Ask Mark Ward

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Choose the Frame.

Your life is, in large part, a heaven or hell of your own creation. It is rarely about what happens to you that "seals your fate." It is the story that you tell yourself (and others) about what happened and its role in your future. You must never forget that you are the author of this story and have an inherent power to direct and influence the tenor and ultimate direction of the plot as it continues to unfold.  

In these days of habitual sharing, there is a tendency for many to declare "misery!" in response to unwelcome circumstances in their life. Naturally, this is a normal part of human nature. We appreciate empathy, sympathy, and voices of support when we are in the midst of challenging circumstances. It is a natural desire. We must remember that natural, normal and routine do not necessarily constitute effective or beneficial.

A simple recipe for creation is that which is the focus of your time, energy, and attention is that which you will get more of. You are always in the process of placing an order for that which you want or don't want in your life. The challenge is that you may not realize that you have this power or that you are contributing to your own misery.  

If you are continually speaking, writing, or tweeting about your "bad luck," you can expect to receive more evidence that will support that belief.  In contrast, if you are continually documenting your blessings and good fortune, you can expect to receive more of those as well. It's not that you can never share details of the negative experiences of your life. It is the frame that you use to tell the story and whether you consider this as a dark chapter of a book with a happy ending or the totality of the story.  

Success or sabotage? Are you paving the way for greater success by speaking words of power and expectancy or are you bemoaning the nature of a circumstance and defining it as your life? 

 Is this going to be an incredible day?  What are you expecting (and, what is the evidence that declares it as so)?