A New Twist On An Old Tradition To Maximize The New Season

Another season has arrived and time to review, regroup and reflect on the past one. Often this is a time to rededicate ourselves to making positive improvements. Many people look to improve on diet and exercise. These are necessary for our health and vitality; however, here is a new twist if you are tired of this old tradition.

If you are looking for something different this time, try looking to improve in an area of your Self-Confidence. It may sound strange but when it comes to Self-Confidence, we all have an area in our life that we feel we are less than where we want to be.

Others can see our level of confidence in those areas by the way we walk, the words we used and our attitude. Some have strong confidence in their work, but feel unsure in their social life. It's different for each one of us. Discover the area you are lacking in confidence. You probably already have one in mind. Once you have an area figured it out, here are five tips that if you commit to will boost your confidence.

1. Like Yourself- Everyone has his or her own strengths, abilities and skills. These make you unique and one of a kind. They are an asset to cherish and strengthen.


2. Get Active and Surround Yourself with Positive People- Surround yourself with people who have a positive outlook on life and see the glass as half full instead of half empty. Make new friends with the type of person you want to become. Incorporate their personalities and traits into yours.


3. Face Your Fears- Everyone has a fear of something. Determine what is holding you back and overcome the fear. There are many support groups, clubs and organizations to assist you.


4. Acknowledge that No Person is Perfect- You don't have to perform at your best in every facet of your life. This places too much pressure on yourself. When you don't perform well in one area, it may bring you down in other areas as well.


5. Change Your Physical Appearance and Words- Stand tall, don't slouch. Walk 20 percent faster. Say "Hello" to people when you walk past them. Never use words like, "I can't", "I won't", and "I'm not good at that." Replace them with "I can", I'm confident" and "I'll find a way."

If you incorporate just one or two of these in your life over the next few months, you will see big changes almost immediately. By making a few small changes like these, it will greatly improve confidence in all areas of life.

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

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Louis_C_Kreppert

How to Bring Yourself Out of a Negative Mindset

You might not realize it within yourself but you are probably holding on to more negativity that you care enough to admit to yourself. Think back to those days when you had some time for yourself and you just sat back to relax. Notice how quickly your mind fills up with negative thoughts and energy? Past hurts, feelings and issues do not go away when you "forget" about them, they stay locked away in your unconscious mind and resurface in subtle ways: sudden bouts of depression, fits of anger and waves of resentment.

A negative mindset prevents you from living a completely fulfilling life and saps away at time you could use to be more productive. Those who can say they've been through a lot usually have a tendency to cherish their hurts, holding on to them like a knife they would someday use for seeking justice from real and imagined oppressors. However, it never works in their favour as they just end up getting increasingly bitter and resentful. They're gripping the knife by the blade if only to never forget their need to be compensated.

If you feel like negativity has pervaded your mind and daily living, you can consider the following tips to bring yourself out of a negative mindset:

Stop holding on to destructive thoughts.

You can never forget the people who have done you wrong and how much you've suffered. Year in and year out, you replay scenes from incidents just like horror movies you're afraid to watch yet can't stop watching. You wish that things happened differently, you hope for revenge, you imagine hurting people back and the thoughts never seem to cease by themselves. Holding on to these thinking patterns only assures your own self-destruction and the demise of your life goals. Make a habit of cherishing the important and valuable things in your life. Count your blessings. Picture the progressive future rather than being chained to the habits of the past where you were merely young and naïve. If it helps, employ the services of a professional who can guide you through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) techniques and change your thought patterns.

Don't stay in one place and keep yourself busy.

Just like a pool of stagnant water, negative thoughts can fill your mind if you don't keep it flowing and preoccupied. Find work that you're passionate about, immerse yourself in a hobby or simply go out and get some fresh air. You just need to be reminded that the world is an awesome and expansive place, greater than all the anxiety and problems that you feel at the present moment. You have so much to look forward to and you're just getting started with a happy and fulfilling life.

Be kind, especially to strangers.

If you're suffering from guilt because of bad decisions or if you just want to feel good about the world in general, it can be very affirming to offer something of yourself to people with no expectation of reward. Give a little money to a random beggar on the side walk. Teach kids at the orphanage. Talk to the elderly at the nursing home. Join a team of disaster volunteers. You'll reaffirm three things: you're still a good person, the world still holds kindness, and faith in humanity still persists despite all the problems in the world.

Find positive people to share your life with.

People assimilate the qualities of the peers they surround themselves with. This does not happen by conscious choice. Check your manner of speaking, moving and making decisions. How much of your behaviour can be traced to your family, friends or significant other? If you keep negative people around you for a while, your outlook in life inevitably becomes negative. Choose positive people you can spend time with, preferably on a daily basis. You don't even need to be clingy, you just have to develop a routine in which there are enough vibrant and kind people who care enough about you and the world to enjoy activities with. In time, you'll grow into the kind of positive person who can be a shining light to people who have made negativity the centre piece of their lives.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=J_Russell_Hart

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Understanding Self Confidence

Self confidence can be described as an appreciation of one's own self worth, or personal value and is a powerful human need that is essential for survival and normal, healthy development. It is classed as a behavioural trait or characteristic that arises from within a person, and concerns the various beliefs we have about ourselves, which can include a  judgement about our appearance, capabilities, emotions and behaviour. It occurs in conjunction with our thoughts, behaviours, feelings and actions, and affects every aspect of our lives, from our personal relationships and our careers to our interactions with others.

According to psychologist Abraham Maslow (1943) it plays an important role in his concept of the Hierarchy of Needs, and he describes it as one of the most basic of human motivations. He believed that people attain confidence from both their inner selves as well as from other people, and suggested that both these needs should be met in order for the person to grow and realize self actualization.

Our self confidence is an important tool that enables us to work through life's challenges and achieve the goals we have set ourselves. It also helps us to properly assert our needs, gives us the right to feel happy and worthy, and can lead to successful careers and fulfilling relationships. It can be shaped by factors that are both internal and external. The internal factors can encompass your own personal beliefs or ideas, whereas the external factors will be found in your environment and can include interactions with parents, teachers, the workplace and cultures.

Early external factors will undoubtedly be the family environment in which we grew up in, and although parents play an important role within this setting, we are not mere pawns to which we are shaped and formed by our surroundings; we also play an active role within it. Parents respond to us as individuals, and can either nurture self esteem by providing positive feedback and interactions, or they can stifle it with harsh criticism or disinterest.

In Attribution Theory, people attempt to explain the behaviour of others and ourselves as either being caused by internal or external factors. Typically when we try to explain our own behaviour we use external factors such as the environment or unseen forces, and when we explain the behaviour of others we use internal factors, such as personality traits. Carol Dweck believed that people who attributed internal factors to their own behaviour were more capable acting on the beliefs and achieving their goals.

Having a a positive sense of our abilities makes us feel happy within ourselves; we know what we are capable of, we experience the world as an open opportunity in which we have just as much right as the next person to try and achieve our goals. We are empowered and motivated and we feel right in taking pleasure and satisfaction in our achievements.

If you do not possess these capabilities however, you look to others for validation of your own self worth, and you do not see people in their own right, but as sources of approval or disapproval. You associate yourself, not with people that genuinely share your beliefs, interests and to which you can enjoy their company, but with those that you know will not condemn or ridicule you. The old saying of "If you do not love yourself, you will be unable to love others" is well known, but similarly, if you don't feel lovable then it is also very hard to believe that someone else could love you.

People who are self confident at work are more likely to surround themselves with capable colleagues, as they are not panicked at the thought of being undermined by people that are better than them. They are often more motivated to give their best, and be in control of achieving their own goals. Also, they do not feel the need to put others down in order to raise others perception of them

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Patrick_Cumiskey

Stop Worrying About What Others Say Or Do!

Stop wasting your valuable time and effort constantly being concerned with what others may say or do! Each individual is just that - an individual, with his own needs, goals, dreams, vision, purpose, and definition of personal success. There is no purpose to comparing yourself to others, because it doesn't help or improve you, nor does it serve any constructive purpose. It is far more important what you think about you, than what you perceive others do, or even what they actually do.

After all, only you live in your shoes and your skin, so how can anyone else claim to know you better than you do! Focus on making you, the best you, that you can be! Stop trying to be a mediocre copy or clone of someone else, but rather be the finest original possible! Remember that it's always up to you - stemming from a combination of your self - confidence, beliefs, and personal values and visions. While it is always in your best interest to be the best you can be, others may have less noble motivations and perspectives. Don't spend an inordinate amount of time judging or analyzing them or their motivations, perspectives, goals, etc. Rather, focus on what you need to do and address.

1. This does not mean that you should not look at certain aspects and techniques used by those you consider successful, and emulate certain techniques, approaches, methodologies, etc. Each of us have the opportunity to optimize our performance and efforts when we learn from others, and use this attained knowledge in a personally constructive manner. Rather than worrying about pleasing someone else, we should understand that we can never influence outside circumstances to our optimal potential unless we first focus on making ourselves the best we can personally be!

2. It is never possible to fully understand what others go through. Only they walk life in their shoes and see life through their eyes and experiences. It is generally a good idea to avoid trying to judge others. In addition, many activities we are involved with, are in some manner, competitive in nature. Therefore, these people we spend so much time trying to please and sometimes emulate, may often have less than pure or stellar motivations for their behaviors, attitudes, and actions. Ask yourself what you can do to better please yourself and enhance your self esteem and confidence! Consider what you would consider the best and most constructive you. Will you make that effort to be objectively introspective?

It is really all about you! How you look at yourself and value yourself generally determines whether you can live to your potential, and become a better you!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Brody

How To Know What You Want In Your Life

Today we are going to talk about how to know what you want in your life. At this point in your life you have an opportunity to really look back and forward. To see where you are right now and where you want to be in the future. Now is your chance to take a look at what you would really like to do with your life.

But, before you find out how to achieve your goals, you have to know what your goals really are. You have to be super specific.

For example, some goals could be:

I will earn $1million a per year in my on-line business. I will have a great social life filled with great friends. I will drive a brand new Mercedes S Class. Things like that...

For your goals to be real, you have to be specific. If you are not specific you do not have a clear cut goal.

For example, one of the goals I want to achieve in the next couple months is to own a 2014 pearl white Audi S5. I set this goal about two months ago. I made my goal very specific so I know exactly what I'm working towards.

I wanted to use a personal example to demonstrate that you have to be very specific. I know exactly what I wanted it to be.

Whatever goal you might have, keep this in mind, whatever you can dream of, you can achieve! There are no limits unless you put them on yourself.

Go ahead and sit down and write down everything you want from your life, your biggest goals. Then you want to break these down into smaller periods of time. 10 years from now, 5 years from now, 1 year from now, 6 months from, etc. You get the picture.

You won't be able to achieve your ultimate goals without setting short term goals to make your dreams a reality. This is where so many people go wrong. You have to set goals on a daily, weekly and yearly basis to achieve your long term objectives.

The reason for goal setting is very simple. Without goals, you just exist. You don't truly start to live until you set real goals for yourself. You will just end up in a crappy relationship, horrible job, and spend the rest of your life looking at successful people, wondering how they have it all. And I know this is not the life you want to live.

Goal setting is very powerful and it can and will improve all areas of your life. The process of setting goals allows you to choose what you want and where you want to go in life. Goal setting gives you exactly what you must have to move forward in life, right now!

Article Source:  http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Jeter

Where Are You Going? 10 Steps To Creating Your Ideal Life

It is always important to ask yourself, "Where am I going?" This question is meant to be introspective and refers to where you are headed in life. It is an invaluable question you need to answer and reflect on often. The reason is that without asking yourself this, you may just fall into a life that you are not happy with or a life that does not allow you to meet your true potential.

So, where are you going?

To answer this question there are other questions that precede it and strategies to consider. Here are 10 steps that will help you in creating your ideal life.

Step 1: Take a look at yourself. I don't mean in the mirror, I mean look at your situation and ask yourself "Is this where I want to be right now?" Some of you may say "yes" but my guess is that more people will answer "no". In order to figure out where you are going in your future you have to look at where you are now, this is your starting point.

Step 2: Ask yourself "What does my ideal life look like?" To truly answer this you need to set aside all restrictions and honestly answer it. The reason this question is so powerful is because it gives you insight and direction into what YOU really want.

Step 3: Evaluate your answer. Is your answer realistic? Is it attainable? Is it a life that YOU can make happen? For example, if you said you want to win the lottery, marry Channing Tatum and move to the south of France, I'm going to guess that's probably not going to happen. BUT even if you gave an unrealistic answer it is telling. In this scenario, you could say "I want to be financially secure, I want to marry someone with similar characteristics to Channing Tatum and I eventually want to visit or move to the south of France." Those goals are attainable. So restructure your answer to "What does your ideal life look like?" to make it possible.

Step 4: Decide what you will work on first to get you closer to the life you want. If you want to make several changes in your life, pick ONE thing first. If your ideal life is far off from where you are now it may be overwhelming. In order for change to occur, you need to pick one thing to focus on at a time. Pick the most important thing to work on first.

Step 5: Make a plan on how you are going to make that first change. Commit to it and take steps to get there. For example, if you are dissatisfied with you job or you don't know what you want to be when you grow up, YOU have to decide what that is and make a plan. Ask yourself, "what am I good at? What do I love to do? What am I passionate about? What type of job would I be successful at?" Once you have the answer, you can make a plan.

Step 6: Work towards that goal! Set action steps towards your goal. Write down ways that work for you. You have to make a dedicated effort to change something in your life. Write down and evaluate the steps that are working for you and the ones that aren't. Readjust those steps as you work towards your goal.

Step 7: Be patient. Change doesn't happen overnight but if you are working towards making your life better, I guarantee you will be happier. Be proud of yourself that you are taking initiative in creating the life that you were meant to have.

Step 8: Stay motivated. Wherever you personally find motivation and inspiration, do it! YOU have to keep yourself motivate to accomplish your goals and to create your future.

Step 9: Always keep the vision of your ideal life in the back of your mind. Don't let that vision go! Focus on it, work on it and make it your reality. Once you have accomplished your first goal, get to work on the next one. Keep going until you are where you want to be.

Step 10: Remember to enjoy your small accomplishments, remember to stay positive and most of all remember that it is up to YOU to decide where you are going in life and YOU can create you ideal life!

"What you get by achieving our goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals"---Henry David Thoreau

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracey_Graham

My Personal Realization of How the Law of Attraction Works in My Life

Do you believe in the Law of Attraction?

I do... now, but there was a time in my life when I was I a spiral downturn... and this miraculous story is what convinced me that there's actually something to it.
I wouldn't want to wish the shame and frustration I experienced on anyone, which is why I'm sharing this story with you...

There was a time when the happy life with my husband - my best friend at the time - was declining in his alcoholism. Gone were the days when we were working together to improve the house and look forward to family parties and sailing every weekend... Now he was coming home late, yelling at the air, punching his arm through the door, completely ignoring our little girl, and then crashing and sleeping.
I can remember when he slept all day through Christmas...

"When will Daddy wake up?" my 4-year daughter asked... "Does Daddy have a present for me?" And in an effort to make her feel better, I lied, "Yes, Daddy had a very special present for you", and gave her the one present left that I had hoped to share with my husband. Of course, he had no part in choosing this particular doll for her present, but funny how it turned out to be her favourite. I knew then that my little girl deserved a better life, but I was only working part time for my Dad. To understand where I'm going with this, I need to back up and tell you first about working for my Dad...

That was still another source of frustration...

I really believed that the $145 weekly pay was the best I could ever do because my Dad needed me and I couldn't bring myself to quit the administrative work I was doing for him.

In desperation, I tried numerous other part-time jobs... many of them the traditional home party deals, most of which would bring in a whopping $25 profit after 4 hours of hard-earned work and travelling at night while my little girl was home missing me.
We also bred puppies for money...

But at the time all this was going downhill with my husband's drinking, and the puppies were getting harder to sell. I was so embarrassed to lead the prospective buyers through the area where my passed-out husband lay to get where the puppies were. I had decided to give one to a "friend" who promised to pay later. With anguish and total frustration, I found myself screaming at her at the top of my lungs to collect the payment she had promised. Needless to say, that was the end of our friendship.

My husband's condition was now declining, and his boss's wife kept calling me complaining out his behaviour. Since he worked for a small business and customers were complaining about him, some of his pay checks actually didn't even clear, so the little money I thought I could count on wasn't even there!

He was baker-acted after attempting suicide, and now I was feeling more alone than ever...

I remember saying out loud to myself on the way to visit him, "I just want to die", as tears rolled down my face.

Little did I know at the time of Rhonda Byrne's famous words, "Whatever happens to you in your life, you are attracting that". If someone had told me that at this time in my life, I really would have hit the roof! It was all my husband's fault, right?

That's what I thought at the time, until I learned about the Law of Attraction, and I'll tell you later how that happened...

If you believe in the Law of Attraction, you can see what was happening here.
The more bad stuff was happening, the worse I felt. And the worse I felt, the more bad stuff came down on my like an avalanche!

During the time when my husband was in the hospital for his 2nd suicide attempt, I was watching an emotional show, and crying my eyes out. I had actually seen this movie before and didn't shed a tear, but at this time in my life, anything could make me cry. I happened answered the phone when I was breaking down in tears and at the verge of a nervous breakdown. Embarrassed, I found my explaining the real reason why I was so hysterical, she said calmly, "Oh honey, you should have told me... I'm recovering from the same illness".

Suddenly I didn't feel so alone. Isn't it remarkable how when you're in your down at the bottom of your life, a simple kind word from a friend can turn things around?

I later had to make the gut-wrenching decision to take my daughter and leave. But now what? My daughter was used to me only working part-time, and now I was working full-time and more! But the friendships that came into my life at that time were so healing that I began to feel good.

One friend who called me when I was living in the small cracker-box 1-bedroom apartment said, "You must feel like you're in heaven now!" And, surprisingly, I did! I was so happy and grateful that I wasn't trapped in the situation with bill collectors calling constantly and a drunken repulsive husband to deal with! Even though I was working 24/7 to make ends meet, there was a sense of new found security in myself that now I was in control of my life!

And this "feeling of gratitude" gave me a feeling of security and new found happiness, which transformed my life into a miraculous turnaround...

As the Law of Attraction dictates, things started changing for me all around!

My part-time work for my Dad had been supplemented with a "secretarial business" that wasn't doing very well before I left. But amazingly, once I left and started feeling better about my abilities, customers seemed to just come out of the woodwork. Surprisingly, I wasn't even advertising at the time.. Just one customer after another came to me through word of mouth.

My Mom had cut an ad out of the paper for a full-time job where I applied and got the job...

Even though it only paid $6.50 a hour, I was able to supplement my income easily because my Dad was now one of my secretarial business accounts, with 3 other repeat customers (all of whom just "came out of the woodwork"). After two years, my side business was making me more than my day job! But that little day-job was where I met the man of my dreams who is now my husband.

More on that in a minute, but first let me tell you about my single life with my daughter...

By mixing business with pleasure, I even found time to spend with my daughter, as she was assigned to make my "secretarial deliveries" on her bicycle. I also paid her to help me in my business by putting applying postage stamps on my direct mail pieces. I still found time to lead her Brownie troop and go sailing with her on some weekend days with the little boat I had kept since the divorce.

As we sailed by the mansions in the inter-coastal, my daughter and I would point to specific houses, "that's the one I want when I grow up", she said, "that's the one I'll have one day", I said.

It wasn't until my daughter was grown and introduced me to Rhonda Byrne's "The Secret" that I looked back on all of this and discovered it all made perfect sense...

When things were in a spiral down-turn, they got worse. But when I was able to change my focus to what I was so happy and grateful for, things got better. This knowledge and the story of how the Law of Attraction worked in my life had inspired me to share my miraculous story with others.

I've recently been reading more into Wayne Dyer's writings, too...

And I often think about my favourite quotation from his books, "You get what you think about, whether you want it or not"... and my life continues to prove that phenomenon over and over.

And the ending to my story?

My daughter has discovered how to make money on-line and is able to work from home completely! At the age of 27, she is probably half way to living in one of those mansions she used to point to as a little girl.

And I'm also living in a house I had always dreamed of - a small comfortable house with a fireplace!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nancy_Harnell

A Winning Disposition

What is it about some people that has them always standing in the winning circle? Is it really that they are so much more talented than others or is it something else? Certainly talent is a contributing factor but maybe equally important is their mind set and their outlook. They simply see themselves as winners. When we look at superstars slamming down on the basketball backboards or punishing their opponents with repeated blows with their boxing gloves or whatever sports they are involved with, we notice a confidence that is every bit as intimidating as their great physical abilities. They display a focus so intense that it seems it cannot be diminished.

They are determined to win and that exactly what they typically do.

Unfortunately, for every one of those with the winning mentality, there appear to be thousands who see themselves in just the opposite way. They feel perhaps that they are less talented, less prepared and sometimes less deserving. It is hard to deny that an attitude such as that can have a profound effect on results. Many times it is just that spark of confidence that pushes one to be far better than he would otherwise be.

So, how does one develop or incorporate that attitude and is it even possible for that to happen? Certainly optimism is essential. One has to keep telling themselves over and over that they are capable to doing significant things and eventually over time they can come to actually believe that is true. People are capable of amazing things, far more than they realize. All too often, we are our own worst enemies as we continually sabotage ourselves with our negative attitudes and feelings of inadequacy.

While it is true that everyone has bad days and times when they are not feeling at their very best it is also true that those times can be very temporary. Positive thinking can help to get us back on the track so much faster than being mired in feelings of our inability to succeed. Sometimes the secret is to just keep trying. Not being afraid to fail and then when we do come up short being willing to try again and again until success is achieved is the winning recipe. It is a proven truth that doing things over and over improves our abilities to do them. Not giving up is crucial, as is keeping our attitude positive.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nancy_Kelsey_Smith

Do You Know How to Develop Your Self-Esteem and Be Happier?

The general attitude we have towards living our lives is determined by early life experiences and the mental models we created from them.

Having a mindset of positive expectation is different from expecting only gloom and failure... and it is determined by the kind of attachment we had with our mothers.

A secure attachment is the result of having a constant mother or care-giver who understood how to solve our needs. A person that has a secure attachment expects the world to be a sane, predictable and kind place. A person who has a strong self-esteem will behave accepting what life offers as an endless learning opportunity. If we had discontinuity in care or a mother too anxious to be relaxed and present, we will walk in life expecting that the world will fail to deliver what we need... and that risk and negativity lurk somehow in the future.

Regardless the kind of experiences we went through before, we need now a strong self esteem to be able to thrive; a good self-esteem is important and needs your dedication. Is it possible for us now to choose between a more relaxed, calm and efficient way to live, instead of being apprehensive and fearful, always looking for the negative event we need to prevent and protect from?

Yes. Of course, our previous experiences still are framing the way we deal with the world today. If we were protected, helped and nurtured, we will see the universe as a peaceful entity, ready to give us what we need or deserve... If we have been frustrated and grew up in a scarcity environment, then we will look at life with dread expecting any next setback to produce serious damage to our life.

Not only does our attitude affect us, it also affects those around us, in short our mood modifies our environment. Developing and keeping a positive outlook is essential if we wish to lead a positive and fulfilling life. Once we realize how important is to take care of a weak self-esteem that is shaping a poor attitude towards life, we need to find a way to change it.

There are many ways in which we can develop a more positive mindset, if we want to. We can begin to change how we think and feel about many situations that we encounter in day-to-day living, turning them from sure catastrophes into learning opportunities. Changing attitude and not slipping back into negative thinking will take time and serious efforts, but eventually the new mindset will become second nature.

This is the process to change your mindset:

• Be aware of your negative thoughts; and practice on a daily basis on becoming more and more aware. When you set a goal for yourself, focus on completing one task at a time and think only of a positive outcome for it and experience the positive feelings related to task completion. Probably there will be some doubts about your capacity to finish, but don't get scared so easily and keep going.
• Watch out when you begin conversations using negative comments, and don't allow others around you to talk in those terms. Find the good aspect hidden in everything and any situation. Praise others' positive actions; be fast in recognizing the merits of tasks well done.
• Whatever you are doing in your day-to-day life, keep watching out for negative thoughts that put your resolve in jeopardy. Find the silver lining in any challenge!
• Be patient with setbacks; you have been thinking in a negative way for too long... if you catch yourself saying some negativity, ask yourself: What good result can come from this situation? You will find over time that many areas of your life can be improved just by changing your mindset from a negative one to a positive.

Following this conscious transformation path, you will find that your self-esteem improves, you become more confident in being able to achieve your goals, you feel happier than before, and your relationships improve! These are just a few of the areas where you can transform your life by learning to behave from a more positive mindset and thus build up a happier life. 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nora_Femenia

The Secrets Of A Positive Life

Are you constantly having thoughts of negativity? Do you see everything negatively? The reason for this negativity lies inside of you. You are what you tell yourself you are. Think about this, If a person smokes on a daily basis, I will bet that their body will be affected in some way. They may have a multitude of health issues, whether it's lung cancer or worse. At the same time, a person who constantly talks negatively to themselves will be a negative person. There's no way around it.

You have to stop these thoughts and feelings. You have to stop telling yourself these negative things. At first you will have to constantly monitor yourself, by asking yourself things like, is this thought negative or positive? Negative thoughts are quite common and you can identify them because they sound like can't instead of can, no instead of yes, wont instead of will. The problem with the world today is that people allow themselves be ruled by their thoughts. I dealt with this for years and it held me back in every area of my life. From money and my career, to confidence and my love life. But after struggling to figure out how to change I made all the changes I wanted in my life by changing my thoughts. We are the creation of our mind. Change your thoughts and you will change your life.

The best way to do this is to write down your negative thoughts. Those words are a reflection of what is going on inside you and in turn they are creating who you currently are. The great thing is that you can change and you can change fast. It is as simple as making the choice to do so. You must decide to replace the thoughts of negativity with thoughts of positivity.

Next, take a piece of paper and take all those negative things that you wrote down and simply write them as positives in the present tense. For example, I am confident. I believe in myself. I love myself. Things like that. Start telling yourself those positives day in and day out instead of the negatives. You will notice a positive change taking place in your life much quicker then you could ever imagine.

You can do this. if you simply take the steps above and actually use them. Don't hesitate or procrastinate. You do not have to be what you were in the past. You can be different right now. The choice is yours. I know you will make a positive one.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Jeter

How To Tell If You Have Low Self Esteem And How To Change It

In this article I want to talk about your self esteem. There are all types of different levels of self esteem. Sometimes it's unusually high and sometimes it's very low. Unfortunately, it's very common to have very low self esteem. I should know, I was there for the majority of my first 25 years in this world. But there is good news! You can change it, and it's really not that hard to do. Sure it will take a little work, but everything worth having includes at least a little work!

Like I stated above, it's very common to have low self esteem. Do not feel bad if you are in this position! You can change it and I am going to do my best at helping you do this. The first thing we must do is really find out if you do have low self esteem.

Go look in the mirror and focus on how you feel when you look at yourself. How do you feel? What do you see? Are they mostly negative or positive feelings? After you have done that you will have a grasp on your self esteem. If you feel mostly positive then you have a great self esteem and that's great! If you feel mostly negative, you have low self esteem. And like I said before, that's perfectly OK! You just have to do a little work to get that positive self esteem.

Self esteem comes about by the way we talk to ourselves and our self image. If we have a negative self image our self esteem is going to be low. Also, if you are talking to yourself negatively everyday then you will have low self esteem. In order to change this and obtain high self esteem you must change the way you look at yourself and talk to yourself.

You must make a concerted effort everyday to change this. It's not going to happen overnight, nothing worth having will be that easy. If you keep trying to find an overnight solution, or a magic pill like I like to call it, you will be searching forever. There is no such thing. You must do work if you want to change anything in your life, especially your self esteem.

The quickest way to improve your self esteem is to start talking to yourself differently. Stop beating yourself up over everything. Nobody is perfect, and everybody makes mistakes everyday. Instead of telling yourself that you're not confident or your broke or overweight, whatever it may be, start telling yourself that you are confident, you have an abundance of money, you're in great shape. Even if they're not true, you will be creating it in real time. It sounded crazy to me at first, but once I took a leap of faith and just did it, my life changed very quickly. Take that leap of faith and just do it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_Jeter

A People Pleaser, No More!

You are a people pleaser when in everything you do, all you consider is the happiness or contentment of other people. People who are not even worthy of your time or do not even have any value to your life, work or business. With this, you should be aware that you are always being taken advantaged of, making it detrimental to you. Especially, if you are a network marketer. That is because part of your job is to interact and mingle with different people. Always remember to never bow to them to the extent that all you want is to see them pleased, even at your own expense. This will cause you almost everything you have worked hard for, including your reputation, the other people's respect and your confidence. It will also put a lot of stress and pressure on you making you prone to negative feelings and problems.

How Will You Save Yourself From Being A People Pleaser?

First, you should be aware if you really are a people pleaser. Getting clear and honest answers from yourself will surely help in the healing process. Try to rediscover yourself, then think of the reason that lead you to people pleasing, and the thing that is pushing you to do so.

If you are already finished evaluating why you have become a people pleaser, you need to focus on yourself. Try to work on yourself and improve your mental aspect. That way, you can regain the self-confidence that you have lost. During, or even after the process, do not let anyone intimidate and ridicule you in any way. You can also create boundaries for people whom you have pleased before as they will surely expect something from you. Put some reservations for yourself.

Go on with what you have started and get rid of the things that might lead you to people pleasing again. Bear in mind, that there is nothing wrong with helping and considering others, but your physical, mental and emotional health should come first!

It is very important that you always please yourself first and only do things for people when you really feel good about it. When you truly want to please others you will feel great about that and feel you have done a good deed for your fellow-man or woman. So just go with your feelings and please yourself first before pleasing others. Knowing the difference will take the pressure off you and help you become a better person.

Remember that being great and successful is not something that other people will say or bestow upon you, it is something that you prove yourself worthy of. Stop being a people-pleaser any more! Empower yourself now!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anthony_Trevor_Wing

Goal Mapping: 5 Steps To Get Everything You Want Faster

Goal setting is the key to success if you desire to take charge of your life. Setting goals, planning, implementing then measuring your progress is the master skill everyone needs to succeed, getting everything you want faster than ever. No matter what your current circumstances or what you believe, anything is possible. Engage with yourself to bring about positive external environments as well as internal changes.

Goals will help you achieve your aims, getting your life on the move. To define you goals, you must write them down, make a plan to achieve them, then work on them everyday. Consciously instructing the subconscious, by getting into a state of flow by having clear, repeated and committed aims will help you to prioritise your work, give you insight into parenting, relationships and even health & fitness goals.

We are all able to achieve our hearts desires. But if you are bored of the linear method of just writing down goals. Goal mapping is creative and fun, turning your dreams into reality. A guide that will motivate you daily to do extra little things, making all the big difference in the long run.

Farewell to the rat race and enter the world of transformation and personal leadership to feel more relaxed and open to knowing what you want from your life. If you have an open mind, goals and targets, but no map, then how will you get there? Either way you will be improving and learning so being in a positive state, will help you capitalise on, and come up with creative ways to achieve your goals.

You can achieve any goal you want, if you let yourself grow, have faith in your dreams or visions and become open to new ideas. No matter how busy or stressed you are, everyone can take 5 mins out of their day to get to your goals one step at a time. Start by mapping out your week to materialise your inner reality. Keep your goals out of reach but not out of site!

Don't forget your Pen & Notebook

Step 1: Try to focus on 1-3 goals to start with this will enable you to REMAIN focused & engaged. So consider the areas of your life that you are ready or need to make changes in.

Step 2: Be CREATIVE. I like to use flip chart paper and bright coloured pens. I tend to brainstorm my ideas first in one colour then use another colour to link any themes together. If you like drawing then use pictures to set goals. You can even create a collage if you are unable to draw like me. Whatever works for you. A list is also good for those that think linear.

Step 3: Keep the list, drawing or flip chart with you at all times. If it is too big to carry around. Then take a picture of it on your phone. It needs to be something you can visualise everyday.

Step 4: Don't be afraid to tweak it or make changes if things change. This should not be a concrete definition that dictates your life, but a guide which I'd flexible to change as life's circumstances change.

Step 5: Be BOLD. Don't limit your goals. Think BIG. You are specifically created for a purpose & there is a reason for your life.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marteka_N_Swaby

Discover Yourself And Start A Better Life! By Maricar Wing

Life, as we know it, is a path that has several and different stages, and knowing who you really are is as important as it will direct you throughout your life. Discovering oneself will guide you in making relevant decisions that will eventually have an impact in your own life, whether positive or negative. This is true especially on career choices, leadership roles and family matters. And for one to pull off his or her missions and to accomplish his or her goals one need to first recognize who she or he really is.

There are so several ways that can help you assess yourself and find out who you really are. Here are some of the most important considerations that can help you discover yourself.

Know What You Really Want. Determining what you really want in life is a hard thing to do. You can start by considering which things you really like, which area you're good at and which stuff interests you the most. A little experimenting is a good strategy.

If this does not work, evaluate yourself. Ask yourself a series of questions like "What do I want?, What must I do to have it?, How would I feel when I have it?", and the likes. You can do this again and again but you should not answer the same thing twice, this will help you advance with the first step, which is to know what you really want.

Be Aware Of The Values That You Uphold. This is essential in discovering yourself because values are the foundation that drive most of our decisions whether in business or in real life. Values influence everything including your relationship and leadership. By having a good understanding of your values, you gain a tremendous insight, clarity and focus.

Being conscious of your values will give you a better stand in decision-making. You get to realize who you really are, what you really want and what is best for you.

Know The Skills That You Possess. Discovering your skills is one of the most effective ways to know yourself better and to identify who you really are. This helps you determine your strengths and weaknesses, making you advance or get ahead of your career, or whatever you are into.

Know Your Personality. As you become aware of your very own personality, you quickly become more genuine, effective and efficient in whatever you are doing. You feel comfortable on whoever you are, you can also identify your strengths and weaknesses, develop relationships, choose your career and the likes!

Remember that discovering yourself is not easy, but as the saying goes, IT IS WORTH IT! Again remember, to be successful in achieving your goals in life you must know who you really are.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Maricar_Wing

Low In Confidence? Boost It Here: 10 Self-Image and Confidence Building Tips

Try these few tips to increase your self-image, gain more confidence and build a more powerful and highly motivated self:

1. Believe That You Are a Unique, Creative, Resourceful and Valuable Person.This is not self-flattery, but the truth - that is what you really are. You were designed for great accomplishments. You have on the inside of you seeds of greatness. It is this understanding of your true-self that is the foundation for all successes.

2. Believe That You Are Not Inferior To Anybody. We are all humans. While our life experiences, opportunities, backgrounds, cultures, levels of education or religious beliefs might vary, at the end of the day, we are all equal at the levels of our existence and humanity. So when you walk, hold your head high as a creative expression of boundless possibilities.

3. Talk a Little Louder. When you talk loud, you radiate confidence. As a result, your nervous system and your brain feel the positive energy and release more energising chemicals that make you feel more confident, happier and powerful.

4. Walk a Little Faster. When you walk, walk like a person of purpose. Let your gait and your speed show that you value your time and are on a mission to fulfil a worthwhile objective. This confidence building act trains your brain to identify your motives with success and productivity, thereby boosting your self-image and increasing your self-confidence.

5. Walk On Your Emotional Recovery Rate. When you are disappointed with things or people, make up your mind to get up on your feet as quickly as possible and move on. This is not to say you should not take time to grieve and come to terms with your ordeal, especially those grieving processes which are legitimate, such as a loss of a job, a loved ones, a favourite pet, valuable possessions, freedom or any form of disability. Take your time to grieve. It is healthy and helpful. But do not slump into the oppression of over-grieving. So you want to move on as quickly as possible to start counting your blessings and focusing on your opportunities. This positive mental attitude of "moving on, in spite of your ordeal" is so powerful that it unleashes your willpower and courage, which then, in time, boost your confidence level.

6. Express Your Views. One of the most powerful ways to force high self-image and liberate your inner confidence is to develop a discipline of sharing your views. Ask questions in a meeting or at the shop. Ask for directions quicker. Also, when you don't hear what others said to you, ask them to repeat what they have just said. Be comfortable in sharing and seeking clarity. Be a contributor, not spectator. Write down your life experiences, ideas, opinions or observations. Start a blog. You will be stunned with the positive effects this single success discipline will have on your self-image and on your life as a whole.

7. Set Big Goals and Believe You Can Achieve Them. It is said that a man's self-image is not measured by his status or titles, but by the size of his dreams. The more you believe that you desire the best life has to offer and that you can achieve your goals in life, the bigger you dream. On the other hand, if you do not believe that good things are possible for you, you will not bother setting goals and dreaming big. This is why many never set goals. But here is what happens when you set compelling goals: You activate the success mechanism in your brain, which begins to supply you with the ideas, insights and knowledge that will assist you in accomplishing your goals. As a result, your entire being becomes gravitated towards productivity and a huge sense of purpose and progress. This then have a knock on effect on your self-image. You begin to feel a lot better about yourself. The more progress you make, the more you believe in the possibility of your dreams and the more you see your confidence and self-esteem accelerate.

8. Commit to Daily Affirmation. This is one of the most important disciplines of success, after goal setting. It is a powerful confidence building exercise. Affirmation is when you write down all that you desire in your future and verbalise them regularly, as though you already have them. They are sets of positive statements that you declare to yourself daily until your subconscious mind accepts them as real and turns them into your new mental blueprints. If you desire is to be more confident and bold, your daily affirmations should include a statement such as: "I am highly confident, with great self-image and I energise others with my positive energy," or " I am a goal-getter, and I see possibilities in impossibilities and have a tremendous amount of energy to ask and go for what I want and persist until I get them." I have never known or read about any successful man and woman who does not have a great habit of daily positive affirmation. Great achievers create their daily experiences by declaring them first before they begin their day.

9. Embrace Positive Visualisation. Uncommon accomplishers create their desired future by visualising it. They daily tap into their power of imagination and visualise their goals in their completed states. They flood their mind with pictures of possibilities, opportunities, peace, happiness, great relationships, sound health and abundance, even before they ever experience any of those things. Why? Because they understand that your life will always move in the direction of your dominant vision. You become what you envision most of the time. Instead of envisioning bad luck, disappointments, sickness, betrayal, rejections, failures and shame, they picture themselves as already living their dream future, and as a result, there is a surge in their self-image and confidence. They walk confidently, and talk with great assurance. They behave and carry themselves as if they are enjoying something. And it is just a matter of time before they create in the physical plane the exact visions they have been nursing in their minds. This is a secret to a life extra ordinary. It is faith in action.

10. See Failures and Setbacks As Springboards to Higher Grounds. Many people reinforce their poor self-image by refusing to try. This is because they interpret failures and setbacks as enemies.they resent how setbacks make them feel. But here is the truth: Failures are simply necessary steps to success. The future you want to create will require many failures and setbacks before it unfolds for you. This is how you gain valuable wisdom, experiences, and above all, a heart of appreciation for success. Remember that unless there is a possibility of failing, success is meaningless.

Therefore, see failures as vital life experiences for greater accomplishments. Lean from them. Extract the wisdom hidden in them. But never be paralysed by them. Regroup and start again to advance in the direction of your goals. As you do, your courage and resilience grow, and so is your self-image.

I hope these ten tips have been helpful to you. If yes, please share this article with others in your circle of friends. It may be exactly what they need to move from where they are to where they desire to be.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wale_D._Oladipo

5 Exercises For Overcoming Shyness in New Situations

If you get a lump in your throat every time you enter a room full of strangers, don't worry. You are not alone. New situations where you don't know a soul is scary, and introducing yourself to a complete stranger feels a lot like public speaking. Public speaking is the number one fear of most people - above even death! But you can overcome your shyness (without facing death) by using these five exercises.

1 Look Good; Feel Good

Before you go anywhere, prepare by doing all those little things that make you feel good about yourself. Take a long shower, use deodorant, style your hair, use a small spritz of cologne or perfume (just a little!), and wear comfortable clothes and accessories that complement your figure and colouring. If you know you look and smell good, you will have more confidence.

As you travel to the event, go over your intentions for the evening. If you set a specific intention, you will be able to focus on success and recognize opportunity easier. For instance, you could be looking to meet someone who knows how to design in WordPress. That's very specific, but you'd be surprised at how quickly that person will find you when you put that vibe out. Less specifically, you could set an intention to feel relaxed and have fun. Tell yourself you will, and you will attract that outcome.

Just before you enter the room or venue, add the final touches: close your eyes, take a deep breath, visualize yourself being confident. Open your eyes, stand up straight. Finally, SMILE. You will instantly feel more confident.

2 Recognize Everyone's Shared Wish

Have you ever watched a game show and rooted for the underdog? Were you angry or ecstatic when they won the jackpot or the new car? We get excited when we see people win, it's the human condition. No one watches to see people lose - the shared wish is to see someone succeed.

Stop negative self-talk. Remember that others want to see you succeed as much as you do, and that you are capable and worthy of winning. If a negative thought enters your head, stop it with "cancel" and replace it with "I can do this" or a similar mantra.

Remember this as you walk into the room - every single person present wants to see you succeed.

3 Focus Outward

When you walk into a room, do you feel everyone is staring at you? That's natural. One of the main undercurrents of shyness is the belief that everyone is judging you. What's funny is that everyone else is so worried that they are being judged that they really don't have time to worry about judging you. It's true. Everyone else is thinking about themselves, not you. That's why your smile will go so far - you are showing others that you aren't judging them, after all. You're putting them at ease. Wow, you're powerful!

If you focus outward rather than inward, you'll find that that you share a common ground with many people and all your negative self-talk is invalid.

4 Look for Open Conversations

We all fear rejection, but sometimes we set ourselves up for it inadvertently. If you have ever tried to enter a conversation and felt as if you weren't wanted, it is very possible that you tried to enter a closed conversation. What does that mean?

People engage in all different types of conversations at social events, but each can be boiled down to either being open or closed. If you take a moment to look at body language, it's usually pretty easy to determine which is which.

Closed conversations are between two people, rarely more. They may be talking about something personal or sharing a bit of gossip. Their toes and shoulders will be pointing slightly inward, toward each other. They will be looking at each other. They are not open to having someone join them, and will likely see an attempt as in interruption.

Open conversations can be between two people or a group. Their toes and shoulders will be pointed slightly outward, and they will make eye contact with each other, but still look up or around the room now and then. They will be discussing something light - work, the weather, the event itself. They are open to having someone join them. If you make eye contact with one of them and smile - and they smile back - you're in. Just say hello, and you'll get introduced around.

5 Get Them Started - Then Let Them Talk

It's easy to be a great conversationalist. Get someone started talking by offering them a compliment or asking them a question. Then, let them tell you about it. People simply love to talk about themselves, their families, their pets, or their possessions. Each of us is bursting with stories (even if we don't realize it until we get started talking). If you are a good listener, you will be seen as a good conversationalist.

This doesn't mean to sit in silence while someone blabbers on and on. Being an active listener means that you are learning something from the other person. This might entail asking a clarifying question, agreeing or disagreeing with something they've said, and/or laughing with them. Find a common ground, and then let them tell you their stories. You'll learn a lot and they'll think you are a brilliant conversationalist.

Practice

Get out there. Seriously, just as if you were rehearsing a song or training for a basketball game, the more you practice, the better you'll get. It won't be easy the first time. It will be easier the second time. Soon, you'll be meeting new people and finding you enjoy it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melanie_Hope

The Two Faces Of Stress

In order to better equip you to deal with stress; I want to teach you exactly what stress is and how to protect your mind from the damaging effects of stress. If you follow my few keys to successfully dealing with stress, you will even learn to use stress to help you reach greater heights in health and well-being.

Believe it or not, stress can be a positive force in our lives. If we know how to use stress, it can stimulate us to achieve rather than overcome us and make us fail.

What determines the differences between the two is largely based in our attitudes. Whether we achieve or fail in our dealings with stress depends upon whether we see stress as a positive or negative force.

In large part, whether an event is negative stress or positive stress relies upon how we approach it. Two people facing the very same life scenario, for example, can either be exhilarated or devastated. One man's trash is another man's treasure.

The differences are in the people not the event.

The differences are in whether you perceive the event as exhilarating, or you perceive the event as devastating. The differences are in the perception.

Ironically, our bodies react to both types of stress with an "adrenalin dump". Hormones flood into our bodies creating the same biochemistry in both positive and negative stress situations.

Neuroscience has definitively shown us that there is very little difference between fear and excitement, and that it is the mind that creates the difference between exhilaration and terror. However we interpret an event... as positive stress or negative stress... our bodies respond similarly. Our bodies respond to stress.

Imagine being on a roller coaster. On a purely physiological level-- as the ride moves up and down, changing its direction, changing its speed--we are stimulated, indeed, over-stimulated.

Millions of people ride roller coasters to enjoy them. For them, that over-stimulation is exhilarating. They enjoy roller coasters and actually anticipate the ride with positive expectation.

Then, there are those who absolutely do not enjoy the roller coaster. Their minds see the same ride and the same possibility, but make a significant switch to another experience. Rather than anticipate exhilaration, they dread or fear the experience.

They resist.

But here's the rub: once you're on the ride, that's it!

There's nothing you can do but be there. You can't get off until the ride is over. Let's say that no matter what your expectation, the ride is mandatory. Now you have to ask yourself, "How am I going to do this ride?"

This is a great example of how our minds can determine our experience. We can have a negative stress experience by resisting the roller coaster ride and screaming no, no, no, I hate this the whole time, or we can have a positive stress experience on the roller coaster and be exhilarated!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marco_Auciello