Great Old Indian

 One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside all people. He said, “My son, the battle is between two 'wolves' inside us all.

“One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

“The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: “Which wolf wins?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

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It's True, "You Become What You Think About" By Roger Willard

The first time I heard it in those terms was from Earl Nightingale. He was the gravelly voiced motivational speaker out of Chicago. I remember in the 1960s his brief commentaries called, Our Changing World, on the local radio station. But this particular phrase is the reincarnation of the words of Napoleon Hill who authored Think and Grow Rich. I have listened to the recordings of Earl Nightingale and have enjoyed and learned from them. I highly recommend any and all to do the same. Although he died in 1989, his recordings are just as valid today as they were decades ago. They are almost timeless.

And now as I look back at these few years God has permitted me on this earth, I know that this is more than just words on paper. It is truth. You do become what you think about. And in knowing this, a person picks most of his or her own destiny. In saying this, I sense a disturbance in the universe. How can this be possible? Is it that stuff we read about in The Secret? You might even say, "And that didn't work for me". But just saying, "You become what you think about" is only part of the full message. But like most things, we try to break them down to the lowest common denominator. You must go beyond simple sound bites and back to the full message.

First of all, for anything to happen, there must be action. Without action, nothing gets done. Even much of God's work is done though the hands of men taking action. But enough theology for now. Man is the only animal that can change its destiny. All other creatures are controlled by nature and instinct. We can change our lives and do it all the time, simply by thinking and letting those thoughts guide our actions.
But beside actions, there is another thing that must be applied. That word which comes from another axiom, is "What the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve." The key word here is "believe". Is what you think or want to achieve, believable?

As I was growing up, like many young people, I thought about becoming a fireman, cowboy, doctor, president and all the other careers kids think about. But there were a few careers that really stood out. For me there were four life goals I really wanted to achieve or was fascinated with: something on radio/TV/movies, a police officer/detective, and/or something with the strange and mysterious stuff out there.
These things always had my attention. I had more than idle curiosity about them. I pretended to be doing them.

As I got older, I bought or borrowed dozens of books on the subjects. When I got old enough to drive, I would visit radio stations and have them show me around. TV stations were not so open to this, but I did get to talk to local TV personalities. In college I majored in Police Science. I visited police departments on my own. I talked my way into riding with some officers on patrol at night, and not handcuffed in the back seat. I talked my way into an all police training class for CEUs in which I was the only civilian there. Later I did become a police officer, constable and private detective.

At the same time I continued my deep interest in hypnosis, reading and studying all I could on this mysterious and wonderful subject. Still at the same time I decided I had an ego to be on the air. I was always looking for a way to make it happen somehow. Eventually I got a gig to be in a commercial. Eventually I got to be on air live for 13 years on the country's largest cable shopping network as a product demonstrator. And now (but not finally) after deciding to make some changes, I became a certified hypnotherapist.

Why I am telling you this, is not to brag, but to illustrate a point. I believed I could do all these things. The things I chose were truly possible to me. There were moments in my life I knew some things I would not be doing. It might be fun to ride a racehorse, but at about age 8, my body size proved that to be out of the picture. So to some extent, honest thinking has to part of this self-development process. And this is essential for any change. To be honest about what you want to do. And then decide to think about it. And this can work for almost anything. To lose weight, you don't think and say to yourself, "I am thin." Not if you are obviously a number of pounds overweight, but rather you think, "I can become thinner", and then begin to see the change. Imagine a short-term and a long-term image. Let it become a reasonable obsession to take you to the weight just right for you. But do it with caution, as we know of too many who take it to the extreme and become anorexic.

As I was growing up I was what most would call an average or slightly below average student. I was not expected to go to college. And this was probably the only negative thing I heard about me in my household. No real high academic expectations. And in my own way I believed it. But one day that changed. After a number of years of poor academics in college, I decided I not only wanted to graduate from a junior college, I wanted a four-year degree. It is what I thought about. Once I knew it could be done, I moved in that direction. After I received my two-year degree, in just a year and a half later, I earned my four-year degree.
Now to be honest, this happened because of a fourth belief I had. I didn't forget that I said I had four things I really thought about in my life. I wanted that right person in my life to share it with me. And, honestly to find just that right person I had to become the kind of person who would be worthy of that person. Although I am far from perfect, I found the perfect person for me.
You see, there are so many ways to think. If you think and believe only trash, you live a life of trash. If you think, but never take action, you are no better off because little or nothing of what you want will ever happen. But there is tremendous value in saying, "You become what you think about" as a reminder to focus your thinking and then take action. I can only suggest that you find worthy things to think about and let yourself become ever so slightly wonderfully obsessive. Then let it guide your actions to help you create the life you really want and the person inside you want to become.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8053072

 

 

Free ebook- ' Pushing Your Limits' by Will Edwards

If you have ever found yourself holding back on something you really wanted to do, you are familiar with self-limitation – we all have some self-limiting beliefs. Limitations can serve us in some ways, like reminding us that we don’t have the ability to fly off a roof and land safely on our feet; and they can confine us in other ways, by creating doubt and fear about our ability to create more fulfilling circumstances. Luckily, most of our self-limitations are easily identified as helpful or harmful; we need only spend some time examining them and decide which we want to keep and which we want to discard. What do you believe you’ll NEVER be able to do? Why do you think so? If these concepts seem vague and you’re not sure what your own perceived limitations are, take some time to write them down. Try phrases like this: ‘I can’t [do this] because [of that].’ Fill in the blanks, and don’t hold anything back. Even if one of your ideas seems ridiculous and you logically know it isn’t true, yet your gut confirms it’s a strong belief you hold, write it down anyway. Once you’ve identified as many of your limiting beliefs as you can; take a closer look at them. Are any of them hopelessly impossible, or do they just feel that way? Have other people been able to accomplish something that you want to accomplish? Have you accomplished anything in the past that was difficult? How did you overcome the obstacles you faced? Could you apply the same process to any goal? There are no right or wrong answers here, only what you honestly think and feel. Now set your list aside (we’ll be looking at it again later in this report) – and let’s delve into beliefs a bit deeper. Free ebook ==> Click Here

Great Video by Jim Rohn

The Power of Thoughts

Modern science has established that our thoughts influence our reality. But just how powerful is a thought, and what are they capable of doing?

Do thoughts heal? The power of placebos is a well proven medical reality. The placebo effect occurs when a treatment or medication with no real therapeutic value (like a sugar pill) is given to a patient, and their symptoms still improve.

What is believed to occur with placebos is this: The patient thinks they have been given something to heal their condition, and because they expect to improve, they actually DO improve.

Doctor Bruce Lipton, a remarkable geneticist and researcher, claims that over 30% of all medical healings and surgeries are the result of the mind-controlled placebo effect. He is also convinced that our thoughts actually control how our genes express themselves.

The case of people with multiple personalities is another interesting example. The physical appearance (and even the actual health) of people with multiple personalities can instantly change depending on which of their personalities is present at any given time. For example, studies have shown that one personality may have blue eyes, while the other has brown eyes.

There has even been a case where one personality had clinically serious cancer, while the other personality did not. In short, the thoughts of the personality that is manifesting have an immediate and very real impact on their physical body.

Can thoughts change physical outcomes? Decades ago psychologists determined that some people can influence the outcome of a coin toss or a roll of dice simply by focusing their thoughts on a preferred outcome.

Similar experiments are currently being conducted by the Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research program using computerized random event generators. The subjects use their thoughts to influence the subsequent random number sets. The success of some people is so exact that their results are mathematically equivalent to winning the lottery 9 to 10 times in a row.

Do our thoughts affect other living things? Years ago biologist Clove Backster began to measure the responses of plants to stress. He discovered that plants DO have increased stress levels during times of danger. If an experimenter threatened to burn a plant with a match, for example, the plant registered a spike on the stress machine. But what intrigued Backster even more was that plants registered a stress spike even if the experimenter only thought about burning the plant.

Other scientists have conducted studies that clearly indicate the power of thoughts (both positive and negative) on animals, bacteria, and even living cells.

Do our thoughts affect other people? Pairs of people (strangers unknown to each other) were placed in separate isolated rooms to determine if a stimulation of one would be felt by the other. One person was subjected to images, sounds, or mild electric shock while the effect on the other person was measured.
Interestingly, both individuals experienced similar physical reactions and brainwave patterns during the stimulation - even though only one of them was stimulated. Such synchronization of brainwave patterns and physical reactions is not normally found in people who have never met.

There is also growing evidence that remote healing and prayer have an impact on other human beings. In one study, remote healers from various backgrounds sent healing thoughts to AIDS patients. The remarkable results included improved T-cell counts, fewer illnesses and increased longevity.

Can thoughts transcend time and space? Remote Viewing (RV) is the ability to acce
ss and provide accurate information about an item or event that is located remote from the viewer. An example might be a person who is sitting in an office in California accurately describing in detail a building in Australia that they have never visited or seen in any way.

Both USA and Russian experimenters and many university programs have long investigated remote viewing. Although remote viewing is not 100% accurate and reproducible, there is strong scientific evidence to support it. Russell Targ, the co-founder of Stanford Research institute, reports accuracy of up to 10,000 miles away, and abilities to describe the past, present and future events for target locations.

Do thoughts truly create our reality? Add up the above, and it becomes evident that we truly create our own reality, from our physical health... to our ability to influence other people and even our environment.
But there is something else at work here.

That something else is the power of the subconscious mind, which operates much like a movie camera from birth on. True, your thoughts DO create the many aspects of your reality (even how your genes turn on or off) - but it is ultimately the lifetime of memories and impressions stored in your subconscious mind that sets the stage for your thoughts.

This underscores the importance of becoming aware of our automatic beliefs and assumptions (which rise up from the subconscious mind), and replacing them with more positive and current thoughts.
Life is full of opportunities and second chances. The secret is to be willing to take them!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7796373

How to get RICH

Cash is king!

This aphorism from real estate investing perfectly describes the little known method the rich actually use to accumulate millions of dollars. This report reveals 20 sources of passive income. Put any or all of these sources into place and sit back and watch the dollars roll on with no (or very little) further effort on your part.

If you truly want to get rich and live a life of luxury, then you must master the ability of generating cash flow from passive income sources. Without this ability, your income will be limited to traditional ways of making money, such as working. Working will never free you from having to work. You must do something different than working in order to obtain the income you need to live the lifestyle you desire. Passive income is the key.

Before you begin any investment plan, the first rule is to consult with a qualified investment advisor. By talking over your plan and considering possibilities you may not have considered, you will protect your capital to the greatest degree and help protect it from potential loss whiule multiplying your return.

This article will not consider the cost of entry to any investment nor will we look at rates of return. These will fluctuate - possibly every year or even over the course of a year- depending on the economy, conditions set by the SEC and other regulatory bodies and the IRS. This article will consider only the 20 possible sources of passive income; you will need to conduct further research to determine if any investment is appropriate for you.

1. ETF's - Exchange Traded Funds - This is a fund that tracks the performance of an index such as the Dow Jones or Standard and Poor 500, a basket of assets or a commodity. Trading in the same manner as a stock, its price will vary according to the days trading demands. Benefits of owning an ETF include the ability to buy short, buy on margin and to buy as little as one share. Expense ratios are often lower than mutual funds. A common ETF is called a spider - SPDR - and tracks the S&P 500 index. Look for the symbol SPY to research or to purchase.

2. REIT - Real Estate Investment Trust - One of my favorite investments because you own a portion of the real estate (or mortgages) the trust invests in. These also trade like a stock on the exchanges. An Equity REIT buys ownership (equity) in properties while a Mortgage REIT buys the mortgages on properties. Two key advantages to owning an REIT are the tax advantages and the liquidity of the security - you trade it just like a stock.

3. Canadian Oil and Gas Trust - This is an organization that invests in oil and/or gas production and possibly mining in Canada. Several of these are now trading on the American (US) exchanges. Purchase is the same as purchasing a stock in any other company. Tax advantages are similar to those of an REIT and a big advantage - the one I like the most - is that some of these trusts pay ridiculously high dividends - and they pay monthly! My advice: do your research, find a Canadian Oil and Gas Trust you like and then invest as much as you can.

4. MLP - Master Limited Partnership - Want a limited partnership that you can sell or trade as easily as a stock? Enter the Master Limited Partnership. These hybrid organizations feature the limited liability of a partnership while enabling you to trade the partnership units - investment units - just as you would a stock. What could be better? A MLP offers distributable cash flow as well as income and these terms must be mastered and understood before a reasoned decision can be made regarding the purchase of an MLP for your investment portfolio.

5. Annuities - Who has not heard of an annuity? But do you know how they work? Let's keep this simple: an annuity is nothing more than a contract you sign with an insurance company that guarantees to pay you a certain set amount of income over a period of time. You pay for an annuity upon signing and then the insurance company repays you the amount of your investment plus the "profits" (we'll keep this simple and not use the technical term) over a period of several (or many) years. These are generally considered safe stable investments appropriate for a conservative portfolio.

6. TIPS - Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities - Offered by the U.S Treasury, these are securities that are indexed to the rate of inflation meaning your dividend will increase as the rate of inflation increases. A TIPS pays interest every six months and pays the principal upon maturity. Also a conservative investment, you may want to consider these if you are looking to preserve and protect capital from the ravages of inflation while providing a consistent and dependable income, but your money may not grow at the rate you would prefer - but then we aren't looking at capital appreciation anyway.

7. Dividend Paying Stocks - Finally we get to what is perhaps the most familiar method of passive income. Anyone who knows anything about Wall Street knows that companies pay dividends to people who own their stock. Right? Well, most of the time, if it is a well known and established company. Many newer and smaller companies will use their income to grow the company instead of paying dividends and any company that incurs financial trouble may stop paying dividends. So if you are going to buy stock to acquire the income make sure the company has a track record of paying dividends. The best known American companies - commonly referred to as the "Blue Chips" are also the companies that traditionally have paid the best dividends. As with all other investments, research is necessary to capture the best dividends and target those companies with the best potential in future years.

8. Covered Calls - This is a passive investment instrument that is often considered risky. But it is not. A covered call is selling the option to buy stock that you own. You do not sell the stock, you only sell the option to buy that stock at a future price and time. The person buying the covered call buys the option at the price you agree upon - actually at which the market agrees upon - and you just set back and forget it. Well, not quite. The person who has bought the option has the right to buy your stock at any time between the time you sold the option and the expiration of that option. Writing (selling) a covered call is the only options investment that is considered safe enough by the IRS to be included in a 401K or other retirement plans. But you must do your homework and thoroughly understand the world of options before using this method.

9. Real Estate - Everyone knows what real estate is and everyone knows - or at least is intuitively aware - that big money can be made from real estate. Real estate provides tax advantages as well as the opportunity to highly leverage your investment - leverage being a factor that is limited or absent in many other investments. Many real estate advisors and gurus insist that the one house at a time or the flipper strategy or fixer upper or wholesale method or other flavor of the month is the absolute best way to make money in real estate. Generally speaking, avoid all that. Making big money - meaning massive income - in real estate is possible with highly leveraged deals which are a certainty only in commercial property. Multiple family properties, office buildings, retail facilities and warehouses would all constitute commercial property. Of these, the best strategy is to invest in multiple family properties. The bigger, the better. This requires knowledge and education more than it requires capital. Capital can always be acquired through your network, but knowledge is the one ingredient that will make this passive investment method work. And, with a big property, the income from that one property may be all you need to secure your retirement - today!

10. Business Ownership - No, this isn't what you think. Owning a small business for most people is worse than working 9 to 5. In your own small business you get caught up in the details, trying to make the business go, searching for a market, dealing with customers; it quickly becomes more than a full-time job. That's OK if that's what you love to do. But, what we mean here is starting a business or franchise with the short term goal of handing it off to someone to run. The faster you can do this the better. If you can do it from the very beginning so much the better - the more time you free for yourself, the more time you will have to enjoy and/or create more passive income sources. A book that will help you is The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber, another is the Four Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferris. Both of these books will help you structure your business ownership in a way that frees you from actually running the business yourself - margaritas on the beach anybody?
All of these sources require work to set up, but once established, they can be structured to run hands free. The two books mentioned in item 10 above will help you structure your passive income sources to be truly hands free income.

11. Private Lending - Private lending has been around since people have been around. Essentially private lending is nothing more than lending out some of your excess cash to a trustworthy person who needs it. This has not always been easy or fruitful for the person who has had money they wanted to invest. As a result, several online services are now available that will accept your money and distribute it under your direction to those you feel are qualified; search for person to person lending on the major search engines to identify organizations you can use. The primary benefit of private lending is that the interest rates are often much higher than you would obtain by parking your money in a CD or bank.

12. Tax Liens and Notes - A primary benefit of tax liens is the higher interest rate you receive on your investment plus the fact that your principal is backed by real estate. Please note that you will almost never receive the property from investing in tax deeds, liens or notes; the primary benefit is the favorable interest rate and the security resulting from a real estate backed transaction. Avoid organizations that suggest you will be receiving the property the tax instrument is against. Another benefit of this type of passive income is that you can invest online from almost any state in the country - be sure to review Texas tax deeds, interest can be as high as 50% annually in some cases.

13. Bonds - Ok, you know about bonds - they are a conservative investment for old people and people afraid of the stock market right? Wrong. A bond can provide a secure and stable source of income for anyone. By definition, a bond is a debt issued by an authorized organization - often a corporation, municipality or utility. A bond sells for the issue price, matures (is paid back to you) at the principal (face amount or nominal price) and in between you collect interest that is called the coupon rate. Bonds are often purchased in the form of mutual fund bond funds. Some of these can be very lucrative with a yield exceeding that of equity funds but these are often hard to find. But they are there!

14. Mutual Funds (Income Funds) - As we are only considering sources of passive income, we are only going to look at income mutual funds. These may be called "growth and income" funds or "income" funds or "value" funds. Nearly every mutual fund family will have their own set of income or growth and income funds. Morningstar and other services provide third party ratings that you can use to identify the safest and highest paying income funds. Invest wisely and always consult a qualified investment advisor before investing. Mutual funds are also required to send you a prospectus (a formal disclosure of the funds objectives and operating guidelines) for your review before you can invest. Review the prospectus carefully and consult with your financial advisor for terminology you may not understand.

15. T-Bills, T-Bonds & T-Notes - Treasury Bills, Treasury Bonds and Treasury Notes - Considered to be the safest of all investments because they are issued by the United States Treasury Department, these vehicles are also among the lowest yielding. But you sacrifice yield for security whenever you invest. T-Bills, Bonds and Notes are most often purchased through your bank, broker or they may be purchased directly from the US Treasury Department through their Treasury Direct online service. Although you will not receive a high rate of return, the security of your investment cannot be any higher than it is with these investments.
16. Unit Investment Trust - A Unit Investment Trust is one of three different types of investment companies, the others being a closed end fund and the familiar mutual fund. UIT's offer securities in the form of "units" that represent a unit of their investment portfolio. This portfolio is often an unmanaged portfolio consisting of stocks and bonds. Units are usually sold in amounts of $1,000 and investors or "unit holders" receive dividends from the units they hold. A unique feature of a UIT is its termination date. Unlike most other corporations and investment company organizations, which exist in perpetuity, a UIT has a defined termination date which is set upon inception. When this date arrives the UIT is terminated and the assets held are sold. The proceeds from this sale are then distributed to the unit holders.

17. Preferred Stock - A Preferred Stock is a security issued by a corporation that usually features a specific dividend rate. Preferred stock usually does not have voting rights except sometimes in extraordinary events. Preferred stock also receives priority over common stock holders when dividends are distributed - preferred stock holders must be paid first. And preferred stock holders also receive preference if the company is ever dissolved. Your rate of return with preferred stock may not be high, but the security of your investment is higher than with more risky investments.

18. Corporate Backed Trust Securities (CABCO) - Also known as Corporate Asset-Backed Securities, these investments are issued by corporations and are based on a pool of underlying assets. The cash flow from these assets provide the dividend payments made to the holders of the security. The asset pool can consist of almost any type of asset which provides a cash flow. Usually sold initially to a market maker type organization such as an investment bank, these securities may be resold to the general public by the broker. Contact your broker for more information on these types of investments.

19. Music Publishing - You don't know about music publishing? The artist may get the glory (and often the money) but the publisher Always gets the money. If you own the rights to a song or sheet music you are the publisher and you get paid whenever that song is played or performed in public. Although the current rate is only 8 cents (US) per "performance" think of all the radio stations, bars and clubs in the country where your song may be being played right now. Yes, bars and restaurants must pay you whenever your song is played in their establishment. You don't have to worry about going around to each bar, hotel lobby or elevator or restaurant (More places!) in the country to collect your eight cents - this is handled by any one (or some combination) of just three organizations which pretty much manage all music throughout the world - ASCAP, BMI and for the internet SoundExchange. Yes, you do need to register with these organizations so they know where to send your checks, but this can be a very lucrative source of passive income.

20. Copyrights, Patents and Licenses - If you are an author you get paid every time a book of yours is sold. Ok, this is obvious, but you can also republish public domain material under a new copyright if you change it by at least 20% or add at least 20% more material to it. The easy part (some would say not easy) is the writing of the book itself. The hard part is getting other people to buy it, that involves marketing which is beyond the scope of this article, but if you can get a bestseller on your hands, the royalties (payments you receive from being the copyright holder) received can be very high.
A patent is an innovation (process) or invention (thing). You get paid when the item represented by the patent is used or sold by some other organization or the public. The patent protects your right to exclusive ownership of that process or invention for a certain amount of time.
A license is also possible to sell to the market. What if you know a particular process or procedure that no one else does? Can you sell this knowledge? Yes, you can. And the way to do it is to license an organization to use your knowledge in the form of a process or procedure. Check out inventright.com for a guide on how to do this.

Bonus

21. Movie & Other Obscure Investments - We live in a dynamic world and there will always be investment vehicles being conceived for a need. Also, more obscure investments are available but generally are unknown outside of their particular industry. Movie investments are one of these. Movies often need financiers ready to fund the production of the movie project. When the movie is released to the public and begins to make money the financiers receive their capital and return on investment. This can be a good way to make a lot of money if you back a blockbuster or a good way to lose a lot of money - look at how many movies do poorly. Do not invest in this vehicle unless you are an industry insider.
Other obscure investments include exploration financing, water rights, coal leases, limited partnerships, commercials and commercial funding (yes, tv commercials and infomercials), receivables financing, sports team ownership, etc, etc, etc. If you have an interest in investing in any of these areas you need to find someone with excellent knowledge of the field and with a good track in investing in that industry. Consult with them intensely allowing them to guide your investment decisions. Generally, the best policy is to invest only in those areas where you are familiar and never, never invest more than you can afford to lose.
Summary
Passive income investing is the key to securing income. Income is cash flow. Cash flow is king. You cannot invest future income or a projected return or an eventual equity position; you can only invest the cash you have on hand today. Likewise, you cannot pay bills or buy groceries or pay the mortgage or tax man with anything other than cash or credit. A projected return or equity position will not pay today's bills or put food on the table. Capital appreciation is great - for tomorrow. I prefer cash in hand today. The more cash flow you have coming in now, the greater that tomorrow will be. Guaranteed!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1411592

Goal To Success - A New Month

It is a brand new month and a clean slate for ideas and projects.

The very first thing to do is to create a list of everything you would like to accomplish in the next 30 days. Make a list of old projects that need to be complete, personal goals you have, relationships that you'd like to focus on, tasks that you would like to achieve and a few just out of reach goals that you'd like to strive for. When you have a list of what you want to do in the next 30 days you will be ready for step two.

Step 2 can be done one week at a time or you can plan for the whole month in advance. Take the list of what you would like to accomplish this month and decide what you need to do and accomplish this week. Looking at each of the things you have listed, break them down to what you need to do tin the next 5-7 days, or every week so that you will have checked everything off your list.

Who will you connect with this week, how many blog posts or articles will you write this week, what personal goals need your attention, what project can you complete this week, what projects will you start, what marketing plan will you implement?

The reason it is so important to know what you'd like to accomplish each month is so that you can create a plan of action to mark each of those items off your list. Dreaming is great, but it is not a goal until you write it down where you'll see it every day. Start your day off knowing exactly what you'll accomplish so that by the end of each week and ultimately the end of the month you will have accomplished all the goals that both moved your business forward as well as helped you maintain your personal balance.

A list of goals, projects and ideas call out for action. Taking action is the only thing that will help you create the success that you know you are capable of creating.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5145913

The Power Of Thought - Leaning How Thoughts Affect Our Emotions, Moods, Feelings and Actions

A common quote from the bible associated with the power of thought is

 "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."

 The power of thought has been illustrated in miracles of healing, as a result, physicians today have a clearer understanding of the importance of positive thinking during the recovery stages of their patients. Physicians now recognized the success or outcome of treatments also depends on the mindset of their patients. What we think about ourselves and others directly and indirectly impact our lives, our thoughts can manifest into our reality. It is important to understand the power of thought including what thoughts are prominent in our minds and are those thoughts positive or negative.

We are what we think about because thoughts can become reality. For example, confidence is a reflection of what a person thinks about his or her self. Confidence is evident in a person's attitude and behavior (side note, over confidence can be personality complex). Another example is persistence, persistence is a reflection of what a person thinks about the importance of trying and not giving up. Persistence is evident in a person's motivation to keep trying despite the challenges and obstacles.

Our thoughts affect our moods, emotions, feelings, and action. Thoughts are like invisible heads that sticks out our necks constantly whispers in our ears, and pull and tug on our hearts. Our thoughts never leave us and are always active in our minds. For this reason, we need to learn how to coexist with our thoughts by understanding thoughts can be deceiving. Have you ever panic about something and it turned out to be not as serious as you thought?

Well, our thoughts can be misleading if we are not paying attention to what we are thinking. It is important to observe thoughts as they enter the mind; pay attention to the effects of thoughts on moods, emotions, feelings, and action; and to unbiasedly rationalize our thinking.

Take action to do the things that would make yourself and others feel loved and happy. Allow positive thoughts to be the focus and negative thoughts to leave the mind not becoming the focus. Pay attention to thoughts considering they can be deceiving or misleading by unbiasedly rationalizing thoughts. Understanding the power of thought is essential when learning how to coexist with our thoughts. We impact our reality through thoughts; therefore what we think can make or break us. Our relationship with thoughts should be harmonious in order to master our thinking.

 Life viewed through the mind-eye is reflected in our moods, emotions, feelings, and action, therefore be an observer of thoughts in order to understand the power of thought.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7747315

How to Boost Creative Thinking

Everything around you that you call life was made up by people that were no smarter than you. You can change it. You can influence it. You can build your own things that other people can use. ~Steve Jobs

Have you bought into that age old fallacy that the ability to be creative is reserved for the select few? If so, then prepare for a shift in mindset, because the truth is you were born with the potential for limitless creative thinking.

Take a moment to consider what creativity really means... to produce something that is both original and worthwhile. By definition, this can mean anything from a work of art; to an innovative idea for a product or new business; to new ways of solving problems... in other words creative thinking opens our minds to all the possibilities of life and is a skill worth mastering.

Creativity can be cultivated and strengthened over time, but keep in mind creativity is dynamic. Think of it as a muscle that needs to be used regularly to keep it flexible and strong. If somewhere along the line you've convinced yourself that you are not creative, then to some extent that has become a self-fulfilling prophecy, and to reverse that you'll need to become intentional about strengthening your creative thinking muscles.

Consider the Benefits of Creative Thinking

Creative thinkers:

• Achieve more goals, faster
• Are confident decision-makers
• Are optimistic and open to challenges
• Are focused, less likely to experience stress
• Are open to new experiences
• Look at obstacles as opportunities

If you're ready to boost your creative thinking skills, the following strategies will help to get you started. But please remember, mastering any new skill begins with your mindset. You must accept that you are by nature a creative being and that what you are setting out to do is stretch and strengthen your existing creative thinking muscles... one day, one action at a time.

Strategies to Boost Creative Thinking

Ask More Questions

Creative thinkers pay attention to what's going on around them and ask "Why?" or "Why not?" questions. Begin by challenging assumptions, because it's so easy to fall into the habit of doing things the way they've always been done. The next time you find yourself in that situation, take a couple of minutes to consider if there isn't a better way. Or, if there's something you've always wanted to do but put it off because you could see no clear way to make it happen, spend some time thinking about "How could it be done?" and practice opening your mind to all the possibilities. There is no "one" right answer, no idea is too crazy! Creative thinking is about looking for the opportunities in every situation, and prevents you from living life in default mode.

Be Willing to Take Risks

Remember cultivating creativity is all about strengthening those muscles, and that means you're going to have to get uncomfortable from time to time. In other words, you're going to have to get outside that zone of comfort you've built up over the years and take a few risks by trying new things. Of course not every effort will lead to success, but it will lead to personal growth, and what you learn with each new experience will help to build your confidence, knowledge and creative thinking skills for the future.

Tame Your Ego

For some people, being right is more important than finding the best solution, and that means their ego has taken control. Effective creative thinking is about being focused more on what is right, than who is right.

Finish What You Start

This isn't just about cultivating discipline and determination - it's also about opening your mind to exploring different paths and results. Sometimes detours can lead to far more exciting and fulfilling outcomes than the original goal!

Learn Something New

Building your creative muscles requires that you expose your mind to new ideas and possibilities. Read books in different genres, explore different types of music or take an art class; build connections with colleagues and friends from diverse backgrounds and who work in different fields. Bounce ideas off them and challenge yourself to be open to other perspectives.

Make Time for Creativity


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7730869

True Self: Why Do Some People Hide Their True Self?

Over the years, the true self has been used to describe ones true nature and who they really are. On the other hand, the false self represents all that is not true and is made up of illusions.

And while deep down one may want to embrace their true self; it is often far from easy and the world generally discourages one from doing so. So this means that very few people take the time or make the effort to know their true self and therefore reveal it to others.

For if this was easy or if we lived in a world that encouraged one to do so, then there would be no need to hide ones true self. It would be revealed from the very beginning and allowed to blossom over time.
Acceptance

One of the greatest needs that one can have is the need to be accepted. And while this is often classed as an ego need and one that doesn't reflect a true need; it can nevertheless have a big impact on ones behaviour.
It is a need that can highjack ones real needs and cause one to become consumed and controlled by the need to please others. And this can lead to one wearing what are often described as masks.

Masks
These are elements of the false self and enable one to gain the acceptance of other people. There are all types of masks that one can wear and this will usually depend on what the context is.

Who one believes they need to be to gain acceptance, will also play a big impact here. For some people it will be important to come across as being a certain way and for others it may well be another way.
One may have worn one type of mask for their whole life and this means that they may not even realise that they are wearing a mask. It has become so much a part of their life, that it has gone unnoticed.

Examples
There are many masks that one can wear and some of these can be:
· To always appear happy
· To pretend that one is perfect
· To try to always look good
· To come across as having everything together
· To always appear as a success
· To always please others

A Deeper Look

Although the above examples are clearly not practical or even possible; they are there for a reason. Here one can believe that they won't be accepted unless they have them. And if the people in their life only accept them for wearing these masks, then it may well be the case.

However, if another person only likes who one is due to the mask that they wear, then they are probably not worth having in one's life. But what is deeper than what is going on externally, is what is going on within. It is based on what is going on within that will define how one interprets the outside world.
So if ones interpretation of life is that they need to wear a mask to be approved of, then they will attract situations and people that validate this truth. This will then be how reality is perceived.
Being Safe

On the inside is likely to be a sense that it's not safe for one to be who they really are. This may be something one is conscious or it may just be out of one's conscious awareness. And by gaining the approval and acceptance of certain people, one will be able to regulate these inner fears.
Through doing this it will lead to one feeling safe, the challenge is that although one my feel safe, if they are wearing a mask it is unlikely to lead to much else. To the ego mind it is being interpreted as familiar and therefore safe. And as far as the ego goes, that is all that matters.
But what is being classed as familiar and therefore safe may have no real relevance to ones happiness or fulfilment. The associations may have also been created many years ago and when one was very young.
Causes

Here one may have primarily been approved of when they pleased other people and did what they wanted. Their needs, wants, desires, preferences, feelings and thoughts would have been dismissed or ignored.
Although this can happen as an adult, it is often the younger years that have the biggest influence. As a child one is vulnerable and dependent on their caregivers. So at this age one would not have much control and would desperately seek the approval and appetence of the people around them.
If this meant denying who they were, then so be it. The thought of whether one was being true to themselves would have been irrelevant. As long as one was accepted, that's all that mattered.

Associations

During this time it was a matter of survival and as an adult one generally has more control over their life. And yet the ego mind will likely can cause one to view life in the same way. At first it may have been ones parents who one had to please and as an adult it could then be ones friends or colleagues for example.
Although this was in the past and happened many years ago, to the mind it is what is classed as familiar and safe. So consciously it will create pain and suffering, but at a deeper level it feels comfortable.

Awareness

If the mind has associated pleasing others as being familiar, then fear will be triggered should one go against pleasing them. To listen to oneself and go against others will be interpreted as death by the mind.
How strong these fears are, will define what one needs to do to let go of the past meanings. This could be a therapist, healer or a coach. Or becoming aware of certain patterns and then changing them may be enough.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7725524

How To Relax When Stressed And Feel Free Again

Let's face it, dealing with stress is a pain.

And although rubbing your ears humming "woosah" sounds good, it isn't going to be your best option.
Unless you're in your psychiatrist's chair.

I know how you feel and battle with this every day, but I've found certain ways to help ward it off.
One of my greatest experiences with stress was when I was managing a $550,000 order that seemed to be going well. The order was processed and all the material to fulfill the order was procured and allocated.
Sounds great right?

Wrong! Our customer called me frantic saying that the order they placed was for the wrong product. You can imagine my worry. I felt sick, nauseous and partially delirious.

After a few days of panic I decided to calm down, think it through and fix the situation.
Regardless of how this story started it ended with a great relationship with our customer and a more educated me on how to relax when stressed.
From then on I implemented a few ways to manage my stress and I know you can benefit from then as well.

Get a support group
By having a support group you'll be able to process your thoughts externally. It's fine to think inside your head, but once you verbalize it the vibrations will hit your subconscious and redirect your irrational thoughts. You will also receive valuable input from your support group.

Don't sit, get up
I've talked about this before but sitting slouched, hovered over your keyboard will only make things worse. Get up and move. I like to reach to the sky and then go straight into a standing hamstring stretch. It loosens you up and gets blood flowing.

Use a Stability ball
A stability ball won't be the "thing" that makes you stress free, but it'll help support proper posture. Proper posture makes you more confident, less tired and less irritable. This doesn't manage your stress but it'll help ward it off before it arrives.

Take deep breaths
By focusing on breaths, you'll briefly forget the worries that troube you. Take 15 deep breaths. As you inhale your diaphragm should expand and as you exhale it should contract. Focus only on your breath. By taking these focused deep breaths, more oxygen will reach vital organs. Nothing like a little brain boost when stressed.

Get some rays
Have you ever gone to the beach or laid by the pool and felt completely relaxed? The sun has a natural calming effect. Maybe it's being outdoors and getting fresh air or the absorption of the much needed vitamin D. It'll help calm you down which is the goal, right?

Office decor
Buy yourself a couple office plants. Plants are how we receive oxygen and by having them in your office they'll help filter and regulate your office atmosphere. And it doesn't hurt that it helps visually.

Workout when you get home
Going home and working out is the best way to loosen up and clear the mind. After you'll feel more relaxed and rational.

Tip - Bring a paper and pen in case any thoughts flood your mind. You want to get them out of your head and on paper. This way you can refer back and focus on you and your workout, that's it.

Clear your mind
Easier said than done I know, but clearing your mind has a powerful effect. It de-clutters your thoughts and grounds you. Your mind races all day long. Slow it down and think about nothing.
Get good at meditating each and every day.

Go to bed early
What? There is no way you can get to bed early. Spare me. Yes, you can.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 50-70 million adults have sleep or wakefulness disorder. The effects are HUGE. By reducing your sleep by as much as 30 minutes one night can reduce your day time alertness by 32%.
Getting more sleep will not only energize you, it will also significantly reduce your stress levels.

Eat well in the morning
Eat like a king, fight like a knight.
By eating a healthy well balanced breakfast you're preparing your body for the full day ahead. Getting these essential nutrients first thing in the morning are key to warding off environmental and office stressors.
Focus on quality protein and fat, with a side of berries.
You don't have to use all of these to reduce your stress level, but the max benefit is reached when their all used cohesively.
Once you know how to relax when stressed, your life will seem clearer. Your mind will be focused, your thoughts will be sharp and you'll be a better you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7611763

Positive Thinking Success Secrets By Tom Cramer

All too many people underestimate the power of positive thinking. Some of the most successful people in the world swear by the use of positive thinking.

Nothing is impossible if you stay inspired and keep a positive attitude while striving to attain your goals. Having positive thoughts will not only help with your success but it will also make you happier and you will find more friends as well as business connections. Positive thinking is an important piece in your puzzle of success.

 Delve into Dedication One of the most important success secrets is that a person must be dedicated if they really want to achieve their goals. People with lackadaisical attitudes have a minimal chance at becoming a success in life, be it in their personal lives or professional lives. To succeed, you must be one hundred percent dedicated to making your life better.

With true dedication, anything is possible. Believe in Yourself It is essential that you believe in yourself and believe that you can have the success that you desire. The truth is that if you can't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you. In order to gain the self confidence that you need to be successful, you should read as many inspirational sayings as you can find. These motivational quotes will help you stay on track and improve your self esteem as well. You can find inspiring quotes on a variety of websites. Just be sure that you are dealing with a reputable success secrets website before you sign up for a membership.

 Be Prepared for Bumps The road to success is paved with the bodies of those who gave up on their dreams. That's why the road is so bumpy. You need to be prepared for setbacks but you must stay inspired. When you hit a bump in the road, you will need to reevaluate your goal setting strategies. Without reasonable and viable goal setting, you are setting yourself up for failure.

 You should find some good inspirational sayings that are about setting goals, both short term and long term ones. This should help you to ensure that your personal goals are attainable. Reach for the Stars You should reach for the stars and expect to grab them, pull them out of the sky and put them in your pocket. All of your hopes and dreams can come true if you follow the right strategies and keep reading inspirational messages. Your wildest dreams are not out of your reach. Each time that you find yourself achieving one of your small milestones, you will need to celebrate your achievement and set a new stepping stone on your road to success.

 Success secret: A celebration is essential to keeping yourself inspired. You could go out to a nice dinner, splurge with a manicure or buy that business suit that you've been wanting for a while. The way you celebrate doesn't matter; the main thing is that you reward yourself for your hard work, dedication and success in achieving the small goal. Life is all about change. Nothing ever stays the same for very long. You must learn to recognize the changes and alter your strategy for success in gain it. Unfortunately, the road to success is filled with twists, turns and stop lights. So long as you are willing to think positively and adapt to any situation, you are bound to climb every mountain that you come across.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7209108

.HOW TO CREATE WITH YOUR THOUGHTS .

Positive Thinking

A few years back, I was asked to present a series of workshops to some high-school seniors on the subject of Positive Thinking.

It's a subject that's near and dear to my heart, but I approached the assignment with some trepidation. The idea of leading a group of seventeen- and eighteen-year-olds for fifty minutes was for some reason more challenging than speaking to adults.

What Exactly is Positive Thinking?
Why is it important? How do you develop it? How do you keep a positive attitude in the face of negative circumstances?

And these kids expected answers. It caused me to do some real soul searching as to what I think a PMA (positive mental attitude) is and how to apply it in our lives.

To me, Positive Thinking means a "can-do" attitude-an attitude that allows one to see the best in all circumstances. It means facing a given situation and looking for the opportunities that almost always lie within. It's really a matter of focus. It's a little bit like when you're buying a new car and you notice all the cars on the road like the one you're buying. They were always there before, but you just didn't notice them because you weren't looking for them. When you're looking for good, you'll certainly find it. That's Positive Thinking.

Positive thinking is not Pollyanna Thinking. Being a "Permagrinner" is almost as bad as being a negative thinker. It's an unwillingness to see things as they are and ignore the things that could present a danger to us and our well-being.

We need to be realistic and address the problems with which we're faced. If you're tending a garden and ignore the weeds, you'll find your garden over-run by them. You have to be aware and take care of problems. Positive Thinking is definitely not avoidance.

Negative thinking is all too common. It doesn't take any effort to be a negative thinker. I call them "Stinking Thinkers"-people with Mental BO. You know the kind of people I'm talking about-the kind of people who brighten up a room-by leaving. They're cynical and depressing to be around. They complain too much and offer too little, if any, help.

Positive Thinking is infectious. Unfortunately, so is negative thinking. Emerson wrote, "A man becomes what he thinks about all day long." What do you think about? Where's your focus? Do you dwell on your problems, or do you focus on the way you'd like them resolved? It's your perspective that determines whether the glass is half full or half empty.

Our attitude affects people more than we may realize. When we approach problems with enthusiasm and high expectations, and when we share our optimism, we cause others to look at things in new and more optimistic ways. We help shift their perspective.

When I'm hiring someone, I place more weight on their attitude than on their skills and knowledge. Skills and knowledge can always be learned. Positive Thinking can be learned too, but I find few people willing to develop it. The belief is often, "that's-just-the-way-I-am."
How Do We Develop a Positive Attitude?

One way is to associate with positive people. We may have to change our environment and even choose new friends. This may seem drastic, but you can't afford to be with people who drag you down. In order to be successful, you have to have a supportive atmosphere.

We can also read good books. You might want to start with Norman Vincent Peale's classic, The Power of Positive Thinking. He coined the acronym and phrase "PMA." Any book that is encouraging, inspiring and positive will do.

No matter how good your PMA might be, it takes constant attention. You eat every day, don't you? Your attitude is like your body; it needs to be nourished. You need to feed it with good, healthy food-positive people, good books and an inspiring environment. Just like you go to work every day, you need to go to work on yourself every day. If you do, you'll build and maintain a Positive Mental Attitude.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2894033

Secrets to Being Rich - It's Not All About Money

Though there is no real secret to being rich. The fact that many people do not understand what it takes makes it seem hidden. People really believe that only a few people in the world know what it takes to be rich. Therefore, if this is true, what do those few people know about being rich?

The first thing that rich people know about being rich is that it is not all about the money. They understand that being rich is not about making and saving as much possible. They are aware that accumulating wealth consists of more than just working hard.

The next thing that rich people know about being rich is that they must first be happy with who they are. They do not base their happiness on how much money they have. Instead, they decide to be happy and the money they need follows.

Another thing that people who are rich understand is that they must be happy with what they do for a living. Yes, they could make a lot of money doing something they would rather not do. However, their money would not last long for they may spend it all in sorrow. Therefore, they work in a place where they can be happy. This way they are happy before they ever receive a paycheck.

Being rich has a lot to do with a person's education. People who are rich understand a good amount about how the world works. They understand a good deal about the importance of learning and continuing to build their knowledge as life goes on. With that, they also have a good knowledge of the importance of knowing how to manage their money.

A very important thing the rich people understand is that their health plays a role in their wealth. Therefore, they do their best to keep themselves in shape. This keeps them from having to spend money on doctor bills or medicines. This also keeps them from having to miss days at work or time away from doing the things they enjoy.

As you can see, people who are rich understand that in order to be rich outwardly, they must first be rich inwardly. Therefore, let us all be happy with ourselves and what we do for a living. Let us continue to grow in what we know and stay healthy as we stay happy. In turn, may the things we need continually follow as we become rich on the inside and outside.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7516800

How to Put the Law of Attraction in Action: Three Steps Towards the Abundance Mindset

How Does the Law of Attraction in Action Become Law of Creation?

Who isn't intrigued with the law of attraction in action? There are so many miracle stories behind this concept, and who among us doesn't want to be the next miracle story?

But there's something else... something most of us are missing. It has to do with the three phases of transition from law of attraction in action to law of creation, so I'd like to pass it along to you...
In theory, the law of attraction works. However, there are stipulations that must be met, as it's really not all that simple. For example, consider going out to your garden and looking at it and saying over and over to yourself, "there's no weeds, there's no weeds, there's no weeds, there's no weeds"... will the weeds disappear? NO!

Sorry to disappoint you, but the law of attraction, although perfect, is not magic. There's actually a process that you have to go through before you are able to "manifest at will".
In actuality, what might happen is more like this: Each time you go out to see your garden, you become more and more appalled at the looks of all those ugly weeks. What you just walked by and didn't seem to notice yesterday is suddenly eating away at you under your skin...

... Until eventually, you find yourself out there wanting to pull those ugly suckers!
This is just a small analogy of how the law of attraction can become the "law of attraction in action", which, without a doubt, always becomes the law of creation.

"We are all self-made, but only the successful will admit it."
-Earl Nightingale: American motivational speaker and author
And as Edgar Allan Poe once said, "the ancestor to every action is a thought."
The more we think, the more we want to act, and it's that action step that brings us to the law of creation.

Step 1: Ask - Just as they say in "The Secret", your first step is to ask.
Now, the reason for this is that you must get clear in your mind of what you want. On the surface, it seems like we all know what we want; but in reality, most of us do not.
Using any means at all to "get what you want" will never work if you don't know what you want! And, most of us throughout our lives have become satisfied with mediocrity, and therefore we convince our subconscious that mediocrity is good enough.

But what do you do if you just don't know what you want to put the law of attraction in action?
Easy. Just think about what you don't want. Everyone knows that. Whatever it is that you don't want, consider the opposite. Try to practice thinking "what if", and ending in your desired outcome...
... Example: "What if I practiced so much on writing that I became successful in writing to the extent where I could actually make money writing online?"... And,"what if I started writing E-books and graduated to becoming a successful author?"

And this leads us to step 2 - As yourself positive questions.
Once you're clear in your mind of what you want, you must focus on that outcome and ask yourself positive questions. We all are constantly asking ourselves questions anyway. Why not be positive?
Your questions, and the way you answer them, will shape your life, so you must become aware of what you're thinking. When you say to yourself, "why do I always screw this up?", your brain will answer, "because you're a loser". Negative questions breed negative answers, and this creates a non-productive lifestyle.

In the "weeds scenario" mentioned above, you might say to yourself, "what would my garden look like with all those weeds gone?" Concentrate on the uplifted emotion and energy you feel when you imagine this new positive change in your life. That positive emotion is the energy that will fuel you to put the law of attraction in action!

Your thoughts generate your feelings, and your feelings generate emotion, which generates energy...
... And that energy can be used to your benefit to put that law of attraction in action!
Now that you know that you can create your life with your thoughts, everything is going your way and life is beautiful... UNTIL something happens that hits you in the gut and pulls the wind out your sails.
When this happens, at first it is difficult to put the law of attraction in action...
And many never do. Many people throw in the towel at this point and declare, "this is a load of crap... this stuff DOES NOT work!" Of course, you know how they wind up. Did you ever see someone who is complaining about his life appear happy about anything?
I've recently heard an interesting statement about money. "Money is no more than a means to show appreciation." And your first bluff on this is, "huh? You mean I can't buy stuff and be happy with my life with this money?" When you think about it, "buying stuff" comes from a scarcity mindset.
You must begin thinking in terms of "more an enough" because the world is always giving, and this breeds your abundance mindset.

And this brings us to step 3: Surrender...
Have faith and follow your instincts to put the law of attraction in action

Face it, bad stuff happens to all of us. And again, concentrate on the way you communicate to yourself in these times. Thoughts like "why me, Lord?" will bring on more bad stuff! STOP-STOP-STOP!!
You must begin to think to yourself, "What message can I get from this? What is the universe trying to tell me?" It's the bad stuff that happens to us that is the most profound message to change our direction.
Listen to your inner self, follow your instincts and concentrate on what is happening that's good. More will come. I promise.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7535309

FIVE WAYS TO STOP SABOTAGING YOURSELF

It seems so many people are feeling dissatisfied in their lives. We hear it daily on the many newscasts about individuals making so many negative choices: from dishonesty, to addictions, to murders, to suicides etc. More so, we hear it closer to home, such as in our neighborhoods, workplaces and in our social situations. And, many of you reading this are struggling with general dissatisfaction and discouragement.

When we feel this way we tend to make decisions that hurt us in one way or another. What can we do to feel more satisfied and in control of our lives? Well, for starters, since we can not control all the external events that occur, let’s start with an aspect we can do something about: ourselves! This is one area you DO have the power to effect positive change!

First and foremost I encourage you to become aware of what you are telling yourself…your internal dialogue. Whether you are conscious of it or not, you are chattering to yourself all the time. Unfortunately, most people don’t take the time to notice the quality of their internal chattering. Pay attention. Stop and take a moment every hour and check in with your internal dialogue. Notice if it is critical or nurturing. If you are being hard on yourself, correct your dialogue. The more patient, kind and encouraging you can be with yourself; the better you will feel and behave. Your internal messages are central to your ability to live a more full and productive life.

Secondly, it is essential to identify your values and goals. How can you attain the life you want if you are not clear about what is most important to you? Just going through the motions of daily life is living passively. As I state in my book, “one is often so busy doing life that it is easy to avoid evaluating whether you are putting your energy in the directions you value most.” Taking time to gain clarity about what is important to you is essential. As you are more aware of what you value, then you create goals that will adhere to and reinforce those values. Goal setting is a way of assuring that you are progressing in a manner that aligns with your values

Thirdly, pay attention to your behaviors. We have all heard the saying “actions speak louder than words.” Well, what are your actions saying about you? Do you like what your behaviors are saying? Are your actions in harmony with your values? It is great to know what you value. However, a key element to stop self-sabotaging is to behave in ways that emerge from your values. If you don’t take responsibility for how you are living your life it will be hard to feel satisfied. You may on occasion (or by accident) feel happy, however, it will usually be short lived. The best way to insure you achieve the greatest satisfaction out of life is to behave intentionally. Many clients tell me they put their head in the sand to avoid dealing with reality. Take your head out of the sand and live on purpose!

Fourthly, be more selective in your relationships. Our friendships mirror us. They are reflections of who we are at some level. It is imperative that you take responsibility in all your relationship choices. Are your friendships in alignment with your values? Are they helping or hindering you in achieving your goals? The people you choose to spend close personal time with need to be people that encourage you more than discourage you. I often hear people say “well, you can’t pick your family,” which is true, however, that doesn’t mean you have to tolerate hurtful or inappropriate behaviors. Even with family you have to learn to set limits and boundaries. You can control how much time you spend with them and what activities you are comfortable participating in with them.

The crux of how you can stop sabotaging yourself is to start living intentionally and on purpose. Stop just reacting to life and start paying attention. That is the essence of being the active director of your life – paying attention. If you begin by consciously focusing on these four areas you will start to feel more satisfied. All of these areas are always your responsibility no matter what the circumstances are in your life. Life ebbs and flows, sometimes in more pleasant ways than other times. No matter what is occurring you always have a choice of how to respond. Choose to live each day knowing that you and your life are your responsibility and that you deserve to live as full and complete as possible.

Written by: Deborah Day, M.A., Author of “Be Happy Now! Become the Active Director of Your Life.

How To Improve Motivation: Try These Self-Motivation Strategies

Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, nothing seems to work. It might be because you are going through a bad patch and feel you are not making any progress. You are tired of trying and getting nowhere. When this happens, it is easy to become dispirited. These can be critical times and may spell the difference between continuing to work towards you goals and giving up on your dreams. You need to find ways to improve motivation to protect yourself from these threats to your success development.
Some steps you can take to increase motivation:

1. Go back to the beginning. Revisit your goals. Re-affirm they are still what you want and they are still attainable. Maybe you need to re-evaluate them in the light of your recent experiences. Have you set your sights too high in the short-term and expected too much too soon? If you have, set some short-term goals that are attainable and you are confident you can achieve. Then set a reasonable time frame to achieve them. It is important to reach some goals so your confidence and motivation will improve.

2. Focus on doing one job at a time - on working towards one goal at a time. If you do not do this you can become overwhelmed by the size of you major goal and this can look too big to achieve. This is important if you have goals in several areas of your life, as you cannot focus on all of them at the same time.

3. Plan the actions you need to take to achieve the smaller goals along the way. Follow your plan of action day by day so each day you will feel sense of accomplishment, which will be self-motivating. You will be motivated by these small successes and feel encouraged to keep going.

4. Make your goals public. Tell people what you are trying to achieve. That way you not only have to answer to yourself but to others. You are less likely to make excuses to others than you are to yourself. Besides, excuses can sound lame when you have to explain them to other people. It brings them out into the cold light of day and often they do not stand up to scrutiny.

5. Look for guidance from others who have achieved similar goals. If you know them, ask them for advice. Most will be only too willing to help. Look for books, videos or DVDs about successful people. There is plenty of material available on the Internet - Amazon has a huge stock.

6. Stay positive and upbeat. Use the same Internet sources to surround yourself with positive thinking. Use positive affirmations, quotes and stories to ward off negativity before it starts.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7512900

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