“The sweet is never as sweet without the sour.” ~Vanilla Ice

Sometimes in life we need to feel bad so that we remember how good we can feel.

I am admittedly a pretty freakin’ happy person. Ask my beautiful girlfriend- or any of my friends really- and they will tell you. Truth is, up until 2 months ago I couldn’t remember a time when I wasn’t happy at least 95% of the day.

It was a state of BEing for me to step into on a daily basis! As a coach, it is required that I be at optimum performance for my people so they can step into their Best Self.

Having a disempowered coach would be like having a personal trainer that had a keg instead of a 6 pack;  it just wouldn’t work!

Shifting my life path over 18 months ago, and working alongside some amazing people to help raise the consciousness of our planet, fuels my fire on a daily basis.

The combination of a growing impact on the planet coupled with an amazing girlfriend, deep friendships, and money to travel and have unique experiences is more than I could have ever asked for just a few years ago.

So for the past 2 years I have been in a perpetual state of bliss (with blips of havoc I must admit), and as 2013 came to a close, I could feel that tide shifting.

Like a car running out of fuel, I could feel my energy waning.

What was I doing different?

How can I turn the tide back in my favor?

As my training suggested, I went deep within for answers.

For the first time in a long time I couldn’t figure it out. I could feel something stuck within the energy circuits of my body, and like a clogged blood vessel, it was depleting my vitality. After spending many hours in meditation and breathwork a couple themes started popping through; Surrender… Think infinity… Express yourself…breathe…

These would become the foundation for which I set all my goals in 2014.

During this same time I relied heavily on my support system for, well support. My two coaches, my girlfriend, my mastermind group, and all my amazing friends and family were there for me to see my reflection.

As I dove deep to release some old limiting beliefs it brought up a lot of my “old stuff,” and it was a very interesting process. For me, I enjoy getting coached as much as I like coaching, so the process was actually pretty fun 🙂

For a stretch of about 4 weeks I felt “off” and rarely during that time did I feel like my Best Self. There were even a handful of days I almost didn’t get out of bed! I remember thinking to myself “I don’t want to do what I HAVE to do today, just stay in bed”

Since when did my life become something I HAVE to do?

I was in reactive mode instead of creation mode! Life was happening TO me without any of my creative input, and it sucked.

After the first week of January passed the fog began to lift and I could feel my energy returning.

Each day I felt more energy than the previous and after 4 weeks of climbing, I feel as though I am born again/new lease on life/any other cliche about feeling great.

The point is, we all have our own shit.

Trying to act all high and mighty not only keeps us mired in it, but it alienates us from those around us. EVERYONE goes through roadblocks from time to time, and it is the way we choose to approach it that separates those who are happy and successful, from those who feel stuck and continue to spin their wheels.

I can only take partial credit for getting through this chapter in my life. I owe so much to the support system that I have in my life! Surrounding yourself with supportive people is imperative to reach the next level and be your Best Self on a consistent basis.

Having recently gone through all of this I feel called now more than ever to help those that are struggling on their journey.

If you are feeling stuck and need a breakthrough, join me on a 4 week journey through the Best Life Road Map. The only program available to help you get clear on what you want and create massive acceleration toward your goals.  Right now, I’ve got a free video series up about the program and how it can help you. Check it out!

Let’s make 2014 our best year yet. Whether you join me or not, know that I have your back.

Much love!

Matt Ritchey

Life is full of them.

Sometimes they’re confusing, and other times they’re amazing. 

I’m referring to paradoxes. These contradictory pieces of life that can often hold kernels of truth and wisdom; especially where we least expect it!

All of our lives we have been exposed to one form of contradiction or another. “It’s a Catch 22.” “What happens when an immovable object meets an unstoppable force?”  “Why do we park in a driveway and drive on a parkway?”

The insanity of life!

Over the last 3 years I started to become more aware of my thoughts, my actions and ultimately the creation of my life.

As I approached my 30’s I began to see my life unfold before my very eyes, which is a very humbling experience.  More and more, I began to realize that I truly had control over my life and my destiny……well not exactly! My old belief was that if I could control my thoughts and turn them into actions that I would be able to control my destiny.

I later learned, this is only part of the equation! Keep reading…

Having awareness of one’s thoughts is a great starting point. Then, observing how those thoughts affect our actions (or inaction) is a powerful next step. But, is that it? Is that all there is to life? My experience, probably like yours, would say NO, it’s not that easy.

Life is full of surprises, unexpected challenges and twists that seem crazy enough for a Hollywood movie.

Over the last 3 years I have noticed a pattern that has become unmistakable. A force so intriguing I had to give it its own name:

Intentional Randomness

That’s right, as if the world didn’t have enough paradoxes, I had to go out and create another. So what is Intentional Randomness (IR for short)? Well IR is when you have been meaning to call that friend of yours and they send you a text to meet for coffee. Or when you get laid off and then you meet someone the next day who holds the keys to your dream job.

Some of you may say “those are just COINCIDENCES.” My issue with coincidences is that, by definition, they happen by CHANCE. Well chance is merely a fancy way of saying “luck,” and my friends, I don’t believe in luck.

Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect.”
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

I believe that everything happens to our maximum advantage. Every single thing in our life is put there for our greatest good. Every challenge and every victory has a lesson for us to absorb so that we can embody that teaching and become a better version of our self.

This Intentional Randomness can be viewed in many different ways; it could be an act of God, the will of the Universe or the law of Cause and Effect (Karma). Whatever you’d like to call this phenomenon, it seems to work in our favor when we let it. When we align our thoughts and actions with our heart, and serve others from a place of wanting to do good, I have found that we can channel Intentional Randomness into our journey.

Then we start to see synchronicities EVERYWHERE.

Synchronicity is just another popular word for Intentional Randomness.

I have had more happenings of IR in the past couple years than I can even count! Lately I have made a game out of it that I think helps expedite the process: Every time an IR occurs, I pay it forward to someone else. This transfer of positive energy keeps life moving and allows that energy to then return to me in the future!

If you’re skeptical of this, good, you probably should be. Up until recently I didn’t fully believe it myself. However, through conscious awareness and experimenting, I can say without a doubt that IR has positively affected my life.

Want to give it a shot?

Here are my 5 steps to experiencing more Intentional Randomness:

1. Listen to the internal voice that encourages you, not the one that is fearful
2. Commit to it. Whatever “it” is, fully believe it will happen
3. Surrender to the flow of life; be unattached to the outcome and have ZERO expectations
4. TAKE A C T I O N ! !
5. Pay it forward

If you haven’t seen it yet, You will want to jump in with me and Al Diaz in an interview about my journey and what can really happen in a year.  If you are interested in accelerating your progress and  learning more about what YOU can really do in a year, listen to the podcast here:  What Can Happen In a Year Interview.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

Thirty, the age most women dread.

“Twenty nine and holding” they say. Well maybe it’s because I am a man, or maybe it’s because I believe that age really is just a number, but I am excited! Every year I have spent on this earth has been better than the previous. I meet more great people, have deeper experiences, and feel more connected to who I am.

With that said, there have definitely been some rough spots, setbacks, and times of doubt. I didn’t always live with intention, love myself, or CHOOSE my life path, but I have always been a lover of life. Something deep within me -probably my intuition- has always whispered “keep going, you got this.”

Everything I have learned has been taken from either an experience I have had, a conversation with someone, or listening to that voice deep within.

I want to say thank you to everyone that has shared my journey the past thirty years; from the random strangers on planes, to my closest friends and family, you have ALL taught me something.

Here are 30 things (in no particular order) I have learned…

1. The faster I forgive, the happier I am
2. Experiencing someone else’s perspective is the quickest way to shift my own
3. Love is the strongest force in the world
4. The more I give, the more I receive
5. Developing excellent communication skills is paramount
6. Keep learning!
7. Take action on what I learn. Less talk, more action.
8. Stepping out of my comfort zone produces amazing results!
9. Everyone has their own unique truth…find it!
10. Let myself fall in love with life and everyone I meet along my journey
11. Never compare my journey to someone else’s
12. Be vulnerable
13. Listen to my heart more than my head
14. Meditation has shifted my life more than anything else
15. Surround myself with supportive, positive people who push me to be my best
16. Find people who have something I want and study them
17. Be present, NOW is all that exists
18. Be compassionate towards others
19. Love myself FIRST
20. Cultivate an unstoppable mindset
21. We all have a ceiling, push through it and expand
22. Awareness is the first step to change
23. Give unconditionally
24. Pay it forward
25. Spend 99% of time in the present moment; the other 1% is for reflection and goal setting
26. I regret the things I didn’t do WAY more than the things I did. Do it!
27. Have an unshakable belief in SELF
28. Have FUN. In the end you’ll be happy you did.
29. Happiness is a choice. Choose to be happy now, don’t wait on external circumstances!
30. Failure doesn’t exist unless I quit. Don’t stop, keep going.

Where were you exactly one year ago?

Me? Well I was in Chiang Mai, Thailand experiencing great food, beautiful jungles and amazing people. When we reflect on our past, things seem to make more sense. Like Steve Jobs said “It’s much easier connecting the dots looking backwards.”

At that point in time I was at a crossroads in my life.

Do I continue on the journey I have been working towards the past two years, or do I take a new path and see what adventure lies ahead?

You see only a week before I was in Siem Reap, Cambodia, marveling at the ancient temples and connecting with the local people. It was here that I had one of the biggest epiphanies of my life. After spending time with the local people, and venturing far off into places most tourists never go, I realized something profound; these people had nothing, and yet they seemed more fulfilled and happy than most people I knew! They lived in grass huts, grew their own food, and had little to no material possessions.

I realized then, that it doesn’t matter what you have, it doesn’t matter where you are, or even who you’re with; happiness is a choice.

Being happy comes from within yourself, it doesn’t have to depend on your external circumstances. Our society taught me that in order to be happy I had to achieve certain things:  Make money, find a partner, buy stuff, worship God….the list goes on! 

Now don’t get me wrong, there is nothing WRONG with any of that. My discovery is that you can be happy regardless of anything happening in your external world, and when we are able to cultivate this internal state then we can be happy regardless of what’s going on in our life.

This mindset is a huge shift.

Not only because you are in control of your own happiness, but when you make that choice, something changes in your life. It is no longer about NEEDING to achieve all the things we thought would make us happy, but rather doing things from a place of already being happy. This distinction made a big difference in my life. If it hadn’t you wouldn’t be reading this.

I decided to take the road less traveled.

I chose to jump in with both feet and see what my adventure had in store for me. This was BY FAR the best decision I have ever made.

I remember having dinner with a good friend when I returned from Thailand and he asked me what I had going on in my business for the end of 2012. I hadn’t yet declared it to the world, but in my mind the choice was already made. I was abandoning the business I had worked on for 2 years to take a new path; a path I had no idea where it would lead me.

Now looking back, one year later, I am so happy I chose to step out of my comfort zone and follow my heart. What has unfolded for me the past 12 months has been amazing (and I will save it for another blog post) and it would have never happened had I stayed small and done what my mind was telling me.

Don’t stay small, follow your heart, and be happy with who you are right now, in this moment. When you can follow those three steps, your life will shift dramatically, and your dreams will start unfolding before your eyes!

Update:

An interesting series of events after writing this article led me to doing an interview with speaker and coach Al Diaz!  If you are interested in learning more about what you can REALLY do in a year, listen to the podcast here:  What Can Happen In a Year Interview.

What is Awesomeness Fest?

You know that feeling you get when you meet someone new, and you automatically feel the connection? Instantly you know that the person is really cool, and will have an impact in your life, even if it is a small ripple.

Those are the people we all want to meet!

We all want to experience more love and intimacy (not JUST the romantic kind either). I know intimacy sounds like a weird word, but by definition it means “a close, familiar, affectionate and/or loving relationship with another.”

Isn’t that what we all really want?

To have close relationships, experience deeper connection and enjoy the presence of our fellow beings?!

If so, then you need to book your ticket for Awesomeness Fest 2014.

I recently got back from Afest (because it’s easier to say Afest and it’s less weird to say around random people), and if you’ve never heard of it don’t worry neither did I until a little over 6 months ago.

I wanted to share with you my experience of this truly amazing event.

This is not your normal gathering at the Marriott like most seminars, it takes place at a 5 star resort at an exotic location. And really, it doesn’t feel like a seminar at all!

This year they had nearly 3,000 people apply to come, and they could only accommodate 350. Everything aligned and I was able to be blessed enough to be invited.

The Awesomeness Fest – Join the Movement!

So here are the top 10 things (in no particular order) I got to experience at my first Afest:

1. Hugs– I experienced roughly 300 hugs in 6 days. And no they weren’t the typical “hug it out, bro” hugs either! As a matter of fact they had a speaker that went over the do’s and don’ts of giving a great hug!

2. Eye contact– Everyone you meet gives you amazing eye contact, and they have a vibrant look in their eye that shines through from their soul. Oh, we did an exercise on eye gazing and giving and receiving compliments too!

3. Speakers– They had the most diverse group of speakers I have ever seen. From world renown breakthrough coach Lisa Nichols, to Astronaut Anousheh Ansari, to SimpleWealth founder Greg Habstritt, to MindValley CEO Vishen Lakhiani….the list goes on and on, here!

4. Attendees– I have never attended a group larger than 50 people that formed this kind of connection before. Everyone is happy, positive and vibrant, not to mention successful! I was thoroughly impressed with everyone I connected with during my time at Afest, and I couldn’t find ONE person that said otherwise!

5. Parties– This alone is worth the trip. They have their own kick ass DJ (much love Sammy!) that brings the beats every night in different locations. This year we went on catamarans and had an ocean swimming party, drove to a mountain top and danced at a 1600’s Spanish style mansion, and dressed up in Carnival to dance and celebrate life, not to mention a pool party, beach party and club.

6. Exotic locations– This year it was in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. The 4 previous locations were: Bali, Mexico, Maui and Costa Rica. Having an awesome setting makes the energy that much higher, and besides, who REALLY wants to hang out at a Marriott near LAX after you’re done for the day.

7. Morning Activities– If you want to start your day off right, they bring in world class fitness, yoga and meditation instructors to jump start your morning routine. I got a chance to connect with each of them as well, as all speakers/instructors hang out with us at night!

8. Synergy– You end up talking to some of the most amazing people, and synergy just flows naturally. The conversations get pretty deep, and since everyone is passionate about moving humanity forward in some form or another, you end up with…

9. Life Connections– It sounds crazy, and it is, but every single person I met changed my life in some way. The ripples of which are not even fully realized! I will easily stay connected to at least 50 of the people I met (no joke!) and already have plans to see people in the cities I am traveling to the rest of 2013.

10. Diversity– Over 33 countries were represented this year at Afest. Amongst us we had billionaires, astronauts, Tony award winners, and NY Times best selling authors; not to mention all the great coaches, healers, techies and serial entrepreneurs! This allows us to realize that we are all human, here on this earth together, and creates a oneness that is truly unlike anything I have ever experienced.

The above doesn’t even begin to do the event justice. The energy in person can’t be felt through words or pictures. Like most things in life, we must experience them for ourselves to truly grasp it.

The dates and locations (they are doing 2 per year moving forward) haven’t been released yet, and I have already committed to going. If you want to join me for an unforgettable experience, I will see you there!

This Guy Wants to Change the World!

With our current political, economical and environmental states, it would be hard to argue with someone who said they wanted the world to change. However, this idea seems a bit esoteric.

• Where would we start?
• Who would lead?
• What would we do?

Do you believe you can change the world?

Changing the world starts with changing ourselves. What is it we don’t like in the world? Let’s look within and see if we can find it within ourselves.
Don’t wait until tomorrow to start. Tomorrow doesn’t exist. The only thing that has ever existed is RIGHT NOW. The past no longer exists, and the future is malleable. Instead of seeing time as linear, think of it as circular. We embrace the past, while creating the future from the present moment.

If today were our last day, if NOW were our last moment, how would we want to live it?

When we wake up each morning and possess that mindset, that is when we can start to embody real change. They say change doesn’t happen overnight, and they’re right.

Change happens in an instant!

It is the decision to change that takes time. Thinking about changing something doesn’t make it so, it isn’t until we take action that change actually occurs. Everything in our physical realm was once a thought, an idea even. It is the action of those thoughts and ideas that create our reality.

If you can dream it, you can do it. -Walt Disney

When we look at our reality, realize that everything that is a part of it is a manifestation of our minds (either conscious or UNconscious). If we don’t have the things we want in our life, that means we aren’t thinking the right thoughts and taking the right actions in order to achieve them. This is great news!

Why?

Because, the only person who has control of your thoughts is YOU. The only person who can take action on those thoughts is, yep you guessed it, YOU!

Our need for safety keeps us playing small.

The fear of failing, or even the fear of success can feel overwhelming sometimes. Taking that unknown path, of surprise and adventure, will lead you on a journey far more rewarding than staying home and playing it safe! We should define freedom as being free to create and mold ourselves however we want. The awareness of CREATING your life, will give you the consciousness to create it in a way that moves mankind forward.

I believe in you.

Call me crazy, but I do.

I believe that together we can change the world.

In order to change the world:

• We will have to be the best version of ourselves, as often as possible.
• We will have to take action, even when it is outside of our comfort zone.
• We will have to engage others
• Create synergistic relationships and do work that inspires us.

We know this will not be easy. We know this will be challenging, but is there any other way?

This is why we are here.

There is greatness within us all; the meaning of life lies somewhere on the journey to greatness.

To learn more about the The Blue Spoke and how you can help us change the world learn more here. 

*This is an article I wrote in August 2012. I felt too vulnerable at the time to share it, and it got lost amongst the sea of my life. Now, over a year later, I want to share my experience of being sick, and what it taught me!

Overcoming pneumonia has been a humbling experience.

not because it has weakened my body, challenged my mind and made me vulnerable, but because it has given me invaluable perspective. Going through a time of transition is always a challenge, but doing so while feeling physically weakened is unlike anything I have experienced before. It has made me doubt myself, lose focus, feel inferior and vulnerable to everything going on in my world.

Awakening with new perspective and gratitude is something that I never would have thought at the beginning of this journey. This is such a beautiful thing because it has reinforced my rule of not having expectations and going with the flow.

For almost 3 weeks I didn’t meditate consistently, eat as healthy, create anything or really interact with my friends or coach.

I spent countless hours in a hospital setting, in front of the TV (thank God for the Olympics) and in deep, dream filled sleep. I awoke from a 3 week hibernation where I felt lost, powerless and uninspired with my life.

All the self improvement and spiritual awakening I had endured for over 18 months seemed to have vanished for a short period, and it wasn’t until I had a mastermind session with a beautiful group of friends and colleagues that I started to regain my vision. I can’t tell you how important it is to surround yourself with people who are fun, inspiring and up to big things in life.

Once I regained focus, I realized the world had changed-or at least MY world had changed. I had conceptually known so many things in my life, but hadn’t had them sink into my BEING until my world shifted. They say it takes life altering circumstances to shift one’s perspective, but a shift can occur any time, as long as the person is conscious enough to recognize it!

My new life perspective has left me more empathetic and accepting of my vulnerability with people, and the world around me. I know some people are probably thinking, “I don’t want to be MORE vulnerable!” But in this vulnerability I have found strength. The strength to connect with people on a deeper level, to love life more passionately and feel the true meaning of being one with the earth and all the beautiful people on it.

Connecting deeper with people has been such a blessing in my life. The more I accept others for who they are and appreciate them for their uniqueness, the deeper connection I can form. Non-judgement is something that I have been working on within myself. Through the process of feeling weak, not good enough and everything else I was telling myself during my illness, I was able to cement non-judgement into my BEING. Once I was able to accept myself, I immediately saw a transformation on how I viewed others. This just cements my beliefs that all things must first come from within before you can authentically project them outwardly. Love, acceptance, gratitude….everything!

Pneumonia has taught me five things:

1.) Vulnerability = Strength

Forget what Websters says, being vulnerable can open up a power within you that most of us rarely experience. My entire life I have known strength in the traditional sense: standing firm, having a powerful presence, being mentally sharp or performing acts of valor. What I came to find is my weakest moments turned out to be stronger than anything in my previous experience. Being vulnerable allowed me to connect with others, trust them, collaborate and most importantly have them trust ME. Being vulnerable with someone automatically opens up a door that isn’t possible when you are showing strength. It is only when one party opens that door that both can walk through it to connect on the other side.

2.) Your physical health is paramount

I believe in a holistic approach to life. I work on my body, mind and spirit daily. I feel that if one spoke is weakened, the whole wheel wobbles. I have been mentally and spiritually weakened and been able to bounce back pretty quickly, but when pneumonia weakened my physical body it repaired MUCH slower than my mind and spirit. Having been blessed with amazing physical health for so long it really put things in perspective when I fell ill. We are creators in this world, and having physical health is a key component to the holism that is required to produce at our best. Being strong of mind and spirit are equally important, but our bodies are necessary in this physical realm!

3.) Conceptual vs Being

Being a student of life I find myself reading books, taking seminars, masterminding with great people and learning new things on a daily basis. I take in so much information sometimes that it’s hard to assimilate! It isn’t until I put a concept into action that it ever becomes a way of being for me. Over the past month I have had one thing after another sink into another level of my awareness and it has changed my way of being. Getting sick allowed me to have more gratitude for those around me, being vulnerable allowed me to have deeper connection, and accepting myself allowed me to accept others.

4.) Shift your perspective, change your world

Every so often we come across a story or even know someone who has had a life changing experience courtesy of a traumatic experience. After facing death people tend to see the world differently. I believe these events are put into our lives to help guide us on our journey. Why not use the things we experience everyday to make tiny shifts along our path? There are lessons in front of us everyday, we just have to be conscious that they are in our awareness and be able to see the lessons they are there to provide.

5.) The Olympics rock!

Every four years the worlds best athletes get together and have a huge party. A party like no other, where they get to compete against the best, stand in appreciation of others’ talents and represent their home country with pride. I hadn’t sat and watched Olympics since I was a little kid so it was really awesome to see the evolution of not only the sports, but the athletes awareness. I saw huge respect amongst competitors, camaraderie within the fans, and a level of physical prowess -38 world records were broken, almost double the total at Beijing- that was unmatched.

Matt Ritchey,  author of this article is a life coach and founder of TheBlueSpoke.com.  Matt has dedicated his professional life to inspiring and uplifting others to achieve their full potential. To find out more about Matt’s “Best Life Coaching” services Click Here.

Lying in bed, sweaty, squirming, writhing. Can you feel it?

Every entrepreneur has had one. One of those long dark, sleepless nights where you have absolutely no idea where the money is going to come from for this month’s bills. It’s the conundrum of every bootstrapping startup.

But! There is another way.

A BJ! No, not that kind of BJ. I mean a Bridge Job! Personally, I struggled with this one for a while. A couple of years ago I quit my job to follow my passion and swore that I would never work for anyone else again.

Fast forward two years later, my business was growing but I was still struggling month to month, I was paying my bills, and keeping myself fed, but I rarely had any money to put back into the business. This can be a big problem.

I’ve always been a leap before I look kinda guy, but winging it just wasn’t serving the growth of my business.

Are you winging it in your business?

As I was saying, I was so proud of being an entrepreneur that I wouldn’t seek out the help I seriously needed. You know what they say.

Pride comes before the fall!

Finally, after one last sleepless night, I decided to swallow my pride and make a few phone calls the next day.

The first phone call I made to an old friend/employer, who happily responded to my sheepish request and said they needed a little part time summer help.

Phew! I was “saved.”

Turns out, that was one of the more enjoyable and prosperous summers that I have had in a long time! It was great to get out in the community and network, polish up on my social skills and make a little cash in the process. I emphasize the word little, because it was a ridiculous scenario. At home, on my laptop, I could bill anywhere between $34 & $50 an hour for my services. At my little day-job I was averaging about $12! So not only was it putting a little cash in my pocket, it was pissing me off that I had the opportunity to make so much more right from my computer.

Truth is, I had a silly mental block or fear around:

1. Asking for more money from my current clients.
2. Taking on more business.

We all have mental blocks and blind spots in our businesses that is why it is imperative that we get just as good at asking for help as we do at managing our books and creating products and services.

I was too proud to ask for help and it cost me dearly. It was only when I humbled myself and made a request that I opened the door for assistance.

As entrepreneurs we must be resourceful.

There is no such thing as a lack of resources, only a lack of resourcefulness. ~Tony Robbins

Are you struggling in your business?

Maybe you are thinking about starting a business? Don’t be afraid to get one or more part time jobs to help make ends meet and keep yourself fed. I strongly suggest for at least the first two years, all of the money you make with your business goes right back into your business.

By reinvestment into your business, I mean consistent education, marketing consultation, networking, building a kick-ass website that actually gets traffic and all of the other things that will take you from mediocre struggling start-up to a polished and profitable dog and pony show.

Hey, If you’re going you play the game, you might was well play to win right?

If you are struggling in your business, or you are thinking about starting a business, I want to hear from you. Small businesses are the backbone of a healthy economy.  It is my goal to help start 1000 new successful businesses over the next 12 months. Let my experience and struggle be your benefit and profit! Now is the time to take action, get clear and get on with building a life and business worth waking up for!

This article was inspired by the brilliant and talented Marie Forleo.

Kyle is a business strategist and web developer who has a passion for helping others create powerful startups through clear planning and proven strategy. To find out more about Kyle and his mission to help start 1,000 new small businesses in the next 12 months visit his website: tensevendigital.com

Top 5 signs you are living as your best self

First let’s clarify the concept of your “best self.”  

It is my belief that within all of us is a fully expressed, loving, connected version of ourself. Throughout our life we have experienced this from time to time; maybe it was winning a sporting event, maybe it was saying goodbye to a loved one or maybe it came in a moment of silence sitting at your favorite spot, all alone, when you least expected it. Whenever it occurred, you knew it. It was as if the world slowed down, everything became clearer, you felt connected and completely present. This is what athletes and performers call “being in the flow.”
This force (Maybe Star Wars was onto something) inside of every one of us is available in our everyday life, we just need to foster the right environment for it to thrive!

Getting in touch with your best self is not difficult, but it does take time to build your “best self muscles,” just like any other muscles or habits.

Use these 5 tactics to get in touch with your BEST SELF and become a better version of yourself every single day.

1. Embrace Change: The only constant in life is change. EVERYTHING is ALWAYS changing. If we are rigid and unable to adapt, especially in today’s society where everything is speeding up, we will struggle. We will fall behind. It is our natural expression to embrace change (think of how our physical body is constantly changing), but in our mind we have to choose to want to do it. And not only choose, but BELIEVE it is possible. Belief plus action will get us started on the path to embracing change and realizing our full potential.

2. Silver Lining: What if everything happened to your maximum advantage? If we believe that every single event in our lives happens for a reason, then we can filter through the negative and focus on the positive. What we focus on expands, so we might as well expand the good stuff! Focus on whatever makes you fulfilled. This will lead you on a path to expressing your highest self.

3. Help!?: Asking someone for help is for the brave. Putting yourself out there and saying “I’m not good enough yet, please help me” is extremely courageous and one of the fastest ways towards super-growth. Being vulnerable and opening ourselves up for judgment is one of the best, and fastest, ways to grow and step into our highest self. Only the foolish think they can do everything alone.

It’s about quality over quantity though. I would rather have the world’s leading expert coach me through something then talk to 5 people with less knowledge. I have had a coach for the past 2 years and it has supercharged my life in ways I didn’t even know were possible! A great coach is merely a mirror for us to see ourselves more clearly. The answers more often than not, come from within.

4. How May I Serve You?: When we are living in our highest potential and authentically expressing ourselves we are always serving others. Whether it be performing, teaching, healing or whatever, we are doing someone else a service. And to be really good at it we connect and actually CARE about our customer, like a friend. Our best self always asks, “how could I serve my friends (customers) better?” Bottom line, if we are not serving others in some capacity, we’re not going to be able to be our full and best selves.

5. Unconditional Love: Being able to connect with someone deep enough to have unconditional love is a pretty special thing. Our current society typically reserves unconditional love to family, lovers, and close friends, and It’s my mission to expand it to EVERYONE. Imagine if no one judged one another, and completely accepted people for who they are and how they are being.

This need to conform so that others won’t judge us is stifling us from reaching our highest potential! I know, loving EVERYONE unconditionally sounds like a crazy notion, and you’re right, it is. What we CAN do today is to start loving OURSELVES: completely, wholly, and unconditionally. If we can do that, it would create a HUGE shift on how we act towards each other. How are we supposed to love others unconditionally when we can’t love ourselves unconditionally?! It sounds silly saying it, but we have to love ourselves first.

Conclusion: It is natural part of our human nature to want to be better. To expand and become a better person each day takes conscious practice. There will be times when it happens easily and effortlessly; there are other times it seems as though you’ve hit a plateau. Keep moving forward, stay in action and refer to the 5 tips above to help you along your journey! If you are stuck and would like clarity please sign up for a free breakthrough session.

Matt Ritchey,  author of this article is a life coach and founder of TheBlueSpoke.com.  Matt has dedicated his professional life to inspiring and uplifting others to achieve their full potential. To find out more about Matt’s life breakthrough services Click Here.