That is right. As of today, you have completed half of 2008. Now is when we look at the year and realized how quickly it flew by and think about all the missed opportunities.

I want you to then realize you have 6 months left to change your life. You still have the rest of the year to make up for all the time you feel you have wasted.

Here are so tips on how to get the most out of the rest of 2008:

1. Think about all the New Year’s resolutions you made and gave up on. It is never too late to start them again. Call them Half Year resolutions and give them another chance.

2. Take a good look at your life list. What could you get done by the end of the year? What are some items you need to more into goals in the next few months? Once you decide, write them and commit to making them happen.

3. Think about the wheel of life. What area(s) on the wheel need your attention right now? What could you do to improve them in the next 6 months? Sounds to me like you have some more goals to work on for the half year left.

4. How is your vision board working? Do you even have one? Take a few moments to update or even start your vision board. This will help you to see your goals and motivate you to achieve. It is a fun way to remind yourself of what you want to create in your life.

5. Find someone to hold you accountable. That is why life coaching is all about. Having someone in your life to hold you accountable for what you promised to do. Maybe there is a friend you could partner up with to make sure your next 6 months are well accomplished and celebrated!

Here’s to a great new half year filled with great opportunities and wonderful fun and laughter!

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I have a vision board (as I encourage all of you to have) and on it is all the things I want in life. They are all goals I am working on achieving. The vision board helps remind every day of my goals and keeps me motivated to work on them.  Well this morning I received an email which was about one of my goals. Opportunity was knocking and I was ready and answered the door. So now I am waiting to hear from this opportunity but when it knocked I did not hesitate, I jumped into action. It is important that when you set goals you work towards them and plan them out. Preparation is so important when working towards your goals. If you have always wanted to be on a singer, you do not want to randomly met the guy who could make your dream come true and when he asks for your demo tape, you respond, “I was going to work on that next week.” Opportunity missed.Think about your goals and what it takes to achieve them. Do the work NOW to get ready for the opportunities. When you hear the knocking, you will be all set to JUMP into action and turn your dream into reality.I am so excited about my opportunity and once I hear more, I will share more with you. Wish me luck and keep your fingers crossed.  

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So I did it!! I know I have told many of you I would set this up but I finally did. I appreciate all the emails everyone sends me asking me questions and suggesting topics I write on. So to make it easier for everyone, I have create a link for an “Ask Michael” page.

You can simply fill out the form anonymously and ask me any question you may have about something going on in your life, a topic you would like to hear my view point on or just a question you have about me and would like me to share. I promise to at least once a week pick a few to post in one of the weekly entries.

So click the Ask Michael on the top of the page or click here to submit your questions and check back to see my response!

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As most of you know by now, Desperate Housewives season finale was on Sunday and in the end of the 2 hour episode we were given a look into their future in 4 years.

This got me thinking about what my life would be like in 4 years. I started to daydream and wonder:

• What would my house be like?
• How will my career be?
• What would have changed?
• How will friendships have grown?
• What will my relationship be like?
• How will I spend my free time?
• What dreams would I have achieved?

Now that I was able to spend sometime thinking about the future I have to start taking action to make it happen. How do I do that?

Well I have a vision of what I want it to be. I just need to keep the vision in the forefront of my life. I need to make sure I make my choices, decisions and actions to move me forward to know I want in 4 years.

I have to take my dreams and move them into reality. Easier said than done? That is what I am here for. To help other’s achieve their dreams by moving them into reality. All you have to do is ask…

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There are 2 ways to get into a pool. You can slowly walk your way in; taking it inch by inch as your body adjusts to the water. Or you can just jump right in!

Which person are you?

I like to remember this choice about the pool when planning my life. I can quickly get caught up in uncertianity and insecurity. I start to doubt my choices and dwell on the what ifs. I start spending too much time researching my choices than needs be. I then start asking everyone for their opinion about my choice. More and more these actions keep me from taking action and living my life.

Life is for living and it is YOUR life. Who knows what is best for you? You do! Taking the time to just believe in yourself and trust that you know what you are doing is such an important step in living your life out loud.

You can stop slowly moving through life and wasting time simply because you are nervous the water may be too cold. Just jump in! When you do, you will be thankful because you will feel so alive. Even if the slightest thing goes wrong, you will know what to do and you will move yourself in the right direction.  

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You may not be able to read my shirt but it says Pellerbuilt. If you do not watch the TV show, Work Out then you wouldn’t know what I am talking about or who I am about to talk about.

Brian Peeler is a trainer featured on the Bravo show Work Out. There are tons of reasons to like Brian. His southern charm, his good looks or the fact he tells it like it is.

One thing I love about watching Peeler is his complete upfront honesty. Isn’t rare to find people who are truly honest? He isn’t rude or uncaring. He appears to have a heart of gold but he also builds strong relationships because of his honesty.

Isn’t easy to trust someone when you know what they stand for and what they expect from you?

Learning to be honest requires you to give up some of your ego and learn to speak from the heart. Being honest requires you to tell your friend you do not want to go to the movies with this week instead of making up an excuse to save their feelings.

We are afraid our friend will not like us but our friend would rather not have a lame excuse and hear the truth. We sometimes don’t want the guilt so we make up an excuse but being honest saves your conscience and your relationship with others.

I may not have had Peeler train me but I consider myself Peeler built because I practice complete honesty. Why don’t you give it a try?

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• 1. Smile
• 2. Eat a sprinkled doughnut
• 3. Meditate
• 4. Take a nap
• 5. Go for a walk
• 6. Go to the beach
• 7. Talk to a friend
• 8. Watch your favorite television show
• 9. Write in your journal
• 10. Do yoga
• 11. Go Shopping
• 12. Get a massage
• 13. Take a nap
• 14. Read a book
• 15. Laugh until it hurts
• 16. Give a hug
• 17. Color in a coloring book
• 18. Cuddle with a stuffed animal
• 19. Take a relaxing bath
• 20. Take your mom to the movies
• 21. Celebrate your accomplishments
• 22. Watch the sunrise
• 23. Soak up the sun
• 24. Enjoy a cup of Chai Tea
• 25. Live boldy
• 26. Be grateful
• 27. Volunteer once a month
• 28. Have a spa day
• 29. Love your pet
• 30. Jump rope
• 31. Blow bubbles
• 32. Play a game on your wii
• 33. Eat some dark chocolate pretzel chips
• 34. Do something from your life list
• 35. Have a game night with friends
• 36. Take yourself out to dinner
• 37. Go to the beach
• 38. Enjoy nature
• 39. Jam out to your favorite song
• 40. Clean
• 41. Read your favorite magazine
• 42. Believe in yourself
• 43. Take a time out
• 44. Reconnect with a friend
• 45. Eat your favorite fruit
• 46. Watch your favorite cartoon from childhood
• 47. Go for a swim
• 48. Have breakfast in bed
• 49. Sleep in
• 50. Throw a impromptu theme party
• 51. Write down how you make a difference
• 52. Buy yourself some fresh flowers
• 53. Surprise a loved one with an unexpected card
• 54. Live your life
• 55. Do something wacky
• 56. Play Bop It
• 57. Go for a bike ride
• 58. Go to the zoo or aquarium
• 59. Go midnight skinny dipping
• 60. Take a mental health day from work
• 61. Make a silly video with a friend
• 62. Sing in the shower, loudly
• 63. Drink water over soda
• 64. Make your home feel like a vacation
• 65. Learn something new
• 66. Stop watching the news
• 67. Have a technology free day
• 68. Wear cute underwear
• 69. Decorate your workspace to be fun
• 70. Get an ice cream cone
• 71. Go paperless
• 72. Stop tolerating things
• 73. Give good karma
• 74. Say “I love you” and mean it
• 75. Enjoy a morning or evening ritual
• 76. Wear clothes you really like and are comfortable in
• 77. Remember you are as young as you live your life
• 78. Surround yourself with people who believe in you
• 79. Be Positive
• 80. Watch the rain
• 81. Be yourself
• 82. Don’t gossip
• 83. Play strip Twister
• 84. Have a “date” night
• 85. Get enough sleep
• 86. Go on a picnic
• 87. Make sure you have time for yourself each day
• 88. Build a savings
• 89. Learn life lessons from children’s books
• 90. Treat people how they want to be treated
• 91. Always appreciate first
• 92. Fly a kite
• 93. Take time to relax each day
• 94. Be healthy
• 95. Take responsibility for your life
• 96. Choose to be happy
• 97. Be forgiving
• 98. Stop being your own worse critic
• 99. Celebrate all your birthdays
• 100. Never out yourself last
• 101. Read my blog

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Last weekend I bought a wii and Mario Kart. I have been driving the hell out of my kart collecting trophies and playing my friends online. While I play the game, I listen to Rihanna’s Shut up and Drive. I love that song and it always makes me play better. (So I tell myself.)

I was thinking about the song and thought it is really true about life in the sense that sometimes we need to be reminded to just shut up and drive.

What I mean, is that we need to stop talking and talking and talking about what we are going to do with our lives. Instead we need to just stop talking and start doing! It is great to have dreams when we make them into goals and then create them into reality. It is all about having action in your life. No one wants to sit in the passenger side of their life. We all need to be the drivers!

So for now on when ever I notice I am spending to much time dwelling on the past, doing way too much research, just talking about something or allowing others to slow me down , I am going to just say, “Shut Up and Drive!” This will get me unstuck and create action in my life.

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I was able to visit my friend’s new condo in Downtown Orlando building called the Vue. His place is beautifully decorated and the wall to floor windows give you a great view of Downtown Orlando and Lake Eola.

It also gave me a different view, a view on my fear of heights. His condo is located on the 38th floor. When we got off on the 7th floor for a tour of the pool and observation deck, I loved the view and enjoyed the cool breeze.

When we got up to his floor (after a ride in the elevator which made my ears pop like on a plane) I was shocked by how nervous I got just looking outside the windows. He tried to get me to sit on the balcony but for some reason I just couldn’t do it.

My legs were shaking and I just had this sudden fear of falling. I have never been a fan of heights but I didn’t think I would react like this from the view.

I did learn it was important not to allow your fears to get in the way of your life. I allowed myself slowly to adjust to the view and kept pushing myself a little at a time to look longer out the window.

Sure I never made it to the balcony but I was able to handle the view without feeling anxious. It just took a few small steps to help me become comfortable and relaxed. I may never get over my fear of heights but I can at least reduce the fear.

PLUS, I learned that I will never be living in a high rise building!

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Yesterday I presented “Coping with Difficult People” at a conference. I was thinking about how many times I am requested to present this topic. It tends to be a very popular and everyone always has tons of stories to share about difficult people.

They say that only 2% - 3% of the population is difficult but they take up about 50% of our time. That is a lot of our time wasted on negative people. Why waste so much time dealing with difficult people?

Isn’t true we allow people to treat us the way they do? What if we took a stance and stopped allowing difficult people in our lives or work situations. Would we send a message to difficult people that being negative or difficult doesn’t get you results?

I even thought that maybe I need to stop teaching Coping with Difficult People and teach a course called, “You are a Difficult Person”. Maybe then I would be able to help people see how their behaviors affect others and most of all, themselves.

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