Lori Gouhin [00:00:02]:
Welcome to the artwork of you, the podcast where your life is the canvas.
Lori Gouhin [00:00:07]:
And you are the masterpiece. I'm your host, Lori Gouhin, and together we'll explore creativity, self awareness, mindset, goal strategy, and the importance of accountability so that you can paint your life's portrait with confidence and ease. Remember, in the gallery of Life, you're not just a spectator, you are the art. So let's grab our brushes and start creating the masterpiece that is you.
Lori Gouhin [00:00:32]:
Oh, my friends, I am so glad.
Lori Gouhin [00:00:34]:
That you are here with me today.
Lori Gouhin [00:00:36]:
Because today I want to talk about how you just might be able to master this so called game of life that we all seem to be playing. And to do this, I want to discuss five different concepts that you can apply to your life starting today. And most likely, you're already familiar with some of them, if not all of them. But I would also bet that most likely, you're probably not applying them, or at least not all of them. So let's start with the power of the spoken word. And I like to say that words have meaning. That's why they call it spelling. So, in other words, our words are not just expressions of our thoughts.
Lori Gouhin [00:01:11]:
They are actually the creator of our reality. So how can we harness this power to manifest the life that we desire? I know there are some mixed opinions on affirmations out there, but here's my take. Affirmations, I believe, are positive, powerful statements that, when spoken with conviction, bring about change in our lives. And they're not just about wishful thinking, but an assertion of the truth, aligning our conscious and subconscious minds to our desires. Because our brain is an incredible organ, and it responds to the words and thoughts that we feed it. And by repeatedly affirming our goals as though they're already achieved, we can, in essence, rewire our brain to act in alignment with these beliefs. And research indicates that consistent, positive self affirmation may strengthen neural pathways in the brain to make these affirmations a reality. So what is the best way to create affirmations that will actually work? Think of an area in your life that you wish to transform or improve.
Lori Gouhin [00:02:17]:
It could be related to your health, prosperity, love, or any personal goal. The first thing to remember is to state your affirmation in the present tense as if it's already happening, because this helps create a belief in the possibility of achieving it. And next, be positive. Focus on what you want, not on what you want to avoid. The universe responds to your vibration, so keep it positive. Also be specific, because vague affirmations will be less effective. The more specific you are, the clearer the message is to your brain and to the universe. Really.
Lori Gouhin [00:02:53]:
Also, remember to include an action word. Words like am or feel, enjoy, or love. They can add power to your affirmation by evoking emotions and actions within you. And finally, and perhaps most important, is to make it believable, because everything else, if you don't believe it, most likely it's not going to happen. So your affirmation should stretch you, but still be believable to you. Try to find the right balance that challenges you, yet comforts you. Here are a few examples of some affirmations. I am joyfully celebrating my healthy body and mind every day.
Lori Gouhin [00:03:32]:
I am effortlessly attracting abundance and prosperity into my life. I am surrounded by love in all aspects of my life. So take a few minutes and write down your own personal affirmations. Remember, it's for you, so make it resonate with your heart and your mind. And by creating a personal affirmation, you're taking a significant step towards transforming your life. I know it sounds far fetched, but I really do truly believe that from personal experience. Keep the affirmations close to you and repeat them daily, especially in the morning and right before bed, when you're in that limbo state. And notice if anything starts to change in your life.
Lori Gouhin [00:04:12]:
The next idea I want to talk about is prosperity. And I believe that prosperity is often misunderstood. It's usually thought of just accumulating wealth. However, true prosperity covers all aspects of your life, including joy, peace, abundance, and everything that you do and have. It's like living in a state where we feel rich in every possible way. And my husband and some friends of ours, we have this inside joke. We're constantly saying to each other, we're rich or you're rich. And so an important key, I think, to prosperity is understanding the balance between giving and receiving.
Lori Gouhin [00:04:51]:
When you give with love and generosity, it will open the channels of receiving. When you give joyfully, without attachment to receiving, you align yourself with the abundance that's all around you. And many of us are held back by a scarcity mindset, fearing that there's not enough to go around. And this fear will block your flow of prosperity. So how can you shift from scarcity to abundance? Thinking? It's by recognizing that the universe is abundant, there's plenty for everyone. And I often say my piece of the pie does not make your piece smaller or vice versa, because truly, it's an abundant universe. There is more than enough for everyone. And I want to emphasize that a prosperity mindset is not about denying your current reality, but about affirming your power to change and align with abundance.
Lori Gouhin [00:05:43]:
And so here are some easy things that you can do. You can have a gratitude practice. Start and end your day by listing things that you're grateful for, because gratitude opens your heart to receive more. You can also visualize abundance. Spend time visualizing your life filled with prosperity in all areas of your life. Visualizing is a very powerful tool, as are affirmations for manifesting and back to affirmations. You can write your affirmations for prosperity. You can create affirmations that resonate with abundance.
Lori Gouhin [00:06:15]:
Repeat them daily to embed these beliefs into your brain and be generous. Practice giving without any expectation. And that could be giving of your time, of your resources, of your love, without expecting anything in return. Because giving activates prosperity, choose one of those steps and commit to practicing it over the next week. Whether it's starting a gratitude journal, visualizing abundance, crafting a prosperity affirmation, or performing an act of kindness, of generosity. Choose whatever resonates most with you and do that over the next week and again. See if you start to notice any changes, either in yourself or in how the world is responding to you. Make today be a turning point towards a more prosperous and fulfilling life for yourself.
Lori Gouhin [00:07:03]:
Now I want to talk about love and how love plays a central role in manifesting your desires and improving your experiences. I believe personally that love is the most powerful vibration in the universe. It has the capacity to transform absolutely everything, in my opinion. And when we operate from a place of love, when we always lead with love, we emit a frequency that will draw loving relationships and circumstances toward us. And one of the most profound aspects of love is its ability to heal. And healing through love begins first and foremost with ourselves. It involves forgiving ourselves, accepting our imperfections, and extending that forgiveness and acceptance to other people. Attracting positive relationships honestly starts with how we feel about ourselves.
Lori Gouhin [00:07:55]:
The love that we give to ourselves sets the standard for how we allow others to treat us. And by cultivating self love, we will attract individuals who resonate with that same love. So here's an exercise that you can do that will help you to foster love and forgiveness, starting with yourself and then extending it to others. You can write a love letter to yourself. Begin by writing a letter to yourself, highlighting your strengths, your accomplishments, and the challenges that you've overcome. Acknowledge your worth and express self love and forgiveness for any of your past mistakes. Then think of a relationship in your life that you wish to improve or to heal. It could be with a family member, a friend, a colleague, it doesn't matter.
Lori Gouhin [00:08:39]:
And write a statement of forgiveness, either forgiving yourself for any pain that you've held onto in the relationship or extending forgiveness to the other person. Because remember, forgiveness is not about condoning behavior. It's about freeing yourself from the burden of resentment and finally, set a positive intention for this relationship. Moving forward, it could be, again, to forgive them, to forgive yourself, possibly to communicate better in the relationship, or even being okay with simply moving on from the relationship and being okay with that. If you want an example of a forgiveness statement, it could sound something like this. I forgive myself for holding on to resentment and pain in my relationship. With such and such, I release these feelings and open my heart to understanding compassion and love. Love and forgiveness are profound tools, and by practicing self love and extending your forgiveness and setting intentions for your relationships, you really do open yourself up to a world of deeper and more positive connections.
Lori Gouhin [00:09:45]:
And again, to reemphasize it starts with you. Self love has to come first. The next idea I want to talk about is about living your life in nonresistance. When you embrace nonresistance, you align yourself with, as they say, being in the flow. It's not about being passive or giving up, but about choosing what not to waste your energy fighting against or situations that you can't change, but instead to focus on what you can control, which is your response and your mindset and your actions. And we talked about that on the episode where I talked about the book the courage to be disliked. It's a very similar concept. But acceptance is at the heart of non resistance, meaning that recognizing that some situations are beyond your control.
Lori Gouhin [00:10:35]:
And instead of resisting, seek to understand, seek for opportunities, for growth within these circumstances, because acceptance will allow you to use your energy for a constructive action. So when we stop resisting and start flowing, we will open ourselves to insights and solutions and growth that were not visible in the state of struggle. And so here are some ways that you can identify any areas of resistance that you might be having and how you can transform that to a more positive approach. Reflect on areas in your life where you feel resistance or tension or a struggle. It could be a situation with a relationship or in regards to your own personal growth or your business, and ask yourself why you're resisting, what fears or beliefs are fueling that resistance, and write it down. And then consider what lesson or opportunity for growth the situation might be offering. How can you shift your perspective to see this as an opportunity rather than a problem? And based on your reflection. Identify one action that you can take to embrace nonresistance and let go of the need for control of the outcome.
Lori Gouhin [00:11:48]:
Maybe that's initiating a difficult conversation with somebody, or maybe it's just deciding to focus on what brings you peace in the midst of this situation. But try to take one action towards the nonresistance rather than staying stuck in resistance or in the struggle. So here's an example that might help. I recognize my resistance to accepting feedback at work. My action of nonresistance will be to listen openly to feedback without immediate judgment or defense, seeking to learn and grow from the experience. It could be simple as that. It's not always easy, but it is simple. And by choosing nonresistance again, you are aligning with the flow of life and transforming your challenges into opportunities for growth.
Lori Gouhin [00:12:33]:
So, to recap, the goal is to integrate the ideas that I've discussed into all areas of your life to create harmony and abundance. Reflect on your current state of health and well being. How can you apply the concept of prosperity and the power of the spoken word to improve your health? Consider affirmations for health or actions that promote physical and mental wellness. Think about your financial career, business goals. How can living in nonresistance and the concept of giving and receiving help you to achieve these goals? Identify one financial habit, maybe, that you want to develop, or an area where you can give more freely. Examine your relationships and your capacity for love, including self love. How can these ideas on love and forgiveness enhance your relationship with others and with yourself? Plan one action to deepen a relationship or to practice self love and contemplate your passions, your hobbies. How can you use these ideas to live more authentically and express your true self? Choose one activity that aligns with your passions and take a step in that direction.
Lori Gouhin [00:13:40]:
Creating a balanced life that reflects your deepest desires and highest self is certainly a life worth living. If you keep reflecting, adapting, and acting on these concepts or these ideas, you'll see that the universe aligns to bring your visions to life.
Lori Gouhin [00:13:58]:
That's a wrap for today, my friends. Thank you for sharing your time with me. And remember to show up in your life like the masterpiece you are because you are the artwork. Please subscribe and leave a five star review. Have a fabulous day.