Tommy Newberry's Blog

The Principles We Live By…

Tommy Newberry — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 19:15:44 +0000

The principles you live by create the world you live in. When you begin to organize your thought life in a manner consistent with Philippians 4:8, you kick off a series of life changes that will both surprise and encourage you. When you begin to drop the repeated negative references to past experiences, you begin your ascent into a brighter future. When you resolve to weed out the mediocre influences in your life, you accelerate your progress toward your most important goals. And when you start giving more attention to the good things in your life, you’ll start noticing even more things to be grateful. The life you’ve dreamed of is far closer than you think… Take the challenge, www.the8daychallenge.com.

The 8-Day Challenge…Anytime You’re Ready!!

Tommy Newberry — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 20:24:24 +0000

That’s right. Almost 6000 4:8 thinkers participated in this very revealing experiment in April. Now it is available and ready when you are. It’s free, it’s fun, and it feels fabulous…really!
Presented in eight consecutive daily emails, you will see just how easy it can be to bring out the best in others, maximize your joy and live life at the highest level more consistently than ever before!
Click here to trigger more joy for the next 8 days and beyond.

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The 4:8 Principle on GodTube…and YouTube!

Tommy Newberry — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:28:25 +0000

We recently posted some videos where I am discussing both Success Is Not an Accident and The 4:8 Principle. To see the 4:8 video, recorded in Raleigh, North Carolina this spring, click here.

To view a number of other Success clips, click here to watch the “Americas Success Coach” video introduction on YouTube.

Think 4:8!

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Summer Etched Memories…What Will You Remember About This Summer?

Tommy Newberry — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:21:09 +0000

Etched Memories are one of the most powerful and popular concepts of The 1% Club. Maybe you’re thinking, “What exactly are Etched Memories?” Well, they are special, unique, wild, or maybe even atypical experiences that get engraved upon your memory banks. Etched Memories strengthen relationships and contribute to positive and deeply connected family cultures.

I know what I’ll remember about this summer! Late in June, I took my two older boys on a surprise trip to Northern California including sightseeing in San Francisco and white water rafting on the Klamath River just south of Oregon. Neither of my sons knew of the trip until I woke them up, told them their bags were packed and we needed to be at the airport in 45 minutes…I encourage you to deliberately and proactively create Etched Memories, not just with your kids, but in your marriage as well. Etched Memories strengthen relationships and contribute to positive and deeply connected family cultures. Etched Memories may stretch you, inspire you, get you out of ruts, or simply cause you not to take yourself so seriously. While some fantastic memories will happen spontaneously, many more will happen when you plan them and the only limitation is your effort and creativity!

Think 4:8!

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Problems & Perspectives

Tommy Newberry — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:20:46 +0000

In coaching a couple recently at The 1% Club, we began discussing problems and perspectives as it relates to marriage. It is truly amazing how a change in perspective can open up a whole new field of possibilities whether in business, in marriage, or in life. Often times, “ah ha” moments are initiated with the words, “Why don’t you look at it this way…” or “have you ever considered…” or sometimes the “ah ha” seemingly comes out of nowhere. Here’s a breakthrough perspective that this particular couple happily said, “created a fresh start in our relationship.” It really is so simple it is easy to miss, yet it is so important it can revolutionize a relationship almost overnight.

Too many married couples have been conditioned to believe that “we can have a strong relationship once we solve our problems.” Then they go to work trying to deal with their issues. Sounds like a logical approach, doesn’t it? The challenge with this common approach is that while your relationship will, of course, be better without the problems, it will be near impossible to permanently resolve those problems until you are in a stronger place mentally. Underestimating the importance of healthy thinking in productively solving problems leads to all sorts of stubborn relationship relapses and the accompanying frustrations that go along with them.

When you’re struggling with a relationship, the first step (after prayer, of course), with Philippians 4:8 as your guide, is to make the effort to get your head right. Step back and acknowledge your blessings both related to the relationship and independent of it. Accept responsibility for what you’re feeling at the moment. Understand that your feelings, whether healthy or unhealthy, are the result of what you’ve been dwelling upon most recently. It’s hard to be a great problem solver when you’re overcome with negative emotion.

As needed, eliminate distortions, embellishments, exaggerations and self-centeredness as it applies to this relationship. Often a wise friend can help you see the situation with much greater clarity and impartiality. For additional ideas and methods for dealing with Really Awful Thoughts (RATs), check out Chapter 6 in The 4:8 Principle (Head Games).

When you are thinking accurately, without the distortions caused by excessive emotional intensity , you naturally demonstrate the necessary tools for a healthy, close, and satisfying relationship. Some of these qualities include a clear intention, deeper understanding, a sense of humor, compassion, and creativity. And each of these tools starts with a 4:8 thought.

When you activate 4:8 in relationships, you’ll find that many of the things you previously perceived as problems will no longer seem like problems. And the issues that do remain become much easier to handle. Without the tool of 4:8 thinking, you are left to face the challenges of building and maintaining a strong marriage with an incomplete toolbox. It is possible to still succeed, but with the 4:8, it will be much easier to make things great.

On demand! The 8 Day Challenge is now available ON DEMAND. Visit www.the8daychallenge.com

Check out new 4:8 video, now playing on Godtube!

Think 4:8 in 2008!

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If you are feeling rotten or stressed…

Tommy Newberry — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:13:15 +0000

Hey 4:8 thinkers,

From my research, it is clear to me that God wants us to experience rich joy throughout our lives, and joy founded in His love and His promises.

As part of our free will, we will always have the choice to pick a joy-producing thought or a junk-producing thought. Our emotions, whether resentment or joy, reveal what we have been dwelling upon. I like to think of this as part of God’s built-in quality control device.

If we are feeling rotten or stressed, we know we have been dwelling on frustrations, disappointments, loss, and the like. If we feel terrific, we know that we have been dwelling on progress, achievements, blessings and so forth. Our emotions serve us by allowing us to feel what we’ve been dwelling on; thereby, equipping us with the feedback we need to make adjustments in where we are steering our thought life.

Remember, the intent of the 4:8 principle is not perfection, but the continuous improvement of your thinking. And each upgrade sets the stage for added joy.

If you’d like to test your joy, please visit www.the8daychallenge.com !
Coach

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Schedule Your 4:8 Injections!

Tommy Newberry — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 22:35:50 +0000

Hey 4:8 thinkers,
Here is a very powerful destressor and attitude enhancer!
Schedule quick 4:8 injections every two hours. I recommend that they be four minutes or less. Seriously, you can accomplish a lot in a small bit of time if you get ready in advance. So schedule these four minute breaks for tomorrow right now, and put them into your calendar. Think of these as Positive Pit Stops. Review your goals or mission. Practice affirmation or visualization. Pray. Read the Bible. Relive a positive memory. Write a thank-you card or send an e-mail of appreciation to someone important.
And if you would like to join the thousands who’ve already taken the 4:8 plunge, visit www.the8daychallenge.com.

Coach

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One 4:8 Day At A Time!

Tommy Newberry — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 13:54:39 +0000

Just for today…

Reduce all forms of whining and complaining.

Use spare moments to dwell on the character of God.

Refuse to nurse old wounds with your attention.

Support and defend a victim of gossip or hearsay.

Use your words to encourage your spouse and kids…a lot.

Maintain your brain with healthy sleep, nutrition, and exercise.

Then wake up tomorrow morning, rinse and repeat!

Hope you will be tuning in to today’s TeleCoaching Conference Call!

It is 2008, so think 4:8 and…
Thanks for spreading the Word!

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Socially Acceptable Negativity?

Tommy Newberry — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 20:28:45 +0000

What was your experience like with The 8-Day Challenge?

As I’ve been reviewing feedback from nearly 6000 individuals that recently participated in The 8 Day Challenge, I have come across some common feedback that I thought would be of interest to you.

In one way or another, most participants developed a heightened awareness of the negative influences they encountered in their everyday life. Some commented on how pervasive negative thoughts, feelings, and conversations tended to be, especially in the midst of doing the challenge. Others, unsurprisingly, commented on how negative media coverage seemed to be. Many also noted that nasty gossip or “social cancer” was uncomfortably common and accepted. A significant number noticed, for the first time, how their children’s or spouse’s self-talk was so critical and self-defeating.

Lots of people reported the dramatic disconnect between their values on the one hand and the words and images that deluge their environment on the other hand. This was noted in the form of shallow conversations, chronic complainers, unwholesome songs, bill boards, talk radio programs, television shows and movies, and even youth sporting events.

Even though these observations seem bad, they are actually good. They represent awareness, and this awareness of 8:4 thinking, speaking and acting is the first step toward minimizing it in your household and in your life overall. If you did quite well over the 8 days, then this is great news. If you didn’t do so well, then there is enormous room for improvement…and this is still great news.

The more you focus on Philippians 4:8, the more alert you become to the people and circumstances that will lead you away from the peace and joy that God wants for all of us. Too many people are guided by what “most other people are doing.” Too many people are swept up in fads, trends, and the popular hype of the day. No matter how socially acceptable it is, don’t become one of them. Join the 4:8 crowd instead!

Think 4:8 during 2008!

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It’s 4:8 Day…and the 8-Day Challenge Has Begun!

Tommy Newberry — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 15:13:37 +0000

The 8-Day Challenge has begun! Hope you’re one of about 6,000 4:8 thinkers taking part in this interesting experiment. If not, make it a priority to participate the next time we offer this.

The idea behind this challenge is to hyper-emphasize the good stuff in your life, both at home and at work, for eight consecutive days. Remember, every thought you think is shifting your life in a particular direction. Each thought leads either to the destination of faith or the destination of fear. Where are your thoughts leading you today?

For more information about this challenge read my previous blog entry. (just scroll down)

Join the 4:8 movement…here are some ideas for consideration, just for today:

·         Today I practice prayer and forgiveness beyond the norm for me.
·         Today I give up all forms of whining.
·         Today I dwell on the nature and character of God.
·         Today I refuse to nurse an old wound.
·         Today I defend a victim of gossip.
·         Today I encourage my spouse and kids…a lot.

It’s 2008, think 4:8!

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