Consciously connect to your higher self and gain access to your personal power with this month’s character affirmations. These affirmations will help you tap into your highest potential, eliminate fear as an obstacle, and align you with the person you want to be, and the life you want to live. As always, please share your favorite affirmations with us by commenting at the bottom of the post!

Waking up early, exercising, meditating, working on creative projects, spending time in nature, eating nourishing food, getting quality sleep… What do these things have in common? Most of us say we should do MORE of them, but just can’t seem to make it happen on a consistent...

The internet is overflowing with articles on ways to unwind and relax after a stressful day, which can be very useful… but an even more powerful strategy is to get to the source of the problem, and cut stress out before it even happens. By careful editing of your life, and changing certain habits, you can eliminate most common sources of stress in your life. It’s important to note that a totally stress-free life isn’t possible (or even desirable). Stress is a natural response to challenges and growth in life, and a life without challenges or growth is too boring to contemplate. However, many of us can agree that most of the stress in our lives is unnecessary, and that it can be eliminated by taking some simple steps. It can’t be accomplished overnight — but it’s a rewarding and worthy goal.

Every thought you think and every word you say is a declaration about who you are in this moment, and how you are perceiving the world. Whether you believe that life is a blissful, joyous, blessed experience -- or a difficult, miserable, stressful one -- YOU ARE RIGHT. Because, moment to moment, YOU are the creator of your experience. Here are 33 beautiful affirmations to empower, uplift and inspire you as you create your experience consciously, with ever-increasing love and gratitude.

As humans, the search for happiness is hardwired in our DNA. It transcends age, gender, geography, vocation, and personal circumstances. There are probably as many different paths to happiness as there are people on the planet! But there is ONE thing that is virtually guaranteed to set...

Neuroscience now proves that our thoughts change the structure and function of our brains… Not to mention their role in literally creating our reality, as demonstrated through the exciting world of quantum mechanics. As we learn in this month’s LifeNote, You Are The Placebo -- by practicing positive expectancy in the form of visualization or intentional repeated thought patterns (affirmations) we have the power to alter the brain’s neurological circuitry, and rewire ourselves so that new realities can emerge. You really do have the power to create a whole new reality for yourself. With a clear intention (your affirmation), positive expectancy (absolute belief in its attainment), and powerful emotional energy, you have all the ingredients you need to make your thoughts a tangible reality. Do this every single day, and your life will transform more quickly and powerfully than you ever thought possible. This is the extraordinary power of the human mind.

As featured on Portland Press Herald Writer and neuroscientist Rachel Herz details how the brain, emotions and the environment affect what we consume in her new book "Why You Eat What You Eat: The Science Behind Our Relationship with Food." Several years back, Cadbury, the English chocolatier, changed the shape of its signature Dairy Milk Bar, taming its square physique into a rounded profile. Though the recipe remained unchanged, aggrieved customers weren’t convinced. The revamped chocolates were said to be oily, sugary, sickly sweet.
Or consider another scenario where a panel of tasters believed they were sampling a new line of chocolates. Unbeknownst to participants, the samples were M&Ms, minus their logo, in green and brown, respectively. Although the candies were identical in composition, panelists deemed the green specimens less chocolatey. In both of these cases, one might reasonably ask what accounted for the disconnect. Can shape and color really alter our perception of a food’s flavor?

In this series, Lifebook Founder Jon Butcher personally interviews three Lifebook millionaires to discover their secrets and best practices for making millions of dollars, and building extraordinary careers. Each of these members has a net worth of over $1,000,000 + AND they’ve created extraordinary success across ALL of the 12 Lifebook categories. At Lifebook, we call this living “12-category smart.” And today we’re so excited to share some of their secrets with you. Once you’ve had a chance to listen, we’d love to know which episode is your favorite (and why)! Leave a comment at the bottom of the post and let us know what you think. We hope you enjoy! :)

Hey Lifebookers, Jon and Missy here. Today we have a super special gift to share with you -- one that is very near and dear to our hearts. For this week's Lifebook Loves, we're thrilled to highlight the brilliant work of our dear friend and mentor of over 20 years, the late Dr. Nathaniel Branden. World-renowned for his work in psychotherapy, Nathaniel was widely considered the pioneer and world's leading expert on the subject of self-esteem. He was a great thinker, a compassionate teacher of rational values, and ultimately a champion for happiness. For more than two decades Missy and I were honored to call Nathaniel one of our dearest friends and teachers. And as we mention in the credits of the Lifebook Program, no single person on earth had a greater influence over our lives and our work than Nathaniel. Today you can get a free glimpse into Nathaniel's breakthrough audio program, Succeeding Through Inner Strength.