Instead of being shy and timid, greet the person with a big smile. Look them in the eye and project your voice with confidence as you say your name. Have an interesting question prepared that immediately gets the person engaged. Instead of asking what they do for a living (the standard), ask them what their favorite restaurant is or ask them about a hobby they are passionate about. Let their enthusiasm to share their passion enhance your confidence level and energize your own enthusiasm.

If you practice this often enough, you will eventually become that new person and you no longer have to practice. It will be who are ARE!

Here are 4 powerful techniques that you can use to raise your energy and lift your spirits when you feel a lack of motivation.

Audio immersion. This is a technique that I have seen a number of people use in a variety of ways. The general idea is to combine inspirational music with some form of physical movement. As an example, you might want to find a song that really makes you come alive. A song that you like to sing along with. Turn the volume up a little. Then, as the song is playing, grab a pen and paper and begin writing down powerful statements to yourself.

You might write words like “I am energized”, “I have supreme confidence”, “I am incredibly productive”, “I have undying power” or any other statements that resonate with you. You can also shout these sayings out loud but I prefer the pen and paper method because you can’t always shout out loud, especially if other people are around you. This method is a sure fire way to increase your energy and motivation levels.

Positive and Negative Drivers. This technique involves analyzing very personal things about yourself that impact your emotions. The idea here is to list as many things as you can think of that cause you to feel drive. For example, you might have a goal of running a marathon but you have not had the drive or motivation to go on a run. You would rather lie on the couch.

In order to get yourself off of the couch, you would start by listing all of the positive things would result if you were to go for a run. This might include things like increased energy, happiness because you are proud of yourself, excitement of moving towards your marathon goal and of course contentment that you are preserving your health.

At the same time, you would also list all of your negative motivators. Things that might occur if you DON’T commit to your running goals. This might include things like self let-down for not sticking to your objectives, reduced energy or even proving your doubters to be right (this can be a huge one). When you combine the positive drives with the negative drivers, your energy and motivation levels can’t help but to be impacted and improved upon.

Comedy and Movement. This is a technique that I use all of the time and when I show other people, they really enjoy it. The idea is to combine the good feelings of comedy and laughter with the increased energy brought about by body movement.

There is no “right” way to do this so I will illustrate with an example. Go to youtube and search for a comedian or clips from a funny show that always makes your laugh. Even if your mood is really low at this point, simply watch the clip with no expectations for instant mood enhancement. You are simply observing at this point. Watch the clip twice if need be. Then, search for a second comedy clip and simply cue it up. Don’t play it yet.

After the first clip is finished, stand up, move your chair out of the way and do some kind of fast body movement. This can be anything that gets your heart pumping (leg raises, jumping jacks, shadow boxing, etc…). Do this for a minimum of one minute.

Once your mini exercise session is done, return to your computer and watch the second comedy clip. You will find your energy level rising and you will very likely have an easy time laughing at this clip. Repeat this process a few times if need be.

These 3 techniques may seem basic on the surface but can have a huge impact on your life. Experiment with them and see how it can improve your energy and motivation levels.

I don’t know you all personally, of course but it’s a fair bet that you’d at least like to tweak life a little, just to pep it up a notch or two.

Today let yourself sink into the awareness of what you’ve got. There is breath in your body – feel it. Thoughts that come and go through your head without you having to do anything – a miracle. There’s food in your belly, and you’re probably comfortably warm. Notice the colours, the shapes of nature – leaves, a cloud, a kitten’s little paws. You are privileged to be able to drink all this in.

And consider, too, that you must always have had enough, at least the minimum of all your needs met, every day of your life up til now, or you wouldn’t be here. Enough food, enough warmth, and yes, enough love to have survived to this day.

Just drink this day in in all it’s glory, wallow in the sheer exquisiteness of being alive, and I’ll talk to you very soon.

When the individual is about to commence a visualization, it’s important to ensure that the phone is unplugged and that they are unlikely to be disturbed.

Visualization A Beautiful Scene

With eyes closed, it’s important to focus intently on any moment in time where happiness was experienced. This can often be the birth of a child, marriage or simply a moment where pure contentment was reached. To be able to picture the scene completely, it’s important to become part of the scene using memories so that it feels real. In a way, the moment becomes freeze framed for the individual to step into and experience at will.

The Box Visualization

When problems get too much and sleep is interrupted as a result, the best way for any individual to cope with them is to use the Box Visualization’ as this affords a great deal of control over any areas of concern.

When lying down and with eyes closed, imagine the actual problem and make the visualization as clear as possible before mentally shrinking it down to tiny proportions. Mentally place the problem in a box and put the lid on it. Practice makes perfect with this technique and if the problem still plagues during the visualization, it’s important to stay focussed and to keep placing the problem back into the box.

This repetitive action gives you power over the situation. Wrap the box, tape it so that it is secure and then mentally drop the box containing the problem over a bridge and into a fast flowing river. It can be very therapeutic to watch the problem being swept away and will certainly aid sleep as a result.

This can be repeated as many times as is necessary but it’s an excellent tool to help avoid any problems from disturbing sleep. With a full night’s sleep, any problems will look much less concerning anyway.

And this holiday was non-cerebral for me. So here’s my point, (and today’s tip – at last you cry!) …

Give yourself some time in the week to do the opposite of your standard way. If you like to think as I do, then book yourself an hour of tennis or a massage or a float, and realise that whatever you were thinking about before will still be there to think about when the activity is over, so give yourself the break.

Or, if you’re generally an active, sporty sort, read a book, or learn to play chess perhaps.

You’ll find your troubles dissolve and your life will start to come into balance.