We are our experiences. From the very moment of our conception, we begin to form, grow and develop into an ever evolving, multifaceted, collective of what flows from the inside of us to interact with the force of life that surrounds us. We are made up of an endless combination of situations, circumstances and random occurrences that are all allowed by the universe to shape us into our unique, gifted and talented Spirits that have the ability to make life even more amazing than anyone can possibly dream or imagine.

I want to challenge you to open yourself up to the something more that you were created for. The above quote by Jak Vanek gives us five areas to consider opening ourselves up to for increased opportunity in our becoming. He says: “You are the books you read, the films you watch, the music you listen to, the people you spend time with, the conversations you engage in. Choose wisely what you feed your mind.” I want to take a moment to consider how we might open ourselves up to choose wisely what we allow these areas to feed our minds…

You Are The books You Read! The big problem here is that the majority of people do not do much reading anymore. Especially, the art of reading for the pure pleasure of it. I want to challenge you to look for a book and make an attempt to read that book every day for the next month. You will be amazed at the difference this can and will make in your life. It will change your thinking patterns. It will give you something meaningful to talk about and it will open up your mind and spirit in some incredible ways. I could go on and on, but just trust me here. Just the small act of the adding of reading meaningful material will not only impact your life in a positive way, it will allow your life to make a more positive impact on the world in which you live.

You Are The Films You Watch! Here is quiet possibly the greatest tragedy of our time. With our constantly being on and connected to digital media, we have a host of options competing for our “watching” attention. It’s not that we are not watching, but the question is: What are we watching and how is what we are watching impacting who we are, what we do and how we live? Here is the challenge: Try to make sure that you begin and end the day by watching something positive and uplifting. Just this small change will result in helping you to navigate this life experience in a more positive and meaningful way.

You Are the Music You Listen To! I grew up listening to country music, so I can share a joke about it. Have you heard the one about the guy that loved country music and so he started listening to it backwards? He got his truck back, his job back, his mobile home back and his wife back! Music is a very powerful medium and it has the power to lift us, if we are listening to the right things. I am not going to pretend to tell you what to listen to, because, I myself have a very wide range of musical taste and depending on a lot of different factors, different music has a different effect on me. What I will tell you is this: I have learned what I need to listen to, based on where I am at physically, mentally and spiritually. Figure that out, listen accordingly and music will heal and grow you!

You Are The People You Spend Time With! We all know what it is like to be around certain people that always seem to bring you down. We also know what it is like to be around people that always seem to have that knack of lifting you up. Make sure that you are building relationships with people that can lift you up and encourage you. That does not mean that you can’t have relationships with the others, because the truth is,, you may be their pick me up, but you can pay attention and choose carefully, so that your heart, mind and spirit stay in the right place.

You Are the Conversations You Engage In! One of the most important things that has become a part of my life is the creed that if it is not positive, then I do not want to do anything to try and empower it. I made a rule a long time ago, that if I could not be positive and uplifting on social media, even on a negative subject, then I would keep my comments to myself. A lot of people engage in negative conversations everyday and then wonder why they are depressed, frustrated or discouraged? It’s a no brainer! Our conversations fuel our psyche – what we put in, is what we are going to get out. In the Disney Movie – Bambi, the rabbit that we all know and love as Thumper says: “If you can’t say somethin’ nice, then don’t say nuthin’ at all!” And that is some great advice. And if you are having to talk about something negative, then make sure that your conversation about the negative is positive and beneficial, to yourself, who you are talking to and whoever or whatever you are talking about.

Pay attention to the environment that you are living in! What are your eyes seeing? What are your ears hearing? What is your body feeling? If it’s not positive, uplifting and beneficial, then make the changes that you need to make to get it there, you will be glad you did!