37 Truths About Life.

1. Happiness comes from within. We spend way too much of our lives looking for outside validation and approval that eludes us. Turns out, it's been an inside job all along. Go inward.
2. Be grateful for everything. The good, the bad, the ugly. Our entire life is a precious gift. The pleasure, the pain -- it's all part of our path.
3. Subtle shifts in perception will transform your entire life. When feeling fearful, angry, hurt, simply choose to see a situation differently.
4. In being true to yourself, you can't possibly make everybody else happy.Still, it's better to risk being disliked for living your truth than to be loved for what you are pretending to be.
5. The world is our mirror. What we love in others is a reflection of what we love about ourselves. What upsets us about others is a strong indication of what we need to look at more closely within ourselves.
6. Everybody comes into our life for a reason. It is up to us to be open to the lesson they are meant to teach. The more someone rubs us the wrong way, the greater the lesson. Take notes.
7. Trust. In troubled times, just know that the Universe has your back and everything is going to be alright. If you're not there yet, trust in hindsight you will understand. Your higher good is being supported, always.
8. Never take things personally. What others do is a reflection of what's going on in their own life and probably has little or nothing to do with you.
9. A walk in nature cures a lot. Taking in some fresh air and the beautiful landscape of this earth is amazingly head-clearing, grounding, and mood-lifting. Bonus: You can learn a whole lot about life in your observation of the awesomeness which is nature.
10. Hurt people hurt people. Love them anyway. Although, it's totally okay to love them from a distance.
11. You have to feel it to heal it. Bring your fears and weaknesses front and center and shine a blazing spotlight on them because the only way out is through. The hurt of facing the truth is SO worth it in the long run, I swear.
12. Perfectionism is an illusion. A painful one at that. Ease up. Strive for excellence, sure, but allow yourself room to make mistakes and permission to be happy regardless of outcome.
13. Take the blinders off. Don't become so laser-focused on your own goals and desires that you miss out on the beauty in life and the people around you. The world is stunningly beautiful when you walk around with eyes wide open.
14. Celebrate the journey. It's not all about the destination. Savor all of your successes, even the small ones.
15. Forgiveness is not so much about the other person. It's about you and for you so that you can gain the peace and freedom you deserve. Forgive quickly and often.
16. We are all incredibly intuitive. When we learn to become still and listen, we can tap into some pretty amazing primal wisdom. Listen to the quiet whisper of your heart. It knows the way.
17. Let your soul shine! Be authentic. There is nobody else on this earth just like you. Step into your truth wholeheartedly and live and breathe your purpose.
18. We are powerful creators. Seriously, bad-asses. With intention, focus, and persistence -- anything is possible. Know this.
19. I am full of light. You are full of light. We are all full of light. Some cast shadows on their own brightness. Be a beacon of light to others and show them the way.
20. Don't take life too seriously! Nobody gets out alive anyway. Smile. Be goofy. Take chances. Have fun.
21. Surround yourself with people who love and support you. And, love and support them right back! Life is too short for anything less.
22. Learn the delicate dance. Have big beautiful dreams and vision. Chase them with much passion. But, also hold on to them all ever so lightly. Be flexible and willing to flow as life comes at you.
23. Giving is the secret to receiving. Share your wisdom, your love, your talents. Share freely and be amazed at how much beauty in life flows back to you.
24. On that note, be careful not to give too much. If you empty out your own cup completely, you will have nothing left to give. Balance is key.
25. Say "YES!" to everything that lights you up. Say "no", unapologetically, to anything that doesn't excite you or you don't have the bandwidth for. Time is one of our most precious resources that we can never get back. Manage it wisely.
26. Sometimes we outgrow friendships. It doesn't mean they're bad or you're bad. It just means you're on different paths. Hold them in your heart, but when they start to hurt or hold you back, it's time to give space or let go.
27. Fear is often a very good indicator of what we really want and need in our life. Let it be your compass and enjoy the exciting adventure it leads you on.
28. Overcoming your fears is one of the most empowering things you can ever do for yourself. You'll prove to yourself you can truly accomplish anything! Major self-confidence booster.
29. Our bodies are our vehicle to our dreams. Treat them with love and fuel them with the best health to feel vibrant and energized. But, never obsess over image. Looks are subjective and will fade in time, anyway. Feeling good, healthy, and comfortable in our own skin is what matters most.
30. Let those that you love know it often and enthusiastically. You can never say it or show it too much. Your time, total presence, love, and genuine concern for their wellness is the greatest gift of all.
31. The present moment is where it's at. It's the only one promised to any of us. Learn from your past & enjoy the beautiful memories, but don't cling or let them haunt you. And, dream big and be excited about the future, but don't become obsessed. Love this moment, always.
32. Life is full of highs and lows. We need them both to grow to our fullest potential. Just hang on tight and enjoy the ride.
33. We are all connected as one human family. Nobody is better or worse than anyone else -- just at different stages of our journeys and dealing with life the best way we know how. Recognize that the other person is you.
34. Practice daily gratitude for all the blessings in your life, large and small. Not only is this a high vibe practice that feels amazing, in practicing regularly you are creating space for even more abundance -- of joy, love, health, and prosperity.
35. We are not the center of the universe, although our ego can make us feel that way at times. Step outside of that way of thinking and see the world and other people's perspective in a whole new beautiful light.
36. The world needs more love, light, and laughter. Go be love.
37. You are the guru. For much of our lives, we have been told what do, how to think, what looks good, what "success" is. You don't have to buy into any of it. Feel free to peel back the layers. Think for yourself. Break the mold. When you stop doing what everybody else wants you to do and start following your own intuition, you will be ridiculously happy.

In looking back at your own life, realize that every high and low is all part of your amazing story. Own it! Take cues and guidance from the universe and you will continue to go on an incredible ride as you fully step into your truth and power.

Age is just a number, but the higher it gets, the more wisdom and life experience we've amassed. You are never going to be younger than you are in this present moment again. So embrace it, love it, and enjoy it fully!

Here's to many more beautiful years of seeking-truth, questioning all that does not sit right, and making your greatest impact in the world! I look forward to adding more lessons as life continues to give me the opportunity to learn, grow, transform, share and expand. Hope you will too.

By. Dawn Gluskin

Strength.

Strength...

I asked for Strength and the Universe gave me difficulties to make me Strong. 
I asked for Wisdom and the Universe gave me problems to Solve.
I asked for Prosperity and the Universe gave me a Brain to Work.
I asked for Courage and the Universe gave me danger to overcome.
I asked for Love and the Universe gave me troubled people to help.
I asked for Favors and the Universe gave me opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted...
I received everything I needed...

~ Unknown

THE POWER OF LOVE.

THE POWER OF LOVE  

"There is no energy more powerful than love. Love creates miracles, heals all wounds, and purifies all lower energies. You cannot give love away, for the more you give, the more you will receive in return. When you choose love, you bring about the highest good for yourself and others. Offering love is always the right choice. With love you can transform or be transparent to people's emotions and thoughts, neutralize "negative" energy, and harmonize with all life in the universe." ~ Unknown

What my body has taught me.

My body has taught me

I am stronger than I realize

And more fragile than I like.

I can endure pain with courage

And be reduced to tears by a virus.

I am marvelous, miraculous, mysterious.

My body has it’s own deep intelligence.

I carry my memories in my cells.

I am constantly being born anew.

I hold tight to fear and resistance.

I breathe deeply, and let go.

My legs will carry me farther than I think I can walk.

My heart will keep beating even when it is broken.

My mouth will kiss, laugh, drink tea and eat chocolate.

My skin will shiver with pleasure.

My bones will tell the weather.

My feet will find the path.

My hands will sooth a crying child.

And write a story that will make you cry.

And pour you a glass of wine.

And brush your hair.

And stroke your cheek.

And hold your hand.

My body will chop wood.

And carry water.

My body understands the wisdom of rest.

The beauty of stillness.

The power of touch.

The importance of dance.

And that there is only this. Here. Now.

My body understands joy, delight and play.

My body knows what I am hungry for.

My body has taught me to pay attention to my desires.

To listen to my gut.

To trust my appetites.

My body has taught me I am human.

I am here.

I am beautiful.

I am powerful.

I am brave.

I am scared.

I am alive.

And I am grateful.

 www.marianne-elliott.com

14 Rules for being you.

Be yourself.  Trying to be anyone else is a waste of the person you are.  Embrace that individual inside you that has ideas, strengths and beauty like no one else.  Be the person you know yourself to be – the best version of you – on your terms.  And above all, be true to YOU – if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.
Starting today…

1. Get your priorities straight. – Twenty years from now it won’t really matter what shoes you wore today, how your hair looked, or what brand of jeans you bought.  What will matter is how you loved, what you learned and how you applied this knowledge.
2. Take full responsibility for your goals. – If you really want good things in your life to happen, you have to make them happen yourself.  You can’t sit around and hope that somebody else will help you; you have to make your own future and not think that your destiny is tied to the actions and choices of others.  Read Quitter.
3. Know your worth. – When someone treats you like you’re just one of many options, help them narrow their choice by removing yourself from the equation.  Sometimes you have to try not to care, no matter how much you do.  Because sometimes you can mean almost nothing to someone who means so much to you.  It’s not pride – it’s self-respect.  Don’t expect to see positive changes in your life if you surround yourself with negative people.  Don’t give part-time people a full-time position in your life.  Know your value and what you have to offer, and never settle for anything less than what you deserve.
4. Choose the right perspective. – Perspective is everything.  When faced with long check-out lines, traffic jams, or waiting an hour past your appointment time, you have two choices:  You can get frustrated and enraged, or you can view it as life’s way of giving you a guilt-free breather from rushing, and spend that time daydreaming, conversing, or watching the clouds.  The first choice will raise your blood pressure.  The second choice will raise your consciousness.
5. Don’t let your old problems punish your dreams.  – Learn to let go of things you can’t control.  The next time you’re tempted to rant about a situation that you think ended unfairly, remind yourself of this:  You’ll never kill off your anger by beating the story to death.  So close your mouth, unclench your fists, and redirect your thoughts.  When left untended, the anger will slowly wither, and you’ll be left to live in peace as you grow toward a better future.
6. Choose the things that truly matter. – Some things just don’t matter much – like the kind of car you drive.  How big of a deal is that in the grand scheme of life?  Not a big at all.  But lifting a person’s heart?  Now, that matters.  The whole problem with most people is, they KNOW what matters, but they don’t CHOOSE it.  They get distracted.  They don’t put first things first.  The hardest and smartest way to live is choosing what truly matters, and pursuing it passionately.  
7. Love YOU. – Let someone love you just the way you are – as flawed as you might be, as unattractive as you sometimes feel, and as unaccomplished as you think you are.  Yes, let someone love you despite all of this; and let that someone be YOU.
8. Accept your strengths and weaknesses. – Be confident being YOU.  We often waste too much time comparing ourselves to others, and wishing to be something we’re not.  Everybody has their own strengths and weaknesses, and it is only when we accept everything we are, and aren’t, that we are able to become who we are capable of being.
9. Stand up for YOU. – You were born to be real, not to be perfect.  You’re here to be YOU, not to be what someone else wants you to be.  Stand up for yourself, look them in the eye, and say, “Don’t judge me until you know me, don’t underestimate me until you challenge me, and don’t talk about me until you’ve talked to me.”
10. Learn from others, and move on when you must. – You can’t expect to change people.  Either you accept who they are, or you start living your life without them.  And just because something ends, doesn’t mean it never should have been.  You lived, you learned, you grew, and you moved on.  Some people come into your life as blessings; others come into your life as lessons.
11. Be honest in your relationships. – Don’t cheat!  If you’re not happy, be honest, and move on if you must.  When you’re truly in love, being faithful isn’t a sacrifice, it’s a joy.
12. Get comfortable with being uncomfortable. – Life as we know it can change in a blink of an eye.  Unlikely friendships can blossom, important careers can be tossed aside and a long lost hope can be rekindled.  It might feel a little uncomfortable at times, but know that life begins at the end of your comfort zone.  So if you’re feeling uncomfortable right now, know that the change taking place in your life is not an ending, but a new beginning.  
13. Be who you were born to be. – Don’t get to the end of your life and find that you lived only the length of it; live the width of it as well.  When it comes to living as a passionate, inspired human being, the only challenge greater than learning to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes, is learning to walk a lifetime comfortably in your own.  Follow your heart, and take your brain with you.  When you are truly comfortable in your own skin, not everyone will like you, but you won’t care about it one bit.
14. Never give up on YOU. – This is your life; shape it, or someone else will.  Strength shows not only in the ability to hold on, but in the ability to start over when you must.  It is never too late to become what you might have been.  Keep learning, adapting, and growing.  You may not be there yet, but you are closer than you were yesterday.

Marc Chernoff

 www.marcandangel.com

Dr. Phil's Ten Life Laws.

Life Law #1: You either get it or you don't.

Strategy: Become one of those who gets it.

It's easy to tell these people apart. Those who "get it" understand how things work and have a strategy to create the results they want. Those who don't are stumbling along looking puzzled, and can be found complaining that they never seem to get a break.

You must do what it takes to accumulate enough knowledge to "get it." You need to operate with the information and skills that are necessary to win. Be prepared, tune in, find out how the game is played and play by the rules.

In designing a strategy and getting the information you need " about yourself, people you encounter, or situations " be careful from whom you accept input. Wrong thinking and misinformation can seal your fate before you even begin.

Life Law #2: You create your own experience.
Strategy: Acknowledge and accept accountability for your life. 

Understand your role in creating results.
You cannot dodge responsibility for how and why your life is the way it is. If you don't like your job, you are accountable. If you are overweight, you are accountable. If you are not happy, you are accountable. You are creating the situations you are in and the emotions that flow from those situations.

Don't play the role of victim, or use past events to build excuses. It guarantees you no progress, no healing, and no victory. You will never fix a problem by blaming someone else. Whether the cards you've been dealt are good or bad, you're in charge of yourself now.

Every choice you make " including the thoughts you think " has consequences. When you choose the behavior or thought, you choose the consequences. If you choose to stay with a destructive partner, then you choose the consequences of pain and suffering. If you choose thoughts contaminated with anger and bitterness, then you will create an experience of alienation and hostility. When you start choosing the right behavior and thoughts " which will take a lot of discipline " you'll get the right consequences.

Life Law #3: People do what works.
Strategy: Identify the payoffs that drive your behavior and that of others.

Even the most destructive behaviors have a payoff. If you did not perceive the behavior in question to generate some value to you, you would not do it. If you want to stop behaving in a certain way, you've got to stop "paying yourself off" for doing it.

Find and control the payoffs, because you can't stop a behavior until you recognize what you are gaining from it. Payoffs can be as simple as money gained by going to work to psychological payoffs of acceptance, approval, praise, love or companionship. It is possible that you are feeding off unhealthy, addictive and imprisoning payoffs, such as self-punishment or distorted self-importance.

Be alert to the possibility that your behavior is controlled by fear of rejection. It's easier not to change. Try something new or put yourself on the line. Also consider if your need for immediate gratification creates an appetite for a small payoff now rather than a large payoff later.

Life Law #4: You cannot change what you do not acknowledge.
Strategy: Get real with yourself about life and everybody in it. Be truthful about what isn't working in your life. Stop making excuses and start making results.

If you're unwilling or unable to identify and consciously acknowledge your negative behaviors, characteristics or life patterns, then you will not change them. (In fact, they will only grow worse and become more entrenched in your life.) You've got to face it to replace it.

Acknowledgment means slapping yourself in the face with the brutal reality, admitting that you are getting payoffs for what you are doing, and giving yourself a no-kidding, bottom-line truthful confrontation. You cannot afford the luxury of lies, denial or defensiveness.

Where are you now? If you hope to have a winning life strategy, you have to be honest about where your life is right now. Your life is not too bad to fix and it's not too late to fix it. But be honest about what needs fixing. If you lie to yourself about any dimension of your life, an otherwise sound strategy will be compromised.

Life Law #5: Life rewards action.
Strategy: Make careful decisions and then pull the trigger. Learn that the world couldn't care less about thoughts without actions.

Talk is cheap. It's what you do that determines the script of your life. Translate your insights, understandings and awareness into purposeful, meaningful, constructive actions. They are of no value until then. Measure yourself and others based on results " not intentions or words.

Use any pain you have to propel you out of the situation you are in and to get you where you want to be. The same pain that burdens you now could be turned to your advantage. It may be the very motivation you need to change your life.

Decide that you are worth the risk of taking action, and that your dreams are not to be sold out. Know that putting yourself at risk may be scary, but it will be worth it. You must leave behind the comfortable and familiar if you are to move onward and upward.

Life Law #6: There is no reality, only perception.
Strategy: Identify the filters through which you view the world. Acknowledge your history without being controlled by it.

You know and experience this world only through the perceptions that you create. You have the ability to choose how you perceive any event in your life, and you exercise this power of choice in every circumstance, every day of your life. No matter what the situation, you choose your reaction, assigning meaning and value to an event.

We all view the world through individual filters, which influence the interpretations we give events, how we respond, and how we are responded to. Be aware of the factors that influence the way you see the world, so you can compensate for them and react against them. If you continue to view the world through a filter created by past events, then you are allowing your past to control and dictate both your present and your future.

Filters are made up of fixed beliefs, negative ideas that have become entrenched in your thinking. They are dangerous because if you treat them as fact, you will not seek, receive or process new information, which undermines your plans for change. If you "shake up" your belief system by challenging these views and testing their validity, the freshness of your perspective can be startling.

Life Law #7: Life is managed; it is not cured.
Strategy: Learn to take charge of your life and hold on. This is a long ride, and you are the driver every single day.

You are a life manager, and your objective is to actively manage your life in a way that generates high-quality results. You are your own most important resource for making your life work. Success is a moving target that must be tracked and continually pursued.

Effective life management means you need to require more of yourself in your grooming, self-control, emotional management, interaction with others, work performance, dealing with fear, and in every other category you can think of. You must approach this task with the most intense commitment, direction and urgency you can muster.

The key to managing your life is to have a strategy. If you have a clear-cut plan, and the courage, commitment and energy to execute that strategy, you can flourish. If you don't have a plan, you'll be a stepping stone for those who do. You can also help yourself as a life manager if you manage your expectations. If you don't require much of yourself, your life will be of poor quality. If you have unrealistic standards, then you are adding to your difficulties.

Life Law #8: We teach people how to treat us.
Strategy: Own, rather than complain about, how people treat you. Learn to renegotiate your relationships to have what you want.

You either teach people to treat you with dignity and respect, or you don't. This means you are partly responsible for the mistreatment that you get at the hands of someone else. You shape others' behavior when you teach them what they can get away with and what they cannot.

If the people in your life treat you in an undesirable way, figure out what you are doing to reinforce, elicit or allow that treatment. Identify the payoffs you may be giving someone in response to any negative behavior. For example, when people are aggressive, bossy or controlling " and then get their way " you have rewarded them for unacceptable behavior.

Because you are accountable, you can declare the relationship "reopened for negotiation" at any time you choose, and for as long as you choose. Even a pattern of relating that is 30 years old can be redefined. Before you reopen the negotiation, you must commit to do so from a position of strength and power, not fear and self-doubt.

Life Law #9: There is power in forgiveness.
Strategy: Open your eyes to what anger and resentment are doing to you. 

Take your power back from those who have hurt you.

Hate, anger and resentment are destructive, eating away at the heart and soul of the person who carries them. They are absolutely incompatible with your own peace, joy and relaxation. Ugly emotions change who you are and contaminate every relationship you have. They can also take a physical toll on your body, including sleep disturbance, headaches, back spasms, and even heart attacks.

Forgiveness sets you free from the bonds of hatred, anger and resentment. The only way to rise above the negatives of a relationship in which you were hurt is to take the moral high ground, and forgive the person who hurt you.

Forgiveness is not about another person who has transgressed against you; it is about you. Forgiveness is about doing whatever it takes to preserve the power to create your own emotional state. It is a gift to yourself and it frees you. You don't have to have the other person's cooperation, and they do not have to be sorry or admit the error of their ways. Do it for yourself.

Life Law #10: You have to name it before you can claim it.
Strategy: Get clear about what you want and take your turn.

Not knowing what you want " from your major life goals to your day-to-day desires " is not OK. The most you'll ever get is what you ask for. If you don't even know what it is that you want, then you can't even ask for it. You also won't even know if you get there!

By being specific in defining your goal, the choices you make along the way will be more goal-directed. You will recognize which behaviors and choices support your goals " and which do not. You will know when you are heading toward your goal, and when you are off track.

Be bold enough to reach for what will truly fill you up, without being unrealistic. Once you have the strength and resolve enough to believe that you deserve what it is that you want, then and only then will you be bold enough to step up and claim it. Remember that if you don't, someone else will.

May the force be with you.

"Every positive thing in your life represents a single unique blessing. Every negative thing in your life has the opportunity to become a double blessing. For when you turn a negative into a positive, you gain twice. You are no longer burdened with the negative situation, and in addition to that you are strengthened by a new positive force."
Ralph Marston - The Daily Motivator

11 Tips to Help You Think More Positively.

In a study at the Mayo clinic in Rochester, Minnesota patients were given a personality test that assessed their levels of optimism and pessimism. The progress of the patients was measured over 30 years, and it was found that the optimists lived longer than average for their age and gender while the pessimists had a shorter than average life. Researchers found that optimism strengthens the immune system and helps people to adopt healthier lifestyles. Optimists feel better about themselves and take better care of themselves, while pessimists confirm their fears by having higher blood pressure, more anxiety and depression.
You can choose to have depressing, negative thoughts or inspirational, positive thoughts; your attitude determines your mindset, which in turn determines your behaviours and the outcomes in your life. Many studies show that you will achieve more, feel happier and live longer if you chose the positive option. Here are some tips to boost your positive thinking.

Believe in Yourself

Successful people start with a deep inner self-belief. It has been shown that self-belief is more important than intelligence, education or connections in terms of life-long achievement. The important starting point is your conviction that you are capable of significant achievement or that you have something special to contribute.

Set Clear Goals

If you have no destination then your journey is haphazard. If you write down ambitious but achievable goals, then you are already on the road to accomplishing them.

Form a Mental Picture of Your Success

Imagine yourself achieving your goals. Savour the experience of your book being published, of making the sale, of giving the speech to rapturous applause, of winning the race, of living your dream. As your mind comes to terms with this picture it will help you to put the steps in place in order to achieve it.

Take Ownership and Responsibility for Your Life

Don’t be a victim. Don’t blame others or circumstances. You are the captain of the boat and you decide where it goes and what happens. If you are unhappy with an aspect of your life, then form a plan to change it and take action.

Talk to Yourself

Become your own motivator by telling yourself positive things. For example: at the start of the day you might say to yourself, “I am going to do really well today.” Or, “I am going to make real progress towards my goals.” When things go wrong or you falter, don’t make excuses—say something like, “That was my fault, but I can learn from that setback.”

Eliminate the Negative

Use positive self-talk to overcome the doubts and negative thoughts that creep into your mind. Deliberately eliminate worries about difficulties and obstacles by taking a positive attitude, “I can overcome this challenge.” You do not ignore problems—you face up to them with a constructive and optimistic attitude.

Associate with Positive People

Among your friends, relatives, and associates there are probably some upbeat, positive, optimistic, dynamic people and some downbeat, negative, pessimistic or cynical people. Think about them for a moment and select examples of each. You should spend more time with the positive people and less time with the negative people. The optimists will inspire and encourage you, while the pessimists will feed your doubts and make you depressed.

Count Your Blessings

Draw up an assets and liabilities sheet for yourself.  If you are educated, employed, healthy, in a loving relationship, financially solvent etc., then put these on the assets list. If you are unemployed, ill, in a toxic relationship, bankrupt, etc., then put these items into your liabilities list. The chances are that your assets will far outweigh your liabilities. We tend to take all the good things in our lives for granted and focus on our failings and needs instead.

Find the Silver Lining

Learn to look for the opportunities in every situation that comes along. Many self-employed consultants will tell you that being made redundant was the best thing that ever happened to them. At the time it may have seemed a terrible blow but now they have found greater fulfilment and satisfaction in what they do. Every change brings good as well as bad, opportunities as well as threats. The people who do well in life are the ones who use setbacks as springboards for new successes.

Relax and Enjoy Life More

Lighten up a little. If you can laugh at things then you can cope with them more easily.  Don’t try to do everything at once. Don’t become overburdened with work. Deliberately give yourself little treats and do things that make you smile. Laughter is the best medicine—and the cheapest—so try to keep a balance between work, exercise, relationships and play.

Fake It.

If all else fails then fake it.  If you are really worried, nervous, or doubtful, then pretend that you are confident and self-assured. Stride to the lectern, smile at the audience and act as though you are positive, professional and successful. Acting the role helps you develop the attitudes and behaviours that go with the part. You can fool the audience, and more importantly, you can fool your brain—you will start to be the confident, positive person that you are acting.

If positive thinkers achieve more, live longer, and are happier than negative thinkers then why would anyone choose to be a negative thinker? The answer is that many people find negative thinking to be an easy option that is more comfortable and offers less challenge.  Do not fall into that trap. Think positively!

Shared via www.lifehack.org

7 Simple tips to be your best self.

1. Create some free time. When we fill all of our hours up with tasks, chores and negative thoughts we cannot feel balanced or connecting. Breathe deeply and allow life to flow through you. Avoid the temptation to fill every hour in your schedule. 

2. Stop gossiping. If you have a problem with someone, talk to him or her directly. When you gossip, but fail to tell the source of your problem, you are misdirecting your anger. You're also missing a chance to learn and expand your relationship by spend time with that person, and letting them be your teacher.

3. Nurture your younger self. Although we are adults, most of us have an inner child who needs tender love and care. Most of us have experienced something, painful, traumatic and unfair as a child. But instead of giving that little child attention we choose to eat over it, work over it, do drugs over it, get anger over it, etc. We turn to addictions or self-sabotaging habits to avoid feeling alone and sad. Nourish yourself with kind words and physical care. Make time to sleep, drink water, and eat healthful foods. 

4. Release control. When we feel overwhelmed and exhausted from life’s demands, we can surrender fully and ask the universe for help. Let your ego and pride subside and recognize that being vulnerable is the gateway to peace. Trust that the universe is always working on your behalf, to give you what you need. You may not always get what you want, but you will always get what you need. Let go of the outcome for ultimate freedom. 

5. Let yourself believe in miracles. Many of us feel jaded and sad from the negative experiences of our life. Recognize that pain can be our biggest teacher, and can an opportunity for growth. Know that there is no destination; the journey is the miracle. Once we learn to let go of expectations, we can fully experience the miracles that happen daily. 

6. Focus on what makes you grateful. We are not our problems. Problems, in fact are not problems at all, unless we focus attention on them. Don’t identify with your problems because when you do it brings more attention to them. Instead, state a positive intention, and follow by gratitude for your healing and positive outcome. 

7. Don't take advice from others. We often lean on others for help when we don't trust ourselves. But every person with an opinion is shaped by experiences, beliefs, insecurities and dreams. Ultimately what they desire in life is not always what you want. Learn to trust yourself and your own inner voice for true happiness.

Shannon Kaiser via www.mindbodygreen.com

Peace of Mind Tips and Advice.

Do you have peace of mind in your life?

I am sure you would be happy to forget your troubles, problems and worries, and enjoy a few moments of inner calmness and freedom from obsessing thoughts.

What is peace of mind?

It is a state of inner calmness and tranquility, together with a sense of freedom.
It is a time when thoughts and worries cease, and there are no stress, strain or fears.
Such peaceful moments are not so rare. You have experienced them in the past, at times when you were engaged in some kind of an absorbing or interesting activity, such as:

• While watching an entertaining movie or TV program.
  
• When being in the company of someone you love.
  
• While being absorbed in reading a book.
  
• While lying on the sand at the beach.
  
• When you are on vacation, do you experience some sort of mental numbness? At this time, the mind becomes calmer, with fewer thoughts and fewer worries.
  
• When you are deeply asleep, you are not aware of your thoughts, and therefore, you are in a state of inner peace.

Such activities, and similar ones, take away the mind from its usual thoughts and worries, replacing them with an experience of inner peace.
The question is, how to bring more peace of mind into our life, and more importantly, how to experience it in times of difficulties and ordeals.
You might also ask, whether it is possible to turn it into a habit, and enjoy it always and under all circumstances.
First, you need to learn to bring more moments of inner peace into your daily life. Later, you will be able to experience these moments in times of trouble or difficulties too, when you really need inner calmness and tranquility.
You can turn peace of mind into a natural habit, but to do so, some inner work is required. This work includes changing a few mental habits, improving your concentration, certain forms of meditation, and a few other means.
There are many articles at this website, about attaining peace of mind, as well as a highly recommended book, completely dedicated to this subject, with guidance, advice and exercises.

Simple tips for peace of mind:

1. Reduce the amount of time you read the newspapers or watch the news on TV.
2. Stay away from negative conversations and from negative people.
3. Don't hold grudges. Learn to forget and forgive. Nurturing ill feelings and grievances hurts you and causes lack of sleep.
4. Don't be jealous of others. Being jealous means that you have low self-esteem and consider yourself inferior to others. Jealousy and low self esteem, often lead to lack of inner peace.
5. Accept what cannot be changed. This saves a lot of time, energy and worries.
6. Learn to be more patient and tolerant with people and events.
   
7. Don't take everything too personally. A certain degree of emotional and mental detachment is desirable. Try to view your life and other people with a little detachment and less involvement. Detachment is not indifference, lack of interest or coldness. It is the ability to think and judge impartially and logically.

Every day, we face numerous inconveniences, irritations and situations that are beyond our control. If we can change them, that's fine, but this is not always possible. We must learn to put up with such things and accept them cheerfully.

• Let bygones be gone. Forget the past and concentrate on the present moment. There is no need to evoke unpleasant memories and immerse yourself in them.
• Practice some concentration exercises. This will help you to reject unpleasant thoughts and worries that steal away your peace of mind.
• Learn to practice meditation. Even a few minutes a day will make a change in your life.

Inner peace ultimately leads to external peace. By creating peace in our inner world, we bring it into the external world, and into other people's lives.

 By Remez Sasson via www.successconsciousness.com

3 Reasons Gratitude Shifts Energy.

"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when
our hearts are conscious of our treasures." ~ Thornton Wilder

Gratitude as a soulful practice creates all sorts of abundance and happiness in your world. For those reasons alone it’s a wise investment, but it also shifts your energy in subtle, and powerful ways.

Gratitude creates changes at the emotional and mental levels, it also changes your body at a cellular level. There have been plenty of studies demonstrating how gratitude reduces levels of stress and that is reason enough to focus on your abundant flow.
But, it’s difficult to get to that place on a consistent level, unless things change in your programming. Here are 3 reasons gratitude shifts energy and the powerful point of view that becomes your default way of seeing and being in the world:

1. Shifts your focus to the present moment. Even though the actions, or experience, you might feel grateful for occurred in the past the energy of gratitude is present moment focused. Gratitude shifts your state of being, as you focus on the infinite flow of goodness pouring through you. The present moment is where everything IS! It connects you to what’s true, to the dynamic aliveness of right now… the best place to BE!

2. Creates a new orientation. It doesn’t matter whether you’re from a dysfunctional family, or you’ve suffered extensive trauma or depression, gratitude creates a new default groove – just like a music track on a CD. The positive focus and easy flow of energy become the new YOU. You experience incredible resilience in being able to navigate the stumbling blocks of everyday living. Gratitude propels you out of ingrained disempowering stories and creates a new story that you live into powerfully and playfully.

3. Establishes an indelible partnership with Source. There is nothing that will make your connection to the Source of Life more real, than experiencing gratitude. Your focus on gratitude expands your bandwidth of feeling, sensing and knowing. As you experience the infinite flow of life, in your moment to moment experience, you will come to trust and KNOW that what has been passed down by perennial wisdom is not a cool story, but is TRUE. There is nothing better than to experience gratitude in your body being and know that you ARE a child of an abundant and loving universe.

Shifts in energy create shifts in being. Living as the dynamic flow of life creates a life of miraculous synchronicity and infinite abundance. Life is a joy and a wonder.
Gratitude is a powerful transformation tool. It changes you and the world you live in!

 by Adela Rubio 
adelarubio.com

How to Become More Forgiving.

Forgiveness is a quality that brings admiration and respect from others. It is also a hard quality for some people to develop, especially those who have been hurt deeply. Becoming more forgiving is a process — a healing process, but it is completely achievable; even for those who have bitterness and anger where forgiveness should be. Bitterness and anger eat away at you, rooting feelings of mistrust and resentment, which in turn erode relationships.
Dr. Larry Nims, Ph.D. and clinical psychologist, equates unforgiveness to psychological pain, a block of healthy communication and bringing toxic negativity into present relationships. Steps to take as you are learning to forgive will reveal emotions you would probably rather keep inside, but to become more forgiving, you will need to confront these emotions, one step at a time.

Step 1: Admit that you are not ultimately in control of the universe

Sounds obvious, right? But, Dr. Nims notes that becoming more forgiving requires you to admit that you cannot control the way others react. Though it is tempting to believe the opposite, you are not the judge and jury of what is right and wrong. Focus on controlling your own actions and responses, and not the actions and responses of others.

Step 2: Look for the positive

Take an event that has triggered unforgiveness in your life, and journal about it. Look for the positive things that happened as a result of this incident, if any, and focus on those. This will help you to refocus on positive things that have happened and move you toward becoming more forgiving.

Step 3: Develop empathy

Obviously, you feel what the other person did was wrong, and you don’t have to change your mind about that, but try to put yourself in their shoes. Looking at things from another person’s perspective takes you out of your bubble of hurt, and may make it easier to become more forgiving.

Step 4: Determine the damage that has been done

Steven R. Silverstein, author of Help for the Hurting Heart, advocates determining exactly what wrong was done, not just how you feel about what was done. Without determining the damage done by the offense, you cannot truly forgive. Being able to objectively look at offenses committed against you is crucial to becoming more forgiving.

Step 5: Choose to forgive

According to the Webster's New World College Dictionary, the word "forgive" means to give up all claim to punish or enforce a penalty. As you release your potentially very valid right to punish another for their wrongdoing, it's important to remember that you are not also agreeing that what they did to you was right or "ok." It simply means that you are choosing not to punish them for it or remain bitter about what happened any longer. In a sense, as you release them from punishment, you are also freeing yourself.

Step 6: Forgive yourself

As you take inventory of those against whom you have harbored unforgiveness, make sure you don't overlook yourself. In the course of emotionally stressful and painful situations, many people behave in a way that leaves them with regret later. In order to eventually walk in freedom from bitterness, resentment and regret, you must also forgive yourself for any poor choices you've made in your life.
Once you have gone through these steps of becoming more forgiving, you will have the foundation and strength you need to choose to forgive.

 E.C. LaMeaux
www.life.gaiam.com

10 Easy Ways To Ease Stress.

1. Breathe ! Many of us breathe shallowly, which means we breathe only into our chest. It is more calming, relaxing and healthy to breathe fully into our abdomen using the diaphragm.

2. During long periods of concentrated activity take frequent breaks.
When working, writing , studying, typing on the computer, or any other focused activity take a break for at least 1 minute per 1 hour of activity. You can stretch, take in a couple of deep breaths, walk around, get a drink of water, or simply go outside; fresh air is wonderful for the body’s circulation. The main point is to allow the body a change of pace and recovery time

3. Exercise and get plenty of fresh air. Exercise is not only good for our body , but also our mind. In exercising our brain produces and activates the hormonal substance endorphins which has a sedating, calming, euphoric effect on body and mind creating a mental state of a natural high and feeling "up with life." Cardiovascular exercise also releases in a healthy positive way pent up tension, frustration and anger. Which can be a natural by product of life.... so do something beneficial with it!

4. Balanced diet. Get plenty of green vegetables, and whole grains. These foods act as "stress buffers" cleansing, toning, and balancing the body. Also, if you are taking vitamin supplements they need to have food present in the body to be of benefit. Vitamins work synergistically with food. Also a balanced diet allows the body to be consistently fueled and nourished.

5. Drink plenty of water; preferably filtered water, or spring water. Research has shown that there is no better liquid for the body.

6. Balanced lifestyle. Time for leisure, rest and rejuvenation. A balanced lifestyle includes activities to enhance , harmonize, relax, and integrate mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and physically.

7. Have a creative outlet. A hobby; some activity that does not have to generate income. This can be painting, drawing, sewing, fishing, crafts, reading, writing, journal keeping, writing poetry, or perhaps meeting with friends for a philosophical conversation. A hobby can turn into a business, however that is not the main focus. It is enjoyment and creativity in and of itself.

8. Supportive friends, family; an association with like minded individuals. It is important for us all to have someone we can share and talk with on an intimate level. This communication and understanding sometimes comes from family members, however most often it comes from friends and associates that we develop a bond with because of similar interests and life situations.

9. A program or outlet that allows you to grow and expand. Studies have shown in the elderly that those that used their mind beneficially did not usually develop Alzheimer’s disease. Keep exploring and enjoying that precious gift called "you".

10. Laughter. Laughter is still the best age old medicine. In fact, there are many clinics and cancer therapies that include this in their treatment. Laugh at yourself, laugh with others.
A bird is able to fly high because he takes her/himself lightly.

Take an active part in your life. It is an expression of YOU....

Michele Metche'

 www.selfinlight.com

SOUL ALIGNMENT: How to find balance in your deeper self.

In the midst of life challenges we may feel frustrated, depressed and even fearful. To live a more balanced life one key to remember is that all of our experiences lead us to the next step on our spiritual journey. And we already have all that we truly need to take our next steps into alignment.
Alignment means that we’re balanced throughout our mind, body and spirit. It’s important because when we aren’t in balance we’re stressed, and long-term stress ultimately leads to disease.

How to shift our lives into balance

One way to balance ourselves is by living intuitively and trusting our guidance. In working with clients and supporting the development of intuition, I often remind them that there will be times when guidance takes us into situations in which we may not feel comfortable at first. However, this is all part of learning to trust.
Three years ago, I was guided to leave my well-settled, very comfortable and familiar life in Vermont and move to Alaska. Many, including my family, thought I had gone off the deep end in a traditional mid-life crisis! After 30 years in Vermont, did I really want to leave my life and holistic practice to go—where?! As I packed up my life and sold my house, I discovered that I had many fears to release. I wondered why I was called to Alaska, and how I would come to find balance in such a different lifestyle so far away. As time went on, however, I realized that I needed to go beyond my comfort zone, to stretch myself in both faith and alignment.
Our inner soul searching will always take us where we need to go. It doesn’t support us to skip over our lessons, or go around them. For each lesson reveals the next rung on the ladder of our spiritual path. In working with clients, I sometimes feel their urge to hurry through a particular lesson, especially when it’s challenging. I remind them that a soul lesson is here until we learn it. Only then will it be released. If it isn’t released, it will come around again in a new form.

Letting go

Each time I’ve taken a deep plunge into the unknown I realized later that it was the dive that was the scary part—not the unknown. Of course, the first step into the unknown is never easy; it can be terrifying. But this is how we make the next shifts in our consciousness: by letting go of our fears and taking the plunge into the new.
Shifts into deeper soul alignment often have a quality of inner release. The rational mind doesn’t have a major role in this. Instead, alignment may come in meditation or by sitting quietly, in letting messages come through to our conscious mind, and in relying and acting on the messages that speak to our intuition.

Noticing alignment

As you take steps to align on deeper levels, the results may be felt in your body. You’ll become more peaceful, experience less stress and have a desire to take better care of yourself with diet, exercise and meditation. You may notice how you’re more relaxed and full of positive energy. Unhealthy situations or people will either change or be released from your life. You may find yourself changing careers, friends, spouses, hobbies. As you see the shifts in yourself—and as others begin to notice—you’ll begin to trust more in the process. Always remember that you’re never given more than you can handle, or anything that you can’t do.
The alignment of consciousness isn’t so much about what we do, but about how we feel. It isn’t what job we do; it’s how we feel when we do it. It’s not whom we connect with; it’s how we feel when we connect with that person. When we’re living with joy and passion, we’re in alignment; we feel alive and energized; our lives are running smoothly and effortlessly; and we teach others simply by being who we are how to live joyfully. Joy is our choice!

Shirley Knapp
www.shirleyknapp.com.

Thought Awareness, Rational Thinking, and Positive Thinking.

Quite often, the way we feel about a situation comes from our perception of it. Often that perception is right, but sometimes it isn't.
For instance, sometimes we're unreasonably harsh with ourselves, or we can jump to wrong conclusion about people's motives. This can cause problems and make us unhappy, and it can lead us to be unfair to others.
Thought Awareness, Rational Thinking, and Positive Thinking are simple tools that help you turn this around.

Introduction

A commonly accepted definition of stress, developed by Richard S. Lazarus, is that it occurs when someone thinks that the demands on them "exceed the personal and social resources that the individual is able to mobilize."
In becoming stressed, people must make two main judgments:

1. First, they must feel threatened by the situation.
2. They must judge whether their capabilities and resources are sufficient to meet the threat.

How stressed someone feels depends on how much damage they think the situation can cause them, and how far their resources meet the demands of the situation.
Perception is key to this as (technically) situations are not stressful in their own right. Rather it's our interpretation of the situation that drives the level of stress that we feel. Quite obviously, sometimes we are right in what we say to ourselves. Some situations may actually be dangerous, and may threaten us physically, socially, or in our career. Here, stress and emotion are part of the "early warning system" that alerts us to the threat from these situations.
Very often, however, we are overly harsh and unjust to ourselves, in a way that we would never be with friends or team members. This, along with other negative thinking, can cause intense stress and unhappiness, and can severely undermine our self-confidence.

Using the Tools

Thought Awareness

You're thinking negatively when you fear the future, put yourself down, criticize yourself for errors, doubt your abilities, or expect failure. Negative thinking damages your confidence, harms your performance, and paralyzes your mental skills.
A major problem with this is that negative thoughts tend to flit into our consciousness, do their damage and flit back out again, with their significance having barely been noticed. Since we do not challenge them, they can be completely incorrect and wrong. However, this does not diminish their harmful effect.
Thought Awareness is the process by which you observe your thoughts and become aware of what is going through your head.
One way to become more aware of your thoughts is to observe your stream of consciousness as you think about a stressful situation. Do not suppress any thoughts: instead, just let them run their course while you watch them, and write them down on our free worksheet as they occur.
Another more general approach to Thought Awareness comes with logging stress in a Stress Diary. One of the benefits of using a Stress Diary is that, for one or two weeks, you log all of the unpleasant things in your life that cause you stress. This will include negative thoughts and anxieties, and can also include difficult or unpleasant memories and situations that you perceive as negative.
By logging your negative thoughts for a reasonable period of time, you can quickly see patterns in your negative thinking. When you analyze your diary at the end of the period, you should be able to see the most common and most damaging thoughts. Tackle these as a priority.
Thought awareness is the first step in the process of managing negative thoughts, as you can only manage thoughts that you're aware of.

Rational Thinking

The next step in dealing with negative thinking is to challenge the negative thoughts that you identified using the Thought Awareness technique. Look at every thought you wrote down and rationally challenge it. Ask yourself whether the thought is reasonable, and does it stand up to fair scrutiny?
As an example, by analyzing your Stress Diary you might identify that you have frequently had the following negative thoughts:

• Feelings of inadequacy.
• Worries that your performance in your job will not be good enough.
• An anxiety that things outside your control will undermine your efforts.
• Worries about other people's reactions to your work.

Starting with these, you might challenge these negative thoughts in the ways shown:

• Feelings of inadequacy: Have you trained and educated yourself as well as you reasonably should to do the job? Do you have the experience and resources you need to do it? Have you planned, prepared and rehearsed appropriately? If you've done all of this, then you've done everything that you should sensible do. If you're still worried, are you setting yourself unattainably high standards for doing the job?
• Worries about performance: Do you have the training that a reasonable person would think is needed to do a good job? Have you planned appropriately? Do you have the information and resources that you need? Have you cleared the time you need, and cued up your support team appropriately? Have you prepared thoroughly? If you haven't, then you need to do these things quickly. If you have, then you are well positioned to give the best performance that you can.
• Problems with issues outside your control: Have you conducted appropriate contingency planning? Have you thought through and managed all likely risks and contingencies appropriately? If so, you will be well prepared to handle potential problems.
• Worry about other people's reactions: If you have put in good preparation, and you do the best you can, then that is all that you need to know. If you perform as well as you reasonably can, and you stay focused on the needs of your audience, then fair people are likely to respond well. If people are not fair, then this is something outside your control.

Tip:
Don't make the mistake of generalizing a single incident. OK, you made a mistake at work, but that doesn't mean that you're bad at your job.

Similarly, make sure you take the long view about incidents that you're finding stressful. Just because you're finding new responsibilities stressful now, doesn't mean that they will always be stressful in the future.

Often, the best thing to do is to rise above unfair comments. Write your rational response to each negative thought in the Rational Thought column on the worksheet.

Tip:
If you find it difficult to look at your negative thoughts objectively, imagine that you are your best friend or a respected coach or mentor. Look at the list of negative thoughts. Imagine that they were written down by someone you were giving objective advice to, and think about how you'd challenge these thoughts.

When you challenge negative thoughts rationally, you should be able to see quickly whether the thoughts are wrong, or whether they have some substance to them. Where there is some substance, take appropriate action. In these cases, negative thinking has given you an early warning of action that you need to take.

Positive Thinking and Opportunity Seeking

Where you have used Rational Thinking to challenge incorrect negative thinking, it's often useful to use rational positive thoughts and affirmations to counter them. It's also useful to look at the situation and see if there are any opportunities that are offered by it.
Affirmations help you to build self-confidence. By basing your affirmations on the clear, rational assessments of facts that you made using Rational Thinking, you can undo the damage that negative thinking may have done to your self-confidence.

Tip:
Your affirmations will be strongest if they are specific, are expressed in the present tense, and have strong emotional content.

Continuing the examples above, positive affirmations might be:

• Feelings of inadequacy: "I am well trained for this. I have the experience, the tools, and the resources that I need. I have thought-through and prepared for all possible issues. I can do a really good job."
• Worries about performance: "I have researched and planned well for this, and I thoroughly understand the problem. I have the time, resources and help that I need. I am well prepared to do an excellent job."
• Problems with issues outside your control: "We have thought about everything that might reasonably happen, and have planned how we can handle all likely contingencies. Everyone is ready to help where necessary. We are very well placed to react flexibly and effectively to unusual events."
• Worry about other people's reaction: "I am well-prepared and am doing the best I can. Fair people will respect this. I will rise above any unfair criticism in a mature and professional way."

If appropriate, write these affirmations down on your worksheet, so that you can use them when you need them.
As well as allowing you to structure useful affirmations, part of Positive Thinking is to look at opportunities that the situation might offer to you. In the examples above, successfully overcoming these situations will open up opportunities. You'll gain new skills, you'll be seen as someone who can handle difficult challenges, and you may open up new career opportunities.
Make sure that you take the time to identify these opportunities and focus on them as part of your positive thinking.

Tip:
In the past people have advocated positive thinking almost recklessly, as if it is a solution to everything. Positive thinking should be used with common sense. First, decide rationally what goals you can realistically attain with hard work, and then use positive thinking to reinforce these.

Key Points

This set of tools helps you to manage and counter the stress of negative thinking.
Thought Awareness helps you identify the negative thinking, unpleasant memories, and misinterpretation of situations that may interfere with your performance and damage your self-confidence. This allows you to deal with them.
Rational Thinking helps you to challenge these negative thoughts and either learn from them, or refute them as incorrect.

You can then use Positive Thinking to create positive affirmations that you can use to counter negative thoughts. These affirmations neutralize negative thoughts and build your self-confidence. You can also use Positive Thinking to find the opportunities that are almost always present, to some degree, in a difficult situation.

 Shared via http://www.mindtools.com