1minutetips: Recent Episodes

Rod Gomes

1 Minute tips on Personal Development and Self-Growth.

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

You are not here to try. You are not here to be the person others want you to be.

You are here to be yourself, with all your qualities and faults.

It’s not your responsibility to worry whether others will like you for who you really are, or hate you for the same reason.

It’s your duty to be yourself. That’s it!

Some people will love you, they will find you funny, attractive. Others will look up to you, set you as their role model.

Some people will think you’re boring or annoying. They will dislike everything you do.

This is all part of the deal. We can’t please everyone.

Keep sharing your magic. Don’t worry about what others will think.

Remember that you have the right to be yourself, not the being people are expecting you to be, but your true self.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Until then, come say hello over at 1minutetips.com

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

“To live fully, we must learn to use things and love people, and not love things and use people.” ~John Powell

This sounds remarkably basic, doesn’t it?

Yet, so many of us get it wrong. We stick with using people and loving things.

There’s nothing wrong with buying the latest laptop model, or a brand new car. The problem begins when you step over others to do it so.

If you’ve ever been involved with the corporate world, you probably have a clear picture of what I’m talking about.

Some people will do whatever they can in order to climb the corporate ladder. Even if it means bringing others down.

This is not exclusive to professional environments.

It’s common to have the exact same behavior amongst family members and close friends.

What we can, and should do, is to lead by example. Start noticing your own attitude. If you spot a situation where you feel like you’re taking advantage of someone, stop it. If you’re overly attached to a material item, try donating it to someone.

Experiment serving others without expecting anything in return. It may not be easy at first, but it will be worth it.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Until then, come say hello over at 1minutetips.com

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

We all want to accomplish more, reach new heights, overcome our challenges. We want to be better, to do better things.

But we often forget that it will take time, dedication and patience.

Wishing to be a better person won’t make you one. Wishing to have a better job won’t land you a new career opportunity. Wishing to visit a new country won’t make a plane ticket fall on your lap.

I’m a firm believer of dreaming, of wishing. But I also know that if you don’t do what it takes, these dreams and wishes may never become a reality.

Once you want to achieve something, you gotta be prepared to pay the price, to do the work, to do what it takes.

In my opinion, that’s where most of us fail. I’ve certainly did, many times.

When I wanted to accomplish something, it sounded all too good in theory. But I wasn’t ready to do the work. This can only result in failure.

Remember this when setting new goals. Don’t fool yourself, thinking it is a “set and forget” deal.

Are you ready to do what it takes?

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Until then, come say hello over at 1minutetips.com

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

There is something that I like to call: the “grass is always greener”, syndrome.

We all suffer from it at some point in life.

The absolute truth is that the grass is, and always will be greener where we water it.

It’s alright to admire the grass on the other side of the fence, absorb their beauty. Let it inspire you.

But never forget that it’s up to you to start nurturing your own grass.

Don’t think that the shiny green grass on the other side of the fence doesn’t require any maintenance.

It takes effort, dedication and patience. It may even require outside help.

We’re conditioned to want what we don’t have, and that’s when our ego kicks in.

What’s important is to learn how to appreciate and don’t feel envy. Go after your own goals, learn from others, never stop watering your own grass.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Until then, come say hello over at 1minutetips.com

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Have you ever said yes, when you really wanted to say no?

We’ve all been there. Maybe it was a favor for a friend or family member, maybe it was a work colleague.

We feel bad for saying no. Mainly because we don’t want to hurt, or cause discomfort to others.

We’d rather feel bad ourselves, so we say yes and then deal with the pain of having to do what we didn’t want to, in the first place.

This is something we must pay attention to, saying yes to everything and everyone is definitely not a good thing. You will end up overwhelmed and frustrated.

I’m not encouraging you to say no to every little thing, but start to prioritize. Do you have the extra time right now? Can you do it without compromising your own goals or projects? Is this something that will make you feel bad with yourself? Does it go agains’t your values?

There are many questions you can ask yourself before saying yes. You should follow your instincts, don’t diminish yourself in order to please others.

Your life, goals, projects and values are your number one priorities. Don’t feel bad for saying no when you have to. Let the other person know why you can’t help at the moment.

This works way better than saying yes just for the sake of it.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Until then, come say hello over at 1minutetips.com

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Have your ever noticed how when your feeling happy, or motivated, you automatically know that you’re not going to feel this way forever?

Now try to remember a moment where you felt depressed or sad. These negative emotions tend to make you feel like this is who you are, permanently.

This is a false belief. You are not your emotions and they don’t define who you are.

They’re temporary feelings, good or bad. They will come and they will vanish. You do have the power to extend the duration of the good ones, as you also have the power to let go of the emotions that are not doing you any good.

It’s unfortunate that we focus much more on the bad ones, which makes them stay with us for a longer period of time.

Emotions will come and go, it’s important that you learn how to deal with them.

Always remember that they don’t define who you are.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Until then, come say hello over at 1minutetips.com

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

If you’re honest with yourself, you can think of at least a few moments where you caught yourself playing the victim.

This is human nature.

When we were kids and wanted a candy, or a toy, we knew exactly how to start acting in order to get it. Or at the very least, throw an amazing performance.

As we grown older, the natural order is for us to leave this behavior behind and start taking responsibility for our lives.

It would be comic to see a grown up rolling on the floor of a supermarket, because he or she wants a chocolate bar.

But we don’t see this kind of reaction. Or hopefully, not often.

We are smarter than this. We use clever tactics.

So clever that they fool ourselves into believing that we are the victims, that it’s not our fault.

Joe Doe has a happy life because he doesn’t have to wake up at 5 in the morning to go to a boring job.

Jane Doe is happily married because her husband isn’t cheating on her.

Joe Junior is a good kid because his parents love him, they give him great gifts, and they travel a lot.

Me? My life sucks, and there’s nothing I can do about it… Boo hoo!

Take control of your life. No one is going to be available to help you 24/7.

You gotta start helping yourself. And to do that, the first thing you must do, is to get rid of the victim mentality.

Life happens to all of us, good and bad. Only you have the power to change your reality.

You are the king of your realm. Start acting like one!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Until then, come say hello over at 1minutetips.com

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

From time to time I witness a situation where the person involved could have simplified it, by simply using a little bit of brain power.

The thing is, we’re so used to doing what do, the way we do it. Sometimes we are not open to learning new tricks or more practical ways to get things done.

Keep an open mind, and experiment. If it doesn’t work, or if you like to keep doing it “your way”. It’s fine!

But at least be ok with trying new methods.

This is not limited to work.

You can simplify you life in many ways.

Get rid of the unnecessary drama, get your priorities in order.

Flush out the clutter.

Once you start simplifying your life, you will notice how things will start changing for the better.

No more extra weight over your shoulders.

Keep it simple!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Until then, come say hello over at 1minutetips.com

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

“Be brave enough to start a conversation that matters.”

The title of today’s episode comes from this fantastic quote by Margaret Wheatley.

But what does it mean?

To me, it means being bold, having the audacity to challenge the status quo.

It means nonconformity.

Not being satisfied with average, chasing after something bigger and better.

Brave, by definition, could mean fearlessness. But I don’t agree with that, you can be brave and still feel fear. The difference is that when you’re brave, you know the fear is there, but you also know that it won’t stop you from keep going.

You know it will be a challenge, and you face it. Because you know the “conversation” matters.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Until then, come say hello over at 1minutetips.com

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Nothing is permanent!

I always remind myself of it. Specially when I see people behaving like they’re on the top of the world. Ruled by their inflated ego.

They believe this is a permanent state.

I see younger women going through life as if they’ll never get old.

If you’re going through a dark season, it won’t last forever. This is how life is.

If you’re feeling amazing, energised and motivated. I guarantee you that you will not feel this way forever either. I’m not saying this to bring you down.

You will have moments where you will feel sad, disappointed, or simply not feel good. But, you can, and should learn how to minimize these bad moments.

The same applies to the good seasons. As you discover yourself, you will learn how to make them last longer.

Life is ever-changing, and nothing is permanent.

I'm Rod Gomes and I'll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Until then, come say hello over at 1minutetips.com

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

You were born to thrive, not to just merely survive.

Whether you believe it or not.

That’s the truth.

We are all here for a reason, some may figure their calling or mission sooner. Others will take longer to realize it.

I know that talking about finding your calling, passion, or mission, is not amusing to some of us.

It’s a personal choice. If you want to go trough life thinking you’re not special. Then you will fall into survival mode.

Wake up, eat, work and sleep. Rinse and repeat, until your time here is up.

Do you really believe this amazing gift called life is supposed to be like that?

If you do, I respect your choice.

But I strongly disagree!

You are here to thrive!

Just surviving is not OK. Don’t settle for that.

You can, and should aim higher. Raise your standards.

Go for your dreams, and don’t let anyone talk you out of it.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Until then, come say hello over at 1minutetips.com

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

We live in a society where the bad is always on the spotlight.

That’s one of the main reasons why I have stopped watching the news. It doesn’t matter where you live, chances are that if you turn your TV on right now there will be something bad, violent or tragic being reported.

I’m not here to recommend that you isolate yourself from the rest of the world. But taking in bad news all the time is definitely not helping you.

The bad news will find its way to you, there’s absolutely no need for you to chase it.

Instead, focus on being a force for good. Don’t worry too much about what’s going on in the world, start doing good. When you’re good to yourself, and to others, the world automatically becomes a better place.

It’s unfortunate that the good doesn’t get as much spotlight as the bad. But we need to keep at it.

When you’re focused on being a force for good, you stop demanding recognition. You just do what’s right because that’s who you are. No rewards are needed.

Be a force for good, and the good will find its way back to you.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Until then, come say hello over at 1minutetips.com

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

There’s a slight chance that you will frown when you hear me suggesting that you take tiny steps.

I’m not suggesting you to dream small. And I’m definitely not suggesting that you should give up pursuing big goals.

That’s not the case.

I just want to remind you that even the wildest journeys have to start somewhere.

We’re usually waiting for something big, a sign, or a miracle that will somehow push us forward and help us get started.

Stop waiting, start taking tiny steps.

When you start moving, and don’t stop, things start to happen.

It’s the only way to reach that huge goal of yours. It’s the only way to find out what’s on the other side.

Take the first step today, start walking. Change directions when needed. But don’t stop.

Enjoy the journey.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Until then, come say hello over at 1minutetips.com

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Today I come with bitter news, are you ready?

You’re not going to please everyone.

I know, crazy right?

Kidding aside, this is something we have a hard time accepting.

We try our best to be friendly, or to offer an amazing product, or book, or whatever it is. But it doesn’t matter how hard you try, there will always be people who are not interested, or in worse cases, people who will let you know how you much you suck at doing what you do. Even if you’re doing a great job!

Now, here’s the problem.

We’re usually not prepared to deal with people like that. And then what happens next, is that we feel discouraged. We feel like we really don’t have anything of value to offer.

We end up believing that maybe we are indeed a fraud. That we should do the rest of the world a favor, and just quit.

Do not believe this!

Just keep in mind that it’s impossible to please everyone. It doesn’t matter who you are, or what you do.

Keep going. Keep sharing your story, there’s a lot of people who need to hear what you have to say.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

I have recently wrote an article for a blog, where I talk about giving up on the need to always be right.

I mention how the need to be right is directly related to an inflated ego.

I also listed a handful of signs that could help you check if your ego is under (your) control.

Here they are:

You feel the urge to interrupt people to make a point. You can’t pay attention during a conversation. You are not open to ideas, criticism or opinions. You feel bad when you’re interrupted. You dislike being corrected or criticised. Your relationship is in constant war mode.

If you can relate to these points, then it might be time to tame your ego.

When you really think about it, the need to be right is nothing but a waste of time and energy.

And here’s a fantastic quote by Dr. Wayne Dyer, which is also the title of this episode:

“Would I rather be right, or would I rather be kind?”

Reflect on this question.

I’ve discovered that being kind works wonders for me. And honestly, I don’t care for being right all the time anymore.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

There’s a saying that goes like this:

“If the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning is eat a live frog, then nothing worse can happen for the rest of the day!”

In his book, “Eat that frog”, Brian Tracy says that the “frog” should be the most difficult item in our to-do list. We all have that frog, the item we are most likely to avoid doing at all costs.

When you create the habit of eating your frog, you are kicking procrastination to the curb.

If you let the frog sitting in your plate and go about your day, it will keep draining your energy. You probably won’t have a very productive day, that big, juice frog will keep staring you in the eyes.

Make the decision, have the discipline and the determination to devour your frog, every single day!

I guarantee you that it will feel great. Well, not for the frog.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

In the past few years I have noticed that more and more people are dedicating themselves to the art of looking busy.

I find this to be silly. Don’t fall for this.

Take care of your work with dedication, do what you have to do.

People who often complain about being busy all the time, about not having time to do anything, are possibly into playing the “looking busy” game.

There will never be enough hours in a day for these people. A task that would normally take, let’s say, 2 hours to complete. Will take a “looking-busy-person” way longer, probably a full working day.

Why?

Because they can’t focus on getting it done.

They’re too busy, being busy.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

When you decide to trade expectation for appreciation, you automatically get rid of a ton of extra emotional weight.

When you keep expecting things to happen a certain way, and they don’t, you’ll often find yourself frustrated, sad, or even angry. And the worse part is that you will feel all of these bad emotions because you set yourself up to feel this way.

I guarantee you that there’s no way you can feel grateful and a deep feeling of appreciation for your life — and feel angry, frustrated or depressed, at the same time. And by that I mean genuine appreciation. Not just forcing yourself to believe it, but truly experiencing it.

Start your day thinking of all the people you appreciate, all the things you have in your life. Stop giving room for expectation, stop setting yourself up for bad emotions.

Appreciate more, expect less.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Sometimes it’s hard to find the right words to say, that’s the perfect moment to stop searching and simply use the words that you have.

This also applies when you’re insecure about your next step, your next move. Uncertainty doesn’t need to be as bad as we picture.

When you’re not sure, trust your instinct and then get busy doing whatever you can do with what you know, and have, at this moment.

Your next move will present itself to you in time. As long as you do your part, and have a burning desire to make a difference, to discover whatever it is that you’re seeking.

You don’t need to have everything figured out, just do what you can, and life will give you the chance to figure things out as you move along.

Don’t waste another day waiting for something to happen.

Start now, figure it out later.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Today is a very special day, I’m celebrating 50 episodes!

I’m grateful for each and every one of you.

I appreciate you for giving me a bit of your day, every day.

Since I’ve started this project, I’ve never stopped to check the metrics. A couple of days ago, while sorting topics for upcoming episodes, I decided to check my server stats for the 1 minute tips project.

I was blown away, honestly!

Here’s what I found out:

  • People from over 90 countries have listened to the podcast.
  • The episodes have been downloaded over 20.000 times.
  • Episode 29 (Consume the good stuff) is the most popular, with over 1.3k downloads.
  • Episode 39 (Don’t worry) is a close second.

I’m not telling you this to brag, or to bore you to death.

I’m truly excited about it and wanted to share this bit of good news with you.

I’ve put a lot of love and time into these 50 episodes, and I’ll continue to do so with future episodes.

To think that all this time I thought I was talking to myself.

I know most of you listen to the podcast over iTunes. I just wanted to ask for a favor. If you could, please rate the podcast and leave an honest review.

Also, you can come visit over at 1minute.tips, or 1minutetips.com

Don’t be shy! :)

Thank you very much for your time, have an amazing rest of your day!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

When someone tells us to keep going, to keep pushing it, saying things will eventually get better, is when we tend to resist it the most.

We are already in a bad spot, everything seems to be falling a part. We’re paddling agains’t tidal waves, our little boat is hardly afloat.

I know how it feels, but this is exactly when you should paddle even harder. And yes, keep pushing!

This is just a season, and it will pass.

It may feel like you are going to be stuck in this bad season forever. But this is not true.

Remember when you were younger, and you had to face a huge problem?

Try looking back now, you may even giggle realizing how that monster of a problem looks like a tiny puppy now.

You will never get rid of bad seasons, challenges and problems in life. But as you progress, as you learn and grow, you will get better at dealing with the adversities.

So, yes… keep pushing!

Things really will get better.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Investing in yourself goes way beyond the monetary value.

There are many great ways to invest in ourselves.

And the good news is that you don’t need to spend a lot of money.

There are plenty of rich people lacking investment in themselves.

The investment varies, but it could be as simple as reading a book per month, or dedicating time to take care of your body.

A really nice way to invest in yourself, is to separate a bit of money each month. This money should be spent specifically on some kind of activity, event or physical goodies that will make yourself a better person.

I trust you will know the best way to invest in yourself.

I believe we should continuously invest and dedicate time to better ourselves.

This is not a selfish concept. Some people might think different, they want to save the world. They want to help every single person around them.

And that’s a noble cause. Try investing in yourself first, it will make the quest of helping others much easier, and natural.

If you don’t invest in yourself, who will?

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Failure is a topic that I used to avoid at all costs. Even talking about it was painful to me.

I had the wrong mindset.

Today I know failure is part of the equation. It’s safe to say that there’s no way to achieve anything remarkable in life without having failed.

We all fail.

Even the people you admire have failed, and will possibly fail again.

We as a society, have this insane belief that we are not supposed to fail.

Don’t be scared of going after what you want. Don’t fail by default.

When you fail, keep your head up. Take note of what you did wrong, next time you will fail better.

Keep going, keep failing.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Today I want to talk about something that used to be a recurring thought of mine, the “I’m too old now” mentality.

This is one of the biggest villains when it comes to chasing your dreams.

Of course there are certain things that I can’t do. I’m currently 35. And I know that it’s too late for me to become a fighter jet pilot, or an astronaut.

And that’s fine.

But I also know it isn’t too late to start doing a lot of other activities. Such as write a book, travel more, learn other languages, get married, the list is endless.

This also applies to career changes.

Did you know that the world-famous actor, Harrison Ford, used to be terrified of standing up in front of an audience? He was told that he would never make it in the acting business.

He used to work as a carpenter. That’s how he met the director George Lucas, building cabinets for his home.

We all know the rest of the story.

You can accomplish extraordinary things in life, it doesn’t matter how old you are.

All you have to do is get started!

Believe in yourself, have an open mind. Keep making progress, and never forget to always have an attitude of gratitude.

I'm Rod Gomes and I'll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Setting goals is something I was really terrible at. And when you’re terrible at setting goals, you are likely not going to reach them.

I’ve read many blog posts and books on goal setting. And still couldn’t get it right.

So then I’ve decided to change from goals to to-do lists. And this is basically how this very own podcast was born.

I just decided to start, and then started. As simple as it sounds. I needed no permission from others, I didn’t need to do a course, and I certainly didn’t need to be an expert or guru.

All I needed was to give myself permission to do it, and actually get my butt on the chair and get that first episode done.

Once you get started, it’s much harder to quit.

That’s my tip for today, dissolve big goals into bite sized to-do lists. And of course, actually start taking action!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

90% of the people asking this question have no idea what personal development is.

They have this false belief that personal development is for the likes of Gandhi, Eckhart Tolle, Buddha.

They believe you must become the saint figure in order to learn how to become a better person. Which quickly translates into not having fun.

If I like drinking beer with my friends, or clubbing every Saturday night. How can I carry this flag?

The answer is simple, you don’t have to carry anything at all.

Personal development is all about getting to know yourself, and learning how to be ok with who you are. There’s absolutely no need to be the saint figure, there’s no need to try to be something you are not.

So when I get asked this question, I usually reply with another question:

Do you feel like you already know everything there is to know about yourself?

The answer is usually a moment of silence, which speaks for itself.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Today I’m going to tell you something that has the potential to change your life, are you ready?

Today is the best time to start on a diet, start a new hobby, move to a new place, end a relationship, take a vacation, find a new job…

Whatever it is, it doesn’t matter. Stop avoiding doing what you have to do.

I know it may be something that makes you uncomfortable, it may be something that will bring other people down. It may even be something that will cause you pain and discomfort.

This is all part of the deal. Embrace the temporary pain, face it.

It’s a temporary discomfort. When we keep postponing our to-dos, we drain huge amounts of energy. On the long run, this is absolutely devastating, mentally and even physically.

Go ahead and pick one thing you’re avoiding and get it done, today!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

There are certain topics that I refuse to discuss online. Politics, sports and religion are sitting at the top of that list of forbidden topics.

I do, however, talk about spirituality.

With that being said, I want to recommend a really nice book, and movie. It’s called The Shift – Taking your life from ambition to meaning, from Dr. Wayne Dyer.

This book is responsible for a major mindset shift, I can honestly say it has changed my life. The movie is also great.

But I recommend you to read the book first.

If you are open-minded, do yourself a favor and grab a copy of the book, AND the movie.

It really doesn’t matter what your religious beliefs are.

I would love to hear your thoughts on the book, or movie. Let me know if you read it.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Oftentimes we get our heads stuck in the past. We think of what could have been.

What if we did things differently?

I’m not going to talk about the past, because I talked about it back in episode 15.

Today I want to talk about the present, this moment… the now!

I know that when you hear someone saying that you should focus on the NOW, it may sound too new age for some people. But whether you believe it or not, it’s all there is. This moment.

We don’t have tomorrow, we don’t even have the next 5 minutes. We simply don’t know what’s coming. No one does.

What we can, and should do, is to focus on how to make the present moment better.

Worrying about the future or regretting the past, does absolutely nothing for your present self.

Do the best you can with what you have today. Don’t wait, there are no guarantees.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.”

I love this quote! Traveling is so incredible, that even when it’s bad, it’s awesome!

The experiences from traveling are always remarkable. I always cringe when I hear a story along the lines of how someone has never left their hometown, state, or country.

I understand it can be quite complicated to plan an out of the country trip, you may be short on cash, specially if the plan is to bring the family along.

But to tell me you never left your hometown, or state? That’s just crazy. I’m sorry, but there’s no way you can come up with an excuse for that.

If that’s your case, I’m really sorry for you. You’re missing out on one of the most amazing things in this life, which is traveling. Meeting new cultures, places, and people who will change you forever.

If you ever have the opportunity to live, or spend at least a few months in a different country, please do yourself a favor and go! Yes, there are difficulties and challenges. But the experience is always worth it, trust me.

Don’t risk regretting it later!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Remember the lyrics? Don’t worry, be happy!

Whenever I hear this, I automatically think of the children. They have this amazing super power, of not giving a crap. Not worrying about something they can’t control.

We, adults, are too evolved to live a worry-free life, right?

I find it funny, because the more we focus on a problem we can’t control, or change, the bigger it becomes. It’s a dead-end!

I’m not saying you should go around hugging trees and singing lullabies while your family doesn’t have food on the table. This isn’t the case.

All I’m saying is that we should shift our focus. Focusing on the problem isn’t going to generate a solution. Worry is a complete waste of time, if you’re not trying to find the solution.

So try to remember, if you can’t change, or control it… don’t worry. If, however, you can change it, that’s awesome… be happy.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Some people go through life on a permanent state of dis-ease. You probably know at least one person like that. They are constantly thinking and worrying about getting sick. They avoid going out because it’s too cold, or too hot. They know the local drugstore better than the average person.

It’s really a shame to see people so paranoid. Guess what happens with people like that? They get sick way more often.

Do your part, take good care of your body and mind. And allow it to take care of you, the body is a perfect machine. Let it work.

If you get a cold, continue to take care of the body, eat healthy food and allow it to recover. Don’t get your face stuffed with medicine the same second you don’t feel good.

I usually have one severe cold per year, and I’m not even close to ideal when it comes to taking care of the body. I’m way overweight, I don’t eat healthy food as often as I should, and my sleep schedule is crazy. But I rarely need to take any medicine.

Please remember, this is just my point of view. I encourage you to try focusing on the good things in life, be grateful for the health you have today. I’m in no way giving you medical advice here, it’s really out of my league.

Just do what you feel is best for you, but remember, focusing on the bad (in this case, diseases) can only generate bad outcomes.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

I can’t even tell you how many times in my life I’ve kept searching for answers that only I was able to provide, and to make it even more interesting, I knew the answers all along.

We have a little sensor called intuition, or inner GPS (as Henri from WakeUpCloud.com likes to call it).

This little bugger works fine. But we have problems trusting it.

If you just let your inner GPS guide you, it will work out fine.

It may not always give you the shortest route, but it will always lead you where you’re supposed to go.

Trust in yourself, do what your heart tells you to do.

Let go of the rest.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Are you hitchhiking on someone else’s dream?

I believe we’re living in one of the most exciting times, ever. Information is abundantly available, we’re all connected.

We have access to our heroes, we see their goals, accomplishments and dreams. They share what and how they’re doing.

This is pretty amazing! It’s definitely an effective way to learn, by taking notes of what’s working for them.

The problem here is that some of us will end up trying to live a dream that is not ours.

A quick example I’m going to use here is the mobile lifestyle, or the ability to keep traveling while maintaining some sort of profit on the go. Without a fixed place, such as an office.

This is a grand way to live, in my opinion. But it may just not be for you. And this could translate badly in a number of ways. First of all, it will automatically become much harder to achieve. Because deep down this is not a genuine dream of yours, so you will sabotage yourself on your journey.

Please don’t get me wrong, this is just an example. I know the traveling lifestyle is appealing to many of us, that’s why I chose it to illustrate my point here.

An effective way to keep your dreams “real”, is to be aware of who you are, and what do you really want.

Be aware of your values and goals. And, of course, dream on!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

You’re already naked. I really love this phrase, taken from an amazing speech given by Steve Jobs.

What is keeping you from doing what you want?

And I don’t mean only radical changes, such as quitting your job and travelling around the globe.

What’s stopping you from doing the little things that make you happy? The things that makes you smile.

We take our time here for granted. We postpone our happiness and our dreams.

I have to remind myself often, that happiness is not a destination. This false belief we create, that when we arrive at certain point, then we’ll be truly happy.

It simply doesn’t work like that.

Always remember, you are already naked. You’ve got nothing, and everything to lose. I hope this makes sense to you.

Stop waiting, the time will never be just right.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

This is something that hit me like a train in the past 2 months.

We no longer create. We have decided to leave this to artists and writers. All we do is consume the creations of others.

This is NOT ok. We are creative beings.

I took the plunge and decided to start creating. The result is this podcast, a free eBook, a blog and a lot of ideas floating around my head constantly.

It’s time to wake your creative side!

Don’t believe the story you tell yourself, how you are not a creative person.

It just isn’t true, we are all creators at heart.

We simply forget how good it feels to create something out of nothing.

Go ahead, start creating again!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

We live in a culture where starting over basically means that you’re broadcasting to the world that you have failed.

For this reason many of us will keep pushing, even when deep inside we know we should just stop and start anew.

We don’t want to be that person, you know… the one who failed.

Don’t let your fear stop you from kicking dead projects out of your way, and to start over.

It not only gives you an extra boost, but it’s also a great way to learn.

If you know that you need to start over, do it. It may not be easy, but it will be worth it.

Just go with your gut, trust in yourself, follow your heart.

Everything else will work out. It always does!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Intention creates direction. I love this!

It may sound like woo woo talk to you, depending on how you perceive it, but it’s certainly not.

If you keep focusing on the bad, the negative – will you become a happy, positive and all around nice person?

I seriously doubt it. I could bet not many people would like hanging around you.

If you dedicate a couple of hours per day with the intention of learning how to create a website, will you be able to come up with a website one day?

You betcha!

If you watch cartoons instead, will you come up with a website one day? Hardly.

The intention is a powerful tool, and very real too.

Be aware of your intentions, they’re shaping your future in more ways than you could imagine.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

We cannot control most of the circumstances in our lives. But we can, and should, control the way we react to it.

We all face bad situations, problems and challenges. It’s all part of the deal of being alive.

How we react when facing such moments is what really counts.

We know it’s impossible to live inside some sort of protective layer, that isolates us from our problems. We instinctively try to create such a bubble, only to find out that it doesn’t work.

We tend to immediately react bad when faced with an unpleasant situation. Becoming the helpless victim.

We are all subject to face the loss of a loved one, unemployment, the end of a relationship.

It is what it is.

Just accept and embrace the situation. Analyze whether you can do something to change it, or not. If you can, and want to, then by all means go and do it.

If you can’t, that’s when we usually go nuts and start blaming everyone and everything. If you can’t change a thing, why should you keep stressing over it? You shouldn’t, but you do it because you are not accepting the situation. Once you accept it, then you can react accordingly and organize your thoughts, your options.

Try this, when find yourself about to react out of impulse, without thinking. Stop, don’t say anything, don’t do anything.

Think first.

I'm Rod Gomes and I'll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Today is a special day, 1 Minute Tips has reached its 30th episode!

It feels great to have reached this milestone. I know this may not mean much to you, but this is definitely a huge accomplishment to me.

When I started this little project I was hesitant about coming up with content on a daily basis. I was afraid I was going to fail terribly.

But I proved myself wrong, and here I am.

It wasn’t easy coming up with ideas for episodes, writing and recording takes time. Having no past experience with podcasting, and audio production, didn’t help me either.

But I kept pushing it, and I’m very happy that I didn’t stop. I’m enjoying this experience and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon.

I’m learning while sharing about the stuff I love. Pretty good deal, isn’t it?

I couldn’t finish this episode without a big THANK YOU!

It’s amazing, being able to make a positive impact on a total stranger’s life. That’s more than enough reason to keep going.

I appreciate you!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

On episode 19 I mentioned how important it is to keep learning.

Today I want to talk about the importance of filtering the information we consume. In a not so distant past I heard about the term “information diet”, and the concept of it instantly made sense to me.

So what is the so-called “information diet”?

I’m pretty positive you got it already.

Nowadays we are bombarded with all kinds of information, whether we want or not, like it or not. It’s just how it is.

It’s our responsibility to protect ourselves from the useless and unnecessary information that keeps getting into your news feed, email box and television.

Filtering the information you consume on a daily basis may not look or feel like a big deal, but it makes all the difference.

Don’t be afraid to unsubscribe from email newsletters that are not currently adding valor to your life. Don’t be afraid to unplug from the online world when you need a moment to reflect. Don’t hesitate to cancel that cable subscription. Don’t think twice before leaving that whatsapp group.

Another common trap is the “but I’ll need this info later” excuse. This was a big deal to me.

I used to have tons of browser tabs, bookmarks, notes, you name it. I was hoarding information, simply for the sake of having it handy when I needed it.

But guess what? Most of the time I would never come back to it.

I learned that this is just not practical. What works best for me is to just don’t stress. When I need information that is relevant to project “X” I’ll go on and do my research when the time comes to it. Until then, I’ll focus only on project “Y” and whatever info I need to get it done.

I’m not saying this the best for you. It’s just what have been working for me, and for others who are more aware of what kind of news and information they are consuming.

Another interesting point I’d like to mention here is that when you start being more conscious with your information consumption, you will automatically start being conscious of what information you share with the world. Useless or meaningless status updates will become a thing of the past.

Give it a try!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

We fail by default more often than you think.

But what do I mean by failing by default?

It’s pretty simple, let’s say that you have an exciting idea for a new business. After spending a considerable amount of time thinking about this idea, you’ve come to the conclusion that it should stay as it is… just an idea.

This is failing by default. Your future business failed. You didn’t even give it a fighting chance.

Of course, the majority of our crazy ideas and plans are bound to fade away and never see the light of the day.

But it’s extremely important to be thoughtful when deciding on what’s worthy of your time and attention, and what should be left behind.

We usually prefer to fail by default because it’s the easier solution.

You may not be able to see this right now, but you’re capable of achieving so many incredible things in your life.

Refuse to fail by default, be open to new opportunities and ideas. Experiment!

Failure is part of the game, but if you don’t allow yourself to shoot first, you’ll never know if you’d score the point or not.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Get off the blame train. This was a very destructive habit I had, I’d blame everyone and everything for all my problems.

The fault was always theirs. I did nothing to deserve this or that outcome.

If you can see yourself in my shoes, please start paying attention. Playing the blame game is a terrible habit, and you should really change it rather sooner than later.

Start accepting what is. If you find yourself on a bad spot in life right now. It’s only by accepting that this is where you are, that you’ll be able to start changing your reality.

If you keep blaming others for your failures, you’ll keep drifting and not making any progress. Frustration and anger will be following you around.

Accept the fact that your life is in your own hands, try to look at your situation from a different point of view.

You’re responsible, you’re the one in charge. Take action!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

We should always be expanding our minds, our relationships, our barriers. But for some us, all it takes is a person with a negative, or mean attitude to drag us down.

When I say that you should refuse to shrink, I mean that you shouldn’t lower your standards or act in a manner you don’t approve, just to please others, or to fit in.

This has absolutely nothing to do with acting selfishly, or that you’re egotistical.

It simply means that you’re following your core values. When you stop giving permission to lower your standards, it’s certain that some people will dislike your new attitude. That’s 100% natural.

Remember to stick to your beliefs and values, follow your heart and act accordingly. What others think or expect of you is none of your business.

Keep expanding, keep learning.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Today’s episode is about facing the fear of not being good enough.

Learning a new language isn’t exactly easy. This varies from person to person. I personally have always liked English, even when I knew nothing about it.

I thought it sounded amazing in movies and music. So that’s where I first started to learn more about the language.

Then I had to opportunity to live abroad for a few years, and that’s when I really learned it… the practical way.

As you can tell, my English isn’t that good. I have a hard time because I allowed my pronunciation to get rusty. I stopped practicing it. I’ve managed to keep making progress by continuously consuming information in English (reading and writing, watching movies, listening to podcasts, etc.), but I’ve failed for not including “speaking” in my plans. Just having regular spoken conversations would have done the trick.

This is not a big deal, I know my English is not the best. But it’s good enough, and for today, that’s all I need.

It will improve because I’m dedicating myself, I want to get better.

But right now, all I can do is the best with what I know. And you can do the same, no matter what others say.

Ignore the naysayers and give yourself permission to be good enough.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Have you ever had that feeling, specially when you’re writing a blog post or want to express yourself to a loved one, and you’re just not sure if you should say it?

You wrote a message, deleted and re-wrote it for a hundred times, and you’re still hesitant about posting it.

You thought of at least a dozen ways to say it, but when you picture yourself saying it, you think it isn’t good enough.

That’s when you should say it anyway.

As long as your intentions are good and you’re not saying it to cause harm to yourself or anyone, the best thing you can do is just say it.

If you keep trying to find the perfect moment or way to say whatever you want to say, it may never happen. And then you will never know what kind of impact your words could have caused.

You will have to live with the “what if’s” forever.

What if you said it, and that girl you liked also had an interest in you? What if you said it, and your father accepted your apologies? What if you said it, and your boss liked your suggestion?

Are you willing to live forever in doubt? It’s unfortunately that most of us are.

Don’t let this be you.

All it takes is a few seconds of extreme courage to say it.

What’s the worse outcome if you say it? A rejection?

It’s not that bad after all, is it?

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

You are not alone. Just take a look back, over your right shoulder.

Just kidding! :)

When we’re stuck with a problem, the first thought we come up with is that we’re screwed, a close second thought is that we’re alone.

So now we’re screwed and alone with a big problem!

Both thoughts are false, well you might really be screwed. But everything is “figureoutable”.

For every problem that you face, there’s at least a dozen people who have faced this very same problem.

So, even if you want to feel self-pity and play the victim, you’re not alone!

You can try to find the solutions for yourself, or try to find help, look for people who faced the same situation before.

Either way you can dig yourself out of the hole. As long as you commit yourself to make progress and change your situation.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help, you’d be surprised by how many people are more than willing to help, even if you’re a total stranger on the internet. Believe me on that!

You are never alone!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

When I came up with the title for this episode I thought it sounded a bit weird at first. But this is exactly what I meant to ask.

When do you feel free?

This is a powerful question. If you answer it with honesty.

What are the moments when you really feel free? Free of fear, free of the shackles, free of judgment.

Do a small exercise, close your eyes and try to remember when these moments occurred in the past.

You may even want to write down whatever comes to your mind.

If you can’t find such moments, that’s absolutely fine. There’s nothing wrong with you.

They are there, maybe a bit clouded. But definitely there.

The important thing is to keep in mind that right now, you’re creating new moments.

How will you want to remember today’s moments? Are they freeing you? Or keeping you hostage?

You are in charge, create moments of freedom.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Remember when you were little and your parents told you to be a good boy, or girl. And to do unto others as you would have them do unto you?

This golden rule seems to disappear after we grow up. I’m pretty sure we keep it parked in the back of our minds somewhere.

It’s there, but since it’s no longer mandatory, we don’t care for it.

The funny thing is that we will remember about this golden rule whenever we notice someone breaking it, against us.

Make an effort to do good. No big deed is needed, just be good.

Say kind words, be a good friend, be a good husband, be a good son, be a good father.

Be a force for good!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

The way I experience my life will never be the same way you experience yours, and vice-versa.

We can go watch a movie together, or read the same book. My experience will be unique to my own life. The same is true about yours.

That’s why I believe we shouldn’t judge our experiences.

A perfect example to illustrate my point of view is this:

You’re in a party and a friend comes over, super-excited and raving about his vacation. He had the best time in Cancun, Mexico.

He stayed in a super all-inclusive resort, the days were nice and sunny. The nights, simply amazing!

He met new people and had a blast! He can’t wait to go back!

Now, after hearing such a great story, you want to go down there and experience this for yourself. And you do just that!

Shortly after arriving, you find out that your hotel is crowded. You had no idea that thousands of students were headed there for spring-break. Your all-inclusive experience is terrible, the drinks are bad, the food is not what you have expected.

You can’t sleep, the pool area smells really bad. The sun didn’t come out, in fact, it rained most of the days. And the nights, all you ever wanted was to get some rest. But the vacationing students had another plan.

See the point here?

Your experiences are unique, good or bad. They are YOURS!

Treasure your experiences, they are your life, after all.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

In yesterday’s episode I mentioned that I would risk sounding like your grandma.

Today, let me go ahead and risk sounding like your parents by saying that you should always be learning something. Always!

Even if you feel like you’re on the top of your game, go and find something new to learn, either in your area of expertise or a totally unrelated area.

We are blessed to be living in a time with abundance of information.

In a not so distance past, we had to go after information. And in some cases it was really hard and expensive.

Today, all the information you need is literally a few mouse clicks away.

There’s someone out there that have faced the exact problems you’re facing right now. All you have to do is search.

Be careful with the traps, the internet is full of black holes.

You should keep a tight “information diet”. I will do an episode about this in the future.

For now, focus on whatever new skill or knowledge you’re seeking. Dedicate a couple of hours per day if you can.

Learning has never been this easy before. So keep learning!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

I’ll probably sound like your grandma here, but I’ll say it anyway: Do what’s right.

It’s a given, right? We should alway do what’s right.

Indeed we should. But sometimes life gives us many ways to deal with a situation. We will often feel tempted to do what’s easy, or what will be better for our own sake, even if it means doing the wrong thing.

Most of the times this will happen automatically, meaning you didn’t consciously wish to do wrong. It’s just how our brain works. It will try to find shortcuts, and the easier way out.

It’s our job to be aware when such moments occur. So we can consciously analyse the situation and make the appropriate choice.

If you are well aware of your choices, and you make a conscious decision to do what’s wrong, them you’re looking for trouble. And you will certainly find it.

It doesn’t take a lot of effort, just decide that from now on you will deliberately do what’s right. Even if it means that you will be taking the longer and harder road.

You will travel the longer road with your head up high, a much lighter backpack, and a big smile on your face.

Doing what’s right is always rewarding, even when it doesn’t feel like it.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

If I asked you to give me the name of the biggest critic in your life. Right off the bat, who would you nominate?

If you didn’t nominate yourself, I’m sorry, but you’re wrong.

We are the toughest critics we’ll ever face in life. Even when we deserve a break.

This is definitely something we can (and should) control. Learning to accept our faults is really important. But this is a topic for another episode.

In this episode I just want to point out the importance of celebrating all your victories. This isn’t about popping a bottle of champagne or going wild every time you accomplish something (or if this is you, by all means, go for it). What’s important, in my opinion, is to reward yourself whenever you reach a goal.

This way you are creating important triggers. By doing this long enough, whenever you have a new challenge or goal, your brain will automatically trigger the memories of when you celebrated in the past. Giving you a magic boost towards your new goals.

Give it a try, start celebrating.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Take a look at your calendar and clock. This day and this time, is all you have.

If you want to forgive someone, love someone, let go of someone, start on a diet, change a habit, learn a new skill, find a new job… All you have is this moment!

We love to keep waiting for that perfect moment. A moment that will NEVER arrive. The time will never be just right.

Do whatever you need to do now. Or risk looking back later in life and wondering what could have been if only you took the plunge.

I know that it’s not as simple as it sounds, you may be facing a big obstacle or challenge. But believe me, the only way you will ever get through it, is by embracing it. Face whatever is keeping you from moving forward and I guarantee that you start seeing an unclouded version of your future life unfolding right before your eyes.

Remember, all you’ve got is this moment! Make it count!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Letting go of the past is a topic that causes confusion in most people's minds.

Why should you let go of the past? It was part of your life after all.

We could go really deep here, for this is a complex topic. But since we only got a minute or so here, let me give you the short version.

Letting go of the past doesn't necessarily mean trying to forget your memories. The memories you have are yours--good or bad.

They are results of your life experiences.

You really should cherish the good ones. They are powerful!

You can't forget the bad ones, but you can learn how to "archive" them.

We usually get stuck on the past trying to find reasons for stuff that went wrong, trying to find someone to blame.

Another common reason is to try to relive a pleasurable or remarkable moment, usually with a loved one.

When you stop cherishing the memories and start trying to make them come back to life, that's when it will go wrong.

You will get stuck.

What's done, is done! Live your life forward.

Visit the past, but remember where you are. Today is the only time you have to create new memories.

Let go of the past, live in the NOW!

I'm Rod Gomes and I'll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

On episode 7 I mentioned the energy draining kind of people. I call them “energy vampires”.

They need to drain your energy in order to feel good with themselves. They are the perfect example of people you don’t want to surround yourself with.

When you start to notice how the people around you influence the way you think and act, you will understand why you must let some people go.

And by letting people go I don’t mean calling and letting them know that you can’t be friend anymore because he or she is a bad influence. This is not third grade.

Use common sense, trust your instincts. Learn to set limits on certain types of relationships, stop the energy leakage.

And if you don’t think it’s worthy it, then by all means, just move on.

Surround yourself with people you find inspiring and positive, and you will see the toxic ones start to move away.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

You know that feeling, like you’re ready to take on the world and nothing can stop you. No one can get on your way today, no negativity or stress will bring you down, not today!

That’s called inspiration. It gives you the much-needed boost to go on and annihilate whatever challenges cross your way.

The thing is, it doesn’t last forever. And if you don’t go after it consistently, it may take a long time for it to find you again.

Go out there and get inspired!

Find people who you can look up to, people who you appreciate and that you consider to be good example.

Read books that will elevate your spirits. Watch a movie that you like.

Sometimes we forget how good it feels to be inspired, to be energized. And that’s when we get lazy, we stop looking for that feeling.

Don’t let this be you! Go get inspired!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Today I want to talk about investment. Not monetary investment.

A much more important kind of investment, time!

If you had to rate how well are you investing your time on a scale from 1 to 10. 1 meaning you’re not managing your time, and 10 meaning you are Mr. Get it Done Guy!

Just think about it and give yourself an honest rating.

Some of you will give yourself a higher rating for feeling busy all the time. Being always busy does not mean getting stuff done. It also doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re using your time wisely.

Time is our biggest asset. Every human being on this planet knows it, yet most of us simply don’t care.

Thankfully, if you’re listening or reading this. It means you’re looking for ways to improve yourself, and that already puts you in front of millions of people who are just clueless.

There are so many ways to stop wasting time:

You could cut the hours in front of the TV, cut the time on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Wake up an hour earlier than usual.

The list could go on, but I trust you already know what you can do to stop wasting your own time.

Remember to use the newly found hours as an investment in yourself.

Time really is all you have! Remember that.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

So you probably read this episode's topic and already started to think about it. Anticipating what I was going to talk about.

By anticipating about this episode you now expect it to turn out in a certain way. If I don't deliver the kind of message or content you're expecting, you may get upset or let down.

This is a simple but effective example of how overthinking can ruin things for us.

The point is that overthinking can cause more harm than good. It's something all of us do, we play scenarios, we create imaginary problems and then try to come up with imaginary solutions, just in case these problems ever become real.

Overthinking makes it really hard to unplug. I struggle with it whenever I try to quiet my mind and meditate.

But I know this can be changed, and eventually it will.

Stop thinking too much, sometimes the best thing we can do is to let it be and let go of our thoughts.

That was my tip for today my friend.

I'm Rod Gomes and I'll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Hello! Are you listening? Yes, you!

There is so much noise nowadays. We’re always connected and rarely present.

We’re not as engaged as it seems. Yes, we are “connected”. We have thousands of friends all over social media. We follow celebrities, movie stars and singers.

We choke on the amount of news that’s thrown to us every single day.

We can deal with all of that. But when we have to listen to what a loved one, or a friend has to say… we can’t.

I mean, we are there, we are physically there. We hear his or her voice, we’re hearing.

But not really listening.

Be present. The next time someone wants to say something, be truly present for that person. Listen to what he or she has to say, make eye contact. Let that person know that your whole self is there.

Pro tip: This can work wonders on relationships.

That is all for now my friends. Be present, be in the now!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

So you’re working hard, life is crazy. Time is of the essence.

And you see all the talk about people taking mini vacations, putting fewer hours peer week and — now the shocker — making more money.

What kind of sorcery is this? You ask.

It’s the magic of managing time.

They find ways to work smarter. Thus, producing the same amount of results or even more, in less time.

The topic of this episode is “take a break”, so why am I telling you this?

Because taking a break is an easy way to get started on changing the mindset.

If you feel like you don’t have time for a break, you’re lying to yourself. Find the time, go out, do something fun. And not only once, do it as often as you can.

If you feel that your breaks are causing a drop on productivity, find smarter ways to counter it. It has nothing to do with the breaks, it has to do with the ancient mindset that has been passed on to you, and to all of us.

Work smarter. Respect your free time, respect your life, and IT will reflect by loving and respecting you back.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Reading is good! We grew up hearing people say it.

I used to hate reading – whenever I had to read a book for school I cringed.

But why? Why reading was such a heavy chore to me?

Well, today I know. The reason was simple. The books sucked!

They were great books, don’t get me wrong. But they were not for children. Not if you want them to create the habit of reading anyway.

Today I’ve fallen in love with reading. I discovered the pleasures of reading and of learning. If you’re not a reader, you really should start it sooner than later.

Experiment with different genres. One cool trick I do to consume more books is to always read at least two books at once.

Usually one is an audiobook, the other a kindle. One is fiction and the other non-fiction.

This works well for me. But it isn’t a rule set in stone, I mix it up from time to time.

Find what you enjoy reading, and read lots of it.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon. Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

These blood sucking creatures have made their ways out of fiction. But they’ve evolved. They no longer crave for blood, they crave for your energy. Every little drop of it.

These devious creatures are masters on the art of negativity.

I call them “Energy Vampires”. No matter what you try to do, they’ll counter with some sort of negative reply or action.

The best thing you can do is to avoid these kind of people. Interacting with them constantly may cause you to get infected.

Stir clear of the vampires, keep yourself in the light – and they’ll avoid contact with you as well. They can’t stand your positive attitude and when you smile, that’s just disgusting.

Try being a vampire hunter as an exercise, see how many of them can you spot.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Some people will get physically ill if you tell they need to change something. Changing can be scary.

Changing means you’ll have to leave something behind, let go. And probably dive into the new, the unknown… the uncomfortable.

The fear of changing is different to all of us, some may be scared of moving to a new city, others of starting a new job.

It doesn’t really matter. The important thing is to know that life is ever-changing. So you might as well get used to concept.

It’s the only way to move forward, to achieve new heights, to meet new people and to grow and know yourself.

When you think about it, we are constantly changing. You are not the same person you were before you started listening to this.

So there you have it, embrace change. Keep changing!

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Let’s talk about keeping your plate full – WITH good stuff.

I bet you have your own plate full right now, but is it full with good and nutricional stuff? Or is it full with garbage?

Knowing how to filter what you put in your plate is pretty important. A great way to deal with this is the “Hell yes! Or no.” approach.

And it’s exactly as it sounds. Whenever a new opportunity presents itself, give it a try. Think about it and then decide whether this is a Hell yes, or a no opportunity. If it feels like a (lowercase) yes, then it’s “no”. But if you feel like your whole body is about dance, then it’s clearly a hell yes! Go for it!

Give this approach a try, let me know how it goes for you by leaving a comment below.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 Minute Tips!

Today I want to talk about the importance of finding joy. And I don’t even mean it in a deep level, which is also important. I mean finding joy in the little things.

We tend to live our lives in an accelerated way. Making it much harder to spot joy in random places and at different times of our days.

Do this small exercise, be aware of everything that happens in your day. Try to spot whenever a moment of joy presents itself to you. It may be by simply taking a sip of coffee, or by talking to a person you like.

It’s amazing how by simply noticing these small moments we can change our whole day. And by doing this exercise again and again, you’ll notice how many moments you used to pass un-noticed.

At first you may also think that there are no such moments, but that’s just because you’re still not able to actually see them. But you will, just keep at it!

Find joy, stop waiting for it to find you.

I’m Rod Gomes and I’ll come back with another 1 minute tip soon.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 minute tips!

My name is Rod Gomes, let’s dive straight into today’s tip.

Be yourself!

When you say it out loud it sounds almost stupid, right? Be yourself, of course I am myself. But when you really think about it, it suddenly isn’t that trivial anymore. We’re often trying to be what we are not. We’re trying to fit, trying to impress others, carefully crafting each Facebook update so we don’t look less interesting to others.

The outcome of trying too hard to be something we are not is often frustration. You may be able to keep the mask on for a long time, but you’ll get burned out, eventually.

I’m not immune to this, au contraire. I’ve suffered from this syndrome for a long time, and I was miserable. So I decided to just be! And so far I’m loving it.

That’s my tip for today, just be yourself. It may be hard at first, you will try to trick yourself into thinking you’re not good enough, that you’re a fraud, that you don’t have a voice or even that you don’t have anything of value to share. These are all mind tricks, believe me. You are a unique and interesting person, with more than enough value to share with others.

Give it a try, be yourself.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 minute tips! Today I want to talk about clutter, or decluttering, if you will.

I'm pretty sure you have faced this situation at least once in your life, a point where you decide you need to get rid of some stuff. Unfortunately, for most of us, this realisation is about trivial things, such as getting rid of that pile of papers sitting in your desk, or donating a couple of old shirts. This is all good, but we can go deeper than that when it comes to really decluttering our lives.

I'm recording this episode in August, 2014. About a week after letting go of my car. That's right, I'm no longer a car owner. Next on my list is my desktop computer.

Being a tech lover, it's really hard for me to let go of my gadgets.

This is my tip for today, try it for yourself. Find something you're really attached to and let go of it!

This concept isn't restricted to material things. You can get rid of negative emotions, thoughts and even people.

But this is a subject for another episode.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!

View Details

Welcome to 1 minute tips!

My name is Rod Gomes and I’m very happy and excited to be recording this first episode.

I’ve had this project on the back of my mind for a few months now. The idea here is to share quick and practical tips on personal development.

I’m not an expert, but I do believe that the little I know can be of value to others. Besides sharing what I know, I’m here to learn as well. One of the reasons why I decided to start the 1 minute tips, was to improve my pronunciation. As you can tell, English is not my first language and I get intimidated whenever I have to record my voice or video.

So this is my very first tip, break through your fears! Are you afraid of exposing yourself in audio or video? Go ahead, record one and post it online.

Thank you so much for listening. I’ll come back soon with another 1 minute tip for you.

Take care, stay active, stay positive!