2018 Self Improvement Checklist - 7 Growth-Inspiring Ideas and Tactics

Establishing Financial Wellbeing

Credit and debit cards can be deceptive. So many people are upset when the bank and credit card statements arrive, and they have to face reality involving how much they have spent and what they owe. In contrast, if you are paying cash for things, it is easier to understand how you are doing financially than if you use plastic

Your financial well-being can be simplified into two parts. It is based on how much you earn and how much you spend. With a few adjustments you will begin noticing improvements rather quickly.

Earn More
1. Adding more hours - One extra hour of work a day might not seem like much but even if you are at minimum wage, this can add up! For example, if you earn $15.00 per hour and work five days a week, you will have an addition $3,900 gross a year ($15 x 5 x 52) by just working one more hour each day. Ask your employer if there is opportunity for you to take on extra shifts or increase your work hours. If you are willing and able to work on statutory holidays or to exceed regular time standards you will benefit even more from overtime rates
2. Ensuring value - One of the best ways to protect your income is to be a wonderful employee. Make sure that you are doing what you are hired to do and not what you feel like doing. When an employer learns that you can be trusted, you will be right in line for a promotion and/or raise.
3. Developing multiple streams of income - Do you have ways to earn more? This might include an extra part-time job, sale of items that you make at home or interest on investments. Perhaps you will invest in a good business. Just make sure that you research and use wisdom when you are doing your planning so that you will have a good return.
4. Making career changes - If you want to earn more or enter a new field, you will likely need to work on your resume by taking a course or entering an educational program. The best is when you can work while you are studying and pay your registration fees as you go so that you don't accumulate a lot of student debt.

Spend Less
1. Ask for and use your discounts - Review your regular bills and make phone calls to see if the company you are dealing with can offer you a better plan or lower rate for services. When you are making purchases, ask if there is the sales representative a lower the price.
2. Submit claims - Do the paperwork for insurance and other claims immediately. You are the one who is losing out when you have spent money but not been reimbursed.
3. Avoid penalties and interest - Know the exact percentage rates that you are being charged. Pay your bills before the due date and whenever possible use cash for purchases.
4. Use what you have - Check your home to see what you might be able to wear or use before you buy new. If you are organized, you won't be tempted, for example, to purchase a new screwdriver because you can't find one in your messy garage.
5. Don't lend - If someone can't manage their finances or get a loan from a bank, your best answer when they ask for money is "No". Lending to them will likely not solve their problems and may, in fact ruin your relationship when they don't pay you back.
6. Learn skills - You can save a lot of money if you pack a lunch, cook at home, and do simple household repairs and mending projects.
7. If you don't need it, it is not a deal - Beware of sales! Saving money is not saving if you have to buy something you aren't going to use.
8. Bet on sure things - Blue chip investments, focused energy and having a good plan are way better than wishing and hoping your gambling activities will pay! The reason that casinos are able to operate and renovate is because the odds are rigged in their favour. You might win once in awhile but if you are honest about how much you spend gambling compared to how much you win, you will likely be disappointed.


Author:Dr. Linda Hancock, Registered Psychologist and Registered Social Worker
Article Source: https://ezinearticles.com/?Establishing-Financial-Wellbeing&id=10017077

Jim Rohn - How to Stop Worrying and Start Living ( Jim Rohn Personal Dev...

3 Tips to Finding Happines

I loved this Instagram post from John Assaraf (from the Secret) yesterday so much that I had share it here.

I encounter this all of the time with my own coaching clients especially when they're in resistance. BY resistance I mean, not willing to see things a different way. Where they are so attached to their reason / story / excuse / whatever you want to call it, that they are unwilling to see the way to achieve their goals.
I'm not going to lie, I find it extremely difficult to coach someone when they're in this energy. But then I remember their ego has taken a hold of them and that getting frustrated is not going to be the way to best help. What I've realized is that it's essential to identify where the problem lies. If you try to talk to someone about strategy when they're in this space, it will not land. The resistance only gains traction. The belief that is keeping them in this place must be addressed. What are they believing underneath the story that is keeping them in this pattern? Once you can identify that belief, and then create the empowered belief they want to have instead, massive momentum occurs! I just had a client shift from a disempowered state to an empowered place instead, and within a week she finished the month strong AND created the best month she's had in a year!!!!!! Now THAT is exciting and WORTH diving deep!!!

The issue is that when we're caught-up in a story of why we can't do something we're actually getting something out of it on a deeper level. Behind every so called "negative story" there is always a positive intention. So what is it for you? How is that old story serving you deep down? Likely something about safety, love, acceptance, approval, etc. Dig deep and you will find it. You then need to make sure that in your dream life - where you are doing, being and having what you love, that the positive intention you identified above is honoured. You need to remind yourself of this over and over (consistent repetition reprograms the subconscious mind), while thinking of an emotional memory of when this was actually true for you. You need to remind yourself of this OVER and OVER. I can't stress this enough. You will then start to create new experiences that strengthen the new belief system you are trying to operate from.

BUT... you have to be willing to dig this stuff out AND most people aren't. It can be painful to see why we do things deep down and to take responsibility for what we are creating in our own lives. No one is responsible but you.

A client asked the other day how long it is going to take for her business to take off. My reply was as soon as you don't let your subconscious mind stop you. It's designed to keep you safe and putting yourself out there while building a business does not feel safe. I just challenged myself to reach out to someone on my own "chicken list" AND it went amazing! I'm so excited for what the future holds! Force yourself to do the activity you know will yield results, while working on your belief system. Your subconscious mind wants to get your agreement to stop. It will tell you things like you're too tired, you don't have enough time, and that you're not good enough.

As Marianne Williamson says,

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us."

You have to be willing to step into the best version of you, one step at a time.

You've got this.
Author: Chris Atley
Article Source: https://ezinearticles.com/?The-Story-Thats-Holding-You-Back&id=10032062

5 tips – How to stay self-motivated ( Personality development and Motiva...

Retreat, Regroup, Ready

Do you ever get tired of hearing people tell you how busy they are? Often, they declare this along with the idea that they are feeling overwhelmed. Well, busyness and overwhelm can be altered.

I know that I won't be at my best unless I make and follow through with specific plans. When I am feeling too busy, I need to step back and put in boundaries. When I feel overwhelmed, I need to examine my situation and make deliberate changes.

Here are three ways that you can improve your life and enjoy peace rather than chaos:

1. RETREAT - You will never be able to do everything! Admit it. In fact, there are times when you need to retreat into a safe and quiet environment for a period of time.

I often leave the office on a Friday night and go home, never to talk to one person or leave the condo again until Monday morning. My first priority is to sleep because everything looks better when I am rested. I adopt as much silence as possible and limit technological input. My focus is on doing things that are calming - things like enjoying a long, warm bath; a leisurely nutritious lunch and an interesting book.

2. REGROUP - Having a clean and organized environment reduces stress. I know that we are supposed to walk 10,000 steps a day but when I am in retreat mode I try to save steps. For example, when I leave the bathroom, I grab the dirty towels and other items to make a washing machine load. It works while I relax!

Anything in the fridge that is sketchy or starting to grow fuzz gets thrown out as I am gathering items for the next meal. The three minutes that the microwave requires for heating things up allow me just enough time to unload the dishwasher. At least once in the weekend, I stand at the door of each room and pick up what is out of place. Imagine having a home that is presentable when you only have fifteen minutes notice that you are getting company.

3. READY - Don't destroy your retreat by running around town trying to get things done. Instead, put a sticky note on the outside door and enter reminders for things that can be done on your next outing. These might include: fill the car with gas, buy batteries, drop off charity items. Hang a bag on the doorknob for items you will need to take with you and place tied bags of recycling, garbage or donations by the door. If you can't carry them all to the vehicle in one trip, you can spread it out over the next few days.

Keep a grocery shopping list that you can add to each day as you run out of things. I let my calendar keep track of birthdays and purchase all the cards for the following month at one time. I also shop online for ideas and bargains.

Make simple meals that the oven will cook for you in larger quantities than you will consume that day. Then package left-overs in small containers for freezing. Make your lunch for the next day with some of the leftovers.

Choose your clothing in advance and hang tomorrow's outfit on a doorknob. That way you can prevent wardrobe malfunctions and save time.

This formula will help you to reduce stress and give you a healthy feeling of control! It's all about working smart instead of working hard and making sure that you have an opportunity to be your best self.

Enjoy!

Author: Dr. Linda Hancock, Registered Psychologist and Registered Social Worker
Article Source: https://ezinearticles.com/?Retreat,-Regroup,-Ready&id=10032557

5 Body Language Tricks To Make Anyone Instantly Like You - Personality D...

How to Cope When You Are Extremely Busy

Do you feel like screaming, shouting and complaining when you have a lot on your plate? Fear not. Because you can control all of it by following the strategies I give in this article. And you will soar. Read on to find out.

Here are a few pointers:

1)Keep your cool no matter what

You cannot let yourself out of control. Instead, be cool and even out your temper. Ask yourself, "What is the best way I can handle this?"

2)Make it a fun game

You already have tasks in hand and more tasks are rolling in. You cannot get exasperated. The best thing you can do is to list all the tasks in a sheet of paper and prioritize. The less important tasks can take a back seat. Handle as many important tasks as you can and make it a fun game.

3)Delegate your important tasks

If the list of important tasks on your list is too huge, you can consider asking for help and delegating. Make friendship with a few other co-workers at work who will readily accept the tasks you delegate and inform your boss as well what you are doing yourself and what you have delegated due to time pressure. Your boss will probably appreciate the way you are handling your job and make a note of it. The best thing that can happen out of this scenario is that you will get a raise or promotion for the team leader spirit and responsibility.

4)Take frequent small breaks

Don't get bogged down and overwhelmed with your tasks. Take breaks frequently. Chat with other colleagues or read the newspaper or just let the fresh air in and gaze out of your office window and appreciate what you view. After short breaks, which are good for your body postures and health as well, you will find you can focus on work more meticulously and energetically. You are able to carry out tasks in order of priority as you planned.

5)Smile

Smile at people and co-workers. Even smile over the phone with all of whom you have to negotiate. Immediately they will feel the warmth in you and your authenticity and would like to partner with your company. Smiling has another advantage. It lifts off the pressure from you and people around are less judgmental and kinder and more cooperative.

6)Reward yourself

At the end of the day which was overall good or bad, treat yourself snacks and a cup of Starbucks coffee. Understand that you have tried your best for the day, celebrate quietly and continue with the left out tasks the next day.

7)Journal your day's events

When you go home, relax, have dinner and begin to journal your day's events. Identify where you have excelled, what needs to be given more attention and where there is scope for more improvement. Once you have done this, carry out a plan of action so that all sides are dealt with adeptly.

8)Share with family and retire to sleep

Share with your family about your day's real-life funny anecdotes and laugh together. Give solutions to any problems they might be facing. Go to bed feeling it was a day you spent well. Sleep in anticipation of the next day when you will accomplish even better, much to the happiness and pride of your family.

Summing up, the above eight pointers will keep you on track and in control when life gets too busy and bombards you with never-ending tasks one after another. Try two or more strategies mentioned here that suit you and you will skyrocket to higher levels. It's guaranteed! Sounds good?

Rosina S Khan has authored this article. For a wealth of free resources based on stunning fiction stories, amazing self-help eBooks, commendable articles, quality scholar papers, valuable blogs and terrific academic guides, all authored by her, and much more, visit: http://rosinaskhan.weebly.com. You will be glad that you did.

If you would rather like to access her terrific collection of eBooks based only on fiction, self-help as well as academic guides and download them for free, visit: http://www.facebook.com/RosinaSKhan.hub. You won't be disappointed and remember to like her Facebook page.

Author: Rosina Khan
Article Source: https://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Cope-When-You-Are-Extremely-Busy&id=10102821

This Is Water - Full version- David Foster Wallace Commencement Speech

2005 Commencement Address at  Kenyon College by David Foster Wallace

Great commencement speech from David Foster Wallace about how to think and view the world.




Learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to an dto choose how you construct meaning from experience. Because if you c annot exercise this kind of choice in adult life, you will be totally hosed. Think about the old cliche that the mind is an excellent servant but a terrible master.

What's Your System

What's Your System?

Entering Grade 7 has been a big transition for my son this fall. From learning how to navigate a rotary schedule to keeping track of homework assignments and tests or not - yikes! - it's been a learning curve and an exciting new chapter. The best part is that there are so many life lessons being learned - how to schedule, pay attention when you're bored, preserve if you don't get a great grade, etc.

What's interesting though, is the organizational lessons are similar to those we as adults are also working on. What is the best way is to keep track of things, how we decide what goes on our calendar, etc. Having an empowered calendar system is especially important for entrepreneurs who are in-charge of their own schedules, in order to stay on track and create the results they are wanting:-) Scheduling is the only way to ensure things will actually happen AND it's close cousin is to create systems within the schedule, like batching together like tasks. Read on to learn some of my favourite tips and tricks that will hopefully help you too, or inspire you to create your own spin.

Here are a few calendaring & system tips to make your life and business run more smoothly:-)

1. Batch together all like tasks - i.e. if you're getting dressed-up for a meeting, look at what other tasks you need to be dressed-up for and do them the same day, i.e. filming a video, hosting a webinar, etc.

2. Block out time chunks to work on your business and then focus on two to three strategies within that time frame until they're seen to fruition i.e. a talk, workshop, Instagram lives, referrals, speaking, reach outs etc. You can keep an ongoing list of other ideas so that you don't lose sight of them. This will take care of bright-red-shiny-object syndrome:-)

3. You can create other blocks of time for your business as well - look at the top 5 tasks you do, i.e. sales conversations, email, social media, follow-up, team meetings, etc.

4. Look at your top values, i.e. freedom, fun, financial security, family, etc. and make sure there is time for all of it on your calendar. This will help you to prioritize what is important to you, and say no to what isn't guilt-free.

5. Schedule in time for self-care, success practices and anything that is important to you. It's the only way it will happen. You can still stay flexible within that time frame and tune into what you're heart is drawn too, but at least create the time and space in your calendar for it:-)

6. Create systems wherever you can in your business and life. For example, doing laundry on certain nights only unless there's an emergency of course, having an email system in place to make checking email more efficient, and creating a follow-up system that ensures you stay on top of leads.

7. Make all of these time blocks recur monthly, i.e. every Tuesday from 9-11 am is business-building time, and mornings from 6-7 am are self-care time. Then schedule in time weekly to review and adjust your calendar. It's important to stay flexible and shift things around depending on the week and what you have scheduled, i.e. you may have a new meeting or talk and need to shuffle some other things around to ensure they still get done.

8. You may also want to put in specific reminders right on your calendar for the date you need to f/u with someone to ensure you don't miss it. This is where an empowered follow-up system is also important:-)

9. Above all else, choose a calendaring system that works for you. Some people love to keep it old school and use a handwritten calendar. I love using multiple Google calendars with fun colours for all areas of life - work (shared with my assistant), personal, kids, marketing, etc. We also just got a huge paper calendar for our family so that we can all actually SEE where everyone is or what we have going on at any given time. Colour coded to make it fun of course;-)

Have fun getting organized and systematized!!

Author: Chris Atley
Article Source: https://ezinearticles.com/?Whats-Your-System?&id=10025516

Core Values: Three Steps to Being Action Oriented and Achieving the Big-Slow Dream

Imagine reaching a level where every action taken is totally productive and efficient. Whatever task was undertaken, great results were achieved. Life is good, not a care in the world! Wait a minute, that's Disney World! In actuality, only at select times are these high levels of productivity and efficiency reached and that's for those that are at the top levels. In general, Leo Tolstoy has the right idea, "True life is lived when tiny changes occur."

A song titled Dream Small goes against the norm. A lot of research needs to take place to find a top motivational speaker agreeing with the theme of this song. The lyrics include having big dreams, but none of that happens until the small ones become a reality. So many people, including myself, start with the big dream that ends up stalling because of overwhelm and the lack of significant progress taking place.

A better description for the dream big idea is to "dream slow." My personal inspiration to try a graduate Masters program came about nine years after undergrad. Actually starting the course work took at least another two years. Add another nine years to begin the Ph.D. program. The slow dream to complete a full 140.6 triathlon took 20 years. The dilemma here is the dreams were both big and slow so the new invented Dr. Dan term is the big-slow dream.

Is there any such thing as an overnight success? Maybe you are exposed to a whole slew of unique people, but of the hundreds of successful people I've studied and read about, the common satirical statement in one way or another is, "Sure... I'm a 10-year overnight success." Reality can be harsh, but when a big-slow dream is achieved, deep satisfaction and appreciation arise, but none of it happens without the first step.

The first step to taking action is to start with a small dream that is measurable and achievable. A key part of this is completing something in a reasonable time to give some momentum and encouragement to proceed to the next step. The small dream is one of Tolstoy's tiny, but significant changes that is part of accomplishing the big-slow dream.

The second step is recognizing that an "imperfect done" is much better than a masterpiece that isn't. The reason is, there is no perfect masterpiece and even if there was, it has to be finished to be displayed. Every once in a while some outlier product or performance arises that seemingly is perfect. However, the feeling of the accomplishment being perfect is rarely determined by the author or originator of the work. The conclusion of doing excellent may have occurred, but certainly not a work or performance of perfection.

When a masterpiece does emerge, it may not be recognized until the creator has died and after numerous failures and inferior works had been done. The conclusion, instead of trying to be perfect, do the best with what is available at the time and get something done. Whatever is created can certainly be improved, but the best improvements are made by multiple exposures and upgrades to an already finished product.

The third step is keep track of progress being made especially when it's slow. Celebrate the victories along the way and learn from the defeats. Done consistently, this leads to developing systems and processes that can be formalized to increase productivity. An overall forward movement is the objective, because once the perception arises that the big-slow dream is beyond reach, the will to finish is greatly hindered.

The dream of going to Disney World for most people happens after much saving, planning, and waiting that all take time. The big dream that finally happens was really slow to come about, but the anticipation of getting there was actually fun at times.

Likewise, people undertaking a big-slow dream remain persistent because of the anticipation of the great reward of achieving it. The right big-slow dream also has inherent aspects that make the journey a learning experience and fulfilling as well. Are there any guarantees for success? Certainly not, but better to have tried and failed than to never know if it could have happened. Dream big... but slowly.


Author: Dan Mularski
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9952444

How important are you? Do you feature on your own list of priorities? If you're a parent you no doubt regard your children as your number one priority. If you work as a manager or business owner with staff or targets to consider you'll justifiably treat work as vital. It's important to look after your staff and customers, earn a living and be in a stimulating environment that sustains you.

Family and friends are important too. They're often the reason we work so hard; to provide them with a comfortable home and lifestyle, good schooling and fun times together.

The big question is, where do you fit into all of this? If you went to a restaurant or consulted a specialist and saw that they were stressed, irritable and overworked you'd probably wonder why they'd agreed to take your booking. The same applies if you're being pulled in all directions and not feeling able to cope. Irritability, frustration and resentment can start to surface. No one benefits.

Achieving some balance in life, where you recognise your limits and boundaries, allows you to be the best version of yourself. Then everyone, including you, has a better experience and quality of life.

Here are 10 ways to be the best version of yourself:

- Practise positive self talk. Start to notice those automatic 'I'm so stupid' responses that can so easily surface when you're stressed. Yes, something you did may have been a mistake, but that doesn't mean you're stupid. We often talk to ourselves more harshly than we ever would to anyone else. Learn to be kinder to yourself and recognise your early warning signs of stress.

- Schedule time for things you know you do well. It's especially important in the midst of tough or difficult times to remind yourself of your skills, talents and abilities. Allow time for the things you enjoy and are good at. Sport, DIY, playing an instrument, volunteering can be ways to bring a positive mindset into your life.

- 'Broadcast' what you've done. Household chores, chauffeuring duties, the errands that go unnoticed are often taken for granted. There's no need to be heavy-handed, but occasionally remind others that you've stocked the cupboards with food, the clean laundry and towels don't get replenished by magic. Solicit appreciation for those efforts that support the smooth running of their lives.

- Smile and accept compliments and praise. Don't shrug them off in an 'it's nothing' way. Acknowledge, say 'thank you' and let them know that good manners and appreciation are important to you.

- Pace yourself. Being the best version of yourself means being able to manage stress. Learn to recognise what you can and can't do each day. There's no merit in being invincible or feeling that you've failed if you don't manage to do everything. It's okay to tackle big jobs in stages.

- Let others help. If you're working long hours or have many demands on your time why not engage help with cleaning, gardening, ironing or with business tasks like PR, accounts and social media. The time freed up can be used elsewhere and is often money well spent. Delegate tasks to staff and encourage them to blossom and become more enthusiastic about their work. Let your children help. Even if their efforts are clumsy it's good to encourage them to become more independent.

- 'No' can be the most positive word in your vocabulary when used well. 'Yes' can become a negative habit if you automatically take on too much by way of work, social engagements or family responsibilities. We may be eager to please others, appear efficient and successful. But saying 'no' in an appropriate way allows you to use your time well, focus on your priorities and become the best version of yourself.

- Nurture your relationships. Our partners, families, colleagues, friends cannot be expected to be psychic but will often be understanding and supportive if told what's going on and asked for help. Let them in and they may even come up with great ideas and suggestions.

- Have regular breaks. It may seem counter-intuitive to stop work for a time, but regular breaks allow you to better manage stress and return to work with a fresh perspective and new insights. Being the best version of yourself means looking after yourself and pausing from time to time. Have a healthy snack, plenty of water and switch off for an hour or so before bed.

- Accept invitations and offers that take you out of your comfort zone. Scare yourself a little every day, even if it's simply by choosing a different lunch, speaking to someone new, accepting a challenge. Allow your confidence and self belief to grow by expanding your horizons. Keep a journal and log those mini-successes to sustain you during difficult times.

Becoming the best version of yourself means shaking off old, unhelpful patterns that may have once worked well for you. And interestingly, once we become receptive to positive changes other factors often work to motivate and sustain us.


Author: Susan Leigh
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9756912

Program Your Mind While You Sleep | Dr. Bruce Lipton

The Unbelievable Power Of Certainty

For centuries now, in history, the unbelievable power of certainty is the attribute that draws people to leaders and experts. It is what comes into play when you want to influence, make an impact or achieve the impossible whereas a lack of it can stop you dead in your tracks. But what is certainty?



How do you get such trait? Do you have a lack of confidence from time to time? Are you allowing yourself to doubt, even if it is for a second? Why do you still lack confidence, despite knowing, doing, preparing or practicing?

The reason is you possess some uncertainty! It can be about yourself, your abilities, what you believe in, your relationship or anything else. Have you ever known someone who knows their stuff, but just lacked confidence? Well, confidence comes from knowing yourself or your own business, but in taking it a step further, you understand that the power of certainty comes from not doubt at all.

My Shaolin Kung Fu master always says that self-confidence is for children and you have better to be certain. If you do not sense an inner certainty about what you want or what you need to do, then it will be over before you know it. Luckily for you, the power of certainty can be developed.

Gaining certitude can take time but the more you use it, the better you will get. It begins with you sharing your ideas so often that you finally find your voice and become sure in what you believe or teach. It is a big deal because the more you share with others, the more certain you will become. The power of certainty provides the key to unlocking what is holding you back.


"Certainty helps us take the actions to achieve our dreams." - Tony Robbins



The Inner battle for Certainty
You have to understand that when ideas take hold in your mind, an inner battle begins between your unconscious and conscious mind. It often comes down to your conscious mind which wants something while your unconscious mind may not believe a thing you say. When you lack power of certainty, there is automatically a conflict, a struggle, and ideas just remain thoughts.

You might be trying to tell your unconscious that you are going to you will be financially free in ten years' time or that you will have millions by the time you are thirty. But if your conscious mind is uncertain and has doubts, it will go 'Yes, right. No way in hell!' Then rejects your energy and desires into space where it will just bounce back and have no effect.

Your certitude needs to be anchored so deeply that it becomes unshakable. But at first, your power of certainty has to be greater than your doubts. When you choose to act with such inevitability, you can overcome any fear or doubt you might have. You can achieve it mentally through invocations, not affirmations, but invocation as it involves feelings of certainty through your bones, body, heart, and soul.

As an expert, I believe you owe it to yourself to act with certitude. I truly believe and have also personally experienced the power of certainty which grows over time and goes beyond self-confidence.

The Lack of Certainty brings a Lack of Action
If you unsure and do not feel a power of certainty, you will surely lack taking action. To live their financial dreams, most people always think about wanting to generate an enormous amount of money. They love to talk a good game with some 'If... ,' and tell others about their big dream, but in the end, they never take action to realize it.

What are the reasons? Well, they do not have the certainty that they can do it. They have no certitude about the outcome. They do not believe in themselves or how they can get there. They then begin to fall into fears and doubts. As a result, their self-thinking and self-talking put things off.

Self-talk combines that little voice and the quiet conversations you have with it. You should be more careful of these little internal phrases as they can build your power of certainty or to tear it apart. It is a fact that certainty has a real influence on your conduct and actions. How? If you have failed to take decisions in any part of your life, it is somewhat because you are uncertain or unsure as to which method could succeed or fail. So you put off what you need to do today until later.

The Influence of Certainty over Confidence
The power of certainty paves the way for you to take action, even massive action. And the impact of these massive actions is how you improve your confidence and make things happen in your life. But what is holding you back from raising your game?

From what I have seen and learned from my experiences all over the world, is that it does not matter how confident or successful you are, we all have certain zones of weakness from time to time. I do not believe that anyone is immune to uncertainty. But if you decide to do something, and start to plan towards it, you then create confidence which in turn builds in time, certainty.

Therefore, it is when you decide with absolute certitude that you are going to create your dreams and then start to build a plan that something almost magical happens. You start to develop a power of certainty that influences and surpasses your confidence. You unexpectedly see that there are ways to achieve your objectives.

Suddenly, your goals dribble, drop by drop, deep into your unconscious to find the means to make your dream a physical reality. It is when the fairy tale begins. I am pretty sure that there was at least one time in your life where you experienced the absolute power of certainty.

The Power of Certainty Is Personal
Too many people live between reality and fiction when it comes to sensing certainty. But I know from personal experience that you or anyone is capable enough to do many things that most people think are impossible. Your certainty and confidence are about what you believe it to be. What is important is your perception.


"Whether you think you can or you think you can't, you are dead right." - Henry Ford



Therefore, perhaps it is often up to what you believe to be true. It sounds annoyingly accurate, isn't it? Of course, the power of certainty is not something you can just switch on or off. Very often, you need help with your ability to build and uphold your certainty as well as your confidence, mainly when it comes to challenging circumstances.

The Unbelievable Power of Certainty
At the moment you begin to carry yourself with certainty, people become logically attracted to that quality you have. When others feel your power of certainty, they tend to start trusting you as well. And as soon as you speak with certitude and act with conviction, it alters the way the world around you responds. Great leaders and dictators throughout history are excellent examples of this.

You need to realize that the power of certainty creates opportunities that would not have existed otherwise. Your body language also has a significant influence on the way others perceive you. It includes the way you carry yourself, your gestures, facial expressions, walk, and even your care. And all of these, in turn, send strong signals to your nervous system and unconscious mind.

It means that if your body sends signals to your nervous system which matches a personal power of certainty, your attitude will also adjust as to be in tune with these signs. You have to learn to develop and display incomparable certainty because it will change your life for good at every level of your being. Certainty and confidence are like powerful magnets.

Possessing the Power of Certainty
When you possess the power of certainty, with no doubt in yourself and your abilities, you begin to attract new chances, means, opportunities, resources, and people into your life. You suddenly start to find ways to open whatever doors are necessary to create the life you want.

Today, certainty is a necessity for being a successful person. So if this post resonates with you, why don't you start building certainty for yourself and see the difference it will make for you. You now know that it only takes common sense and discipline to reach beyond confidence and tap into the power of certainty.

Remember that if other people can do it, you can, too. But to actually develop, grow and improve the power of certainty, you should make it a routine to find the role models and take example by reading about people who inspire you to what is possible and impossible. So do not be reticent to plunge into the unbelievable power of certainty to help you achieve your goals and dreams.


Author: Sergei VanBellinghen
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9770919

Dr. Bruce Lipton Explains HOW WE ARE PROGRAMMED AT BIRTH (an eye opening...

Wake Up With Determination - Go To Bed With Satisfaction

Wake up with determination. Go to be with satisfaction. Such an easy principle to live by and yet today, at this very moment, the matrix that is your mindset traps you. In truth, it is your belief system which is so ever-present. It keeps you from taking action and becoming who you want to become.



So, how can you have the correct mindset right from the start go? What are you going to accomplish today? How can you make progress? What can you do to achieve your goals? How can you help?

You must understand that your mindset is so ingrained into the fabric of who you are and the way you process data that you do not even notice it. Actually, you do not even know it is real. And that is a fact that impacts your life; it is your inability to see that your mindset controls everything you think, believe or do.

Therefore, if you want to wake up with determination, you can reconstruct your belief system. If you can choose at any moment to believe in something that is more empowering than what you thought the moment before, it finds its way into your actions. It allows you to do things you could not do previously knowing that opportunity is right now.

And to wake up with determination in the morning, you must take a few minutes to look or think about your goals. Then motivate yourself and think positive thoughts. The reason I am saying this is because as you awaken, your subconscious mind still accessible for the next twenty minutes which set the rhythm of your day. So, you have to choose what you think or say wisely.

Waking Up with Determination Sets the Pace
When you wake up with determination, no matter how much you appreciate life, or how much you are grateful for, you always make it better. It does not matter who you are, or what your goals are for the day. So do something that will help set you up for success that day.

Then the time comes to hustle! So, at the end of the day, you will be happy you did, and you will be one step closer to your goal! If you do that, you will then go to bed with satisfaction! And if you live each day by waking up with determination and go to sleep satisfied, you will achieve your goals.

Now, while you strive for greatness or to accomplish desires, it also makes life a little more complicated. You have to realize that you are trying to make changes while you are living life. Thus, you seek to modify the course of energy which is already propelling you on a particular path.

Being Determined to Small Changes
There are also people who decide to cut most or all ties with their past lives, jobs, habits, friends, and even countries. The majority, however, cannot risk losing everything to create the life of their dreams. Therefore, you perhaps have no choice than to live the life you are now living.

But it is always conceivable to wake up with determination and begin making small changes. I know, you may say it is tiring to maintain the life you have so far shaped for yourself and your loved ones. While at the same time trying to create a different, newer future for yourself.


"One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself." - Leonardo da Vinci



Waking Up with Determination Is a Choice
When you do not wake up with determination, you are dividing your beliefs, thoughts, and focus on the life you are trying to change and the one you are attempting to build for yourself. Some people do jump ship and start from scratch, but it is a choice.

Either way, you have to wake up with determination and do all that you can to go to bed with satisfaction. There is no other way to stay in the right frame of mind. And if you are not determined, you will inevitably fail.

The Key to Wake Up with Determination
So, the key element is to end the day strong, and the only way is by starting it off with the right mindset. Rather than hitting your phone alarm or clock, you should take a minute or two to focus on your goal when you want to wake up with determination.

However, I am not talking about your small daily goals but your big objective, your dream. You have to focus, not dwell, on the goal that matters most to you, and this, first thing each morning and evening. Visualize you achieved your primary goal, and use that vision to fuel your day.

Determination is also Taking Risks
How many seconds and minutes do you waste every day doing things that do not even bring you near your goals, aspirations, and dreams? A determination is also taking risks which are at the core of your journey to success. You have no other choice than to jump into the unknown and see what happens.

Yes, of course, a risk is, somewhat, terrifying. You can lose everything you have in the process. Criticism and humiliation may also be a part of the encounter. All you have left after is to pick up the pieces and begin all over again, and often, more than once. The rewards can be prodigious, but so can the cost. You will fail, but you will have to rise. So, in all cases, your asset is to wake up with determination.

Risk and the Will to Win
When you wake up with determination, all will chip away at your will to win. So, ignore that weak voice inside of your mind which is telling you that you won't be able to make it. It will beg you to stop and promise safety and security if you would just quit. And yes, if you quit, you are not at risks anymore, but you are also not at possibilities for greatness.

If you want to achieve something, you have got to find ways to put yourself at risk for something significant to happen. You have to put yourself in the situation where you may fail. People will have doubts and say that you have limits, but those boundaries are self-placed by the same individuals. The reason is that they were not willing to take a risk or they failed. But you can go beyond that.

As a result, if you are not waking up with determination, fortitude, taking risks and going to bed with satisfaction, you are missing out on a better, more pleasant reality for yourself.

Determination is Essential
The key is that, if you want to make an extraordinary performance, or if you want to dazzle people absolutely, then you have to do something amazing. You have to be willing to put yourself out there. And you need to do things that other people think are going to break you, or that others just believe there is no way that you could be able to pull that off.

You have to show that an ordinary human animal is incapable of going to the lengths which you are professing to go. And when you profess it, you have to be ready to back it up. You have to put yourself on that march knowing that under no circumstances or reason whatsoever, you'll ever be willing to back down.

When you wake up with determination and go in with that level of certainty, then and only then, you are going actually to pull it off.


"Champions keep playing until they get it right." - Billie Jean King



Being Determined Builds Momentum
So, you have to wake up each day with determination. In this way, you can build momentum, because without it you will never realize your goals. A lot of people underestimate the importance of momentum. You need it to produce the well-needed power and energy to break through whatever walls and obstacles life has placed in your way.

No matter how small, rejoice in every success you get along the way. Use it to fuel your drive and desire to succeed. Exploit it to push yourself onward with even more resilience. You might fail at times, but use your failures to give you more determination to reach an even greater success.

If you wake up with determination and go to bed with satisfaction, you will always feel proud to live the existence you currently live. I do not fear many things in life, but regrets, they stick with you. It only hurts you and drags you down.

4 Steps to Wake Up With Determination


To wake up with determination, take an hour or two, and go in nature. Sit there and write down your five top goals and dreams. However crazy your goals are, just write them down. Think of what you want to be written on your tombstone and what you would like to be remembered for?
Then put a dash that says 'next step,' because the biggest problem people have is that next step. We can all write down our passion, but we always struggle with the next step. And right down next to your goals, put the resources you already have that you can use.
Next thing to do is to print what you have written and post it. Post it in three places, where you go to bed, where you brush your teeth, and on the door, you go in and out the most in your house. And the reason why is that, your house is your sanctuary, it is the place you trust.
Keep looking at those posts for as many days and months as you possibly can. And you will start to believe and wake up with determination. What you believe becomes your reality. But how can that be? Belief itself is a construct, and if a conviction is such, then it can be manipulated and changed.



A Final Word
At any moment, and this is important to understand, you can choose to believe something new about yourself. The soon as you change a belief, it becomes real. I do not know why or how that is, and I may never understand it but after some time, just believing something makes it true.

You have to live the life you were born for because if you do not, you will regret it. If you learn something or if you take away one thing from this article, it should be: create your reality and always remember that luck is an accumulation of superior efforts and focused execution. Therefore, you should always wake up with determination and go to bed with satisfaction.


Author: Sergei VanBellinghen
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9792876

KEEP THEM POOR | This Is What The Richest Don't Want You To KNOW (an ill...

Visualization Revelation - Brilliant Trick to Achieve a Dream

"If you can visualize ahead of time the positive emotion associated with your achievement, this will help bring about the actual achievement faster."

Barbara Edie

A few years ago, I was at a business networking event and heard an excellent speaker, Barbara Edie, deliver a presentation that really resonated with me... but not in a comfortable way. Barbara is the author of the book, Creating the Impossible; What It Take to Bring Your Vision to Life.



Barbara's presentation was about the importance of achieving our dreams. She started off by discussing why many people DON'T pursue their dreams, including the simple fact that comfort plays a big role. "Safe and secure," Barbara said, "is often the reason people stay where they are and don't make a change."

This, I thought to myself (rather snottily), is not my problem. I've achieved plenty of my dreams... stepping outside my comfort zone has become second nature to me.

Barbara then went on to talk about the importance of having focus. Again... nothing new here for me, I thought. I have laser-beam focus when it comes to tackling the tasks I need to, to achieve my dreams.

Well... most of my dreams.

Okay... some of my dreams.

"When you know what your vision is, and you have the focus to take the necessary steps to achieve it," Barbara was saying (when I started paying attention again), "and yet, you still aren't actually achieving it, then a useful exercise is to take the time to tap into the positive emotion that you will feel when you doachieve it."

Barbara suggested that if you can visualize ahead of time the positive emotion associated with your achievement, this will help bring about the actual achievement faster.

I scribbled furiously in my notebook. Positive emotion? I immediately thought of a screenplay I had been writing for more than a decade and despite my best intentions (and supposed laser-beam focus), I still hadn't got the script to where it needed to be... where I KNEW it could be.

Why?

Because whenever I thought about the finished product - the film playing in theatres - I felt very little in the way of positive emotions.

When I actually thought about what it would feel like to have this controversial film showing in theatres, my stomach tightened into knots, my heart hammered in my chest and I found it difficult to breathe. All sorts of negative emotions bubbled to the surface, right there at the table: fear, anxiety, discomfort, shame. What if the film sucks? What if it is a failure? What if everybody hates it? What if people are angry at me? What if I get called a hypocrite? What if I get sued? What if that is the end of my career?

Or what if the opposite happens and the film IS a hit and (since we're visualizing) wins all sorts of awards and no one hates me and calls me nasty names? How will I handle all the extra work and responsibilities and change that come with significant success? I can scarcely handle my life and work responsibilities now.

Which is when it hit me: no wonder I hadn't achieved that dream yet! With such negativity attached to the realization of the achievement, I was inadvertently making it pretty much impossible to achieve the dream.

I put my pen down and leaned back in my chair, exhausted. Clearly, I had some work to do... not just in terms of getting the screenplay finished but, more importantly, to first change my attitude towards the finished project.

If you are frustrated by not achieving a dream that you know could be achieved by now, I suggest you try sitting still a moment and visualizing how you feel when you "see" your achievement manifested in the real world. If you feel positive emotions, good. Keep visualizing. If you feel negative emotions, pay close attention... and then make the changes you need to make.


Author: Maryanne Pope
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9924025

ENGLISH SPEECH | STEVE JOBS: Stanford Commencement (English Subtitles)

Steve Jobs (Apple founder and iPhone creator) in his most famous speech at Stanford in 2005
"Your time is limited, don't waste it living someone else's life"

Conquering Fear - How to Take the LEAP of Faith

As a pilot who loves to fly, the surprising paradox in my life is that I am not a fan of heights. In particular, I don't fancy open heights. So, a couple of years ago when I decided to go skydiving for my birthday I had to draw from the experience gained during my youth to give me the process to accomplish my goal. Experience taught me it is easy to formulate these grand ideas in your head; and, it is even easy to make the plans for such grand ideas. However, executing these ideas can be as frightening as jumping out of a plane: or as I experienced in my youth, jumping from the 10m platform at the swimming pool.

When I looked up from the pool to the platform, it didn't look so high. It didn't look so formidable especially when people of equal and lesser size were going off the edge of the platform headfirst. I suspect this is how many people envision their dreams and goals. It seems like something that is within your reach, and most importantly, others are living their dreams so why not you. So, I grabbed the opportunity by summing the nerve and starting the climb up the ladder to the platform. Mind you, there were two other platforms even higher; so, this should be well within my reach and not an attempt of lunacy. However, when I got to the edge of the platform something took over. The distance seemed so much greater now that I was on the platform; and this something, this harrowing feeling had seized me. Paralyzed with fear I had to return to the pool deck in humiliation.

I learned that if I was going to enjoy the thrill of fulfillment that my peers were experiencing, then I was going to have to find a way to overcome the paralysis that returned every time I attempted the jump. Simply put, I would have to find a way to deal with the fear that we all face when things become much bigger than we first assumed or imagined. So what did I do? I learned to override the fear by eliminating the time between the plan and the jump. I would climb the ladder; cross the platform and jump without hesitation or thought. Because if I stopped to think, rational thoughts of fear would hold me back: not because it couldn't be done, but because fear would have me scared to do it.

When I decided to skydive, I started two weeks before the date rehearsing that I would not think; I would just jump. This process worked in my youth, it worked for skydiving, it has worked for my dreams and my goals. Therefore, it will work for you. The truth is the thinking is already done once you have dreamed and planned. When it is time to execute, don't think; take the LEAP of faith:

o Listen to the voice of your heart - It will LEAD you.
o Embrace the fear - It will EMPOWER you.
o Appreciate the opportunity - It will APPOINT you.
o Persevere in the challenge - It will PERFECT you.

In the heroic wisdom of Les Brown, "leap and grow your wings on the way down!"


Author: Michael McFadden
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9940384

HOW TO CONVERT A LIABILITY INTO AN ASSET- ROBERT KIYOSAKI

Three Ways To Improve Your Day Immediately

Stress in our daily routines can affect us all. It comes in many forms and it would be foolish to say that everyone experiences the same level of stress at the same time because we do not. However, from over 10 years of practicing stress reducing methods and exercises, I have found techniques I have used myself everyday to help make my day smooth or to help turn the tables when things are not going well.

Set Goals

Setting goals can be satisfying and help you to gain clarity and focus. I've been in situations where I've financially hit a brick wall. But you know what? I learned that you can do things even when funds are low. Injury, Illness, family hardship can take a toll, but if you can set goals, write them down and just focus on one task at a time, then it will help you gain focus and better outlook towards the future. Goals should get you excited.

10 Minute Breathing Sessions

Many things can happen in ten minutes. You can go to the grocery store, you can take a walk around the block, or make a phone call or two. Much can be done with this, so take time out to regain clarity. Take twenty minutes if you need, even an hour. Stretch, breath, walk, meditate.

Why do I recommend breathing exercises? Because it can help reset the mind and body and put you in a more balanced state.

Treat Yourself

Don't feel guilty treating yourself. You have to take care of number one before you can take care of two, three, and number fifty! Don't convince yourself that self care is selfish, because not giving your best is worse. You've workout all week, have a reward meal. Go see that movie, two hours away from the problem you've been hacking away to solve will help you move closer to a solution. Just getting a massage can make you feel great and put you in the right mindset. It has worked for me, and I remember the two voices in my head. One voice that was complaining and dragging me down, and another voice after treating myself that told me I should have done this sooner.

As you have read there are a combinations of strategies we can use to help us power through our day. Good days lead to good weeks which lead to good months and powerful years.

Remember to consult your mental healthcare professional if you feel like you're experiencing signs of depression or other mental conditions.


Author: Carlo St Juste
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9903893

Jim Rohn: The No Excuse Guide To Success (Jim Rohn Personal Development)

10 Things Poor People Do That Rich People Don't

10 Ways to Be the Best Version of Yourself

How important are you? Do you feature on your own list of priorities? If you're a parent you no doubt regard your children as your number one priority. If you work as a manager or business owner with staff or targets to consider you'll justifiably treat work as vital. It's important to look after your staff and customers, earn a living and be in a stimulating environment that sustains you.

Family and friends are important too. They're often the reason we work so hard; to provide them with a comfortable home and lifestyle, good schooling and fun times together.

The big question is, where do you fit into all of this? If you went to a restaurant or consulted a specialist and saw that they were stressed, irritable and overworked you'd probably wonder why they'd agreed to take your booking. The same applies if you're being pulled in all directions and not feeling able to cope. Irritability, frustration and resentment can start to surface. No one benefits.

Achieving some balance in life, where you recognise your limits and boundaries, allows you to be the best version of yourself. Then everyone, including you, has a better experience and quality of life.

Here are 10 ways to be the best version of yourself:

- Practise positive self talk. Start to notice those automatic 'I'm so stupid' responses that can so easily surface when you're stressed. Yes, something you did may have been a mistake, but that doesn't mean you're stupid. We often talk to ourselves more harshly than we ever would to anyone else. Learn to be kinder to yourself and recognise your early warning signs of stress.

- Schedule time for things you know you do well. It's especially important in the midst of tough or difficult times to remind yourself of your skills, talents and abilities. Allow time for the things you enjoy and are good at. Sport, DIY, playing an instrument, volunteering can be ways to bring a positive mindset into your life.

- 'Broadcast' what you've done. Household chores, chauffeuring duties, the errands that go unnoticed are often taken for granted. There's no need to be heavy-handed, but occasionally remind others that you've stocked the cupboards with food, the clean laundry and towels don't get replenished by magic. Solicit appreciation for those efforts that support the smooth running of their lives.

- Smile and accept compliments and praise. Don't shrug them off in an 'it's nothing' way. Acknowledge, say 'thank you' and let them know that good manners and appreciation are important to you.

- Pace yourself. Being the best version of yourself means being able to manage stress. Learn to recognise what you can and can't do each day. There's no merit in being invincible or feeling that you've failed if you don't manage to do everything. It's okay to tackle big jobs in stages.

- Let others help. If you're working long hours or have many demands on your time why not engage help with cleaning, gardening, ironing or with business tasks like PR, accounts and social media. The time freed up can be used elsewhere and is often money well spent. Delegate tasks to staff and encourage them to blossom and become more enthusiastic about their work. Let your children help. Even if their efforts are clumsy it's good to encourage them to become more independent.

- 'No' can be the most positive word in your vocabulary when used well. 'Yes' can become a negative habit if you automatically take on too much by way of work, social engagements or family responsibilities. We may be eager to please others, appear efficient and successful. But saying 'no' in an appropriate way allows you to use your time well, focus on your priorities and become the best version of yourself.

- Nurture your relationships. Our partners, families, colleagues, friends cannot be expected to be psychic but will often be understanding and supportive if told what's going on and asked for help. Let them in and they may even come up with great ideas and suggestions.

- Have regular breaks. It may seem counter-intuitive to stop work for a time, but regular breaks allow you to better manage stress and return to work with a fresh perspective and new insights. Being the best version of yourself means looking after yourself and pausing from time to time. Have a healthy snack, plenty of water and switch off for an hour or so before bed.

- Accept invitations and offers that take you out of your comfort zone. Scare yourself a little every day, even if it's simply by choosing a different lunch, speaking to someone new, accepting a challenge. Allow your confidence and self belief to grow by expanding your horizons. Keep a journal and log those mini-successes to sustain you during difficult times.

Becoming the best version of yourself means shaking off old, unhelpful patterns that may have once worked well for you. And interestingly, once we become receptive to positive changes other factors often work to motivate and sustain us.


Author: Susan Leigh
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9756912

Jim Rohn - Why Your Attitude is Everything (Jim Rohn Personal Development )

One of the most important steps you can take toward achieving your greatest potential in life is to learn to monitor your attitude and its impact on your work performance, relationships and everyone around you.

Metaphors Gone Wild: Buds and Risk

Anais Nin wisely observed this about risk-taking: "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." Stepping out of our current circumstances, yes, can lead to beautiful metaphoric blossoms. But the bud-like state offers a protection of its own. The choice is not an easy one. The following quiz may help you decide when you're ready to blossom.

ASSESS YOURSELF
Read the following statements and answer Agree or Disagree, depending on the extent to which you agree with the truth of the statement. Think of the degree to which the statement matches your way of thinking. If you both agree and disagree with a given statement, try to determine which choice you'd agree with just slightly more or less than the other choice. Instead of a 50/50 response, then, you would consider the statement as a choice between 51/49%; you would favor one response slightly more than the other. (There are no trick questions here. Simply tell if you agree or disagree with the statements by writing "A" or "D" on a list numbered 1 -- 13.)

Agree - Disagree
1) We should be adaptable when unforeseen events occur.
2) One change always leaves indentations upon which to build another change.
3) In the beginning, problems are easy to cure but hard 
to diagnose; with the passage of time, having gone unrecognized and unattended, they become easy to diagnose but hard to cure.
4) A workplace that is used to freedom is more easily managed by its own employees than by any other arrangement.
5) A wise influencer must always tread the path of great men and women and should imitate those who have excelled.
6) People not inclined to rely on luck alone will be the most successful.
7) Success is a combination of opportunity and ability.
8) Most people have no faith in new things until they have been proved by experience.
9) If you have to beg others to fulfill a mission, you are destined to fail.
10) If you are respected, you will be secure, honored, and successful.
11) Things that come easily are hard to maintain. Things that are hard won are easier to maintain.
12) A leader who thinks more about his own interests 
than about yours, who seeks his own advantage for everything he does, will never be a good leader, for others will never be able to trust him.
13) In order to keep employees loyal, managers must honor them by sharing both distinctions and duties.

INTERPRETING YOUR SCORE
Because there are thirteen items, if you had seven or more in one category, that is your "majority" category. Which category, Agree or Disagree, is your majority category?

Now let's see how open you are to risk-taking. In all likelihood, you agreed with at least seven of the statements. Would it "shock" you to learn that these thirteen paraphrased statements are all taken from "The Prince" by Niccolo Macchiavelli? Written 500 years ago, the book has become synonymous with words like "duplicity" and "deceit." And yet, much of what it endorses makes sense for today's leader, manager, or teacher.

Does a majority of Agree answers mean you are Machiavellian, in the most negative sense of the word? No, not at all. It means simply that no one thing is 100% "right" or 100% "wrong." Even in "The Prince" there is wisdom from which we can profit. But... if you are not open, you won't be able to spot the worth; your stamp of "worthless" will prevent you from seeing worth in hard realities. If you take no risks into the unpopular or unknown, you will not be able to optimize or rectify possibilities that lie hidden in the here and now.

GARDENERS AND GARDENS
Marcel Proust is another author who wrote about blossoms: "Let us be grateful to people who make us happy. They are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." You have such people in your life. Rely upon them as you venture from bud-existence into fully formed metaphoric blossoms.


Dr. Marlene Caroselli is an author, keynoter, and corporate trainer whose clients include Lockheed Martin, Allied Signal, Department of the Interior, and Navy SEALS. She writes extensively about education, business, self-improvement, and careers and has adjuncted at UCLA and National University. Her first book, The Language of Leadership, was named a main selection by the Executive Book Club. Principled Persuasion, a more recent title, was designated a Director's Choice by the Doubleday Book Club. Applying Mr. Albert: 365+ Einstein-Inspired Brain Boosts, her 62nd book, will be released by HRD Press in 2018.

Author:  Dr Marlene Caroselli

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9875899

Jim Rohn - How to Use Your Time Wisely (Personal Development)

4 Tips for Handling Post-Holiday Blues

It is always difficult coming back from holiday. One of my friends suggest booking a holiday as soon as you come back so you have something to look forward to.

Here are some tips from  Tina Tessina to help you recover from your holiday blues.

Everyone is relieved when the holidays are over, and sometimes disappointed. If you're worn out, it's worth your while to take the time to recharge a little, and pamper yourself. Here are four simple tips for handling these common blues:

* If you are disappointed, and the holidays let you down in some way, process that first. Write in your journal, talk to an understanding friend or family member, and sort through your feelings. Understand what you were disappointed about, and what you're going to do to avoid that scenario in the future. (If Uncle Harry got drunk and ruined holiday dinner, consider not serving booze) If the problem was a big one (your boyfriend left you, someone died, you got some terrible news over the holidays) then consider getting the help of a good therapist or support group -- don't deal with tragic news alone.

* If you're just tired from all the celebration, cooking and preparation, consider pampering yourself. If you have the budget for it, take a spa day, or a night in a hotel. If the budget is shot, then get together with girlfriends and give each other manicures or makeovers. Set aside an evening with your hubby or boyfriend for massage, a DVD and popcorn, or just hanging out together, without all the company. Take a nap, a bubble bath, or a day off to do nothing. Picnic in the living room with your kids and pets.

* It's a new year -- consider refreshing yourself with something different. Try a different hair color, new makeup, a new workout routine, or take some (inexpensive) dance lessons or pottery or art classes at your local Department of Parks and Recreation, Community College Adult School, or your church or Jewish Community Center.

* Have some simple fun. You just spent two months doing complicated things -- working out family holidays, buying gifts, cooking, shopping and entertaining. Do something very easy that's fun for you. Take a bike ride along the beach or the river, read a new novel, watch your favorite comedy movie, hang out with your best friend for coffee, e-mail a funny YouTube video to your friends, play with your children or pets.


Author: Tina Tessina

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9881512