Creating positive habits that will last, is much easier than breaking a negative habit. Every day you do things that are positive habits and you probably do not even know it. These habits were easy to start because they were good for you and you used repetition.
Anyone who’s ever been in a course with me before will find today’s lesson familiar. Usually, toward the end of the class, keynote or workshop, I tell them one of the key secrets of my success. Today I have decided to share it with you, my faithful readers, as well.
If you take anything away from my courses, my speeches, or this ezine, let it be this: Keep a Success Journal.
In our last ezine we discussed finding your peak stress zone. One of the points I touched on in that article was “take control of the things you can.” I had a few emails about this over the last couple of weeks, apparently it’s a challenge many of you face, and wanted more information on.
Regardless of how much you may think that you run your own life and call all of the shots, unless and until you are really intentionally taking control of your destiny the trajectory of your life may be chaotic and directionless. Taking control does not mean that you have to wrestle with the forces of nature by taking control with some sort of superhuman ability, however, because you can simply engage in the act of taking control by managing and organizing your life in a more conscious and efficient manner.
We often find ourselves getting battered around or knocked down, especially during these times of economic uncertainty, layoffs, financial woes, and other stresses of life. Having the ability to rebound with resilience is an essential skill. Setbacks happen, and that is just a fact of life. But how people respond to those – and how much resilience they show in the face of obstacles or reversals – is what can make the difference between success and failure and victory or defeat.
It’s time to focus on being a more resilient you! Each of us has stresses in our lives, especially when faced with situations we cannot control. Stress can actually be a good, positive force, provided you find a way to deal with it appropriately, and don’t let it build up so much that it feels like an overwhelming force.
Each person has a “peak zone” in which their stress level is perfectly balanced. Too little stress and life becomes boring and monotonous. Too much stress and the danger of burning out starts to become a reality.
In our last ezine we discussed how you had the power to change the world. I gave you a challenge to go out and brighten someone’s day in any way that you could. Did you try? If not, what are you waiting for?
In today's technological society, it can be hard to connect with others in your community. But there are many good reasons to make the effort. Volunteer work enriches your life and forms friendships with people you would not normally have the opportunity to meet. It sets a good example for those around you, and can hone skills that benefit you on the job, such as creative thinking and teamwork.
Globalization is a wonderful thing, except that it can make us feel small and insignificant. Now more than ever we read stories of people who are changing the world, setting a standard that can seem impossible to meet. Even so, you can find many satisfying ways to make a difference as an individual even in modern times. Making a difference is more a matter of attitude than following a set list—if it were, then everyone could do it, and it wouldn't be much of a difference at all!
Do you believe that you have the power to make a difference in the world? Or are you one of the many who feel that your contribution could not be large enough to make a measureable difference? Today I want to challenge that thinking.
There is a great quote from Leo Rosten, which says “The purpose of your life is not to be happy: but to matter, to be productive, to be useful, and to make it make some difference that you have lived at all.”
The truly motivated among us all share a secret, and today I want to share it with you. Motivation lies within choice. Once you make the choice to change, you start the ball rolling.
We are all blessed with the freedom of choice. Even in situations that are out of our control, we have a choice on how to deal with them. What then, does choice have to do with motivation? Everything! Let me walk you through the six secrets that lie within this one short word, so that you too can know the steps to self motivation.
The key to self-motivation on the job is to monitor you emotional state and make adjustments to your approach so that you stay positive. Obviously this is much easier said than done, especially when we are in a position where we can’t exactly choose what we want to do. But, taking breaks and getting out of the office on your lunch hour can keep you going for longer and prevent you from burning out. For some, being left with a task they dread doesn’t leave much room for motivation.
The key to self-motivation is to monitor your emotional state and make adjustments as you need to. This is easier said than done much of the time, as many things that make you happy during work also can decrease your productivity. Taking frequent breaks can prevent you from burning out on the job; for instance, can keep you going for longer. On the other hand they reduce the amount of work time you have. As a result, you need to pay close attention. Keep notes of what works and what does not, and learn from your successes and failures.
Did you know that according to Nobel Prize winning scientist Daniel Kahneman, our day is defined by a series of moments, approximately 20,000 moments to be exact?
A moment is described as being a few seconds during which our brain records an experience. Our brains categorize these moments as positive or negative. More interesting still is the fact that the outcome of our day is actually based on how many of each of these we have. This has been coined the “positive to negative ratio”. Our emotional mood is literally created by a series of moments.
Relationships exist in our life in many forms. When we are surrounded by good relationships, we feel better about ourselves. If we are surrounded by toxic relationships, we struggle to find our happiness.
When we are setting our goals is it better to create a map or simply identify the end goal and the direction that we have to travel to reach that goal?
Becoming a positive person can have an enormous impact on your life. Many of us have the desire to be positive, but it is all too easy to slip back into bad behavior and patterns that are negative. It takes a firm commitment towards being positive and the realization that it does take time to change old behaviors. There may be times when you cannot be positive or when you slip. But the key is getting back up and trying again.
There are several different things that you can do to maintain a positive attitude.
Whether we realize it or not, everyone needs a goal. It may be a high flying ambitious goal, or a little goal that only we know about, but it is vital to have them. Without goals, it is all too easy to start drifting and become complacent. We get into ruts and before we know it, our whole attitude changes from positive to negative. When this happens, digging back out can be very difficult. Let's take a look at why goal setting is the key to finding happiness and peace within your life.
Making other people smile can have an incredibly positive effect not only on them, but also on you. Smiling helps release endorphins that boost your mood and can even help you become healthier over the long term. There are thousands of reasons to smile and even more to share that joy in making other people smile. Here are a few tips to get you started.
My family and I were recently discussing taking a winter vacation this year. If you are anything like us, when you are thinking of a vacation – big or small – you spend a lot of time talking about it and planning it.
First we sat down and talked about where we wanted to go. We decided some of our criteria for the trip: sun, heat, beach, ocean, etc. Then we chose the date that we would like to go on vacation. From there we can book what we would like, and then figure out all the steps we need to take to be ready to go.
I just came back from a weekend visiting my parents. We set off on Friday night for the 4 hour drive. We have been planning a surprise party for my mother's 75th birthday. All arrangements were made. We were very sneaky and she suspected nothing. Our family and friends kept very tight lipped about the situation. The party was at 1:00 pm and we were all to arrive at 12:45 and take our places. Unfortunately, not all things go as planned.
As I was driving to work the other day, listening to my favorite radio station, I quickly caught word of a very interesting challenge. Now this wasn’t any ordinary challenge, nothing that needed to be completed to win something, nothing that the radio station was hosting, nothing out of the ordinary. Instead, it was a personal challenge that you can decide to take on your own, on your own time and track your own results.
Do you have a mission to accomplish? Have you set your goals but you’re not sure if you’ve got the staying power to make it to the end? Use these motivation tips to boost your progress.
Decide exactly what you want to do. Consider all facets of it and describe it to yourself in the greatest detail possible.
Give yourself a reasonable deadline, based on your estimation of the actual time involved, allowing for delays on the part of others, if any. Your deadline should be based on realistic factors and not solely on need or want.
Abraham Lincoln said that most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be. The operative word is “mind.” The first thing to know about how to be happy is that it is a state of mind. If we control our minds, we control our happiness.
What is a self image? It is basically how you see yourself. If I were to ask you to describe yourself, your self image is likely what you would use to do so. Having a positive self image is a very powerful tool, and one that you will find most successful, happy people have. It will also increase the chances of others seeing you as a positive, upbeat, and capable person.
We all want to succeed in our daily lives. At work, with our families, in our relationships, with our children, in our extra activities, it’s universal. We want to be able to feel like we are successful.
One of the most common stumbling blocks is how to get started, and how to make it happen. We look around and wonder what the first step is, or where to go next. Sometimes, we forget to look in the most important place . . . the mirror.
I met a lovely elderly woman some time ago while volunteering for a day. She was in a nursing home, well into her 90’s, and full of life. She was telling me that she had been living in the home for a couple of years now, and enjoyed showing me pictures of her family, and telling stories of the many visits they had made to see her. Although she said she wasn’t expecting visitors that day, there she was – dressed her best, hair and make-up done, jewelry on, nails painted and wearing a smile.
I recently read an amazing book, and the message it held within its pages was so great, I knew I had to share it. The story was a series of “email updates” written by a family who was losing one of their children to cancer. Where is the happiness in that you might ask? That’s exactly the point – here was a family facing an unimaginable horror, and yet they stumbled upon a secret to happiness, and embraced it, all the way to the end.
You have likely encountered business mission statements countless times in the past. Some of these are less than inspiring, yet some consistently motivate the management and staff within a company to work towards a common focus. Mission statements, if used correctly, can provide a yardstick of sorts to compare all questions against.
Ever feel like your life is passing you by and there's nothing you can do about it? Another question many people ask themselves is "where has the time gone"? Perhaps you feel that way too. Or maybe you feel like all you do is wake up, go to work, come home, and go to bed just to get up the next day and do it all over again.
It has been taught that happiness comes from spending one dollar less than what you have, and misery comes from spending one dollar more than what you have. When you overspend with money, you go into debt and have to pay interest.
It is the same with time. I would suggest that happiness also comes from spending one minute less than what you have and misery comes from attempting to spend one minute more than what you have.
No matter what you set out to do in life, you will begin your task as an amateur. Depending on how much practice and how much heart you put into your task you can end up as the most talented and professional person imaginable. But nobody expects you to be that talented or professional upon your first attempt; no-body that is except yourself!
When you want to improve your own self esteem, start with encouraging others. There are ample chances to encourage others in our daily lives. Begin today to look for the opportunities and your life will expand.
When asked what is the best way to improve your self esteem, my answer is, find the good in others and compliment them or encourage them. One of my favorite quotes is “You don't have to blow out someone’s candle to show that yours is lit.”
