Optimism – University of Life

The Easy Way to have an Attitude of Gratitude…

by Shaun Roundy

You already know that gratitude is a great thing to have, but it’s not always easy to wrangle that thought/emotion into your mind and heart. Most people wait around for something good to happen to them as if that were the only time they could experience thankfulness.

If that has been your strategy, then WAIT NO MORE! This podcast reveals exactly how you can experience gratitude more often, more effortlessly, more thoroughly, and perhaps even continually.

Give it a listen and let it change your life (the way it is already changing mine!).

Pivotal Moments: Confidence

by Shaun Roundy

blondeprofilewind What moments have changed your life’s direction, for better or worse? What events shaped your future and turned you into the person you are now? Have you ever created major changes in life without some external impetus to force your hand?

What if you could change anything about your life right now? What would you change? Think it over!

One of the most important traits you can develop is confidence. It makes you more attractive. It gives you the courage to live your dreams. It smooths out dozens of small bumps in the road of life and helps you progress much faster toward your inherent potential.

With that in mind, here are a few stories of confidence-related pivotal moments to help you process the concept. PLEASE SHARE your own pivotal moments in the comments sections below! Everyone would love to hear and learn from them.

A Scout is…Confident?

I went to scout camp the summer before 9th grade, and sitting around the fire one afternoon, Coy started spitting watermelon seeds at me as he ate. Coy was one of the “cool” kids and I was not. After several seeds, something in me snapped – something small at first, then bigger. “If you spit one more seed at me,” I warned, “I’ll beat the crap out of you.” Coy calmly took another bite of melon, chewed, then spit a seed at me. Read more “Pivotal Moments: Confidence” →

Spirit & Peace

by Shaun Roundy

Spirituality means many things to many people, yet most spiritual traditions have much in common regarding the experience of spirituality, even when beliefs and interpretations differ. One such commonality is the Principle of Peace.

We live our lives much like a sailboat on the ocean. We may think we’re in control of our lives, yet most everything around us – the sky and sea shifting above and below – remains largely a mystery. Winds and currents shove us this way and that. We can set our sails and grab the tiller to steer a course, but storms and doldrums can upset the best laid plans.

Yet despite the inherent uncontrollable nature of life, and even in the midst of the storm, our spirituality can bring us immense peace.

I once took a 5-week, 2,500 mile ocean voyage from Aruba to Acapulco as first mate aboard a 53′ sailboat. While crossing the stormy Gulf of Tehuantepec, a gale blew for 14 hours and several times, the 50 knot winds and 15′ waves flipped our boat on its side.

To make a long story short, I was getting worried and said a little prayer. I then instantly knew two things – that the storm would continue for a while yet, and that we’d make it through just fine. From that point on, my worries ceased completely.

How does this work? How can we obtain peace and joy even when the world around us is in turmoil?

For one thing, the Divine, no matter what you call it – the Creator, a Heavenly Father and Jesus, the Universe, or otherwise – has such power and wisdom that from its perspective, everything is okay, or at least it will turn out okay in the end.

Our most difficult challenges and trials could be compared to a child who sees life as most certainly not okay when it has to go to bed or when you don’t buy it candy. As an adult, you know it’s not the end of the world.

As adults, our trials seem just as serious as they did as children, and we continue to lack an even more advanced perspective to evaluate them from. The Divine certainly doesn’t enjoy watching us suffer, but from its perspective, our struggles are often no more serious than the short-sighted child’s.

When we make a connection with the Divine, which forms the basis of personal spirituality, we often capture of glimpse of that viewpoint and experience a portion of its peaceful perspective. With experience, we learn to trust that assurance, and we continue forward with greater courage and hope even when all we see are storm waves from horizon to horizon.

Homework: seek a connection with the divine, and when you attain it, reconsider your sense of self and perspectives on the world around you in light of that peace. What does it teach you about ultimate reality? How does it change your perspective and encourage you to trust that everything is ultimately okay despite temporary challenges?

How to Repulse Energy Vampires

by Shaun Roundy

“Mmmm,” the vampire thinks to him/herself while looking over your glowing aura, “that much energy could sustain me for months!”

Your happy smile slowly fades as dark clouds creep across the bright morning sky. You don’t understand why you’ve begun feeling more down than usual lately. Nothing is actually wrong, nothing you can name; life should continue going great! But it’s just…not, exactly. You feel more tired and less optimistic than usual. If only you could shake off this miasm, then you could get back to being your normal, cheerful, productive self.

Some energy vampires are overt and obvious. They complain. They undermine every effort with negativity and pessimism. They criticize, blame, and argue. Such incessant actions create a heavy iron anchor that you must drag behind you if you can’t avoid them. “See?” they ask as you grow weary and irritable from carrying their load, “didn’t I tell you how awful the world is?” Read more “How to Repulse Energy Vampires” →

Thinking Distortions

by Shaun Roundy

seeclearly If you ever find yourself feeling frustrated that things aren’t working out better or suffer from any degree of anxiety, depression, or low self esteem, then there’s a strong chance it has something to do with Cognitive Distortions. If you’ve never heard of these pesky bad habits, then you’ve been missing out on a huge opportunity to make your life better and easier!

To be concise, thinking distortions are ways we sometimes think that – when you actually think about them – make no sense and often destroy your mood, motivation, and chance at living a happy, successful life.

Read through the list below and see which patterns you recognize in your life. Sometimes merely recognizing irrational thoughts when they happen provides enough clarity for you to stop thinking that way.

In case that’s not enough, we’ll also provide Read more “Thinking Distortions” →

Podcast: Good and Hard

by Shaun Roundy

In our first University of Life podcast, we interview an extended family – a first-time mother, a survivor, a young cowboy, and an accidental jailor – about some of their most difficult experiences and seek to answer and explain the question “Is bad good?”

We’d love to make a habit of creating thought-provoking podcasts like this, so if you enjoy it or find it helpful, please say so in one of the comment sections below! Thanks! Your feedback matters!

A big thanks to Marilee, Kirsten, Chris, Preston, Emily, Tiffany and Jeri! You made it great.

Would your business like to sponsor this show? Send us a message and we’ll tell you how.

How to Learn to Love Yourself

by Shaun Roundy

“Life is kinder to those who love themselves, because love attracts love and light, and repels and dissolves darkness.” – Shaun Roundy

Admit it – if you really, really loved yourself, you’d be happier. You’d have more abundance of all kinds in your life: friends, fun, wealth, health, and overall satisfaction. You’d even grow less attached to material things and all external circumstances, because your primary stability and satisfaction would happen on the inside where outside factors can’t touch it. This is the way life is meant to be lived.

But wanting to love yourself thoroughly doesn’t automatically make it happen does it? The fact is: life is hard and our society teaches self-loathing far more effectively than self love. Let’s take a quick look at why. Read more “How to Learn to Love Yourself” →

Change Your Story Today

by Shaun Roundy

Do you ever wish your life would change? That you would be happier or more popular or richer or less alone, etc.? Well…it can…and it’s all up to you, and it’s surprisingly simple to do.

“All the world’s a stage, and we are merely players.”

What if your life really WAS a play – would we be watching a comedy, tragedy, or just repeating history (Yours? Your family’s? Your nationality’s?) over and over like a broken record? What part would you be playing? The hero, a fool, the lover, a villain, or what?

Are you the protagonist – do you know what you want and face the challenges to get it, or are you just a minor character in your own story, and/or are you also the antagonist at the same time, all wrapped up into one, undermining all your efforts while trying in vain to get what you want?

And now for the important question – do you like your story? If not (or even if so), how would you like it to change?

Let’s get this out of the way: plays can be edited and revised. You CAN change your story by changing your character, and you can begin immediately. Read more “Change Your Story Today” →

Sponsor a Dancer!!!

by Shaun Roundy

I’ve known Bridger Barksdale all his life. I am *awed* at his dedication to his pursuits and the *excellence* he achieves in them.

I produced this video to show off some of his inspiring skills, and to help him raise money to attend the Bolshoi Theater’s summer intensive program in New York this summer, where he was awarded a 90% scholarship when he tried out at the Grand Prix in Denver this winter. His family is not rich and could really use your help. I guarantee that any help you can provide would be a VERY GOOD cause!

Happy Thanksgiving + Merry Christmas!

by Shaun Roundy

What I am grateful for today (among other things) is that I finally finished writing the last book in my Courage, Love and the Meaning of Christmas series!

The Art of Heart finally wraps up the trilogy with the most exciting book yet. Click any of the books above to view them on Amazon.com and click the book image there to read the first dozen chapters or so and see if you get hooked by the interesting characters and engaging style!

Have you ever wanted to write a book? If so, GET STARTED!!! I wrote Courage, Love and the Meaning of Christmas after reading another popular Christmas book and deciding I could do better. Now it has sold thousands and thousands of copies and climbed as high as #442 on Amazon’s overall best seller list.

If you need some tips for how to write and how to get started (the writing process will save you much time and frustration), also pick up my writing textbook, The Art & Craft of Writing: the ultimate step-by-step guidebook to the writing process and effective composition.

If you’re unhappy and you know it…

by Shaun Roundy

Do you ever wish life was happier? Yes? Well good news – your wish is about to come true!

IF you cooperate, that is.

Here’s the deal: life is many things. It’s hard. It’s short. It’s confusing. It’s also good, full of opportunities, and open to your input.

What that means is that you have a lot more power over how your life turns out than you knew.

For example, did you know that happiness is a choice?

Yeah, okay, maybe it’s not like you can shout, “I choose happiness!” and suddenly your fairy godmother appears, brings you a prince/ss, and you live happily ever after, but if you really seriously choose happiness, then it will begin to change your life and you will become happier.

It’s a scientific fact. It’s all about how you train your brain. Here’s how: Read more “If you’re unhappy and you know it…” →

How to Come Alive

by Shaun Roundy

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman

When was the last time YOU came alive? Watch this video for five tips on how to make that happen more often! Read more “How to Come Alive” →