We go through life living each and every day and at the end of each day we decide if it was a good day or a bad day. We get part way through a day and some times it can change from a good day to a bad day or the other way round. Did you ever stop and consider what makes it a good or bad day? Was it the events of the day? Or was it how we felt that day? There are days, aren't there, when things don't go our way and yet we still feel great. Other days, things go great and yet we still feel lousy, or, worse than that, we fail to feel anything. Why is that? What makes you feel good or bad or nothing as you go through your day?

Well, what you focus your thoughts and attention on at any moment in the day determines how you feel in that moment. And, how you feel emotionally will determine how alive you feel inside and how much energy you have. Think about it with me right now. How do you feel in this moment? Happy? Sad? Curious? Challenged? Write down what that feeling was.

Now, write down what were you thinking about in the minutes leading up to that question? If you were feeling pretty happy, were you thinking about something that made you happy? If you were feeling curious, were you asking questions? If you were feeling frustrated, were you thinking about something that happened that was frustrating? What do you think about on a regular basis? Are there things that you have a habit of thinking about over and over? How does it make you feel?

If you've been thinking about something really exciting, a new opportunity, something that you're looking forward to, something you know is going to be fantastic then I can bet that you're feeling pretty enthusiastic, excited and happy right now! And if you had to measure your energy level on a scale of 1 to 10, 1 being low, 10 being high, where's your energy level now? Between eight and ten at a guess.

If you've been thinking about something you want to do but think you can't because it's too hard or it's something that 'only other people get to do', or maybe thinking about things that have gone wrong for you how do you feel? Pretty down, deflated, low, sad or upset? What's your energy like now on a scale of 1 - 10? A two or three maybe?

You see, what you focus on i.e. what you think about most, is what you feel. What you feel determines your level of energy and how you see the world and how you see the world is your reality. If you focus on something being hard then life feels hard. Your reality is that life is a struggle; it saps your energy leaving you sad, tired and depressed. If on the other hand your focus is on the good things in life, if you're optimistic and cheerful then your reality is very different isn't it? You have a smile. You have more energy. You have a bounce in your walk - a spring in your step. Life feels good!

Your energy and passion for life are totally dependent up on what you think about each minute of each day and what your state of mind is like in each moment.

Let me ask you a question. Do you notice what you think about? When you're feeling low or frustrated, when you're in a negative frame of mind -- do you relate it to what you're thinking about? In turn, when you are feeling tired, down or sad -- did you notice what you'd been thinking about to be in that place? Your feelings are absolutely the key to having energy, passion and purpose in your life! They are dictated by our thoughts and our thoughts ultimately dictate our reality. So what you focus on is what you feel. What you feel determines your reality and your reality determines how much energy you feel and can give out.

I LOVE the passion and energy that I have in my life. I praise my God for it every day! It is awesome to wake up raring to go every morning. It feels incredible to have a big smile on my face all the time and to bounce through my days with such excitement and enthusiasm. It rocks! I want YOU to feel this way too! Why do I have it? Because I DECIDED to have it.

I spent so long in a bad frame of mind and suddenly, one day I realised I was low because I was feeling sorry for myself. I had no energy because I felt low. In that moment I DECIDED No more! I would never again allow myself to feel that way.
I was in charge and I was deciding that the new me was Alive and Loving it.
I jumped out of my chair, punched the air and shouted - This is NOT who I am! I'm alive and loving it! I have ENERGY and PASSION! Wuhooooo! I can be me!!

You have to change your focus to change your feelings.

Did you spot what I did there? I noticed that my feelings were linked to my thoughts. I felt low because I was thinking about how life sucked and how lonely I felt and how unfair it all was! As soon as I realised that I also realised that what I focus on, i.e. what I think about is up to me. It's my mind and I have control over it. I call the shots! It's up to me to choose to think about something else if what I'm thinking about is making me feel bad. So I DECIDED that was not me. I changed my focus to who I wanted to be. I thought about what I could be. I caught a glimpse of that person and it FELT good to be her and I liked it! I suddenly leapt out of my chair because as my thoughts changed my energy level also changed and I wanted to move, shout and jump around to celebrate the new me! So you see - by changing your focus, i.e. what you're thinking about, you can instantly change how you feel in your emotion and your energy.

The thoughts we choose to think are the tools we use to paint the canvass of our lives

Think about good things and you will feel good. Try it! Now think about a time in your life when you were truly happy. Everything was just right and you felt fantastic! Think about it, see it now. How do you feel right now? Happy? We can instantly go to memories and events from our past to change our mood.

Another way to change your focus would be to think about something completely different. Switch your thoughts to what's going on around you. What's happening outside? Listen to the background music. Notice the flowers in the garden or the birds singing in the tree outside. Take your mind off yourself for a while and see how different it makes you feel. One of the best things you can do if you're feeling sad, lonely or frustrated is to forget yourself and go do something for someone else. Go give something. Go speak to someone or go ask if you can help in any way. You will notice a major change in how you feel. Giving to others always brings you a reward of satisfaction and joy.

So the next time you feel bored, lonely, sad, frustrated, tired DECIDE to think of something else. Notice what you're thinking about and go DO something. Then make a note of both so you can use it to change how you think and how you can celebrate your progress!

Tracey Dowe is a qualified life coach, Master Neurostrategist and trainer with a mission to inspire others to find the best in themselves and to give the best of themselves. I have an uncanny knack of being able to ask just the right question at just the right times to enable clients to have the break throughs that they need. I not only love what I do but I get results too!

My own life has changed immeasurably in the last 5 years and I now live each day with boundless energy and passion for life, something that you'll discover if you go to my web site at http://www.momentumpeople.co.uk and I love to inspire others to have the same joy in thier lives too. It's amazing just what each of us can achieve with even a little external encouragement and insight. I'm learning to keep dreaming bigger dreams and to pass that message on.