We have all done it – opened our mouth when we should have kept it closed, taken action when we should have stayed put, engaged with that person who just doesn’t know when to shut up.   There are times when we act and if given the chance, we would take it back.

We all have made mistakes.  The trick is to not let the mistake hold up inside you and ruin your day, week, or even your life.  And depending on the situation and your handling of the problem, you could actually make it worse.

Here’s how Devon and Robert handle their mistake:

1. Own It – Do not blame anyone.  It may not be your fault but blaming another person for your personal wellbeing is giving them all your power.  They control you and that is not good.
2. Experience the Pain – Sit quietly and close your eyes, embrace the situation.  Own it.  Mentally feel all the emotions at one time and let it pass through you.  Ignoring the situation’s pain is like not tending to a wound or cut – it just gets infected.  Attend to the emotional pain and live through it.
3. Understand Your Part – What is the lesson to be learned?  How could you have handled the situation differently?
4. Forgive Yourself – Know you are human and we make mistakes.  They are not fatal.  We live and learn.  If you do not like your behavior, pay attention so that you do not repeat it.
5. Remain Mindful – Meditate and “be the observer of your thoughts.”  You do not have to act on every thought.  Observe them and remain grateful for what you are, others and the world/universe around you, and the ability to experience life.

Check out this episode!

Change your thoughts, change your life. Just about everyone wants to change something about themselves. Whether it is health, relationships, or money, we are rarely satisfied with the status quo – we want to expand into the next and better version of ourselves.

It all starts with a thought. Every action we take is preceded by a thought. We are conditioned to think a certain way, and that conditioning leads to a set of behaviors we may like or may find disagreeable. Therefore, our thinking is what must change first. Trying to change our behavior, before thinking, is a waste of time. Because if you do not get to the first cause – our thinking – you will not make permanent and positive change.

Here are the steps you can take to take control of your thoughts, and your actions.

• Ownership – You must own your thinking. This requires of you the concept that your thinking is under your control. How you look at the world – beliefs, fears, joys, wants, and emotions – are changeable, and you must know you can change them. If you do not believe, or unwilling to believe, then this will not work. Understand that thinking comes first, then the actions. If you want to lose weight, recognize that your thoughts about eating and exercise must be changed before you will get the outcome you desire.
• Exposure – Read, listen, and watch authors, teachers, and speakers who have mastered control of their minds. Open yourself up to the world of self-realization and begin the process of selective thinking. This means turning off the information feeds that are negative – the news, social media, negative people.
• Mindfulness – Recognizing which thoughts you want and which ones you don’t want is a critical step. It is important that you know how you want to think about and what emotions you want to feel so you can recognize the thoughts you want to eliminate. For example, let’s say there was a problem in your childhood you wish was different – your Dad was never there or your Mom hit you. You can label these thoughts as negative and ones you want to be rid of. Memories are simply energy held in your brain and can be changed or even erased.
• Discernment – Through the process of mindfulness, meditation, and contemplation, you can decide which thoughts you want and which ones you do not want. Discernment is the ability to decide the thoughts you want. It requires you also know what you want. Knowing what you want is the most important thing you can do to change your life.
• Conditioning – Once you have decided on the thoughts you want (gratitude, peace, prosperity), you can build short phrases that change the neuro-connections in your brain so they are automatic and embedded in your natural vocabulary. Through repetitive out loud speech, you can permanently change the wiring of your brain to believe anything you want. This is how people are brainwashed to think radically to support a cause. You can do the same – however, your radical cause is the betterment of your life.

Devon and Robert bring real-world situations into this greater podcast.  They have tried and true tips and advice that has served them for years, and will serve you as well.  In this podcast, they discuss using each of these tips:

1. Speak Less – When you say less, people tend to think you agree with them.  When you keep my mouth close, people naturally assume you are aligned with them because you have not given them any reason to think otherwise. It takes two people to have a disagreement – when one side believes you think the same as them, there is little space for disagreement.
2. Compassion – When you hold the other person in mind as another human – someone who needs compassion and love – you are naturally accepting them for who they are, and in turn, you are not in disagreement with them. 
3. Your Part – Are you engaging?  Looking for an argument?  Are you trying to provoke the other person?  From time to time, we all want to mix it up.  Check yourself.
4. Leave – Everyone has the ability to walk away.  Unless you are locked up in prison, you have the ability to leave the situation.
5. Ask open-ended questions – This allows you to listen more.  When the other person talks, they feel empowered and heard – granted you are actively listening.  Allow them to give you as much information as possible so that you can extract what is needed.  
6. Build rapport – Sometimes difficult people hold power, and it takes building rapport to tap into that power.  Rapport building takes time, a valiant effort showing that one cares, and being thoughtful.  An example is remembering their favorite pet or children’s names.  This can go a long way, and allow you to tap into their power in a meaningful way.
7. Your view – Should you have a grudge or resentment against the difficult person, imagine them as a sick individual in bed dealing with an illness.  Wish the best for them deep within your heart.  You’ll notice that you end up losing sight of the grudge.  
8. Inside You – Recognize they are triggering something in you that you do not like.  For example, they may be aligned with a political group and that group represents beliefs not shared by you. They are triggering something inside of you – therefore the problem starts with your view of the person.

Side Hustles and COVID is hard. Devon and Robert discuss the number of side hustles they have going during the COVID -19 lockdown. Hiring new employees or engaging consultants – Devon discusses how his company is balancing the need for full-time versus contractors. Also, Robert and Devon check-in with their whiteboard pen company. Surprised and shocked by the cost difference between the US and overseas.