value our innate, inner wisdom is an enormous part of this process. 
 

Signs and intuitions serve as guideposts. They can lead us to good jobs or career opportunities, steer us out of bad or distressing situations, help us create inspiring, passionate lives and lives with more love and harmony. Recognizing the Signs that are being laid out for us is ultimately in our best interests. So pay attention, keep your eyes on the road and you never know when the gentle, loving, life directing wisdom and guidance will come to you. The more you honor it and listen, the more it will speak to you...
 

Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

Being in the Zone

We've all had those moments when life is flowing with ease and certainty, where it seems as if nothing can possibly go wrong.  Being in the Zone as it's often referred to, is a mystical and exciting place to be.  In this state life feels effortless, harmonious, and powerfully dynamic.  You can feel totally focused and in sync with some great, unseen, mighty force.  And you may even feel limitless and free, totally at one with all of creation.  Things just work out naturally and you don't even have to try so hard.  It's a gentle and reassuring experience for sure, which allows you to feel connected to a larger than life matrix of energy.
   

So what if you knew how to create this empowering state whenever you desired and you could turn on the magic at any given moment? Well I am convinced we all can.  Here's the thing to understand, everything is associated with a certain frequency and Being in the Zone is no different. Keeping yourself fine tuned, receptive and in positive frequencies increases the likelihood of finding yourself in the zone more often.  This includes practicing positive thinking, doing affirmations and visualizations, or doing anything that increases your energy vibrations.
 

But then again, life is tricky and often unpredictable.  Sometimes getting into the zone just happens when it happens. You can't always control it. Sometimes you find yourself in great states when you are not trying so hard to make things happen. Life is paradoxical like that. Sometimes the best moments just happen spontaneously. And although you might not be doing anything differently at all, yet for some miraculous reason you are able to tap into and access this smooth, flowing, highly, efficient frequency.
    

There are some other things you can do to get into the zone as well.  First of all, you have to go with the moment and be fully present wherever you are at.  It is also super helpful to keep yourself in a positive state of expectancy as much as possible. You also have to exercise confidence in yourself and move in the direction of your goals. But however you get there, to this experience of Being in the Zone, it is reassuring when you do and you feel supported by the mystery of life and you know you are in sync with life's rhythms.
 

Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

The Joy of Living

 

 

All of us have a magnificent opportunity to revel in the experience of being human. Life affords us all the chance to come alive, dance, take our dreams into flight and taste a myriad of delightful experiences along the way. Life is an exhilarating amusement park, full of tasty treats and spectacular rides. And just for The Joy of Living, you really ought to live it up and choose to take in as much of life's amazingness as you possibly can.

  

   
Sure there are problems, trials and painful moments for all of us, as this is just part of the deal of being human. But, there are also many dazzling, eloquent experiences to be had, which can take your breath away and breathe life into your soul. It's easy however, to get caught up in your challenges and despair. You have to be careful of this too, for if you wallow too long in your misery, you'll get stuck in the mud and muck.

 

 

A reassuring thing to remember however is, we all have the same amount of time and energy available, as well as the same opportunities to create lives of our own fashioning. We all have access to a plethora of resources, including our unique gifts and means of contributing value to the world. And how you use these things will determine the quality of life you create for yourself and others.

 

I strongly encourage you to live for The Joy of Living, love for the joy of loving, give for the joy of giving. Relish every second you are blessed with. This is what life is all about. Cherish your kids. Play make believe with them. Climb a mountain just to experience an exhilarating view. Go sky diving or hang gliding just to reach astounding heights. Run the race just for the thrill of victory. Rage the rapids just to feel strong like the river. Take time to nourish your soul, harness the powers of your mind and exercise positivity. Do all these things just because you want to experience all life has to offer. There is a great quote by an Indian sage I would like to share with you here, "When you were born you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die the world cries and you rejoice."-Kabir

 

    
 Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

Preoccupied With Success and Positive Thinking

The will to win and to succeed far outweighs any hurdle, or anything period that can possibly stand in your way. But here's the catch, if you want to taste success wholeheartedly, you've got to be Preoccupied With Success and Positive Thinking. If you've got a dream, you have to have a burning desire to achieve it, as well as an unconquerable zeal to go to battle for it.  You have to be willing to stand in the fire for your dreams. If you want to accomplish your goals, you've got to be willing to lay down part of your life for them. You can't just say this is who I am and what I believe. You've got to act on and move on your dream. The difference between dreaming and doing is just that... doing. Talking is like breathing, anyone can do it. But doing is the real deal and is what separates life success champions from closet dreamers.

 

Being Preoccupied With Success and Positive Thinking is the only way you will ever succeed. This means that a good 60-75% of your main thoughts and focus need to be on positive, success related thoughts and on accomplishing your desires. It is pointless to waste your time contemplating failure and focusing on why something won't work. Remember we didn't get to the moon by contemplating how we could stay in the earth's atmosphere. Great things are accomplished by extraordinary thinking, thinking that makes you break the bonds of what you once thought was humanly impossible.

 

There is a surefire way to the resort destination of your dream life and that is to keep your constant focus on winning, succeeding, overcoming obstacles, moving forward and attracting abundance. For success to really take root in your outer experience, it has to first become almost an obsession of sorts, an automatic response, and a compelling desire in your inner experience. Bottom line, the more you are Preoccupied With Success and Positive Thinking, the more likely you are to taste lavish success and fruitful abundance. A side note here though, this is not to encourage you to be selfish, only thinking of yourself, which never brings about happiness, but merely to encourage you to live highly conscious everyday.  Bottom line is this,  the more conscious of your thoughts you become and the more you are able to occupy your mind with thoughts of a positive and successful nature, the easier the road to your dreams will become. And there you have it folks, a life changing formula...


Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

Addicted to Happiness

 

The word addiction generally has a bad connotation associated with it. Maybe that's just because it's most often referenced with drug, alcohol and pornography abuse, as well as with food disorders? But did you know the actual Latin root of the word addiction (addictio) is not necessarily a negative one? It means a giving over, a surrender. So what if there could be some positive addictions, things you could give over or surrender to, which could prove to add substance or value to your life? It seems probable from this standpoint that there just might be a few positive, life transforming addictions out there to be had indeed. Take for example having an addiction to happiness, health, love or inner harmony. Those couldn't be so bad right? Well, here's a grand question for you. If you're going to be addicted to something, why not become addicted to happiness and feeling good? This is just as easy to do as it is to be addicted to negativity and feeling lousy. Worry, anxiety, depression, despair and anger are normal human emotions, but even they can become addictions. And they can also be life destroyers. Happiness on the other hand is a life enhancer and is therefore a great alternative for sure!


Happiness is somewhat of a science and there are countless proven formulas for achieving it. If you're willing to follow them and let it be your all consuming desire and focus, that is exactly what you shall experience. Happiness is also an art and art, like science can be well crafted and fine tuned to precision. This of course takes supreme commitment and dedication.



The truth is though, most addictions blind you, waste your energy, money and end up alienating you from others. They can have you acting like a robot which responds automatically to a response or command. An addiction to happiness however, has just the opposite effect. Being Addicted to Happiness can actually be a life saver and can add many valuable dimensions to your life. The key difference with a happiness addiction is, instead of looking outside of yourself for substances to uplift and hypnotize you so to speak, you have to look within, which is where the real source of happiness originates anyways. Looking outside of yourself never satisfies. Ken Keyes said in his book Handbook to Higher Consciousness, "Nothing is ever enough until you are enough." And this goes hand in hand with overcoming negative, destructive addictions. Once you realize you are lacking nothing and that you are the source of your emotions, as well as the creator of your destiny, your desire to reach for things that bring temporary highs naturally diminishes. And this gives way for a possible, healthy addiction to be substituted instead. Remember addiction is just a word. It doesn't have to be a bad thing after all. Maybe it just depends what it is you are addicted to?
  

Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

The Essence of Well-Being

Well-being entails a lot of various aspects. The dictionary defines it as: a contented state of being happy, healthy and prosperous. And though this is a good definition, it is quite vague and lacking substance. It is so much deeper in scope than this definition implies. And even though it's a broad topic, The Essence of Well-Being can be summed up in a nutshell. It is looking good, feeling good, having an abundance of energy, as well as a healthy self esteem and self concept. But, it is even a bit more than this. It is loving life, feeling purposeful, being infused with vigor and having a zest for living. It is being well, or healthy and whole in mind, body and spirit and fully understanding the connection of these three integral parts. You really cannot have imbalance in any of these areas and still maintain a thriving sense of well-being.


Wellness is certainly more than looking and feeling good on the outside. Its scope is much wider, encompassing a rich life of wholeness, completeness and inner contentedness. Those who attain this great jewel are indeed wealthy and blessed, for arriving at this station is rare indeed. It is not an easy road and is more or less a way of life. It requires an enormous commitment and discipline to self care and self nurturing. The Essence of Well-Being is synonymous with personal responsibility. You and only you can choose it for yourself. And only you can maintain it as well. 


Living close to spirit, zen or the Tao is the closest link to wellness and/or well-being. And finding or making time for strengthening your connection will prove to be a work of priceless worth. The blessings you will reap for cultivating health and wellness are substantial, medicine like remedies for life's maladies. The beauty of wholeness is, when you learn how to fill yourself up, you have more to give away. The bottom line is simple, a healthy life equals wellness, happiness, harmony, peace, balance and tranquility.


Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

Trusting the Bigger Picture

Everyone of us goes through times where it seems like we're doing all the right things and yet nothing appears to be working, or changing in our lives. This can be excruciatingly painful and beyond frustrating. It is precisely at these junctures though, when we feel like giving in, that we have to learn to trust that just maybe the life force, or governing intelligence knows something we don't. And perhaps if we would but trust it, it may have plans for our lives that aren't quite ready to unfold. Our limited eye sight and vision is minuscule in scope compared to that of the ever expansive perspective of the creator.
  

If we're not careful, we can become hardened, bitter and lose hope completely during these moments of obscurity. Our negativity can even begin to overshadow all of our good. Yet, if we can keep Trusting the Bigger Picture and find ways to keep hope alive when we feel like letting it wither and die, something good usually manages to spring forth eventually.
   

Life is like a magic carpet ride. It is full of surprises, some ups and downs, as well as some delightful, joyous events. Yet there are certain moments when the ride comes to a screeching halt and it appears the carpet has lost its magic to fly momentarily. Maybe it's only to keep us grounded a while before we take our next flight? Who knows? But even birds have to rest their wings from time to time. Magic is like energy though. It never dies, but only changes form. And it never disappears if we keep on believing. Sooner or later, if we hold on, it will resurface and we may even understand why we went through times of considerable uncertainty, pain, darkness and confusion.
 

Trusting this bigger picture that we cannot always see with our natural eyes isn't always easy however. But sometimes it's the best thing we can do, especially when all else fails. Rainy days and floods don't have to destroy our lives. In fact, sometimes they clear out the very debris which has been blocking our progress and standing in our way of a much more fulfilling tomorrow. Trust what your eyes cannot see and know that something bigger and better is quite possibly trying to emerge whenever you feel you are at your lowest moments. Stupendous lives are often crafted out of less than perfect circumstances.  And sometimes we find beauty and joy where we least expected to find it.  Regardless, there is perfection in the timing and unfolding of everything that happens or doesn't happen in our lives.    
  

Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity

Direct Your Focus, Direct Your Life

Did you know that the simple act of placing your attention on something makes it expand, grow and become almost larger than life? Also, the more you place your deliberate focus on anything, the more insights come to you. So make it a point to be conscious of where your attention goes, for every moment of your life is unfolding according to the limited focus you keep in perspective. If you don't change your thinking, or your focus, you will always remain exactly where you are and keep heading in the same direction as you are currently headed. In his book Mind Power, John Kehoe had this to say, "The beginning step to a new and more successful life is absurdly easy. You have only to pay attention to the flow of thoughts inside your mind and direct it accordingly." 
 

Being able to direct your focus deliberately is where it's all at.  You can apply this wisdom to any area of your life too. If you want to be more wealthy or successful, then most of your focus needs to be on just that-becoming wealthy or successful. If you want to be a better mother, father, gardener, entrepreneur or etc. you will need to place much of your focus and attention on these things as well. And as you do this, your ability to achieve whatever it is you want to achieve will blossom, bloom and unfold for you majestically.
 

Imagine for a moment that you were the captain of a plane. If you were in charge of flying it, you would have to know how to operate and direct the plane right? Well your mind is just the same. It is like a sophisticated instrument that needs a little bit of focus, clarity and understanding of how it works. When you learn to work with its operating capabilities, it will begin to work for you. As you learn to direct your focus, your life will come into view more precisely and divinely. Your focus is creating a powerful direction in your very life right now. It is not a little thing in your life experience either, it is major component, a gigantic part of everything you are experiencing in your world.


Life operates much like a camera lens. It is always giving you a larger portion of exactly what you are focusing on the most. And the more you practice directing your focus more consciously, the more you will see things you want in your life taking shape. It's sort of like being a movie producer in a film production. He or she gets to decide where most of the focus and attention ought to go and to direct the scenes accordingly. Your mind works in a similar fashion.  You too are in charge of what pictures and scenes end up in your own life movie, as well as how dramatic each scene gets to be. And all of this is accomplished by where you are placing your attention. So take charge of this production called "Your Life" and remember you are directing it by directing your focus. 
 

 Copyright Justin Topik, Peace Passion Positivity 2014,
All rights reserved, except for use in brief quotations and reviews
which include authors name

https://www.facebook.com/peacepassionpositivity