How to Bolster Self Confidence

By Lesley A Knowles

SUCCESS articles often describe ‘confidence’ as a vital ingredient of success, serenity and happiness. People with conviction will find it easier to accomplish personal objectives.

However, it takes time and a great deal of effort to develop self-esteem, especially in a challenging environment.  

Build your confidence - and make 2016 YOUR year

Go through the following pointers and see how you can apply these in your daily life:

* Make friends but see to it that you have good company. Socialize with colleagues but keep it to a certain point where you respect each other and avoid over-familiarity.

Friendship boosts the confidence of everyone. Likewise, avoid a negative atmosphere. Do not be involved in a situation where you have to fight it out with peers just to stay on top.

This kind of environment is full of people who do not appreciate what others do. It erodes your self-confidence.

* Socialize with other people since it hones your social dexterity.

Yet, refrain from people who may cause negative vibrations for you, because this will only disrupt your efforts for self-improvement.

Shun rumor-mongers, naggers, backstabbers and people who complain too much.

* Be aware of the evolving environment. Remember that change will test your patterns in life. It affects your adaptability and thoughts.

Change is evident and constant. It is quite complicated and leads to undue pressures. Nonetheless, change will eventually make you better and stronger.

* Do not be influenced by all the negative happenings around you. The world is full of pessimism. It is up to you to cast away all this disapproval and put the positive notions on top.

You must learn to cope with all kinds of challenges to beef up your self-confidence.

* It is essential for you to know different skills. Maintain your interest in various aspects of your daily life.

Keep track of developments around you and try to know something about everything. You have to be well-informed of political, social, economic, environmental and lifestyle issues.

Becoming optimistic is your choice. This also holds true for building confidence. It is not a policy, gift or something that is born instantly.

You have to choose and develop confidence. The rule is to make things happen.

Figure out the areas where you need to improve and work on those promptly. You are in control of your goals and values if you manage to develop self-worth.

When you achieve confidence, life will be more pleasant and the road to success will turn out less grueling.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7374076

Kid President’s 25 Reasons To Be Thankful!

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net and courtesy of Soulpancake

EVERYONE can benefit from 'counting their blessings' from time to time, especially when life brings challenge and struggle - as it does for all of us.

But it can be hard to truly feel thankful, despite what all the self-help and personal development gurus tell us about the power of gratitude.

Let 'Kid President' show you the way

And it doesn’t have to be anything monumental that troubles you.

Just the general ups and downs of everyday life can be enough, which is why I decided to share the video you can access below, featuring Kid President.

Something of a YouTube phenomenon since one of his earliest offerings - courtesy of the Soulpancake team and entitled, ‘A Pep Talk from Kid President to You’ - he’s always great fun.

In this video, he gives you his 25 (well 26 as it turns out) ‘Awesome Things To Be Thankful For’, which are refreshingly down-to-earth.

No hi-tech gadgets here or pie-in-the-sky ideas. Just the kind of simple and fanciful stuff that makes kids such brilliant observers of what really matters in life.

It’s only a few minutes long and is sure to make you smile. So forget what you’re doing, turn up your sound and click on the link below. I hope you enjoy it!

https://youtu.be/yA5Qpt1JRE4

How To Get Motivated? 8 Ideas that Really Work

By Theresa Ho & pickthebrain.com

LET’S face it.

You are starring at your blank screen. But words are not effortlessly flowing out of your mind onto your screen.

You know that creating content, guest blogging are critical to your business success. 

Get yourself motivated! (pic by freedigitalphotos.net) 

But often you don’t see any results or tangible momentum in your business until a few days, weeks or months later.

When I’m in this slump and feeling unmotivated, here’s what I do:

1. Remind yourself of your ‘Why’!

When you feel like quitting, think about why you started it in the first place. Why is it important to you?

Start with your ‘Why’. As Simon Sinek shares on his TED Talk, get clear on what inspires you to do what you do? People dig the ‘Why’, not the ‘What’.

For me, I remember the time when I lost passion for life and couldn’t get out of bed. It was the worst feeling in the world.

Luckily, my parents saw how unhappy I was and finally really acknowledged it. They told me to do what makes me happy and to get help.

What I realized, though, along my self-discovery journey is that you don’t need anyone’s permission. You need to give yourself the permission.

And nothing is more satisfying than knowing you are in control of getting yourself back in the flow and creating the life you want to experience.

Since then, I am on a mission to help those whose lights have been dimmed to know that they are able to find beauty and purpose again in living out their life on their own terms and not somebody else’s.

This always gets my ass moving, because it reminds me of my purpose and why it is important to me.

2. Do it for your tribe and fans

You have started your journey to do what you love. Along the way, people start to follow and engage with you. You can’t quit now! This is only the beginning!

When I think about my fans and the people who I have been able to touch or make a difference in whatever way, it makes me so happy!

It’s the best feeling in the world.

3. Find inspiration

Besides my fans, I also seek out others who are on the same journey as I am. I feed off their energy and the amazing things they are doing.

I follow the gurus in my field. I watch TED talks. I surf Pick the Brain.com and check out the motivational stories on this site.

This gets my juices flowing, as your determination, resiliency and enthusiasm keeps me going and motivates me to push myself even more.

4. Stick to 'The One'

Whenever I feel unmotivated it’s because I have too much distraction that’s going on, I lack clarity, or I am putting too much pressure on myself to deliver.

You have to get focused again. Choose one goal that is pertinent to your success. Break it down. Start small. Make it easy for you to accomplish it.

So if your goal is to write more and to get an extra five posts out this month. Instead of thinking you have to write every day for three hours.

Just do an hour a day or half an hour day. And do it at the same time, every day at your most productive peak period where your mind is clear if you can.

Once you’ve done it consistently for a week. Increase the time that you feel is right for you.

Each time you complete your task mark your calendar with an X. The key is ‘Don’t break the chain’!

And while you are at it, why not celebrate accomplishing the mini-task and daily habits you’ve set out for yourself along the way?

5. Put on your favorite music playlist

Music does wonders. So create a playlist that gets you motivated and pumped up.

Or if you are lazy use 8tracks or Songza and search for motivational music and ‘Boom’, you are on your way.

6. Share your Goal with People

As human’s we don’t like to lose face when we’ve committed to doing something. So share it with some people who you know have your best interest at heart.

From these people you’ll get support as they will be encouraging you and holding you accountable in a loving way, every step of the way.

7. Shine among the Doubters

This is a bit childish but this fuels me, especially when it is my parents who think I’m insane for quitting my cushy corporate job.

I know I don’t have anything to prove to them or anyone for that matter.

But this fires up my determination to succeed and create a living, doing what I love.

In the end you have got to believe in yourself. And the bonus is shining among those who never believed you could.

8. Mind Your Own Business

This is contradictory to some of the above points. But it is important.

Once you have re-set yourself, where you have found your motivational ‘Mojo’ via any of the above points, it’s time to remove all distractions.

You know what they are. Turn off your phone. Let go of caring about what others think or are doing. It is time to get into your zone and mind your own business.

Tap into your awesomeness. Create and take the inspired action that makes you feel you are living out your purpose.

Theresa Ho is a life coach, a blogger and the founder of Rejuvenate Your Essence.

She believes life is too short to live your life based on others’ expectations and is dedicated in helping people find their essence so that they can live their best lives.

If you like this article check out her Live Mindfully- Find Inspiration in your Job Series, and other inspirational tips by on Facebook.

Article source: http://tiny.cc/aig85x

Pounding In and Pulling Out Nails – with Michael Josephson

Courtesy of Bob Proctor’s ‘Insight of the Day’

WHEN my daughter was confronted with the fact that she had really hurt another child with a mean comment, she cried and immediately wanted to apologize.

That was a good thing, but I wanted her to know an apology can’t always make things better. So I told her the parable of Will, a nine-year-old whose father abandoned his mom two years earlier.  

Are you pounding in nails? (Pic by freedigitalphotos.net)

 Will was angry, and he often would lash out at others with hurtful words. He once told his mom, “I see why Dad left you!”

Unable to cope with his outbursts of cruelty, she sent Will to spend the summer with his grandparents.

His grandfather’s strategy to help Will learn self-control was to make him go into the garage and pound a two-inch-long nail into a four-by-four board every time he said a mean and nasty thing.

For a small boy, this was a major task, but he couldn’t return until the nail was all the way in. After about ten trips to the garage, Will began to be more cautious about his words.

Eventually, he even apologized for all the bad things he’d said.

That’s when his grandmother came in. She made him bring in the board filled with nails and told him to pull them all out. This was even harder than pounding them in, but after a huge struggle, he did it.

His grandmother hugged him and said, “I appreciate your apology and, of course, I forgive you because I love you, but I want you to know an apology is like pulling out one of those nails.

“Look at the board. The holes are still there. The board will never be the same. I know your dad put a hole in you, but please don’t put holes in other people; you are better than that.”

A fourth-grade teacher recently told me how she tells this story to her class in the beginning of the semester and uses it throughout the year.

When she comes upon a child saying or doing a mean or unkind thing, she will say, “Did you put a nail in someone?” Then she’ll ask, “Did you take it out?”

She says her students always know what she’s talking about and recognize what they did was wrong, which isn’t always the case if she simply asks the child what happened.

(That usually results in a string of blaming everyone else).

She urges her students not to use the automatic, “That’s all right” after an apology, because usually what was done was not all right and the person saying it, rightfully, doesn’t feel it was all right.

She tells her class to say, “I accept your apology” or, “I forgive you” instead.

The teacher also uses the story to help her kids understand difficult family matters outside of the classroom.

She tells them some people will never take out the nails they’ve pounded into the children, but everyone has the power to pull them out themselves and get on with their life rather than let others rule them.

She told me, “The story is simple, but the message is powerful – especially when reinforced with: “You’re better than that!”

Remember, character counts.

Michael Josephson
www.whatwillmatter.com

Your One Wild and Precious Life

By Linda N Spencer

OVER a year ago, I moved to Europe. This past week, I spoke to one of my dear American friends to learn that she was moving to Europe as well.

She won't be living in the same country as me, but at least we'll be on the same continent. 

Are you leading a  'wild and precious life'?

Over the summer, I sent her a photo I took on the beach where we live in Costa del Sol.

It was a perfect picture with the Mediterranean Sea and the words from Mary Oliver, "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

I'm at that certain age when people typically start to evaluate what they've done in their lives. Decades have passed. Children have grown.

As I joked recently with a colleague and friend, this is the time when we start to gain wisdom only to have our bodies begin to fall apart. One begins to assess things.

When my friend told me she was moving to Europe, I was fabulously happy for her. I know that she came to a point in her life where she needed a fresh perspective and she wanted to make a bold choice.

We both had been speaking about it for years, when I lived in New York.

Many of my friends are at that stage in life where they're reflecting back on the path that brought them to a particular point in life.

While many are content, I do have some who want to break free from living in a particular city or country. I have others who want to leave a career after having done it for 20 years.

Still others know the time is coming when they have to re-evaluate if they stay with their spouse and partner. Not everything is meant to be forever.

While I'm happy that my friend will be living on the same continent as I am, and hence, we can hopefully see each other more often, I'm really more content in the fact that she is living a new dream.

What's more, I am delighted that she decided to strike out on the journey - not knowing whatsoever what the path ahead will bring.

It takes an infinite amount of courage and faith in the unknown to do what she's doing. In fact, I'm not sure I would have moved to Europe all by myself if I didn't have my husband.

I'd like to think I would have, but I don't know. Maybe. Maybe not.

But, here's the thing. None of us are promised tomorrow. We're not even promised the next moment in our lives.

Although we think we'll be here tomorrow, next month or ten years from now - there are absolutely no guarantees. The older I grow, the more absolutely precious every moment I'm here becomes.

I have a greater respect for the fragility and temporal joys of life now than I ever did in my 20s.

So, if you find yourself in that place where you're evaluating, here's some advice for you. Jump. Leave every excuse of why you can't or shouldn't.

Do the planning. Make the decision and do it. Life's absolutely too short. You'll never get today ever again. You'll never have this chance again if you don't take it. Don't wait for tomorrow. It may never come.

Yes, you'll have people in your life that will challenge you when say you want to move, finally divorce your partner or change your career.

But, here's what others who have danced to their own tune and I have learned. You'll always have those people. There's always a chorus predicting failure, drama and tragedy.

This has nothing to do with you. It's because they're expressing their own fears and anxieties.

In Mary Oliver's poem, the sentence before her most quoted line about your wild and precious life is this:

"Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon?"

© 2015 Linda N. Spencer and "Living For Purpose". All rights reserved.

Please visit the original article - with key links - on my blog at http://lnspencer.com. You will also find other great articles about philanthropy, life and travel.

Please like my Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/living4purpose and follow me on Twitter at @LNSpencer. Thank you so much!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9196343

Daily Habits of Successful People – with Brian Tracy

Posted by John Lee of YourBestYouEver.net

‘It’s all about routine’. That’s the sub-text of this excellent video by entrepreneur, professional speaker, success expert and best-selling author, Brian Tracy.

  

Personal development expert, Brian Tracy

 And Brian’s well-qualified to comment as someone who pre-dates, by quite a few years, the rise in popularity of concepts such as the ‘Law of Attraction’ and ‘Success Manifestation’.

Yet while many more recent commentators, specialists and ‘gurus’ seem to complicate what are already fairly esoteric ideas, he remains refreshingly clear, practical and down-to-earth.

In this five-minute video, he looks at the role of ‘habits’ in our everyday lives and what we can do to form useful ones, while ridding ourselves of those that are less helpful.

As the title suggests, Brian also offers six of the best to adopt for a healthier, more fulfilling and more successful life – taken from his book, ‘Million Dollar Habits’.

There’s a link, too, that enables you to download, for free, a chapter from another of his works entitled, ‘No Excuses! The Power of Self-Discipline’.

It’s well worth a look. Simply click on the link below to be taken to the original recording:

http://tiny.cc/ea583x

Emotional Buttons, Triggers and Controls

By Violet Sky

"I had no choice!" "It's their fault I feel this way, not mine!" "It's just the way I was raised!" "Why do they always make me feel this way?" "I don't know why I said it, it just came out."

Do you identify with any of these comments? If so, you may want to continue reading.  

Someone pushing YOUR buttons? (Pic courtesy FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

 Most of us are familiar with the different sets of circumstances that we know will really upset us in one way or another.

Due to the memories left behind from other situations we have already been through (old baggage) – created when we may not have had the tools we needed to handle them – this 'baggage' may have left behind trauma associated with a similar situation in our past.

The truth is that we ALWAYS have a choice in how we feel about something.

The way our brains work gives us that choice, as our own brain is what we use to control everything about our physical being.

Our brains also have control over the chemicals it releases that match what we feel and how we react to what we feel.

Many of us – for one reason or another – are thinking that we don't have such a conscious control over these things.

Well, I will try to show you how we do, and what can be done about it.

What is an emotional button?

It may start out as simple as a pet peeve, and over time develop into something that really bothers you.

There are many various different degrees of irritation; but once they activate a reaction, they become "buttons" that once pushed are hard to control.

It's like an emotion that hides somewhere in the back of your mind just waiting for a reason to come out and take over.

The reaction also seems to be programmed, because it almost always seems to be the same.

I hear things like, 'I have no choice but to react this way when this happens.' 'I can't change this problem I have.' 'Nothing can fix this.'

These are defeatist and self-sabotaging attitudes, and this way of thinking will not help you.

What can I do about it?

Healing such damage can start by knowing the following truth: "Nothing that is done TO or BY me can affect me traumatically without my permission!"

You always have the CHOICE about how you react to your own feelings and situations when they are triggered or caused.

Our feelings have always come naturally to us as children, and throughout most our lives. Most of the time we learn these emotional reactions by watching someone else react to a similar trigger.

And we learned many of these reactions while we were young. Any new trauma can also encourage us to plant one of these buttons as a form of protection against a similar occurrence in our future.

It takes better teachers than most of us have to help ourselves and others become aware of why human beings were gifted with emotions in the first place, and how to effectively control them with our choices, instead of being controlled by them.

Example: If someone puts a gun to your head and demands something of you, what are your choices? Many may say there isn't one.

Let me help you see them here:

(1) Do what has been demanded of you.

(2) Try to find a way to not be at the end of that barrel (i.e. fight, negotiate, try to disarm them however you can.

Or you can choose to get shot - and even if you choose this one you may still be able to recover from it as long as you didn't lose your head, and I mean that in multiple ways.)

(3) You can even choose to die if that is your wish (though I highly DON'T recommend this option.)

Example: Say you are strapped down into a chair fully bound and your eyes pried open while something is set before you to watch. What choice do you have, right? WRONG!

Our brains are still able to make the choice of whether or not we see what is right in front of us.

I'm sure at this point many of you may know what I mean by some of this, as this is how we get some of our famous sayings. (i.e. How did you miss that, it was right in front of your nose?)

We can create in our minds a whole other world (a fantasy) to draw ourselves into and out of at will, thereby blocking anything else around us.

Another option could be to command your brain to turn off in one way or another (i.e. We can become unconscious, go to sleep, or some other extreme such as death.

Once again I don't recommend that one, but it can be done by thought alone.) Hopefully, you get my point here.

You can even choose to not be afraid if you wish. Or if you are scared you can still not let that fear control you or prevent you from thinking of your options.

The good news is emotions are all TOOLS so you can use your fears to release the adrenalin needed to think at super-fast subconscious speeds.

Your mind has a quite incredible talent for giving you temporarily strengthened abilities in any area you may need in order to save yourself, or to get you into a better situation.

Example: A child gets pinned under a car. The emotional reactive chemicals released in the child from this occurrence kept him from dying instantly.

The emotional tools released in the mother enabled her to flip that car off of her child. How was she able to do that?

Quicker than thought as we know it consciously, her subconscious chooses the option and has her body carry out the action necessary before she really knows consciously what has happened.

She didn't have the time to figure out all the reasons she couldn't do it before the reaction was already done and her child was saved.

The conscious part had to catch up later. I don't doubt one bit that once caught up, her brain released a bunch of other emotions for her to deal with.

That kind of example is what I deem as a "good" button; which is not only possible, but creatable on purpose through either natural means or with training.

For many, many years now our military has been training people to have specifically programmed reactions in their minds and bodies.

Ever hear of the popular reactions of fight, flight, or freeze?

When most of us are faced with something extremely stressful such as in life and death situations, we make this choice without much thought.

Well, these guys have taught their brains to react differently from the common ways so that they might increase their chance to succeed in what they are doing (such as survive).

When such a heightened state of danger has a presence in their minds, they have learned how to behave in a pre-determined manner.

Once the danger has passed, their brain's chemicals are free to return to another state, freeing the emotional tools they need for the next objective to succeed or fail, as they bear the consequences of those choices as they arise.

This way their pre-programmed "buttons" can be triggered or released when they need to be in order to do what they must to succeed in what they do.

Who can fix a bad button?

Many of us, sadly, are not taught how to prevent some trauma buttons from forming from a young enough age to go unscathed in one way or another, so we are left to learn other ways of coping with certain traumas.

But think for a moment, YOU were the one who created your own buttons and triggers, so only YOU can fix them within yourself.

Just the same, you can create good buttons to use at a later time.

We have no idea what may come across our paths, but we do know that we have control over what we do and do not pay attention to, and how we either act or react to what we do.

Where can I learn more?

To read more... See the second part of this article, "What can I do about my emotional triggers?" at: Violet Sky Writings

With Love,

Violet Sky

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7470398