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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

 

 

How to Improve Your Life

How to improve your life forever

Have you always wanted something ? Have you always felt that something was missing but you didn't know what ? Have you aimed for goals and fallen short. Like many of us you have probably fallen into a depressive slump and given up any hope of improving your life. The subject of self improvement is a vast one, and there are many things to learn. Yet, it is those first early steps that give the most back and provide the most improvement to our lives. Therefore, it is important to start out with a technique that gives you the best grounding to work from and will be fairly easy to master. If someone offered you such a system, would you follow it through or abandon it half way ?

The power of positive thinking is something that is widely known, although often forgotten about. Apparently depressive people see the world in a much more realistic way when considering the present. An optimist does not have a realistic view. Where the depressive looes is the point at which they take their depressive view of 'today' and expand it out to the future. A depressive creates an uncompelling view of the future - one in which they make reasonable demands and expect a large amount of disappointment. Like a self fulfilling prophecy they are usually right.

The optimist, using techniques for positive thinking, sees the potential in everything. He creates a compelling future that drives him forward and provides motivation. He gives himself clear, inspiring goals and desires that fuel his actions. He is stretched by the challenges of what the depressive would call ' unrealistic goals'. This challenge forces growth, a key factor in true happiness, further empowering the optimist on towards his goals. When he does get beaten, he realises that he is merely being told 'try again but be more inventive'. Fueled by his imagination, the optimist creates his own future.

As we can see the power of positive thinking is a valuable tool, one which can be used to change lives and make dreams reality. Yet, as with many things, there are surprisingly few basic, down to earth practical sources of information on how to master positive thinking. I am sure you do not want to be without the advantages it can bring and no doubt you have encountered, vague, imprecise guidelines to positive thinking that you have quickly abandoned. For those who feel that they can stick to four basic principles for at least a year they will be astounded at the changes that such simple techniques can bring. I now present to you the four basic principles of positive thinking:

1) You are not your personality.

Your personality is not you. You were probably different as a child than you are today. Sure, there will be a kernel of similarity, but much of what you do, day to day, is not your personality, even though you may call it that. Instead, your so-called personality is a collection of habits formed out of experiences as a defence mechanism for coping with day to day life. Your imagined personality can hold you back in life because it defines what you will do and what you are unwilling or incapable of doing. A woman may feel she cannot be an effective public speaker because she has been shy all her life. This is simply not true, she merely needs to learn what makes an effective public speaker and adopt those mannerisms herself.

To be truly effective in terms of positive thinking you must accept the notion, that whatever age you are, you are not a fixed concept. You can be what you want to be. OFten we want to do things that seem at odds with what we feel comfortable with. We tell ourselves that we could never go skydiving or such like. These contrary desires are so important.

You should take hold of them and make them reality. They are your mind's way of trying to increase its exposure to new things, to break out of the prison you call personality.

Today, pick one thing that you have never done but have always been curious about. Make a list of a months worth of activities that you feel you may not be capable of. Run a marathon, join the local drama club, spend a whole day outdoors without checking in with the office. You will be amazed at how empowered you feel - and it will give you further motivation to push back your so called identity.

2) Learn how to motivate yourself.

Many of us feel that we are at the whim of the day. On a good day we will do well, and on a bad day we will be unmotivated, will procrastinate and achieve little. You must accept the concept that your day is yours to control, you are at the whim of circumstance only in so much as you choose to respond to circumstance. Planning ahead, can provide security through contingency plans to deal with the so called unexpected. For those issues that keep coming up, see if there is a way to solve them permanently.

Once you have reduced circumstance as much as possible you must then identify the next largest area of de motivation.

For many of us, particularly those new to self improvement, our emotions are what control our day. Or rather, our lack of ability to direct our own feelings. Motivation comes from knowing we have a task that will challenge us, is not insurmountable, and will provide a valuable outcome. By ensuring all of your major tasks fit into these categories you will help to unleash the motivation found within your daily activities.
Secondly, arrange your office in such a way as to cut down on distractions. Have a ready supply of water nearby, fresh pens and pencils and paper. Ensure that there as few distractions as possible. Once you have done this, you can focus on ways to improve your own mood - perhaps have a play list of your favourite uplifting songs. Have a to do list of your day's tasks, that are prioritised, and tick them off as you progress though them. Having a written record of your completions is a great way to build confidence in being able to finish tasks.

Once you can plan work for the day ahead and use the power of those tasks to motivate yourself you will feel much more in control in your work environment. This extra security will help build your self confidence and help you to see things more positively.
Make a list of tasks today and see how you can drive your motivation.

3) Be confident of who you are becoming.

Sometimes people may ,knowingly or unknowingly, put you down. They may make you feel self conscious about your spelling, your weight or your lack of confidence. At the time these insult may sting and cause deep pain and ruin your day or maybe even longer. They lower your perception of your own self worth and cause a negative spiral that sabotages any positive thinking. Rather than focus on why the other person did what they did, I would like you not to be a victim and to focus on something else. Being a victim can never ever create a positive outcome. It embodies feelings of helplessness and being subject to the whims of others. If there is any way that you can avoid feelings of victim hood and use the criticism in a positive way you should.

You are probably thinking - thats easy to say - but what is positive about being called 'insert insult'. I think that you should use such criticism as fuel, fuel to prove the other person wrong - to understand that who you are today doesn't have to be who you are tomorrow, or next week or next year.

If you yourself are unhappy with what they criticised, then decide if now is the time to do something about it, and to dwarf the critical negative person with the strength of your own personal power. People who criticise often love to feel that you will always be whatever be afflicted by whatever problem they perceive or 'want to perceive'. If you can change it shows to yourself and to the world that you can become whatever you want to be. Don't let others or yourself define you a static unchanging being who will always be burdened with the same afflictions.

4) Create the future - commit to yourself.

Imagine its a month from now. You have worked on the three ideas above and are seeing results. Now that you are learning to tackle you own problems, can motivate yourself to an extent and can push your own boundaries - its time to create your own future. A future that is so far from where you were a month ago, or even today, that to contemplate it before would have been unthinkable. Perhaps you would like to be a model, lose weight, or greatly increase your income. Maybe you want to walk the stage of some famous theatre, or begin an acting career. Look twenty years in the future, and decide where you would like to be, regardless of feasibility, or outrageousness. Then fix this vision into concrete statements, such as I will weight twenty pounds less, or I will drive an Aston Martin.

Now take these facts and visualise in your mind a scene, which illustrates all of these things. Imagine your future self in the scene, looking radiant and happy. Now make the image bigger, and the colours brighter, smile to yourself, and press your thumb and forefinger together. Do this visualisation technique every day, as many times as you remember to. Always press together your thumb and finger as you smile and imagine yourself stepping into the image and it coming to life. By doing this, we are anchoring your desire for the future to a physical action. From this point on, whenever you feel insecure or demotivated, press your thumb and forefinger together and you will get a surge of energy and happiness.

The next step is to plan out how you will achieve you goals over the coming months and weeks and years. Take a look at when you want to achieve your goal and then step backwards adding key points that will mark your progress. These point should contain sub goals that will help bring your major goal to life.
If you follow these four simple steps, and repeat them day in day out, for a month, you will rapidly begin to see changes in your life. When I did these things myself several years ago, I began to see changes in my life that were for the better. Bizarrely, I did not associate these positive changes with the daily actions I was taking. Looking back, it was the daily repetition of the above tasks that really helped turn my life around.

If you can master these techniques for positive thinking then you will have gone a long way to creating the life that your want !

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/381891

Need Inspired?

How to Improve Everything in Five Minutes (or Less)

1.) Efficacy

If you don't know the word, get acquainted with it. More or less, it means that your understanding of the universe is that you carve your own fate. The world isn't happening to you (fatalism or determinism). You are crafting it however you see fit. When you find yourself complaining about how you aren't successful because of some outward variable, you aren't in a state of efficacy. And good luck, because luck is all you're counting on. Instead, when you start looking for ways that you personally can change the landscape, that's how you choose your destiny. And that destiny is whatever you want within your control. So take control.


2.) Visualization

I can't impress this upon people enough. There has never been or ever will there be a successful person who doesn't picture what they will accomplish. Get a handle on visualization exercises. The human mind is the most powerful thing on the planet. It is responsible for subjugating all animals under its dominion. It has built empires and moved mountains, literally. It understands the particle physics of the sun and can predict the cycles of the celestial bodies. It can reap terrible consequences both for good and for evil. If you aren't taking a minute or two on a regular basis to focus your thoughts on end goals, you aren't just lazy, you're broke and broken in spirit.

3.) Don't Take Yourself Too Seriously

Humility is great because it keeps you from getting out of control. But it also helps you realize that we're all just people tripping our way through life. You aren't better than anyone; and no one is better than you either. If you fail, it's okay. It really isn't the end of the world. You get another chance as long as you're on this side of the dirt. Do you really think everyone else has their lives together? All are prone to mistakes. Get used to it. Be OK with it. Attain a certain level of sublime freedom in screwing things up from time to time. At the end of the day, princes and paupers both lie down to sleep and get another chance upon waking.

4.) Work. Period.

Find a grindstone and put your nose to it. Don't burn yourself out all the time. BUT LEARN WHAT IT ACTUALLY FEELS LIKE TO BURN YOURSELF OUT. A lot of people think they've worked too hard before they've even begun to push it. And I would argue that you can't burn yourself out doing something you love while reaping all kinds of success and benefits from it. You are never going to learn what you're capable of by playing it safe, staying within your comfort zone, or simply making it through the day. Have an obsession, if only for a moment. Have passion. Lay it all on the line, just once. Be too much. Be over the top. Have some character. It's true that no one on his deathbed ever said, "I wish I would've spent more time at work." But no epitaph ever read, "I regret that Olympic Gold Medal," "I regret that Pulitzer Prize," or "I wish I would've never cured my digestive health, become pain free, lost 100 pounds, remedied my hypothyroidism, reversed my diabetes and attained all of my wellness goals."

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7504698

What is Love?

Poets and authors have tried to define love for centuries, whereas scientists have only recently started. Many of us know intuitively that love is a major purpose for living; that connection is inherent in all that we do, and without love, we cannot survive as a species.
But what is love, and how do we know when we're in it? First, let's start off with what love isn't.
What Is Love?

 It Definitely Isn't...

•Manipulation. "If you loved me, then you would..." isn't love, but rather infatuation.

•Compromising who you are. If someone asks you to do or say something that isn't in your nature, that isn't true love. Although love does involve compromises between partners, someone who is in love with you will never ask you to change who you are in order to be loved.

•Violent. Passions can definitely become inflamed with someone you love, but a relationship with physical or emotional violence isn't true love.

•Just lust. Yes, chemistry and physical attraction are important, but true love also includes commitment, trust and respect.

So then, what exactly is love?

True Love Is...

•True Love is Caring. The ancient Greeks had many different names for different forms of love: passion, virtuous, affection for the family, desire, and general affection. But no matter how love is defined, they all hold a common trait: caring.

•True Love is Attractive. Attraction and chemistry form the bond that allows people to mate. Without this romantic desire for another individual, a relationship is nothing more than lust or infatuation.

•True Love is Attached. Like the mother-child bond, attachment comes after the initial attraction. Attachment is the long term love that appears anywhere from one to three years into a romantic relationship (sometimes sooner and very rarely after), and you'll know you've found it when you can honestly say, "I've seen the worst and the best you have to offer, and I still love you," while your partner feels the same way.

•True Love is Commited. When it comes to true love, commitment is more than just monogamy. Its the knowledge that your partner cares for you and has your back, no matter what the circumstances. People who are strongly commited to one another will, when faced with seemingly negative information about their partner, see only the positive. For example, a friend comments that your partner doesn't say a lot. "Ah yes, he's the strong, silent type," you reply. People with less commitment to their partner would instead say something like, "Yeah, I can never have conversation with him. Its annoying."

•True Love is Intimate. Intimacy is a crucial component of all relationships, regardless of their nature. In order to know another, you need to share parts of yourself. This self-revealing behavior, when reciprocated, forms an emotional bond. Over time this bond strengthens and even evolves, so that two people merge closer and closer together. Intimacy by itself if is a great friendship, but compiled with the other things in this list, it forms an equation for true love.
By Bonny Albo

The Way to a Longer and Healthier Life

We all want to get fit and feel that we are enjoying a fulfilling life. However we are not all starting out from the same point. This will mean that it may take longer for some of us to reach that level of health with which we are satisfied.

Where ever your starting point is we all know that we need the right amount of nutrition and exercise for our lifestyle. The distance between your starting point and your goal fitness is measureable. The simplest, and in many cases the most significant, is the ratio between your body mass and your fat mass. Often referred to as your BMI, or Body Mass Index.

Just enter your height and weight into any of the free BMI tables on the internet and you can readily see if you need to lose weight.
Next, check your cholesterol level and you blood pressure. With these three results, exclusive to you, you can see the size (sic) of the problem.

Like most of us you may have noticed that every year, it becomes even more difficult to eat whatever you want and still stay slim.You may also have learnt that your Basal Metabolic Rate decreases as you get older. Depriving yourself of food in the hope of losing weight also decreases your BMR, foiling your best intentions. However, a regular routine of cardiovascular exercise can increase your BMR, improving your health and fitness when your body's ability to burn energy gradually slows down.
Having ascertained the goal that you wish to reach, if you are serious about a long and healthy life, you can now take action.

All three of these areas can be improved by changing your dietary habits and daily exercise regime.
Your diet will now have to exclude convenience foods. Many of these, when combined with an indolent lifestyle, will increase the amount of free radicals in the body. Free radicals can be very harmful and are especially linked to a reduction in longevity.

Decreasing the free radicals in your system is accomplished by the intake of antioxidants. Whilst antioxidants are of great value, those taken as supplements can be counter-productive. In the event that you take too many supplements, particularly those high in vitamins A and E, the surplus is unused and is stored in the liver. This initially causes the liver functions to become impaired and in severe cases can cause harm. Some antioxidant supplements are claimed to become carcinogenic in the body.

Antioxidants are best taken in the form of fresh fruit and vegetables. They will need to be included in your daily diet. Include as wide a variety as possible but not tinned or cooked. Cooking vegetables or fruit not only spoils the taste; it destroys all most all the health giving properties.

Just by simply increasing your raw fruit and vegetable intake whilst reducing your reliance on convenience foods will dramatically reduce your cholesterol level.

You may find that for the first few weeks of changing your exercise and dietary habits that you feel tired. Don't worry about this as you will be sleeping more deeply and in a few days you will awake feeling more invigorated than you have for years.
If we have dealt, at least in part, with diet, nutrition and vitamin supplements, we must turn our attention to exercise.

There is no need to groan at this point, I am not going to force you into life-long gym membership or turn you into a galley slave. The point about exercise in this case is its purpose to help in improving or attaining a good BMI, cholesterol level and blood pressure.

It is most likely that you need more exercise or, in many cases, some exercise.
Whilst it is true that some is better than none, never the less we don't want to embark on an exercise routine that can cause harm.

Start slowly, build gradually.

The most useful piece of equipment that I have come across for general health improvement is the elliptical machine. It does more than the old treadmill in that it also allows you to work your upper body.
The primary reason for my recommending an elliptical machine is that it gives a low impact level. If you are to start physical activity after any period of inactivity we shall need to be gentle. It is a safe assumption that you are overweight and to subject your joints to doing anything more that carrying you from the dining table to the sofa must be done gradually.

In addition to being more up to date than the old treadmills the elliptical trainers now include a LED or LCD display. This gives instant feedback and monitoring of your progress. There are usually recommendations of workout programs that you can follow.

There are many makes and models available and I would suggest that you take your time and try them out at your local store or stores. Do be sure that you select a model that has those heart or pulse rate monitors, always useful when starting out. Your initial enthusiasm may outweigh your early abilities.
Talking of your local stores, there is an important consideration when buying any type of gym equipment. Since safety is of prime importance with these pieces of equipment they will of necessity be robust and substantial. Therefore they will usually be of considerable size and weight.

Once having selected the make and model of your choice you may search the internet for a supplier. Before you dismiss your local store do take into consideration the delivery cost. Your local store will frequently deliver free which may make him a better purchase than what at first appears an internet bargain.
Once you find your general level of health and fitness being restored you may wish to move on to a higher level of health.
Whether this includes weight training or any of the other activities than can be considered extreme I would urge that you only undertake them with some professional guidance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7490000

How to Live in the Moment

Life today seems to move at an ever-increasing pace, and shows no sign of slowing down. Mobile devices make it easier than ever for your boss to expect to contact you outside of work, and many of us can’t even disconnect long enough to get a real vacation.
Unfortunately, stress like this can wear you down and make you much less productive.
Living in the moment seems like a pipe-dream, but it can be the exact prescription you need to regain your motivation and work productivity. Simply slowing down throughout your day to enjoy small moments can help you remember what it is you’re
working for in the first place. Here are 6 tips to help you do just that.

• Pay Attention to Your Body. The knot in your stomach, the tension in your shoulders, and the ache in your neck are all telling you something important. Take a moment to pay close attention to your body. Feel what’s there, and find out what it’s telling you. Do you need a break? A stretch? When you meet your body’s physical needs, you’ll be far more successful in your work.

• Forget Multitasking. The idea that you can actually do multiple things at once is a myth. Studies have shown that what happens is your mind simply changes focus very rapidly between tasks. This tires the mind and dramatically reduces productivity. Choose one task and be fully present doing it. Then move on. You’ll make fewer mistakes while getting more done.

• Practice Gratitude. If there’s anything we lack in our advanced society, its thankfulness. Take some time to think about and be truly thankful for the good things in your life. Even write them down. Studies have shown that gratitude will improve your mood, your motivation, and your performance. It will also help you enjoy the present moment more.

• Breathe. Nothing helps slow down a stressful day than taking a few minutes to focus on breathing. Just close your eyes, take deep, full breaths, and think about how it feels. You’ll become more present in your body and in your environment. In addition, your stress will drop dramatically.

• Observe. Many mistakes we make are simply due to not paying attention. We walk by people and don’t even see them, or miss a turn because we were thinking about something else. Take a day and fully observe everything around you as you work and play. You’ll find amazing things you never saw before, and you may even come up with solutions to some tough problems!

• Unplug. Technology is often our Achilles heel when it comes to slowing down and enjoying the moment. Whether it’s our boss, a friend, or our spouse, it seems like everyone wants to reach us at a moment’s notice. Take some time for a technology vacation. Turn off the phone, the television, and the computer. Enjoy games and talk and fun with family or friends instead. These are the moments you’ll remember and cherish.

Being in the moment in our busy world is not an easy task, but it’s incredibly rewarding. Be patient with your attempts – your mind will often wander. However, the benefit you’ll gain from these six easy tips will enhance your life and your work in incredible ways. Be present!

About the Author: Steph Potter is a mother of two, an avid runner, and a freelance writer. In her spare time, she enjoys meditating to find her center

The Power of Focusing on the Good Things

Focusing on the good things in your life is something simple to do, but to do it consistently is the hard part. What are you focusing on today? Is there anything positive that you can think of that happened to you? This is not going to be about just a simple gratitude list. This article will focus on really looking at all the good things that you have in your life now. It is difficult to focus on the good things if you are too busy complaining about your life. As you complain, you will attract more things to complain about. But if you came here to read this, you are in the right place. Especially since the end of 2012 is approaching as I write this, the goal is to finish off the year in a positive and productive way.
If you can think of anything positive that happened to you today, you are off to a good start. But if you continually focus on the negative things or why things don't work out then I've got good news for you. You can change these thoughts so that they become more positive. I'm not saying that you can succeed at this 100% of the time. But you can be positive most of the time. The late John Wooden once said "Things turn out the best for the people that make the best out of the way things turn out." This quote is one of his most famous and it is so true. The happiest people don't necessarily have everything. They just make the best out of what they have. Maybe you enjoy working in your garden at home. If that's the case then you have another good thing to focus on.
I am not a life and wellness coach but I have read extensively about this topic and I am here to help you out. When we are in school no one really teaches us how to accomplish goals that we put our mind to. We have to figure them out. The way to figure out how to accomplish goals differs from person to person. No one does it the same way as everybody else. But as long as you have goals to meet you have a purpose for living. There is no point in just living life to exist for the majority of it and be depressed. Life is a gift that we have all been blessed with. We have been given our own talents, skills, and abilities and we have to use them. You are using the full power of your brain when you put your potential to good use.
Focusing on what is good in your life is what is going to make you feel better. It will also give your mind, body, and spirit reasons to enjoy your life now. Focusing on the good things that you have creates a vibration that sends signals out into the Universe.
These signals send back to you whatever your predominant thoughts and feelings are. So if your thoughts or feelings are about negative things, then that is what you will attract more of into your life. Because that is the vibration you would be on so the Universe would have no choice but to respond that way.
Some of you may say "Ara, I can't think of anything positive that happened to me today. I have too many issues in my life." Every person has their issues from time to time. Our lives are not total bliss all the time. Even my life isn't always total bliss. This is particularly true when you have mood swings or depression. It seems like you are fighting an uphill battle to calm your nerves. I speak from personal experience because I'm having some anxiety too. But too much anxiety paralyzes you and stops you in your tracks. Don't deny that you may be experiencing anxiety. Instead, acknowledge it and if it's severe enough, seek professional help as soon as possible.
I have had my struggles having to deal with a non-existent job market along with millions of other people. Let's admit the reality that the labor market in many parts of the world has been affected by the worldwide economic slowdown. If you are currently out of work and feeling hopeless, you are not alone. It may be many years before we see any recovery in the labor market.
My point is that you have to try and come up with positive things that happen to you each day. They are in this world and positive things do happen to us. If you are able to read this, consider that a positive thing. If you have a roof over your head, that is a positive thing. If you had a nice and relaxed conversation with a friend, that is also a positive thing. If someone smiled at you and asked you how your day was, that is a positive thing right there. If you have the arms to hug a loved one, that is another positive thing there. If you have the ability to swim at the beach with your legs, that is a blessing. Every day can be a blessing if we see it that way. But if you want to get more specific, every day presents an adventure for us. We can either make it a good adventure or we can make it bad if we focus on the wrong things.
Chances are that your life is better than what you think it is. You are wealthier and better off than at least 1.6 billion people who do not have enough food to eat. If you are living in a developed country with fewer social problems then you are very blessed. You are wealthy compared to many other people around the world. Doesn't that make you feel better? I know you may not have what you want right now but no one has everything they could want. If they did, then there would be nothing to look forward to. You have a very good life especially if you have an Internet connection and you can read this. You also have a good life if you can properly clothe and feed yourself. Isn't your life good?
I don't have all the answers to everything. But I do know that a positive attitude is your best line of defense. I know it is hard sometimes to focus on the good when there is so much negativity in the world. Times are tough right now for many people. But if all that you are focusing on is how hard everything is then you will create a harder life for yourself. In spite of the troubles with the economy, you do have things to look forward to. Think about those things and I suggest that you write them down. Think of as many good things as you can. They don't even need to be big or significant things. Try to appreciate everything down to the smallest detail. That's what I try to focus on. I also try to focus on the things that I can control and not on the things that I cannot control. We spend so much time and effort worrying over things that we have no control over. For instance, as a writer, you can control what content that you choose to write about but you cannot control how your work will be received. The audience you are writing for may enjoy the work or they may not enjoy the work. All you can do is to put your best foot forward and do the best that you can to create good content and leave the rest up to your higher powers.
The more that you focus on the good things in life, the more good things will come to you. Your subconscious mind is one of the most powerful things that you have. As you focus on something good, your mind goes to work and brings to you similar good things. The Buddha once said: "All that we are is the result of what we have thought." Use your mental powers to create positive change in your life. I know that I will strive for positive changes. Will you do the same?
The above quote is a complex quote and it was said over 2,000 years ago but it is actually true. The more that you think about something, the more energy that you feed it. So if you think about how bad your life is, then you will create more situations and circumstances that will make you feel bad. Our subconscious mind creates our life based on how we think, feel and believe. So start focusing on the good things consistently and you will see how your life will change.
You may not get a job tomorrow but if you hang in there and be positive, things will get better. We would like to think that the economy in the United States will get better but there are some of you that may feel like you have no hope and that there is nowhere to go. All of these anxieties and fears are understandable. Results take time to manifest. Remember that many things will change with time. Our beliefs, interests, and attitudes change because we change. That is part of the life cycle. I find my musical interests are changing and I cannot tolerate music with angry, depressing or bad lyrics anymore. Everything on this Earth that we possess is impermanent. They do not last.
The jobs we have, the money we make and the car that we drive don't last forever. But how we live this life helps us to establish a good legacy that we can pass on to future generations. I haven't had a real job in five years but I know that I am not alone. I try to focus on what I can control. I choose to focus on the good things and I don't like to complain. I love to appreciate what I have now. Try as much as you can to focus on what is good in life. You will feel better if you do that. This can also be known as a frequency shifter.
A negative frequency leads to a negative or bad future so make sure to be on a positive frequency always. Express gratitude for the ones that love you and the ones that you love. Love as many people as you can, treat them with kindness and respect and leave the rest up to the universe, God or your guardian angel. They will take care of the rest for you. Try this concept. It may work for you because it has worked for me.
So the answer is a simple yet profound one. If you focus on the good, your life will get better. There are many people out there that think this is not the advice that will work for them. They may feel that they have tried everything in their power to make things work out. But in reality, what they have done is tried to outsmart the universe and to try and prove that they are more knowledgeable than the universe. The truth is that none of us are smarter than the universe. The universe always knows more than we do. So you have to trust the universe. It always knows what it is doing if you have given it the right instructions beforehand. Never underestimate the power of focusing on the good things in life. There are many good things out there if we focus on them. I was talking to a friend of mine about this. I know that you may have lots of stuff going on in your life but you have to make a choice. And that choice is whether you want to continue to be miserable and focus on all that is wrong in your life or whether you want to change that line of thinking and focus on what is good around you. So what is it going to be? I'm sure that if you got to this article that you want to focus on all that is good around you and you should be proud of yourself. Good Luck!!

Simple Ways to Live Happy

They say that the mind is a very powerful tool; and indeed this has been proven in countless occasions in our lives. The truth is, the power of the mind is limitless- as our thoughts indirectly, and yet undeniably, affects our careers, our relationships- our lives. The life we live every day is set into motion by our thoughts. Our attitude, our reaction are reflections, if not manifestations of what we think: what we think we want; what we think is right, what we think we deserve.
So how do we take control of our days with our thoughts and how do we set the direction of our lives to the pace and direction we want? Here are 3 simple ways to start and go through your day right.
1. Think positive. This can mean a couple of things and this generally differs on the circumstance. Take for example case 1: when something bad happened the previous night, we have this tendency to dwell on it, sleep on it and carry the negativity of yesterday to the morning after. In this case, thinking positive would mean waking up and thinking how today could be the day where things will work out or that today could be the day when you will figure out a way to solve something that has been bothering you. Case 2: when you have had a good time the previous day, carry over that feeling of fulfillment, that lighthearted state of being to the day ahead of you.
2. Learn the art of turning lemons to lemonade. This principle applies to our thoughts as well. Of course, we can't help but have negative thoughts. The trick is to learn how to convert these negative thoughts into positive ones. Take for example case 3: You have found a job in a good company. You are being compensated and the benefits are really attractive. Then after a few days into your job, you realize that you have a bi polar boss who seems to enjoy yelling at everyone at all hours of the day. Instead of cussing and feeling very negative about it, think of it as a learning experience wherein you will learn how to successfully deal and communicate with these type of people.
3. Learn to express negative feelings in a productive way. A negative state of being is caused by an emotion: it may be anger, discontent, annoyance or hate. But since all emotions can be channeled, learn to direct your emotions in ways that can help you become a better person. Take for example case 4: You are feeling very discontented by the way your financial state of living is. Instead of dwelling on how sad you are thinking about all the things you cannot afford, think of the countless of ways you can change your finances. Take a second job, do online work, learn a new skill, learn a new language- become more than you already are and do all that you can to change the cause of your discontent.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7374874

Cultivate Burning Desire

When asked during an interview how he managed to reach the top as a professional bodybuilder and Hollywood actor, Arnold Schwarzenegger replied with a single word, "Drive!" All great success ultimately begins with an idea, but what makes ideas become reality is the fuel of human desire. An idea by itself can give you a temporary feeling of inspiration, but burning desire is what gets you through all the perspiration necessary to overcome the inevitable obstacles along the way.
Take a moment to think about the goals you've set for yourself. (You have set goals, haven't you? If not, go read the article on setting clear goals.) How committed are you to achieving these goals? Under what conditions would you give up? What if you could significantly increase your desire to achieve these goals? What if you wanted them so badly that you knew with absolute certainty that you would absolutely, positively never ever give up? When you are truly 100% committed to reaching your goals, you move from hoping to knowing. If you want something badly enough, then quitting is simply not an option. You either find a way or make one. You pay the price, whatever it takes.
Those with an intense, burning desire to achieve their goals are often referred to as being "driven." But is this special quality reserved only for a privileged few? Certainly not. With the right approach, anyone can cultivate a deep, burning desire within themselves and move to a state of total commitment, knowing with certainty that success is as inevitable as the sunrise.
So how do you cultivate burning desire? You begin with an outside-in approach, altering your environment in ways that will strengthen your resolve while eliminating doubt. If you take the time to do it right, you'll establish a positive feedback cycle, such that your desire will continue to increase on a daily basis.
Here are eight steps you can take to cultivate burning desire to achieve any goal you set for yourself:

1. Burn the ships.

I'm not going to pull any punches with this one. If your goals are really important enough to you, then you can start by burning the proverbial ships, such that you have no choice but to press on. For instance, if you want to launch your own business, you can begin by making the commitment to quitting your job. Write a letter of resignation, put it in a stamped envelope addressed to your boss, and give it to a trusted friend with firm instructions to mail the letter if you haven't quit your job by a certain date.
One Las Vegas casino manager made the decision to quit smoking. He didn't feel he had the personal willpower to do it alone, so he took out a billboard on the Las Vegas Strip with his photo on it along with the words, "If you catch me smoking, I'll pay you $100,000!" Was he able to quit smoking? You bet! (Ok, bad pun.) This is called willpower leveraging. You use a small bit of willpower to establish a consequence that will virtually compel you to keep your commitment. As Andrew Carnegie once said, "Put all your eggs in one basket, and then watch that basket!"
In the classic book The Art of War, Sun Tzu notes that soldiers fight the most ferociously when they believe they're fighting to the death. A good general knows that when attacking an opposing force, it's important to create the illusion of a potential escape route for the enemy, so they won't fight as hard. What escape routes are you keeping open that are causing you not to fight as hard?
If you don't burn those ships, you are sending the message to your subconscious mind that it's ok to quit. And when the going gets tough, as it inevitably does for any worthwhile goal, you will quit. If you really want to achieve your goals, then you've got to burn those ships to the ground, and scatter the ashes. If you're thinking that the average person won't do this, you're right -- that's why they're average.

2. Fill your environment with desire boosters.

Let's say one of your important goals is to lose weight. Get some poster board, and make your own posters that say, "I weigh X pounds," where X is your goal weight, and put them up around your house. Change your screensaver to a text message that says the same thing (or to some equally motivational imagery). Get some magazines, cut out pictures of people who have bodies similar to what you'd like to have, and put them up around your house. Cut out pictures of healthy food that looks good to you, and post those around your kitchen. If you work in an office, then alter your office in the same manner. Don't worry about what your coworkers will think, and just do it! They may poke a little fun at you at first, but they'll also begin to see how committed you are.

3. Surround yourself with positive people.

Make friends with people who will encourage you on the path to your goals, and find ways to spend more time with them. Share your goals only with people who will support you, not those who will respond with cynicism or indifference. If you want to lose weight, for instance, get yourself into a gym, and start befriending those who are already in great shape. You'll find that their attitudes become infectious, and you'll start believing that you can do it too. Meeting people who've lost one hundred pounds or more can be extremely motivating. If you want to start a new business, join the local chamber of commerce or a trade association. Do whatever it takes to make new friends who will help you keep your commitment.
Although this can be difficult for some people, you also need to fire the negative people from your life. I once read that you can see your future just by looking at the six people with whom you spend the most time. If you don't like what you see, then change those people. There's no honor in remaining loyal to people who expect you to fail. One of the reasons people fail to start their own businesses, for instance, is that they spend most of their time associating with other employees. The way out of this trap is to start spending a lot more time associating with business owners, such as by joining a trade association. Mindsets are contagious. So spend your time with people whose mindsets are worth catching.

4. Feed your mind with empowering information on a daily basis.

Inspirational books and audio programs are one of the best fuel sources for cultivating desire. If you want to quit smoking, read a dozen books written by ex-smokers on how to quit the habit. If you want to start a business, then start devouring business books. Go to seminars on occasion. I advise that you feed your mind with some form of motivational material (books, articles, audio programs) for at least fifteen minutes a day. This will continually recharge your batteries and keep your desire impenetrably strong.
When you absorb material created by an extremely passionate person, you'll often find yourself feeling more passionate as well. A great book I read was Pour Your Heart Into It by Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks. As I read the book, I was absolutely amazed at how someone could be so fanatically enthusiastic about coffee. Other enthusiasm-building authors/speakers I highly recommend are Harvey Mackay and Zig Ziglar.

5. Replace sources of negative energy with positive energy.

Take an inventory of all the sensory inputs into your life that affect your attitude -- what you read, what you watch on TV, the cleanliness of your home, etc. Note which inputs influence you negatively, and strive to replace them with positive inputs. I'll give you some good places to start. First, avoid watching TV news -- it's overwhelmingly negative. Do you really need to hear about the woman who was mauled to death by her neighbor's dog? Fill that time with positive inputs instead, like motivational and educational audio programs. If you like to watch movies, then watch movies that are full of positive energy, such as light-hearted comedies and stories of triumph over adversity. Avoid dark, tragic movies that leave you feeling empty afterwards. Dump the horror books, and replace them with humor books. Spend more time laughing and less time worrying. If you have a messy desk, clean it up! If you have young kids or grandkids, spend some time playing with them. Some of this may sound a bit corny, but it will really help increase your overall motivation. If you have a hard time motivating yourself, chances are that your life is overflowing with too many sources of negativity. It's far better to happily achieve than it is to feel you must achieve in order to be happy.

6. Dress for success.

Whenever you pass by a mirror, which is probably several times a day, you get an instant dose of image reinforcement. So what image are you currently reinforcing? Would you dress any differently if your goals were already achieved? Would you sport a different hairstyle? Would you shower a bit more often?
Although for years I enjoyed the ripped jeans and T-shirt look, I noted that when I visualized myself in the future, having achieved certain goals, I was dressed a lot more nicely. With some experimentation I found a style of clothing that looks professional and is also comfortable. So I gradually donated my old clothes to charity and replaced my wardrobe with clothes that fit the new identity I was growing into. (Consequently, there's a Salvation Army store with quite a stock of gaming industry T-shirts.) I learned this idea from an ex-Navy Seal, who stressed to me the importance of taking pride in your appearance, and I can say with certainty that it makes a noticeable difference. So make sure the clothes you wear each day are consistent with your new self-image.

7. Use mental programming.

This is a Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) technique that will help you associate strong positive emotions to whatever goal you're working to achieve. Find some music that really energizes and inspires you. Put on your headphones and listen to it for fifteen to twenty minutes, and as you do this, form a clear mental picture of yourself having already achieved the results you want. Make your imagery big, bright, vivid, colorful, three-dimensional, panoramic, and animated. Picture the scene as if looking through your own eyes (this is very important). This will help you form a neuro-association between the positive emotions elicited by the music and the goal you want to achieve, thus strengthening your desire. This is a great way to begin each day, and you can even do it while lying in bed when you first awaken if you set things up the night before. You should cycle the music periodically, since the emotional charge you get will tend to diminish if you listen to the same songs each time.
Keep in mind that this form of mental programming is already being used on you by advertisers. Watch a fast-food TV commercial, and you'll note that the food is big, bright, and animated -- spinning burgers, lettuce flying through a splash of water, ripe tomatoes being sliced -- and don't forget the catchy tune. So instead of letting others program your desires for you, take charge and mentally reprogram yourself.

8. Take immediate action.

Once you set a goal for yourself, act immediately. As you begin working on a fresh new goal, don't worry so much about making detailed long-term plans. Too often people get stuck in the state of analysis paralysis and never reach the action stage. You can develop your plan later, but get moving first. Just identify the very first physical action you need to take, and then do it. For instance, if you've decided to lose weight, go straight to your refrigerator, and throw out all the junk food. Don't think about it. Don't ponder the consequences. Just do it immediately.
One of the secrets to success is recognizing that motivation follows action. The momentum of continuous action fuels motivation, while procrastination kills motivation. So act boldly, as if it's impossible to fail. If you keep adding fuel to your desire, you will reach the point of knowing that you'll never quit, and ultimate success will be nothing more than a matter of time.
If you apply these eight strategies, you'll add so much fuel to your desire that the fire will never burn out. You'll move towards your goals like a guided missile to its target, and you'll enjoy the process because you'll be so focused on the positive rewards instead of the difficulty of the tasks. If you get enough positive energy flowing into you, you'll soon have positive results flowing out of you. And you'll quickly become the kind of person that others refer to as "driven."

Source: Steve Pavlina

Great Personal Development Tips That Are Easy To Practice

You should always aspire to becoming the best. Your passion should always lead you to aspire to greatness. The fact is that we can never be the absolute best at a single thing, but we can aspire to be an inspiration to others in our fields. Always attempt to boost your worth in the field you work in, then enjoy what it does for your self-esteem.
When you are engaging in the personal development process, experiencing failure often deals a damaging blow to your self-concept. Actually, failure is really a learning experience. It shows you what your strengths and your weaknesses are. In that sense, every failure should be a point of pride for you, as you have uncovered another piece of your personal puzzle.
If you notice that you are consistently failing to meet your goals and live up to expectations, you should attempt to diagnose the probable causes. Find out some ideas online and look to others who have similar expectations. You also might find that your goals are indeed not realistic, or that some other critical resource is needed before your goal can be realized.
Knowing where to steer your life is an important thing to consider when thinking about personal development. Long-term goals are huge and can have a huge impact on your perspective.
Maintaining benevolent wishes for others can lead to an increase in the good things you bring into your own life. In this instance, wish only the best for people. Focusing on positive things will help you stay happy and motivated.
Each day should be an opportunity to top the previous day's accomplishments. You should never stop trying to find ways to do things better, and better yourself. Push yourself to do something better today than you did the day before.
Leaders are humble, though powerful and strict too. A strict attitude is required but advice should be given in a caring way. A good leader has morals and is honest; these are crucial characteristics for any successful person to hold.
Making yourself number one, and not overextending yourself, is very important. You are responsible for making yourself happy. While it is important to remember this, you shouldn't step on other people. If you are true to yourself and stick to your morals, you will end up happier on your path to personal development.
Don't ignore your body's signals when you are prioritizing your personal development goals. Never allow yourself to become dehydrated or overly hungry. Consistently listening to your body keeps it well-maintained. You may be sorry if your ignore your bodies wants and needs.
Do not shop for comfort. As part of your personal development, clean up your financial matters. Eliminate unnecessary expenses.
Don't go nuts and overreact when it's not necessary. You'll get stressed out in no time. Learn how to cope with stress, and be sure to analyze the situation carefully. You can usually fix any mistake, or find a way to work around it. Look at what you've got instead of focusing on what you lost.
Many employers are not as concerned with the name of your school as they are with the fact that you had the discipline and determination to finish the work and graduate! This shows that you will be a dedicated, hard worker. Some employers, such as banks or other financial institutions, do put more weight on which school you attended, but these are rare exceptions. The important thing is to acquire a degree so you have more opportunities available to you.
Don't think physical activity is only for when you want to lose a few pounds. There are lots of good, healthy reasons for exercising. When you exercise, your body makes a variety of chemicals that assist in relaxing you.
Figure out your goals in life, and go after them. If you sit in your chair thinking about how you would like your life to be, and you do nothing to make it happen, you will never get that life. Take action with the goal of realizing your dreams.
Always treat people respectfully, whether they have power and can do something for you, or whether they're an ordinary person. How you treat them reveals more about your own character, than it reveals about theirs.
You can't tend to others needs until your own needs are met. No matter where you are in life, allow yourself time to recover and rejuvenate yourself.
Make it a habit to constantly ask yourself what's important in your life and whether you are still focused on it. By focusing on your positive priorities and removing your attention from negative events and circumstances that are out of your control, you will be able to cultivate deep inner peace.
Be pleased about all that you can do well instead of focusing on what you cannot do. Everybody has unique skills, and it's those skills that make our world diverse and an excellent planet to live on. You should concentrate on talents you currently have rather than worry about those you do not possess at this point.

Come up with a little pep talk for yourself. List all your great attributes on an index card. Keep this card with you, and read through it when you feel your confidence flagging. Better yet, read the list out loud while recording yourself. How will this help?
Try to avoid unneeded stress whenever possible. When something happens try not to go overboard and over-react. Work on remembering that sometimes, things just go wrong no matter how well you plan. You need to put your focus on overcoming these obstacles, rather than becoming discouraged or giving up.
Instead of bragging about your accomplishments, ask those around you about what they are most proud of and what they've achieved. Placing your focus on others will help you recognize the potential of those around you.
Learning to react selflessly is a sign of progress in the path of personal development. There are times when you may have to sacrifice something and simply care for someone else. You will soon become the person you envision for yourself, when you have mastered the ability to personally sacrifice without harming your own well-being.


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The Process Of Self Growth

Self growth is something that each of us goes through as we progress through life, and the process does not stop at any given point. Each part of our life experience involves self growth in different aspects of life, from the time we are born until the time we pass into the great beyond. The process of self growth is a continuous learning experience

Along with self growth comes self development and the process of conditioning ourselves to accept the changes that come with aging. Aging in this respect does not mean growing old, but growing older, maturing, and developing the personality and style of being that will be with us into all of our adult lives. Self growth involves implementing and accepting those changes that allow us to be the best person we can be. Self development is the process of taking those changes as they take place and implementing and accepting the changes, and thus, becoming a "victim" of those changes.

Although self growth starts as we are babies and learning new things all the time, it does not stop until our life does. It's a continuous process of self growth because every new thing that enters our lives requires an adjustment, a change and process of acceptance for that change. It's a life long process, and if we don't allow ourselves to grow throughout life, we will become stale and stuck in a mindset that is younger than our years. It's impossible to mature without self growth for without self growth we cannot move forward in life.
Things that assist us in becoming who we are as adults begins in infancy and continues through life as part of the self development process. If we attempt to disrupt this process in any way, we create a personality within ourselves that is not compatible with the maturity level of our brains or of the rest of our emotional and physical being. If you don't allow the process to occur naturally, you will create a very confused individual who doesn't know how he or she is supposed to think or act. Perhaps this is the scenario that creates so many teens and adults who are bi-polar or with other emotional imbalances.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/339957