Motivation is contagious. Start spreading it.

Emerson knows what's up.

Keith Harrell, the author of one of my favorite books, Attitude is Everything, believes that enthusiasm is a vital tool for maintaining a positive attitude and for staying motivated. Personally, I could not agree more. I consider myself to be an enthusiastic individual, truly excited about the abundant opportunities life has to offer. It’s easy to stay enthusiastic and motivated when you want something so bad that you are willing to work tirelessly at it. Enthusiasm is what fueled the fire for me to start blogging, and also for me to start writing my first book. Without my active enthusiasm I have towards achieving my dreams, I probably wouldn’t get much of anything done in life.

Here’s my advice to you on staying enthusiastic when achieving your dreams: Find what you are passionate about and actively pursue it. If you don’t find yourself enthusiastic and motivated, have you ever took a second to think about if you are doing what’s right for you, and not what’s right for the people around you? Follow your bliss and enthusiasm and motivation will naturally flood to you. Always keep in mind: this is the only life you have to live. Are you going to live a mediocre life or will you make your time on earth truly worth it?

Here is an excerpt about enthusiasm from Mr. Harrell’s book that I wanted to share with you all:

• Enthusiasm gives you the power to get up in the morning when you’re not a morning person
• Enthusiasm keeps you working on a project instead of quitting
• Enthusiasm gives you the courage to take the risks needed for success
• Enthusiasm fuels the motivation to make things happen
• Enthusiasm brightens your personality
• Enthusiasm combats fear and worry
• Enthusiasm distinguishes a championship team from an average team
• Enthusiasm is the fire in the belly that says, “Don’t wait!”
• Enthusiasm is the burning desire that communicates commitment, determination, and spirit. It shows everyone else that you are sold on what you are doing and that you are seriously motivated.
• Enthusiasm’s last four letters stand for I Am Seriously Motivated.
• Enthusiasm and a positive attitude are the winning ingredients for life.

Genius, I tell ya, pure genius. I’m more motivated on finishing my book than I ever have been before. I plan on finishing it by November and having it published by early 2012. This will take an extreme amount of dedication and determination, and possibly even a few sleepless nights, but I know I can do it.

Go out into the world, give it your all, and create a life for yourself that is beautiful.

Happy being enthusiastic,

Jordan Brown

In the speech posted above, you will hear about my path full of passion and my journey on becoming a motivational speaker. I find it funny how all my life, all I’ve wanted is to be a shining star, and now I want to help others become shining stars. From Irish dancer, to pageant girl, to anchorwoman, to radio broadcaster, to motivational speaker– I hope you enjoy hearing my story!

I'm on the road to my future. Are you on the road to yours?

“When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened.”

-John M. Richardson, Jr.

I’m trying to be the one that makes it happen. I’m not going to sit around, waiting for success to find me. I’m going to work my ass off to find it. I will actively pursue my passion on a daily basis and will reap the endless benefits of achieving my dreams along the way. I’m amped on my future, and I hope your amped on yours as well. If not, then maybe it’s time for you to set some new goals, or embark on a new direction in life. Your life and your future matters because you are the traveling a path that only you can travel.

Create something amazing for your future. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

Happy traveling my path,

Jordan Brown

Happy Thankful Thursday!

You can read my last post about how thankful I am for clean drinking water here.

Appreciate your possessions and the home you live in.

I want you to take a few moments to look around you. Most likely, you’re sitting at home at your nicely crafted desk, or sitting on your over-sized, comfortable bed. You probably have full access to a bathroom whenever you want a warm shower after a long, tiring day. You also probably have a kitchen that has a pantry and refrigerator jam-packed with food. You most likely do not have to worry about where you’re going to sleep tonight or how you’re going to afford something to eat for dinner.

Today, I am most thankful for having a home. Having a home is something that most people don’t take the time to truly cherish and appreciate. Even if you’re living in a trashy college apartment, or sharing a room with your younger sister, be thankful that you have someplace to call your own, even if it is just for the time being.

I put together some startling statistics on homelessness. If my words already haven’t persuaded you to treasure the place you call home, I hope you’ll feel compelled to take a moment to be grateful after you read these disturbing findings:

• According to the National Coalition for the Homeless, 1.35 million U.S. children are homeless on any given night.
• In 2003, children under the age of 18 accounted for 39% of the homeless population.
• 1 in 8 youth under the age of 18 will leave home and become homeless in need of services.
• 12-17 year olds are at more risk of homelessness than are adults.
• 88,345 people are estimated to be homeless each night in Los Angeles County – the largest homeless population in the nation for any major metropolitan area.

Each morning when you wake up cozy and warm under your fresh, clean covers, take a moment to be grateful. Each day when you go into your kitchen to prepare a meal or to unload your groceries, smile and feel fortunate. Each evening when you go to brush your teeth and take a hot shower in your (hopefully) clean bathroom, be happy that you have easy access to these small pleasures.

Sure, you might be annoyed whenever a homeless person asks you for money or begs you for food, but remember: everyone has a story. You don’t know their story so don’t judge them before you know why exactly they are living on the streets. Each time you see someone that is homeless, this should be a reminder to you to how great your life really is, even when you want to complain about every little thing that’s “wrong” with it. We are all so completely fortunate to have homes and a place we can lay our heads peacefully at night.

Don’t take your home for granted, because can you imagine living without one? I know I most definitely cannot.

Happy having a home,

Jordan Brown

Before I tell you all about our meeting yesterday, I wanted to share the Shining Stars mission statement that I have recently created: Shining Stars provides a fun and positive learning environment, which fosters self-esteem and the confidence to develop into healthy and happy individuals. Whenever someone asks me what the club is “all about”, there’s the answer.

Also, before continuing on with this post, you may want to read about the first and second Shining Stars meetings.

Not every girl can learn to fly, but every girl can learn to love herself.

For yesterday’s meeting, we started off by listening to the song “Superwoman” by Alicia Keys. I thought this was an interesting song to play, because Alicia Keys is this beautiful, confident, successful woman, but even she deals with struggles and insecurities. Alicia Keys told the New York Times that this song is a reminder, to herself, that “even when I’m out, and I’m just a mess, and I’m not perfect, and everything’s not great, and I’m struggling to figure out what is what, I’m still a superwoman.” We talked about our favorite lyrics in the song and some responses were, “Gotta find the strength in me”, “Cause no one knows me underneath these clothes, but I can fly” and the general favorite, “I’m a superwoman.”

I asked the class, “How many of you believe that you are Supergirl?” Two hands out of about twenty went up.

I then questioned, “What does it mean to be Supergirl” They gave me quite the variety of responses…

…”Super powers, like you can fly!”

…”You are nice to everyone.”

…”You are pretty.”

…”You are good at sports.”

…”You feel good about yourself.”

I explained that while having super powers, like flying or being invisible, are goals that are somewhat out of reach for them, they can all be Supergirl, every single day, no matter how they are feeling or no matter what anyone says or does to them. I told them, “Supergirl never gives up. She’s a leader. She can do anything. She accepts and loves herself. She’s strong and confident. She believes in herself. You all can be Supergirl, in your own special, unique way.”

We started a discussion about Supergirl. The girls love sharing their stories and feelings, and I can tell they like to vent about the many different situations they happen to encounter in their daily lives. I asked the girls if they could think of times when they didn’t feel quite like Supergirl. One young girl told me that she was playing tether ball with another girl and she lost. The girl she was playing with told her, “Ha-ha, I am better than you!” and this almost brought the girls to tears. I asked her how she felt when this happened and she responded, “Sad. Like I wasn’t good at anything.” Another girl shared a story that when she was playing dodgeball, she got an older boy out and and in return, he called her fat. This was a tricky situation, but I explained to her that he was clearly just upset that she got him out of the game and took out his anger in a mean and hurtful way. I also explained that when Supergirl has mean things said to her (Yes, even Supergirl can’t avoid harsh criticism or mean words), she doesn’t let the words defeat her and bring her down. Instead, she uses the words for motivation to do even better. She knows that her opinion of herself is the only opinion that matters. She believes in and loves herself, and that is what’s most important.

Our discussion continued, where I spoke about the importance of believing in themselves, never giving up when they fail the first time at something, and that in order for them to be Supergirl, they need to believe that they are Supergirl.

Check out this example. This is what makes my job worth it.

We started an activity where they had to write “I am Supergirl because…” and then write at least one reason why they believe that they are Supergirl. This activity was fun, and the girls sure do love it when creativity is involved. I wrote some ideas on the board, just in case the younger ones needed inspiration. Most of them could think up a reason (or a few!) on their own, and they all seemed to enjoy the activity. While they continued with the exercise, I went around and told them how great they were doing. I make sure I go to each girls desk to tell her that she’s doing a great job, or that I love her reason as to why she’s Supergirl, because I believe positive reinforcement is incredibly effective in improving ones self-esteem.

Although I have only had three meetings, I feel that these meetings and activities are teaching the girls lessons about life that they may not learn otherwise. I believe it is vital to educate all young girls on the importance of, and how to increase, self-esteem, as it will be necessary to success in any area of their lives. As this club has become an integral part of my life, I have started doing research on self-esteem in young girls, and here are a few of my findings thus far:

Another example. How awesome is this?!

• Seven in ten girls believe they are not good enough, including their looks & performance in school
• 62% of all girls feel insecure or not sure of themselves
• Girls with low self-esteem are significantly more likely to engage in negative behaviors

These statistics break my heart. I may not be able to help all of the girls in the entire world (…yet!), but at least I can help the twenty-something girls in my club, and urge them to believe that they are Supergirl, no matter their shape, size, or color.

I finished the meeting by asking the class, “How many of you believe that you are Supergirl?” All the hands went up. Mission for the day: Accomplished.

Happy creating Supergirls,
Jordan Brown

Before I go to bed each night, I like to take a few moments to reflect on my day and tune into how I am feeling as the current day is coming to an end. I use this time to process my feelings and to think positive, uplifting thoughts. Instead of stressing about the little things in my life, or worrying about what I have to do tomorrow, I make this a worry & stress free zone! Is worrying or stressing going to get me anywhere? Ha, I don’t think so.

If journaling is more your forte, then please go right ahead, but I just like pondering my daily events (and my reactions to them) in the last few moments I’m awake.

I usually ask myself…

How was my day?

• Good! I worked, had our 3rd shining stars meeting, went to happy hour, and fit in a late night work out. Busy day, but I am thankful to feel satisfied, even when I have a chaotic schedule.

What was the best part about my day?

• Hands down, the Shining Stars meeting (I’ll post about it tomorrow!).

How did having a positive attitude benefit me during my day?

• One example is when I got cut off driving to happy hour, and had to slam on my breaks so that I wouldn’t rear-end the car in front of me. I could have reacted in a negative way by cussing them out and flipping them the finger, but instead I took a deep breath and smiled. I thought, At least I was paying attention, kudos to me!

What am I most excited about for tomorrow?

Cure the morning blues by taking a moment to be grateful for your life.

• Work, writing, and a great work out.

I try to always go to sleep on a happy note and typically wake up feeling ready to start a fresh, new day. Will you take the time to reflect? I challenge you to think something positive right before you go to bed, and also the moment you wake up each morning. You never know, it could make your day a whole lot brighter.

Good night world, thanks for having me here.

Happy reflecting,

Jordan Brown

You don't have to be Mr. Monday Blues.

Alright, people, listen up! If you’re getting ready for work, or are already at work, on this beautiful Monday morning, I (or anyone else for that matter) do not want to hear your complaints about having the Monday blues. Yes, you’re back at work after a weekend of fun, boozing, and socializing, and you may feel tired, unmotivated, and overall gloomy. I put together some startling statistics for you so that instead of complaining about being back at work, you can appreciate the fact that you are employed, can put fresh food on your table, and clean clothes on your back.

• 14.1 million people in the U.S. are currently unemployed.
• 6.3 million of unemployed population have been without jobs for 27 weeks or more.
• Since March 2011, the number of unemployed persons has increased
  by 545,000.

If you’re lucky enough to go to work on this fresh, new week, be thankful that you are not apart of the 14.1 million people who are unemployed in our nation. If you are one of the 14.1 million people currently unemployed, have hope that with time, effort, dedication, determination, and a whole lot of applying and going on interviews, you can get out of your current situation.

Don’t take your job for granted because can you imagine life without it? Sure, you may not be working at the job of your dreams at this point in your life, but you should maintain a positive attitude about your current situation and be grateful that you are making a living, while some can’t even afford the bare necessities.

This is more like it!

You can stick with the Monday Blues if you want, but let me tell you, that’s not going to get you anywhere in life, and you’ll probably just end up annoying the people around you. Plaster a smile on your face, stand tall, and walk into your work this morning with confidence. Bring your appreciation into work with you and you may even help your co-workers shed their bad attitudes. I see sunshine in your future, a whole lot of sunshine!

Happy being sunny this Monday,

Jordan Brown

Check out the little gem I found today in Self Magazine while lounging by the pool. Too often we, especially us girls, think negative and hurtful thoughts about our bodies. Chances are, you’ve probably been unhappy at one point or another when seeing your reflection in the mirror. I am guilty of this (not too frequently, but I definitely have my days!) and I think this excerpt is an important reminder to think positive, uplifting thoughts about our bodies. Your thoughts create your reality: if you think Ew, I look hideous or I look so fat in this, you are going to believe these thoughts. Stop being so hard on yourself.

Your body is the vehicle you drive around your whole life with: it deserves to be treated with respectful words and praise. We’re all beautiful, just in different ways. Embrace your body, nurture your body, and don’t be ashamed to show it off (in the right ways). Strut your stuff with confidence!

“Live as if your body were perfect, not only because you’ll be more open to the world, but because in every way that truly matters, it is.”

You are perfect just the way you are. Believe it.

Happy with my body,

Jordan Brown

Lately, as I have taken happiness on as my latest hobby (read here), I’ve been doing a lot of thinking about it. Happiness seems like such a simple and easy thing to me, but I understand that not everyone thinks the way that I do, and I’m OK with that. After doing some pondering, I’ve come to a sort-of conclusion: the concept of happiness is simple but happiness itself is not always easy to obtain.

Happiness seems pretty simple to me… Appreciate everything and everyone in your life, do the things you love, understand that life isn‘t perfect but love it regardless, look on the bright side, love yourself, challenge yourself, pursue your passions/purpose, and be in a constant environment of personal growth. Yep, I guess that’s my concept happiness in a nutshell. What’s yours? Please post in the comment section below.

While the idea of happiness may seem simple to some, it’s not always easy to obtain. It can take a lot of effort to change the way you see yourself, and see life at large. It can take even more effort to shift your thinking from negative to positive. But, changing your way of thinking is really the only way to change your life. The energy it takes to alter your thoughts will benefit you for the rest of your life, so what are you waiting for?

What can you do simply & easily in this moment to become happier? Don’t think of material things. Don’t think “If I had…” or “If I was somewhere else…” Those are lame excuses. In this moment, you might not be able to snap your fingers and get a new car. Or snap your fingers and be on a cruise in the Bahamas. The only way to become happier in this moment is to change the way you think about this moment; this life.

Create happiness for yourself and watch your life prosper.

Happy holding happiness in the palm of my hands,

Jordan Brown

Yesterday, I was waiting in line at the grocery store, when I noticed the woman ahead of me complaining while her items were being checked out. “It took me so long to find the rice, you need to better label your store,” she rudely proclaimed. Clearly, this one cashier is in charge of labeling the entire store. Not. The cashier smiled and responded calmly, “I’ll pass the message onto my manager.”

The woman got out her wallet and handed the cashier two coupons once all of her items were scanned. Both coupons were expired. When the cashier shared the bad news, the woman looked at her and said, “That’s bullsh*t. Throw them away. I’m never coming back here.” The cashier apologized generously about the unfortunate inconvenience, and when the woman was walking away, the cashier smiled and said , “Have a wonderful rest of your night!” Totally genuine, not even an ounce of sarcasm or fakeness. The cashier never complained or even gave her a quick roll of the eyes.

When it was my turn to be checked out, I said to the cashier, “Wow, great job on staying positive in that situation!” to which she replied, “There’s no way I’m letting her rain on my positive parade. Just because she’s an unhappy person doesn’t mean I’m going to let her ruin my day!”

You get the idea.

Amen. This cashier not only provided me with inspiration for a blog post, but she also gave me a smile that couldn’t be wiped away as I walked out of the store. No matter what Negative Nancy’s you deal with in your day, you don’t have to let them bring you down. Rise above them and challenge yourself to maintain an upbeat outlook no matter what downers you may deal with. You are in complete control of your attitude, day in and day out. Life’s too short to be anything but happy, so celebrate your life and join the Positive Parade today. You can do it!

Happy being a Promoter of Positivity,
Jordan Brown

I’m nominating every Thursday as “Thankful Thursday” here on out. It’s just like Thanksgiving… minus the turkey, cranberry sauce, and the chaotic family gathering. While we should give thanks and express our gratitude daily, some people may only appreciate what they have on the turkey-filled holiday that rolls around once a year. Not OK. I started a gratitude journal recently, which is basically a big list of the things I am grateful for in my life. The list is endless, so it’s a pretty easy exercise and it always seems to make my day a little brighter. I’d say that on average, I write about 5-10 entries each day. I’m not suggesting you start your own gratitude journal, unless you feel compelled to, but I am suggesting that you start sharing in the celebration of Thankful Thursday with me.

When Thursday rolls around each week, think of one thing that you are truly thankful for. Challenge your co-workers, friends, and family members to do the same. Appreciation is a great source of happiness, and appreciating what you have will instantly boost your mood. Once you start to get the hang of “Thankful Thursday”, make everyday a celebration full of thanks. There are so many things to be grateful for in this beautiful life of yours, and they deserve to be noticed every now and then.

Introducing... TINA! The infamous pink water bottle.

What are you thankful for on this Thankful Thursday?

Today, I’m thankful for water. Water is one of my favorite things in life, and I am always carrying around Tina, my hot pink water bottle, with me around wherever I may go. You don’t need to name your water bottle, but you should be drinking water frequently throughout your day, while appreciating each sip that you take.

Here are some appalling facts I found on the drinking water in our world; what you read may shock you:

• 884 million people in the world do not have access to safe water. This is roughly one in eight of the world’s population. (WHO/UNICEF)
• 1.4 million children die every year as a result of diseases caused by unclean water and poor sanitation. This amounts to around 4,000 deaths a day or one every 20 seconds. (WHO)
• The weight of water that women in Africa and Asia carry on their heads is commonly 40 pounds, the same as an airport luggage allowance. (UNDP)

One eighth of our worlds population does not have access to clean drinking water. Be thankful today that you are not a part of this fraction, and that you can grab a glass from your Brita filter, filtered water system, or even tap water as you please. You may have to walk 50 steps to the kitchen, but be thankful that you don’t have to carry almost 50 lbs of water on your head to bring back to your family. Every time you drink a refreshing glass of water, take a moment to appreciate that it’s so easily and readily accessible to you.

There are so many things in our everyday lives that we take for granted. Don’t let water be one of them.

Happy having access to clean water,

Jordan Brown