In my most recent post I talked about how powerful the impact of visualization can be for achieving all we want in our lives. It is important for visualization to be fun, for it to feel good.

Visualization is an extremely powerful tool and skill. When we visualize, it communicates what to focus on to the mind. It’s important that we tell our minds what to focus on because the object of our focus determines our perception of reality. Mental imagery impacts many cognitive processes in the brain: motor control, attention, perception, planning, and memory. So the brain is getting trained for actual performance during visualization. It’s been found that mental practices can enhance motivation, increase confidence and self-efficacy, improve motor performance, prime your brain for success, and increase states of flow – all relevant to achieving any goal, including an amazing life.

"Do not confuse dreams with wishes. There is a difference. Dreams are where you visualize yourself being successful at what it’s important for you to accomplish...Wishes are hoping good things will happen to you. But there is no fire in your gut that causes you to put everything forth to overcome all the obstacles." -Dolly Parton

Finding the perfect gift for your loved ones can be stressful. Below are some ideas that are sure to please even the pickiest of your friends and family.

Gratitude is something I think about all the time, but of course it takes up even more space in my mind this week. I am so grateful for my life and all the people in it. I hope you can take some time to think about what and who you are grateful for and express it to those around you whenever possible.

The sniffles around me have begun...I guess it is that time of year already! When patients start coming in with colds, flus, and other viruses I reach for my favorite immune boosting supplements!

"The only way you're going to achieve your dreams is if you MOVE towards them in the present"

Imagine if you will being on your death bed – And standing around your bed – the ghosts of the ideas, the dreams, the abilities, the talents given to you by life.

I really can't express how much I love a boat ride. I don't care if it is a canoe, a kayak, a sailboat, an air mattress, a speedboat, a catamaran, a raft, anything on the water...I LOVE IT. When I am on a boat, a feeling of peace and joy envelopes me, reality melts away, and I can't help smiling. So I got to thinking...this has to be good for my health!

It us unlikely that anyone gets to the end of their life and wishes they had spent more time on their phone. As you take your last breaths, what do you want to have done with your life? In the end, only you get to decide if it was a life well lived. You're shaping it right now. If you don't like where you're headed, there's no time like the present to begin changing your course.

"You are the author of your own life, and it’s never too late to replace the stories you tell yourself and the world. It’s never too late to begin a new chapter, add a surprise twist, or change genres entirely." -Tim Ferris

Being financially solvent and spending in line with our own values leads to increased happiness. We live in a culture that spends and spends, many times impulsively, and in a way that actually leaves us feeling less abundant, not more. It leaves less money in our bank accounts, more stuff in the garage, more things to organize, and less time to do things we love.

"To touch someone with kindness, is to change someone forever.”

“On the one hand, we all want to be happy. On the other hand, we all know the things that make us happy. But we don’t do those things. Why? Simple. We are too busy. Too busy doing what? Too busy trying to be happy.”

—Matthew Kelly, Bestselling Author

Peter Diamandis' Ted Talk is an amazing reframing on the state of our world. If you need a break from the politics and want to feel better about how we're doing,