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Think, act, succeed

The statement, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he”, is not some nice proverb. It is one of the irrefutable laws of life. Despite the potency of this truth, many are not in the habit of taking control of or assessing the quality of their though

Getting beyond just being good enough

Life is a long and winding road, and many travellers for many reasons start out on this journey feeling like they are not good enough. This low feeling view of self becomes the magnetic pull with which they move through life. When you feel like you’r

Are your words your bond?

In times past folks had a code of honour that held them to a higher standard – one in which their word was their bond. Meaning that you could trust them to honour their words; if they said they would do it you could consider it done. I, too, live by

Are you mastering your personal performance?

Annual evaluation or performance appraisal is a method by which an employee’s job performance is documented and evaluated. Even though these evaluations can be somewhat stressful, they provide opportunity for employers to determine if you are perform

Aren't you tired of waiting?

Do ever feel like you’re spending your whole life waiting? Maybe you’re waiting for the right time or the right season. Or perhaps waiting for a break that would make it okay to be yourself – to live your life as you desire.This was the life or Marci

All talk and no action

Talk, talk, talk, all day, all night has become the number one pastime for many. But despite the popularity of this talk culture, without taking focused action, there’s no change. You don’t move and you don’t improve. Taking deliberate action is the

In the midst of rapid change - do you have a coping strategy?

The one guarantee about life is the constancy of change. Whether we define those changes as good or bad, they consistently flow our way. Still, change it and of itself is not the challenge. The thing that causes most to become overwhelmed is the way

Dealing with the storms life throws at you

Despite their devastating nature, hurricanes and other such tempests can serve up some valuable life lessons. Like the importance of being proactive, making proper preparation and managing limited resources etc. But one of the greater rewards is it

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: You are the change your life is waiting on

Everything changes. In a sense, change is the fundamental essence of life. There are those changes that will occur naturally, such as the changes in the seasons, the rising and setting of the sun et cetera. Then there are those changes that we can bring to our lives in an intentional way. These are the kinds of changes that we can choose to make according to the way we think and perceive the world.

What's eating you? Get to the root of what matters most

By MICHELLE MILLER We have all heard the saying that you are what you eat. While having a balanced diet is essential, the deeper struggle for most people goes beyond mere food consumption. It’s about getting to the root of what’s eating you that m

It's your life - are you in control?

The thing about control that I admire most is the fact that you are either in control or you are out of control. You cannot be sort of or kind of in control. It is all or nothing. When it comes to the life we live, knowing that we are in control of h

How can you get unstuck?

Many of us have probably never actually been stuck in quicksand, but we can surely imagine that it must be a suffocating and paralysing experience. It is said that when stuck in quicksand, the more you wiggle, the deeper you sink. Nobody wants to be

Michelle Miller Motivationals: Do you have a compelling reason?

It was the great William Shakespeare who said, “Strong reasons make strong actions”.When it comes to setting goals that will take your life higher, do you have a compelling reason to take strong action?As a life coach and therapist, many people come

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Are you treating yourself better?

While the idea of treating yourself better may sound simple as pie, many find this concept somewhat difficult. Simply because it is difficult to treat yourself better if you are stuck in a bitter place. More than this, in order to be better you must

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Is the fear of failure stopping you?

In more ways than you can imagine almost everyone is held hostage by their fears. Whether it is the fear of rejection, humiliation, or the infamous fear of failure. Fear is our most primal emotion. Left unaddressed it becomes the traffic signal of ou

What are you aiming for?

You, too, must agree that hitting a target is more likely if you are aiming to hit that target. In other words, you can better get what you want out of life by identifying what you want and setting an achievement plan in motion. This is where it bec

Building resilience Part II: Taking step one

Resilience matters. So much so that some readers asked for a little more clarity around the process of getting started. This part two is designed to motivate you to step into building your resilience. Begin with the understanding that life is a proc

Michelle Miller Motivationals: Do you have the resilience to bounce back?

What matters most is not the size of the challenge you face, but the size of your resilience to face that challenge fearlessly.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Are you living beyond winning and losing?

Whether it is sports, beauty pageants, spelling bees or general elections, there is a high premium placed on winning and losing. So much so that many folks struggle to live beyond these two opposing positions. As such, people spend lots of time obsessively trying to win or frantically not wanting to lose.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Your choices: to hold or to fold?

Your life is said to be the sum total of the choices that you make. Then there are those that say that life in general is like a box of chocolates, you never know which one you are going to get.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Are you making informed decisions?

There is making a decision, and then there is making what many call an informed decision. The question is, what is it that informs your decisions?

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Are thinking before you choose?

Thinking before you choose is akin to looking before you leap. While we are cautioned to think first and act second, many have the tendency of acting without much consideration to their thoughts.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: How do you get out of your comfort zone?

No matter how comfortable it may feel, your comfort zone slowly becomes a personal prison. Once you’ve lived there for a while, you will find that fear becomes the prison warden and your personal power is its prisoner.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: Are you improving your personal performance?

Regular performance appraisal is a method by which an employee’s job performance is documented and evaluated. Even though performance evaluation can be somewhat stressful, they offer a opportunity for employers to determine if you are performing adequately and it also gives you a chance to evaluate yourself.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Faith or fear – which do you choose?

The many excuses that some folks give as the reason why they are not maximising their potential, or not living an empowered life, are vast and varied, colourful even.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Do you have the action habit?

When it comes to habits there are two that rise to the top: one is the habit of talking, the other is the habit of action. Which habit do you possess?

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Time, not money, is your greatest asset

Considering the obsession many have with money, you may be surprised to learn that money is not your greatest asset. Yet most people spend a great deal of their time chasing money. Still, for many money remains an elusive commodity.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Find the courage to stop sitting small

Many have surrendered to the saying to ‘sit small until your name call’.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Do you have a goal to grow your business idea?

Having a goal to grow is the key to actually growing. We often sit on the sidelines watching businesses grow, thinking that it’s some act of waving the magic wand. When in truth it takes work.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: Are you really growing or just spinning wheels?

We are growth-seeking beings. This means we are born to grow. However, this quality of growth goes beyond the boundaries of just having university education.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: What is the fear of failure stopping you from doing?

We are a hostage to our fears. Whether it is the fear of rejection, humiliation or the fear of failure, fear is our most primal emotion. Even so, we are not born fearful but fearless.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONS: Do you have a compelling reason?

It was the great William Shakespeare who said, ‘Strong reasons make strong actions’. When it comes to setting goals that will take your life higher, do you have a compelling reason to take strong action?

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: What’s next for you?

As the first month of 2017 comes to a close it is a good time to determine to what you are going to focus on for the next 11 months that lie ahead. The best way to get what you want is to plan in advance by choosing what’s next for you.

Are you aiming to take your life higher?

Aiming to take your life higher isn’t about achieving some external outcome. Actually, it’s more about experiencing a higher level of self-awareness and self-fulfillment. It’s about being fully engaged in the development of a positive outlook for your life.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: 2017 - Do you have an optimistic outlook for your life?

Here we grow again. Another brand new year has graced us with its presence; giving us another chance to finally do the darn thing!

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: What’s next for you?

As 2016 enters its final few weeks and we look forward to the birth of 2017, many people will begin to look back with regret or look forward with glee.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: What are you marching for?

One thing that I know for sure is that life moves according to the focus of our emotional attention.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: Grow with good intentions

ARE YOU are still engaging in unproductive habits and behaviours? Are you still unwilling to cut ties with the lies you are living in?

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Your feelings matter – are you taking notice?

In the subtle war between the so-called educated and uneducated, people are much more concerned about what they know or don’t know, than they are about how they feel.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: The trick is to treat yourself better

While treating yourself better may seem easy as pie, it gets tricky for many. The reason being, it is difficult, if not impossible, to treat yourself better when you are stuck eating a bitter pie.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: What are you aiming for?

Every archer recognises the need to identify the target long before sending forth his arrow. No airplane leaves the runway without having a flight plan of its destination. Having an aim is the most potent ingredient in any life empowerment strategy. Do you know what you are aiming for?

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Live an ordered life

As a life coach and therapist I find that the greatest struggle many clients bring to a session is not having an answer to the question of what they really want.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS – Building resilience: How well do you bounce back?

One thing that is predictable about life is its certain unpredictability. This unpredictability is what makes life the ultimate adventure. When you see life as a flowing, ever-changing experience, you learn to take the bitter with the sweet. With the consistent serving of colourful challenges, life reminds us that if we desire to bounce back from any setback we must build our resilience.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Are you proactively prepared?

I’ve heard it said that preparation is the key to real success. From internet millionaires to championship athletes, all great achievers understand and employ the power of preparation. Being proactively prepared then takes this notion of active preparation to a higher level.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Do you have the capacity to change?

Life is change. Change, therefore is our nature. However, having been raised to play it safe and conform to the status quo, many struggle to change themselves, even when it’s critical to their own empowerment.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Are you breaking your fear of public speaking?

There are millions of people the world over who have a sincere fear of public speaking. As a matter of fact, statistics show that within the American population, Public speaking is the number one fear.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Are you asking the ‘right’ questions?

One core principle of my public speaking programme is asking the right questions.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Do you have the action habit?

When it comes to habits, there are two that rise to the top. One is the habit of talking, the other is the habit of action. Which habit do you possess?

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Are you truly ruling your destiny?

True freedom is having the audacity to rule your destiny. Such a freedom doesn’t just land in your lap. Personal liberation is not given – it must be taken. This means that you only become free by breaking free.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Are you sitting small or standing tall?

Let’s be honest, a massive number of people are living a life of sitting small rather than standing tall. Not because they can’t stand tall, but because they don’t know how.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Are you making informed decisions?

There is making decisions and then there is what many call “informed” decisions.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Do you accept or avoid responsibility?

Some people have the habit of accepting responsibility, while others have the habit of avoiding responsibility. To those in the latter group: you may not realise it, but while it may seem like you’re getting away with something, in the long run you are only short-changing yourself.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: Are you dominating your distractions?

Most would agree that we are living in a time of unprecedented distractions. Today we are offered an ocean of technology that produces gizmos and gadgets that those generations before us could never have imagined.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: How do you grow from independence to interdependence?

The transition from independence to interdependence is a fundamental process that must be undertaken if you desire to experience a life of harmony and interconnectedness.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: Do you have the habit of action or inaction?

There are many habits that we adopt along the way. Some of these habits support our quest to live an empowered life, while others hinder our every move. In order to keep moving towards the life that we desire to live, it’s a good idea to periodically evaluate our habits.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: Do you know what you are aiming for?

We’ve all heard the saying about shooting for the stars, and even if you missed, you would at least land on the moon. I think it’s a good idea to shoot for the stars in terms of the kind of life you want to live.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: Are you resilient enough?

I see resilience as that indefinable, elastic-like quality that stretches your capacity to hold yourself together in the midst of life’s ever changing weather.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: How do you make an ‘informed’ decision?

There is making a decision and then there is making a so-called ‘informed’ decision. But what is really an ‘informed’ decision?

Michelle Miller Motivationals: It takes courage to aim higher

It is said that courage is not the absence of fear but the realisation that there is something you must do that is more important than fear.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Are you setting goals that really matter?

Have you ever achieved something, some goal, only to realise that it didn’t matter as much as you thought it would? You are not alone. Many are familiar with that depressing and disappointing feeling that comes after investing a whole lot of time and effort into achieving something only to realise it was meaningless or didn’t matter that much.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: Do you have a positive mental attitude?

Without a positive mental attitude real success remains out of reach.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: Are you taking focused action?

One of the best prescriptions for achieving personal success is the habit of taking focused action. Nothing happens without action. Despite all the talking, preparing and/or planning, only action will make the thing happen.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: It takes unstoppable confidence to go the distance

Imagine how much further you would throw your ball of possibility if you had unstoppable confidence. How many roadblocks would you knock out of your way or how many mountains would you climb?

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONALS: Your perception is your reality

Many people say that perception is 99 per cent of reality. If you think this is true then what you call reality only amounts to a measly one per cent. For this reason, people live according to their perceptions not their so-called reality. Better said, for all intent and purposes there’s really no reality, only your perception of reality.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: The inner me is the true enemy

People get so caught up in blaming and complaining that they start to really believe that there is some ‘enemy’ out there that is causing them to be stuck in the situations in which they find themselves. The bitter truth that must be carefully digested is that there is really no enemy that has more power or is more destructive than your inner you.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: Are you tired of being stuck?

Whether you’re feeling stuck in a career, relationship or just stuck in a rut, being stuck is real and often a difficult space to navigate.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: Have you conquered your fear of public speaking?

There are millions of people the world over who have a sincere fear of public speaking.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: Are you willing to take the risks?

There’s a saying that to get what you want in this life. You must be willing to risk it all to gain it all; in a sense it’s no risk, no reward.

Michelle Miller Motivationals: Are you programmed to win or lose?

Whether you know it or even agree with it, you are living according to your mental programme. We all are. The question is, are you mentally programmed to win or lose at life?

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONAL: What do you want for your life?

As a life coach and therapist, the greatest struggle I find that many clients bring to their session is not having an answer to the question of what they want for their life.

Michelle Miller Motivational: It’s not what you eat, it’s what’s eating you!

We have all heard the saying that you are what you eat. While having a balanced diet is essential, the deeper struggle for most people goes beyond food consumption.

Michelle Miller Motivational: Are you asking the ‘right’ questions?

One of the core principles emphasised in my public speaking programme is the importance of thinking critically and asking the ‘right’ questions. To speak well you must think well.

Michelle Miller Motivational: Pushing yourself past the pain of the past

HAVE you ever been hurt so badly that you thought you’d never come out on the other side?

Michelle Miller Motivational: Finding joy and personal fulfillment

Like many, you too may experience times in your life when you’re seeking something, but are unsure what of what it is.

Michelle Miller Motivational: Are you aiming high enough?

We hear often the old cliché about shooting for the moon and reaching for the stars but the degree to which people are actually aiming that high is another story.

MICHELLE MILLER MOTIVATIONAL: Building your confidence starts from within

Many people I meet in my coaching work are without a sense of confidence, often holding a small perception of themselves.

MICHELLE MILLER: Women and a powerful voice for social change

AS WOMEN celebrate National Women’s Week – under the theme “Women and the Environment: Creating Partnerships for Sustainable Development” - it is important to note that the focal point of any sustainable development begins with a positive social change.

Michelle Miller Motivational: Change happens through you, not to you

Have you ever noticed how the people who make the most noise about change are the least effective in changing themselves and or their circumstances?

Michelle Miller Motivational: Aren’t you tired of waiting to feel good enough?

The opening lyrics of one of my favourite’s songs by Sarah McLachlan go like this:

Expanding your comfort zone

What if I told you I’d give you $1,000 to make an important public speech? Would you take the offer? Or would you, like many individuals, immediately recoil at the idea, even though it could be lucrative for you. Why doesn’t this idea appeal to you?

Michelle Miller Motivational: Are you progressing or just running in place?

Success, it is said, is not a destination but a journey. If we agree with this sentiment then it is seems fitting that such a journey ought to be a matter of progress as opposed to just running in place.

Building resilience – How well do you bounce back?

One thing that is predictable about life is its certain unpredictability. This unpredictability is what makes life the ultimate adventure.

It is your life – are you the sheep or the shepherd?

THE key difference between the sheep and the shepherd is one follows and the other leads. When it comes to your life, which role are you playing?

What are YOU aiming for?

EVERY archer recognises the need to identify the target long before sending forth his arrow. No aeroplane leaves the runway without having a flight plan that includes its destination.

But do you have the confidence?

SO you say you’re finally going to kick the habit of impulsive spending, but do you have the confidence? This time for sure, you say, you will meet your goal to lose that weight, but do you have the confidence? Yes, we’ve all heard you say many times that you’re going to get out of that unhealthy relationship, but do you have the confidence?

How do you shift from problem talking to problem solving?

IN a time of insurmountable challenges and extraordinary change people everywhere are facing a host of problems. Whether these problems are financial, mental, social, spiritual, family, health, governmental or emotional, it is not the problem but how you respond to the problem that matters most.

Are you accepting or avoiding responsibility?

ONE of the greatest struggles many face in their quest to live an empowered life is the habit of avoiding responsibility. Whether it’s responsibility for themselves, or for those to whom they are responsible, they are unwilling to shake this habit.

MICHELLE MILLER: Does your hair reflect your ‘here’?

ONE of the great features I like about being in big shopping malls is that no matter where you are there is a huge map of the entire mall, usually near the entrance that says, “You are here”. This means that you are in the mall wherever you are.

Getting beyond self-sabotage

DO you ever find yourself so burdened by fear that every time you take three steps forward you seem to take ten steps backwards? This is especially true when you are about to do something big or step outside of your norm.

Stand up for yourself

IT IS said that courage is not the absence of fear, but the realisation that some things are more important than fear. The courage to stand up for yourself is one of those things. And by standing up for yourself, I mean standing up for your own self-empowerment.

Stop waiting, start stepping

MARIO Cooper lived waiting. Waiting on his father’s acceptance; waiting on his mother’s approval. Waiting on his friends to understand him; waiting for his college professors to validate his ideas. Waiting on his employer to recognise his value and finally; waiting on his wife to respect his efforts.

Take responsibility for your own life

MANY are saddled by the common habit of avoiding responsibility. Whether it’s for themselves or for those to whom they are responsible.

Are you ruling your destiny?

THE true power of freedom is having the audacity to rule your destiny. This is the sweet spot in life.

Are you looking before you leap?

WHILE I caution you to look before you leap, you must leap. The art of leaping is the basic premise of life. We all must leap. In fact, it is impossible not to leap. However, common sense suggests that you at least look to ensure you know the direction in which you are leaping.

To be good or great

THE train that takes you towards a great life is available only to those willing to do the work. They are the ones who are willing to take the leap, accepting personal responsibility and speaking fearlessly.

Are you growing to the next?

EVERYBODY talks about going to the next level without giving any real thought to the statement. If you are not growing through improved skills and development, how can you go to the next level?

What are you aiming for?

ONE thing that I know for sure is that life is intentional. There is really no coincidence. Everything connects to everything else. This means that every thought you think produces a result or some kind. If you think in non-specific terms, you live non-specific results.

Dear 16-year-old me, here’s my advice . . .

We asked Tribune columnist and life coach Michelle Miller what she what like to say to her younger self. Here is the letter she penned to a teenage Michelle.

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