A testimonial is defined as being a formal statement testifying to your character or qualifications. The key words in this definition are: statement and testifying.

Now, we know that people usually make statements that testify of something based upon EVIDENCE, right?

So here is a question for you: What would the evidence seen in your life testify of you?

Remember, a testimonial may be a good one (positive), or it may be not so good (negative) – it all depends on the evidence. A person will make a statement based upon the evidence that he or she sees or has seen.

The evidence that testifies of your character and qualifications would be:

• The words you speak.
• The attitudes you show.
• The actions (and reactions) you demonstrate.

These are the three things that someone who was asked to write a statement testifying of your character or qualifications would use as a basis for his or her testimonial about you.

This is because these are the three things that people around you can SEE for themselves. But I am sure that you know that these three things are actually created by hidden areas of your life. Only YOU (and God) know about these hidden areas. 

So what are these secret areas?

• Your thoughts
• Your secret attitudes (yes, your secret attitudes MAY be different from the attitudes you display to the world).
• The decisions that you are constantly making as a result of your thoughts and secret attitudes.

Now here are some sad facts:

• Too many people do not take control of their thoughts, secret attitudes and constant decisions.
• Instead they allow the influences of the world to control these hidden areas of their lives.
• The result is that their lives are controlled by the negative influences of the world. (The default influences of the world are negative).

This is the key difference between a winner and a loser.

A loser allows himself to be tossed around by the influences that surround his life.

A winner takes control of his thoughts, his secret attitudes and his daily decisions. He or she refuses to allow the negative influences that surround him to control his life.

• A winner takes an ACTIVE role in his life.
• A loser takes a PASSIVE role in his life.

A winner DELIBERATELY speaks positive words into his or her own life and the lives of those around him.

A winner recognizes that the default influence of the world is negative.

A winner makes a daily decision to live in the positive realm of life.

He or she does this by:

• Speaking positive words
• Thinking positive thoughts.
• Making positive decisions.
• Determining to maintain a positive attitude no matter what happens.

Affirmation #154 of John Di Lemme’s 210 Day Affirmation Challenge focuses on speaking words of faith.

When you SPEAK words of faith over your life, it will be easier to also THINK words of faith. 

When your thoughts and your spoken words agree, your decisions and your actions will also tend to be decisions and actions of faith. Your testimonial will be positive!

Take some time today to speak the following affirmation into your life:

I am building my Testimonial today

by speaking words of faith over my life.

Now make a deliberate and concentrated effort to make sure that today all of your words will be words of faith. If you can do this for one day, you can do it for two days – right?

Keep going, until you form a habit of speaking words of faith over your life, and notice the difference it makes!

And always remember:

Resource:
Every affirmation in this 210 Day Affirmation Challenge is authored by John Di Lemme, founder of the 210 Day Lifestyle Freedom Club Be sure to check out this challenge and download your free motivational mp3s and mp4 from here as well.

If you are at a place where life seems to be one be struggle then get ready for a breakthrough.

Your struggle can be a very positive thing.

You may be closer than you think to stepping into that life of freedom you have been dreaming of.

When you focus on the struggle itself, indeed it is very hard to stay positive. All you can see is the difficulty you are facing. But when you can understand what is waiting for you beyond this struggle (as long as you don’t give up) then your attitude and focus will change.

Then it will be easier to focus on the positive side of your challenges.

What is this positive side? It is the freedom that is waiting for you AFTER the struggle. This will inspire you to push on.

Remember the butterfly. It was not always a beautiful butterfly. No, it was once an ugly cocoon. There really is not too much that is "beautiful" about a cocoon right, but look what it becomes.

• A beautiful butterfly admired by hikers as they take a stroll through the woods.
• A beautiful butterfly that brings delight to a young child as they play in the garden.
• A beautiful butterfly celebrating its freedom as it flies over the meadows.

Wouldn’t you like to experience that kind of delight and freedom in your life?

As you face the times of great difficulty in your life, remember that these times are designed to prepare you for the next level in your life. A new level of freedom in your life.

In this series of articles, we are following the Affirmations of the 210 Day Affirmation Challenge which was created by John Di Lemme of Lifestyle Freedom Club. Today we are focusing on affirmation #151 which declares:

I am a beautiful butterfly struggling to

release myself from my cocoon

So how did this ugly cocoon turn into a butterfly?

Here is the secret, and it is really not a secret. Just before it was ready to become a butterfly it went through a time of intense struggle. It did not give up during this struggle. It kept pushing through until it broke out to freedom. That is the “secret”.

Here is another secret. This time of intense struggle had more than one purpose for the life of the butterfly. It was not just to transform it from that ugly cocoon into that beautiful creature we know as a butterfly.

No, that fierce push that it took to break that cocoon and be free of this confinement served well to strengthen its wings. Now it can enjoy its new freedom to the full.

It is now living a totally different life. There is no comparison between the stifled confinement it used to know as life and its new found freedom.

What a transformation. But would it have the stamina to be able to enjoy fluttering around the garden for hours on end without going through that struggle which was strengthening its wings?

You and I know the answer to this question.It needed to go through the struggle that it took to push out of the cocoon. This effort was also forming, strengthening and preparing its wings giving it the stamina to be able to enjoy its new life.

• Do you see some lessons in the life of the butterfly that you can apply to your life?
• Do you see a purpose in the struggle that you may be facing right now?
• Could it be that you are actually struggling to get out of your cocoon and find the freedom you have been dreaming about?

Today’s Challenge:

• Dare to embrace the struggle you are facing, knowing and believing that you are being transformed into that proverbial butterfly ready to enjoy the freedom of your dreams.
• Are you willing to let go of that comfortable cocoon? You will have to leave it behind in order to enjoy the freedom that is ahead.
• Take today’s affirmation and repeat it out loud several times throughout the day. Do you REALLY believe it?
• Add to this affirmation, another declaration in your own words. For example: I am determined to push through this difficulty because I know that when I do, it will lead me to a new level of freedom in my life.

I am a beautiful butterfly struggling to

release myself from my cocoon

You can declare this with confidence because:

Resource:
Every affirmation in this 210 Day Affirmation Challenge is authored by John Di Lemme, founder of the 210 Day Lifestyle Freedom Club Be sure to check out this challenge and download your free motivational mp3s and mp4 from here as well.

I am sure you are very familiar with the concept of the glass that is half empty or half full. It is all in the way you perceive things right?

There is no doubt that a grateful person will always see the glass as being half full!

Do you know the medical field is now recognizing that your mental attitude has a tremendous affect on your physical well being.

You have doubtless heard that expression: “worrying myself sick” right? Well actually that is a true statement. If you really want to get sick, focus on the negative. Your body will follow.

In the same way when you focus on the positive side of life, your mind will be clear to search for solutions and your body has a better chance of staying at ease. A body that is at ease certainly has a better change of healing itself. After all the word sick is also “disease” – dis – ease (in other words: not at ease). Interesting?

Dr Elida Evans (a cancer doctor) believed that cancer was a symptom of unresolved problems in a patients life. And her observations have been confirmed and elaborated on by a number of other researchers. Quoted from “Getting Well Again”

Getting Well Again

This is a book I really recommend you read. It is written by a team of medical doctors who share some of their experiences with their patients.

They encouraged their patients to:

• Focus on positive thoughts
• Visualize their healing. This includes visualizing the cancer cells being gobbled up by the medication (or natural foods too – my comment).
• Even plan and set goals for the future they were being told they did not have.

The results were amazing. There were many improvements and even recoveries as a result of this therapy. Find out more about this book: Getting Well Again – a Step-By-Step, Self-help Guide to Overcoming Cancer for Patients and Their Families

How to stay positive when your world is falling apart:

There is nothing like deliberately looking for things to be thankful for to turn your focus from negative to positive. Here is a challenge for you today:

Start by declaring affirmation #145 of the 210 Day Affirmation Challenge that this series of articles is being written about.

Repeat this several times out loud and with great firmness. Your brain needs to know that YOU are mean business. You will not tolerate any negative attitude creeping into your life right?

Next:

1. Take some time to sit down and think about at least 5 or better still 10 things that you are grateful for in your life. Don’t forget the simple things like food, shelter, health – and hey you are alive!!
2. Now write these 10 things down in your journal.
3. Now take some time to read them out aloud (yes your brain needs to hear these too) and finish up by once again making this declaration:

Note the change in your outlook. I am sure that your focus is turning away from the negative towards the positive. Now your mind will be freer to be creative and look for solutions for any challenge you may be facing.

If you are not satisfied with your results yet – rinse and repeat steps 1-5

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder." – G.K. Chesterton

Don’t forget – Champions practice gratitude, and:

Resource:
Every affirmation in this 210 Day Affirmation Challenge is authored by John Di Lemme, founder of the 210 Day Lifestyle Freedom Club

If you have not take up this challenge yet, I challenge you to start today! Go to the Lifestyle Freedom Blog Click on the menu at the top that says “Affirmation Challenge” to get involved. Determine to stay faithful to this challenge, and I guarantee you it will change your life. (It has and in changing mine).

What does your ideal mastermind team look like? Affirmation #138 from the 210 Day Affirmation Challenge created by Lifestyle Freedom Club that we are looking at today reveals some great characteristics of your ideal Mastermind Team.

Add these characteristics of your your Positive Mastermind Team to those that considered in the previous article Is Your Mastermind Team Empowering You and you have an excellent description of the right team for you.

Let’s quickly review the characteristics of a Positive Mastermind Team:

• Their words are always positive and encouraging (even when they may offer differences of opinions. There is always a right way to bring correction.)
• They believe in you
• They believe in what you are doing and are enthusiastic about it.
• They expect you to succeed.
• They help you to decide on what may work best for you and your business (or project).

Now let’s add the attributes found in affirmation #138

Honor:
This is a Master Key in any positive relationship. One of the greatest examples of this attribute I have seen on the internet is that of Bob Burg. (Follow him on twitter at Bob Burg on twitter) and I am sure that you will quickly see what I mean. He treats everyone with the greatest of respect and honor.

Honor is a grace that disguises the men and women who’s first life focus is to make a difference in the lives of others from those who’s focus is to enhance their own lives first.

Honor is communicated by how you treat another person with your words AND your attitude. Because it is an attitude of the heart, no words no matter how articulate will convince another person that you honor them (when in your heart you don’t).

When you are honored by another person or group you will quickly detect this by the way you are treated and spoken to.

Integrity:
Integrity is another master key in any positive relationship.

You most definitely want to surround yourself with people of great integrity. How can you best you that? By making sure that your heart is full of integrity.

Love you and your dream:
You definitely want to surround yourself with people who believe in you and in your dream.

It is also important to surround yourself with people who LOVE you and your dream.

Is there a difference? YES!
You need both. Those that love you and your dream WILL believe in your also. However there will be those who believe in you, but really don’t have a strong interest in your dream.

They can still “cheer you on”, but you also need people of like mind who have a genuine interest and love for your dream. These folk will be able to better contribute to your plans with ideas and solutions that will help you move to new heights.

Resource:
Every affirmation in this 210 Day Affirmation Challenge is authored by John Di Lemme, founder of the 210 Day Lifestyle Freedom Club

Do check out Bob Burg’s books:
	and		and

First, here’s a question for you: do you feel that you are living a wonderful, amazing life?

You might have some questions in your mind similar to these:

• How can my life be so wonderful with all of these problems that keep coming my way?
  
  or
• How can my life be positive when I am surrounded by so many negative circumstances?
  
  or
• How can my life be joyful when happiness always seems to evade me?

If any of these questions are familiar to you, you may find the affirmation we are looking at today rather daring or even impossible. But go ahead and declare it anyway. This is your first step towards making it a reality in your life.

This is affirmation #134 of John Di Lemme’s 210 Day Lifestyle Freedom Club Affirmation Challenge that I am involved in and blogging about.

Does this sound like a dream life? Positive living in this negative world may be (or at least seem to be) a dream life, but it is a dream life that you CAN enjoy. Do you know you CAN experience a life that IS wonderful, amazing and even remarkable.

How your life can always be wonderful and amazing no matter what challenges you may face.
The word amazing also implies adventure, and adventure implies exploring and conquering new territory (and challenges). It all starts with what you allow to reside in your mind. Yes, the first step is to take control of your life and that begins with taking responsibility.

Certainly there ARE things in this life that are outside of our control, but more things are INSIDE your control than you may realize.

First: Why do we place so much emphasis on your words – thought or spoken? What are they so important. Do you know that your words (yes your thoughts included) create an atmosphere around your life.

• Yes, everything that you allow to enter and reside in your mind.
• Everything that you repeat in your mind.
• Everything that you repeat with your mouth.

All of these things involve WORDS, and it is the words that YOU think, speak and allow to reside in your mind that set the atmosphere around your life.

It is the atmosphere that surrounds your life that attracts either positive things or negative things (people, opportunities, situations, solutions). And remember, YOU control this atmosphere, by the words you allow to reside in your mind and come out of your mouth.

Now I know you may have heard this thousands of times before:

But it is true.
The first step towards taking control of your life, is to take control of your mind (your thoughts).

The second step is to develop a daily habit of training and strengthening your mind, thoughts and focus to stay on positive, solution finding, creative words.

You do this by reading, listening to and watching positive inspirational teaching. Watching inspiration movies that challenge you such as Facing the Giants or even that very popular movie It’s a Wonderful Life (60th Anniversary Edition) are a great way to spend your relaxation time.

When you are relaxing, your mind is at ease and more open to receive what you are watching. It is imperative that you spend your leisure time receiving positive, inspirational images and words into your mind.

Avoid allowing your mind to stay on anything that is negative. It takes effort, but determine to always meditate on the positive. (Anything that you allow your mind to go over and over or rehearse is an act of meditation. Meditation is “thinking through” or “dwelling on” a situation or words spoken).

Today’s Challenge:

• Am I taking full responsibility for my life?
• Is there any area of my life where I am still playing the blame game? (Take a few moments to think about this one honestly.
• What steps can I take today to ensure that the direction of my life is pointed towards fulfilling my goals, dreams and destiny?

Resource:
Every affirmation in this 210 Day Affirmation Challenge is authored by John Di Lemme, founder of the 210 Day Lifestyle Freedom Club

It is not too late to get involved with this challenge. Go to the Lifestyle Freedom Blog Click on the menu at the top that says “Affirmation Challenge” to get involved. It will be the best decision you make today!