Fear of Change

Do you fear change? Do you fear the unknown? Do you dread sudden changes in your life? If you answered yes to any of these questions, rest assured you're not alone. Fear of change is common; although it is how you respond to the change that is pertinent.

The question one needs to ask is, "Am I responding to the fear itself or the fear of not being in control?" There's an important distinction since you want to maintain a level of control in your life. When you release control, fear appears to advise you of an underlying belief or emotion which you've disregarded.

Many years ago, fear of change was common in my life. When I sensed things were changing, I delayed them by choosing to ignore them. The more I ignored them, the more they pushed back against me signifying their intensity.

While out riding my bicycle in the hilly country side recently, I noted a number of rather steep hills from a distance. Many years ago I seldom ventured to these parts, since I was not at ease physically and mentally to attempt such terrain. Thankfully times have changed.

Have you ever noticed approaching a hill from a distance, how steep it appears? It's disconcerting to note the scale of the hill - let alone ascend it on a bicycle.

When you begin your ascent of the hill (providing you're physically fit), it rarely appears steep at all. It occurred to me while engaged with the terrain; my mind automatically withdraws its fear in order to focus on the task at hand - scaling the hill. Your perception clouds your judgement. It's your mind's fault.

Your mind searches its mental inventory of situations which are outside of your comfort zone and labels them as either safe or threatening. In the case of a hill, my mind learned through experience to associate a positive experience with ascending them i.e. challenging, improves fitness, determination, victory, accomplishment, achievement etc.

The more I attempted hilly routes on my rides, the stronger I became at ascending them. I noticed a familiar pattern emerge around this time. The relationship I had with hilly terrain crossed over to my personal and business life. I became far more adventurous, embracing new situations that were once foreign to me.

My mind learned a new language and was willing to step out of its comfort zone; it wasn't risk averse. The benefit was personal satisfaction that included personal growth and a willingness to take greater risks thus yielding higher returns.

If you fear change in your life, make use of my metaphor of ascending hills to overcome them. The following principles will guide you toward implementing those changes.

1. Examine the fear of change

When you examine your fear of change, you're generally viewing it from a conscious perspective (rarely are they unconscious). What is the basis for the fear? How does the fear serve you? This is a powerful question I often ask myself.

Think about it for a moment. How does a fear of change serve you? Personally, I am at a loss to cite a valid explanation. The fear of change does not serve me; rather it hinders my progress by revealing anxiety and shutting down vital bodily processes.

Fear and the fear of change is a hindrance. I may not know what is on the other side of the change, though I trust it will always workout for my greatest good. Examine your life for a moment and take note of your resistance to changes in the past. Did it not work itself out? Has life not always served you?

Your fear is a facade orchestrated by your mind to protect you. That's not a bad thing, since nature's intention is to protect you from danger. The fear becomes a threat to your survival when you become consumed by it.

In effect what is supposed to protect you is turned against you by your mind. The solution - face the fear in order to navigate your way out of it.

2. Reframe the fear of change

You've heard the expression, what would you do if you knew you couldn't fail? The premise behind the passage is embracing your wishes by facing your fears.

I've written countless articles on espousing fear being an illusion to awaken us to our inner courage. Without fear you wouldn't forge ahead - the mind aims to thwart your success at each instance. It thrives on the safe and the known.

With this in mind, reframe the fear. What is holding you back from embracing that change is ultimately for your greatest good? Perhaps life is revealing itself to you as an answer to your thoughts - whether conscious or unconscious.

The fear of change is holding you back from accepting the new and lasting changes that come with it. Reframing the fear to something empowering allows you to navigate your way toward that which you seek. All that is needed is an alternative perspective.

3. Tame the fear through practice

If you want to become proficient at sport, dance, song or otherwise wouldn't it make sense that you rehearse and practice until you became better at it? In the book Outliers, Malcolm Gladwell introduces us to the 10,000 hour rule.

He suggests in order one become world class in one's respective field, it takes approximately 10,000 hours; which is equivalent to 10 years. While I'm not suggesting you attempt 10,000 hours at mastering your fears - through consistent persistence, you will break the grip that the fear has on you.

In order to overcome your fear of change, embrace the change next time it becomes apparent. Start small.

Order a type of coffee that you're unaccustomed to drinking next time you're out. Remove the earphones from your ears when travelling on public transport and be willing to engage in small talk with a stranger. Smile at people in the street more often. Engage in friendly conversation with the cashier to learn something new about them.

The idea of these exercises is to accustom your mind to things which are outside the sphere of your comfort zone. Your mind makes new connections in the process. New connections are essential to life since life is in a state of continual change.

In order to overcome your fear of change, make a vow to confront the underlying fear behind it. Don't allow it to overwhelm you. Take smaller steps by accepting what shows up in your life. The experience is there to teach you a valuable lesson - remain open and receptive to it.

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

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Dealing With Adversities

Do you ever think of your problems as unending? Do you feel that at every step of life, your adversities are pulling you backwards? If so, you are not alone! A wise man once said that the pains and hurting we go through are inevitable but misery is optional. It is up to you to decide the amount of affliction your pain will impose on you and people around you. Here are some of my thoughts that I would like to share, which might help you turn hardship into an optimistic experience.

Adversity is an indication, Not a Cause

If you are encountering adversities constantly, it is a sign of some deeper problem. You recently lost your job and are finding it devastating. But have you sat back and reflected over what exactly made you lose it? How did you become dispensable? Did you choose the right career in the first place? Likewise, if your loved one or you are sick, try to find out why the illness happened. Are you leading an unhealthy lifestyle? Is your environment the cause? Or is it just your attitude? Just like physical pain is a sign of some trouble, your hardship is a sign of some other deeper problem. Even though your foremost priority is to take care of the problem at hand, you must make mental notes of root cause of the adversity you are facing. Until you deal with the root of your problem, you will continue facing similar situations.

Adversity Teaches You Valuable Lessons

We all are leading fast paced lives. We hardly pause and stop to appreciate the people around us. Adversity often comes as an awakening of the treasures that we overlook in our day-to-day life. These treasures, more important than money and other material possessions we own, include our family, friends and our health. Unexpected financial losses educate us that money should never be the base of life's happiness. An illness makes us realize the importance of good health and disciplined living and makes us humble. An unexpected loss in family makes us value birth cycle, death and life. These things might seem superficial, but it is important to learn from challenges if you do not want to let your problems take over your life.

Adversity as your Guide

Many times, adversities knock at your door to give hints that it is time to change your path. For example, when someone you love leaves you, it is useless blaming yourself (or that person) and sulking. You should instead take it as an indication that you need to seek a fresh and more enlightened bond that is constructive and more meaningful. You can also devote your time in other pursuits of life for the time being.

Confucius said, "I was complaining that I had no shoes till I met a man who had no feet". This saying is so meaningful and true. Instead of getting bogged down because of your own problems, you should pay attention to the people who happily live on, and even do well, despite all odds. When you open eyes and glance at the bigger world, you will be glad to know how you have been treated so well in your life.

We all face adversities that knock us down at times. Here are some of the ways I have found to step back on my feet, whether it relates to life's circumstances, or my own shortcomings.

1. Rising Again - One of my favorite proverbs is the one that says, "Though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again." I would keep on reflecting on this verse several times when I was going through a tough time. I would tell myself to get back up and would constantly think about how my character is not determined by the fall, but by whether I rise again or not.

2. Remembering who you really are - It is crucial to never lose vision of who you really are.

3. Spending time with people who matter - You should spend time with your loved ones who care about you and encourage you. You should try not to let things bothering you get bottled up inside you, but rather face them and deal with them. Sharing problems with friends and family gives you motivation and strength. Your life's journey is not supposed to be lived in loneliness.

4. Find out what makes you who you are - In your life time, you get to a point where you realize who you are, independent of your performance in work, and other responsibilities. In today's culture, which is mainly performance-oriented, I would suggest that you see yourself autonomous from your performances. Most probably you will end up performing better from this perception, anyway. Try to see yourself in perfect light.

5. Don't go overly pensive, but keep going on. It's easy to become excessively introspective. Some people struggle with this very thing at many times, however one must focus on what they want to be, and not on the shortcomings, and learn to walk as if they are already there!

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

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The Secret to Finding Your Path To Freedom

What is the path to Freedom?

For most of us, the path to freedom lies in the ability to become fulfilled, or happy. How one becomes happy is a question that has been asked and answered in millions of ways. For the sake of not guessing, the path to freedom we will look at is the one where you follow your passion full-time.

Full-time meaning to do what you love and make a comfortable living doing it. I am sure you have heard about living life on your own terms lately. If you haven't, it means to do the work that makes you happy and earn a good living doing it. It means to walk the road less traveled, not conforming to a life that you are "supposed" to be living.

In essence, living life on your own terms means to follow your dreams.

What's the Secret?

The secret to finding your path to freedom, following your dreams, living life on your own terms, or following your passions, is simple... Human Connection.

Human connection is the key to unlock all of the doors when walking your path to freedom. There is nothing that can't be accomplished with the right connections to the right people.

Here's another little secret. It's not as hard as you might think. You don't have to know Bill Gates or some fancy CEO of a fortune 500. Nope, all you need to do is build relationships with others on your journey.

Building relationships with others in your niche, or area of passion will allow you to get the help you need when you need it, build a community and environment that supports you, and become better at everything.

How to Use Human Connection

By using human connection the right way, you can build long-lasting relationships with some of the most like-minded people in your environment. You will gain the exposure you need to building your passion, or lifestyle business.

Here's some tips for building these relationships,

• Become a member of their tribe
• Connect with them through e-mail
• Interact with others through comments
• Use places like Twitter and Facebook to connect
• Ask for their help
• Show them what you have to offer
• Earn their trust by being authentic
• Help them in return

Building relationships with the people who will help you on your journey isn't that hard. Sure, some will ignore you, but those that you want to build relationships with are the ones who know the importance.

Approach the authority's in your environment as well. They are the one's whose blogs and sites you have been reading that follow along with your passions. Follow the tips in the list. These people got to be an authority for a reason and they will be able to help you get there as well.

Don't think that they are off-limits or are too big to connect with. Have confidence in yourself and your abilities and take action.

Take Action

If you are connecting with your environment, there is virtually nothing that can stop you from succeeding, unless of course you quit. The community you build will be the ones who carry you through in the worst of times and the best of times.

They are the ones who will help you and keep you going. The more people you connect with and build relationships with, the more you will learn and the farther you will go on your path to freedom. After all, it's not about you. It's about them. They will be the ones who decide whether you make it or not. Treat them right and you will go far.

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

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How to Be a Friend to Yourself

Do you constantly criticize and belittle yourself? Are you your own worst enemy? How would you treat yourself differently if you treated yourself like a friend?

The advice to love yourself is a common self-help theme. This is of little help to most people, especially those who expect they should be exceptional and extraordinary in order to be worthy of self-love. While there are spiritual paths that can lead to self-love and self-acceptance, if someone has low self-esteem and doesn't feel special, it's hard for many people to love themselves.

An uncomplicated and easy self-care path to feeling better about yourself is to simply treat yourself as a friend. Those qualities that make being a good friend to others work as well for being a friend to yourself.

What are the qualities you value in friendship? Here are some qualities commonly recognized as key elements in friendship:

Acceptance. A true friend accepts you for who you are and doesn't try to force you to be something you are not. A friend accepts both our good qualities and our shortcomings. Can you extend this acceptance to yourself?

Loving. A true friend is loving, kind, and generous. A friend makes us feel not only liked but loved, cherished, and cared for by their words, their tone of voice, and how they treat us. Can you be more loving, kind, and generous to yourself?

Champion. A true friend will cheer you on. A friend uses encouragement rather than insults to motivate you. A friend is optimistic rather than pessimistic about what you can achieve. Can you motivate yourself with positive rather than critical words? Can you be optimistic about your efforts?

Honesty. A true friend will tell you the truth, even when the truth is hard to hear. A friend will give you well-deserved compliments but will also call you to task when you are avoiding something or trying to disguise the truth. Can you be honest with yourself?

Support. A true friend will support you when you are going through challenges and will stand by you when you have setbacks. A friend can help put your challenges in perspective. A friend can help you see lessons that you are overlooking in the challenges that you are struggling with. And, a friend will know that sometimes all you need in time of trouble is a friend to listen to and support you. How can you offer yourself more support?

Forgiveness. A true friend is willing to forgive you your errors and mistakes. Can you forgive yourself?

One of the most important relationships you can have in your life is with yourself. Is it time to break old habits and invest in a healthy friendship with your internal self? Make the commitment to be a friend to yourself and increase your happiness by decreasing your self-criticism!

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

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Change Your Mindset

Your mind is a powerful thing. It's as malleable and changeable as a muscle and has a huge capacity for growth and development. Just because you believe that you aren't good at something doesn't mean you can't be - what you don't know can be learned, and skills you don't currently possess can be developed.

Successful people aren't always the ones who are naturally gifted. They are the ones who don't let their weaknesses stand in the way, but try to overcome them instead.

Steps for positive thinking

Set a vision for the future

You can't hit a target you can't see, so decide what you want and make goals to help you get there. Be optimistic and don't limit yourself - there's no point planning to be mediocre.

Identify your strengths and build on your weaknesses

Your weaknesses aren't permanent. Decide which areas of your life you would like to improve and make a commitment to practising them.

Take each day as it comes

Do the best that you can each day. Some days will be better than others, but if you make a commitment to do the best you can for that day, you will start to see an improvement.

Believe in yourself

You are constantly changing and full of potential. Recognise it and build on it - don't let other people's lack of enthusiasm have an impact on your self belief.

Build a positive outlook

The brain isn't hardwired to be a certain way, but your habitual thoughts have a huge moulding influence on your outlook in life. If you regularly think negatively, you are programming your brain to spot negative patterns - improving its capacity for negativity. Make an effort to think more positively and challenge automatic negative thoughts when they cross your mind. With time, you will start to train your brain towards a more positive state.

Feel the fear and do it anyway

Any new experience, whether it's making an investment for the first time or learning to drive can be scary. Do your homework, assess the risks, and then take action. Putting it off won't make it any less scary, but if you take the plunge, you may find you had nothing to fear.

Choose your friends

Research has suggested that you are the average of the five people you spend most time with. Socialise with people you admire - find out what makes them successful and imitate their positive qualities. If your social circle isn't supporting your goals, change it!

Work on honesty and integrity

It takes years to build trust, and only a moment to destroy it. Think about how you want to be seen by the people you value and keep yourself worthy of their trust.

Take action

There will never be 'the perfect time' for any action. Consider your options, make a decision, and act on that decision. Time is precious, so make yours productive.

Set limits

It's a well-known phenomenon that any task will expand to fill the time available. Set yourself time limits to accomplish a goal and stick to them, otherwise work will consume all your energy.

Get into good habits

Habits are exceptionally powerful. Try setting yourself a challenge - getting up early in the morning, for example - and keep at it for 20 days. It will soon become second nature.

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

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Think Positive!

Positive Thinking Leads to Success. Positive thinking is very important to succeed in life. Individuals who start struggle with the inclination in mind that the goal is impossible cannot succeed in the achievement of their goals. Their failure is the result of their negative thinking because in this way they are half beaten in the start.

Your attitude in the start is negative therefore the problems cannot be fixed. You should ask from yourself; Are you sure it is impossible? You can make it possible with your efforts, good planning and strategies.

Most of the individuals don't want to indulge in difficult tasks because they shirk from hard work. But those who are determined and confident win every kind of situation because they believe in the dignity of struggle. They set their minds that everything is possible with constant effort and proper planning. They have positive thinking in their mind which leads them toward success. You cannot succeed in life without struggle and positive thinking.

If you have firm believe in the achievement of your goal with constant efforts then you will get it. Nothing is impossible in life if you focus on the achievement of your goal. If you think that something is impossible, refresh your mind to rethink because you can make it possible. You need to plan and make good strategies to achieve it. When you will try at your best and make strategies to solve the problem then you will feel that you are a foot away from the goal.

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

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The Road to Success

Modern business literature is filled to the brim with books, audio programs, and seminars about success. People have developed an all-encompassing obsession with learning what they can do to get ahead. And what's wrong with this you ask? Not necessarily anything... except for the fact that all to many people are only interested in trying to get ahead if it doesn't involve any substantial work or sacrifice.

Put another way, people are trying to figure out the "easy" way to achieve success.

This begs a natural question... is there an "easy" way to become successful? Is there a "shortcut" to achieving the thing that we want for our lives such as wealth, family, friends, and happiness? Is the road to success the same for everybody, or is it different for different people? Is it as simple as following a formula, or is it something you need to discover for yourself?

The simple answer is that success isn't simple. There is no formula, there is no 'system' that will guarantee your results. The "easy" path that most people follow is frequently a shallow attempt to acquire the appearance of success, without achieving real wealth, happiness, or harmony. The road to success is not a "paint by numbers" situation... there are principals of success guidelines to achievement, but each person must ultimately find their own path down the road of success.

The Road to Success Goes through a Town called Failure

One of the aspects of our journey that can be the hardest to understand and accept is that failure almost always precedes success. The reason for this is because failure allows us to learn, and teaches us perspective. A life of success is a life of growth, and growth necessarily means failure. The only way that one can avoid any form of failure is to never attempt anything remotely challenging... this is a path to stagnation. When we fear failure, we fear growth... if we never risk failure, our personal, professional, and financial development will be stunted.

A way in which this effect frequently manifests itself is through a reluctance for people to step outside of their "comfort zone" to try something different. These comfort zones are different for different people, but they all serve as a crutch that prevents us from growing. If we are going to develop into the kind of person that achieves the success we dream of in the inner recesses of our mind, we must be willing to risk failure... even when the rewards of that risk are not immediately visible. Similarly, we should render exceptional service to every person we meet, regardless of whether they can be of benefit to us or not.

This can be exceptionally difficult to do. Most of us would rather "turn on" our spirit of helpfulness when we're around "important" people and leave it off when we're around everybody else. While this is a natural inclination, it is a very dangerous habit to form. What we do ultimately becomes who we are...

The Law of Compensation

Napoleon Hill coined the phrase: "The Law of Compensation" to describe the effect he observed in the lives of highly successful people, whereby they rendered useful service to everybody they met. In most cases, it turned out that their big opportunity came from a source that was different from those whom they had been helping the most, and for the longest period of time. What he concluded, but wisely allowed his readers to determine for themselves is that human beings are not nearly as clever as we believe ourselves to be. We do not have the ability to "turn on" and "turn off" our spirit of helpfulness quite like we think. Eventually, our true nature shows through, and if that true nature is unpleasant, we will not be able to cover it up.

Because of this, Hill advised a strategy of cultivating a permanently helpful, permanently positive attitude. There is no need to "turn on" a helpful nature if you are endeavoring to always be helpful. Furthermore, being positive and helpful for long enough will turn it from being an action into being a habit. Once these traits are engrained as habits, and are done automatically, then opportunity will flow to us like water flows through the river.

Thus, traveling the "road to success" is not about a place that we must go, but a person that we must become. Success is the province of those who provide cheerful, useful service to others. Shortcuts and get-rich-quick schemes are the province of people who are too lazy to do the work that is necessary for personal, professional, and financial growth. Attempting to avoid this work simply forestalls the time at which you can achieve true success.

In the end, the road to success is really a journey of development. The journey is frequently uncomfortable, is sometimes painful, but is always necessary if our life's goals are to be achieved. The question we should ask ourselves is not one of what we want to get out of life, but one of what we are willing to give in exchange for that which we want. When your mindset shifts from one of trying to get something easy to one of learning how to give a greater value in exchange for what you want, you will have taken your first step down that road to success.

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How to Stay Focused For Success

Staying focused on any one task to completion is often easier said than done especially when there seems to be a thousand and one distractions hurling at you from every direction on the compass.

Some days, the easiest of tasks can often appear to be overwhelming when the tiniest of things can take your concentration. Distractions are inevitable that is the nature of life and if we did not have those little things to distract us life would actually become quite boring. Achieving your goals is very important but so is enjoying the journey.

We all know though, that in reality it really does take focus and concentration to complete a job and do it well, whether it is a job at work, at home or even as part of your hobby. To achieve success in what you are doing requires focus, dedication and a hunger that will drive you across the finish line.

Focus requires you to become organised and ambitious. These two characteristics are essential for your success.

When you are determined to achieve what you want one of the first areas you need to look at is your organisation. You need to literally set the required amount of time aside to do what you need to do. Many people use the excuse of lack of time, this is a cop out. If something is important to you you will find the time. This is where your organisation skills are put to the test. The 3 tips below are a great way to get organised and get you focused on your goal:

• Write down exactly what it is you are aiming to achieve. Write down the how in as much detail as you can and then break it down into small steps. Each time you accomplish one of the smaller steps you are taking yourself closer and closer to your goal.
• On your list put deadlines to make sure you achieve the small steps by certain times or dates. This holds you accountable. Making it time bound and realistic. Creating these deadlines will prevent you from making excuses and putting tasks off for later.

• Each and everyday put aside time to work on these goals. If it means getting up a half hour earlier then do it. The only person responsible for your success is you.

Always, and I mean always keep your eye on the prize. Remind yourself constantly of how great it will be when you achieve what you set out to do.

When you are ambitious, organised and you work for what you want, success will come.

Time waits for nobody and if you wait too long, your dreams and goals will become a what if?  Set your goals now and achieve what you want.

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Online Marketing Success Is An Evolution

Achieving marketing success on the internet is not something that just 'happens' but rather is the culmination of your time and effort! When you plan your business you are also going through a period of self evaluation as to your commitment, which is necessary if any money is to be earned! In many ways you'll find that as you grow your business, you yourself are also experiencing growth as well! This 'evolution' is simply a natural part of any success you do have and here are the 3 stages you can expect to 'evolve' through!

Choose Your Path

This is the stage where your 'dreams' evolve into something more structured and concrete as you begin to plan your business! Your market or niche selection is a very important first step and one that should be done very careful! It is wise and advisable to choose something you have an interest in yourself since it will make it easier to invest your time! In addition you want to select a niche that has profit potential since if people don't spend money how do you expect to grow your business? This particular step also calls for you to 'evaluate' your own skill set and knowledge base to judge how prepared you are to enter this market!

Select Your 'Means'

How do you intend to promote your products or services in terms of the 'type' sites or platforms you want to use? Make no mistake whether you choose a blog or website or even a series of them these will be your 'means' for growing your business but NOT the cause of any growth you experience! Your choice in this area will be determined by your ease of comfort in blogging or tackling the coding necessary to construct a website! In either case the fact that you are considering the type of site you want to employ is a good sign that your commitment is strong and your personal evolution continues!

Develop Your Skills

This is all about self improvement, dedication and once again your commitment in the areas you'll be working! Your efforts in this area will be ongoing allowing you to continue to evolve and thereby help strengthen your business! The fact is in order for you to grow your business, you too must grow being that you're the owner/operator! Due to the dynamic environment and level of competition found online you can expect that you'll always be developing new skills and accumulating new knowledge! This is the only way to stay competitive!

In order to achieve marketing success on the internet your commitment to the 'process' involved is critical! In fact once you begin to plan your business you are entering a stage where you will also begin to evolve on a personal level as well! This process of evolution will take place and even flourish as you grow your business and occurs in the 3 stages discussed above! The long and short of it is that not only are you working towards earning an income online but will also experience developmental changes on a personal level in addition! If your commitment is strong enough to grow your business, you as a person will have to experience this growth as well!

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

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The Benefits of Positive Thinking

Optimism is a state of mind. It can be achieved using different formula, but not all of us are very fortunate to attain this being. Sometimes, it takes a lot of tries before one can realize the importance of maintaining a positive outlook in life. Most of the time, we dwell on the drama and complications of our daily experience. The result is an unending thread of misfortunate events because of the negative vibes that we attract.

In order to be awesome in all aspects of your humanity, you have to make sure that your mind and heart is in the proper condition. It means you are aware that you are thinking and feeling hale and hearty. If you can accomplish this, it will be a lot easier for you to acquire optimism. And once you get along with positive thinking, the good benefits will be endless.

One of the awesome benefits of positive thinking is the development of one's resiliency. Being resilient is the unique capability to cope with any form difficulty. Resilience is best exhibited during and after a serious problem. A positive thinker will courageously face the trial and he or she will not be afraid to encounter stress and suffering. He or she will exhaust all the means and resources in order to resolve the troubles at hand. With a healthy mind and body, optimism helps a person to bounce back from adversity after dealing with the challenge. For instance, calamity victims who keep their hopes and faith because of positive thinking are proven to be more resilient than those who weep over the disaster.

Furthermore, optimism makes a person awesome by ensuring his health and wellness. Another set of benefits of positive thinking includes a reduced amount of stress, lower rates of depression, improved immunity and less vulnerability to common sickness, and better stress management abilities. With all these beneficial effects, the lifespan of a positive thinker will be longer than those who are living in sheer negativity. Because of being so pessimistic, these people are more prone to cardiovascular ailments and psychological disorders. In order to have an increased physical well being, always think of positive thoughts.

Being positive also entails success. Optimism fuels the mind and heart of anybody to continue the journey in pursuing his or her personal goals. Good fortune will also be closer to you if you are attracting good vibes. These benefits of positive thinking will surely give you more energy and more happiness. You will see that as you develop the positivity in mind and heart, you will eventually achieve greater strength and inner power. When you continue to be optimistic, life will definitely smile at you.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ilidio_P._Cardoso

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Create an Environment for Success

One success principle that is very often overlooked is the principle of environment. It's rarely discussed, yet the spaces in which you live and work have a big impact on you. The people and the things you allow into your environment, have an impact on you as well. To be successful it's important to create spaces that nurture and support you.

It's important to keep in mind that your home is a reflection of you. It is connected to you. It is part of you. It is a reflection of you and everything that is going on in your life.

How do you feel about your home? Does it honor and support you? For example, a cluttered environment does not support you. When you surround yourself with things that you do not need, use, want or love, it does not support you. When you surround yourself with chaos, it does not support you. If your environment does not support you, it is very difficult for you to achieve the level of success you would like to achieve - in fact, your environment, if it is cluttered and chaotic and you don't love it - is merely reflecting back to you what you truly feel you deserve.

If you let it, your environment can support you in all areas of your life. In order for it to do that, you need to create an environment that you love, that feels really good to you, that represents you. It doesn't matter how big or small your home is. It doesn't matter how much or how little you have. If you have a small home, with just a few items of furniture, and if it is clean and well organized and you love it, it will support you just as much as if you had a larger home. It's not the size of the home or the amount of contents, it's what you do with what you have that counts.

Just as surely as your home can support you, it can also sabotage you if you don't pay attention to it. A home that is not cared for, that is cluttered and in a state of disrepair cannot support you.

Just as your home reflects all aspects of your life, so your work space reflects how you feel about what you do and how successful you feel. If your office is cluttered and filled with things that you don't need or use on a regular basis, or if it is filled with things that have nothing to do with your work it can hold you back keeping you distracted.

Your work environment should reflect your expertise. It should be professional and reflect the level of success that you want to achieve. Take a look at your office space with new eyes. If this office belonged to someone else and you were visiting them in this office, what would your impression of that person be? Does the space reflect someone who is confident and professional? Does it make you feel that they are successful in what they do?

It doesn't matter if nobody ever comes to your office and you are the only person who sees it. The energy of your work space is the energy that you are putting out to the world about what you do.

Pay attention to your home and work environments. They will support you and lead you to greater levels of success if you let them.

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Linda_Binns

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Stop Planning & Start Doing!

Have you ever hesitated to apply for a career because you thought you weren't good enough? "I'll study a bit more", you'd tell yourself. "I'll have to acquire more experience. Right now, I'm not ready." Or maybe you've been thinking about starting a new business, making it on your own. You're so tired of having a boss, of not being able to make your own decisions. Or have you found yourself dreaming that you could be a painter, a traveler or an actor. How marvelous it would be to do something you like for a living. But you never had the guts to give it a go, because you thought you weren't good enough.

Well, you were so wrong. If other people can do it, so can you. "Yes, but they know what they're doing", you might say. No, they don't. Most of them just took a chance and did their best. Because this is how things are done. If you wait around until you're ready, someone else will take your place. Not to mention you'll never do anything, because you're never ready. That's why you're stuck with a job that doesn't satisfy you anymore because you're afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone.

Being afraid of the unknown is natural. It's what kept our species going. Running away from a savage animal or a strange tribe member is a self preserving instinct. But we don't live in tribes anymore. While a new job or a stressful situation might be a little unpleasant, it is surely not life-threatening. You have to understand and accept your fear, but don't submit to it. The reason why human beings have evolved so much is because they pushed themselves in spite of their fears. That's what you should do too, if you don't want to spend the rest of your life stuck in the same place.

One of the self sabotaging mechanisms we all use is the "lack of preparation" excuse. But no-one is a hundred percent prepared. You've done enough learning, studying and preparing. You know everything you need to know. No amount of courses, exams and diplomas will prepare you for what's to come. Learning is inaction. You are fooling yourself that you are taking steps towards your goal, but what you're really doing is keeping yourself stuck in the early stages. A surgeon who only operates on a computer is not a surgeon. An actor who knows all the lines by heart but never steps onto a stage is not an actor. You have to really be there, in the middle of it all, if you want to learn something. Because learning is done on the job. The only way up is to act.

Are you afraid to make mistakes? We all are. And we all make them. Are you afraid to make a fool out of yourself? We all do. That's how we learn. And that is how we become exceptional.

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

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How To Stop Being Lazy

Laziness is a state when one is unwilling to put any effort to do any work. Laziness can have different reasons behind it. Some people are born lazy, unwilling to do anything in their lives. Others are addicted to stuffs like the internet and procrastination takes over. Such people just say tomorrow to important things and are busy doing nothing on the internet. Sites like Facebook are known to encourage procrastination. They just make people lazy if people are not able to control their use of such sites. One may never be able to get any work done if they carry on being lazy. So, laziness is harmful for us and removing the unwillingness to do anything would make people productive to a new level.

So the question is: "How does one stop being so lazy?" There is no define answer to this but there are several techniques which can be used to reduce the laziness off a person. Those methods are:

Goal Setting

A person can be focused on what is to be achieved if a person sets goals. A person can literally write down their goals in life and the methods to achieve those goals. This helps the person to be focused and keep laziness out of the way. Goal setting does not only mean setting such life goals. One can even set their daily, weekly, monthly goals and activities. For example one can write down things to do for the whole day and actually do those things one by one. But just writing down the things to do will not ensure that those things are done. Dedication is required which helps a person to follow the activities planned for a period. To be dedicated toward goals, one should be a person who "lives up to their words".

Sometimes while listing out the activities to do, there might be a huge number of activities which a person has thought of achieving and all of those activities individually take up a long time. A person must learn to break down such activities, get help when possible and do whatever it takes to complete those. Inspiration can be gathered with the help of great quotes and also by looking up to great personalities.

Time Management

Time management is also crucial to win over laziness. When you have a schedule for what to do and when to do it, chances are high that you actually might end up doing it. Time should be separated for recreational activities as well as serious work related activities. Recreation is very important but a lot of recreation will result in missing out important work. So separating time for such important work in odd hours is not the right choice. Do those first, take rests in between and complete them and take the final break. Managing time would also require you to separate time for different work. Spending a large amount of time for a single activity and then leaving out very little for others would not bear any fruit at all. Time should be used wisely and having a daily schedule written or mentally set should be adequate.

Self-Reflection and Realization

Evaluating yourself is also an important thing to do. For example you can evaluate yourselves on things like what you have done in a time frame that is gearing you towards your future goals. If you find out that you have done nothing significant or things of very low significance then you are doing it wrong. You should realize such things yourselves. Others telling you to stop being lazy and you realizing it yourself have a gigantic difference. So learn to moderate yourselves.

It should also be understood that ones you really realize that you are procrastinating a lot, it is never too late to change your behavior and reach your goals finally. All you have to do is honor your own words and keep it honored for ever. People tend to set goals, break those goals into activities and follow the plan for a few days, and then return to the same old procrastinating lifestyle again. This should be avoided at all costs as it destroys everything.

Hence, laziness can be removed with a bit of effort and planning. Your inner self must realize this, make plans to remove such laziness and put in all the effort to make sure that the plans are followed forever.

I have explained about getting over laziness and beating procrastination. But work always means a dull mind. Recreation is also important for us. But like this article says, do not get involved in such recreational activities for a prolonged period of time as you may develop an addiction to it.

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

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Everyday Resolution!

Many people fall in the habit of making new goals and resolutions every year. While this may sounds all good and beneficial one must realize that waiting so long just to make new goals can be a disadvantage towards your success. Making goals and resolution should be a daily or weekly chore. The more often you make goals the more proactive you become. Every new year many people set forth a resolution to do something but yet the year can go by while this goal remains incomplete. This is why it is important to set goals as often as possible. In addition to reminding yourself of these goals periodically. For example, if you look at many pro athletes that participates in sport. They constantly train on a regular basis in order to stay competitive and on top of their game. Imagine if they only trained and exercise only once a year. How competitive you think they would be than to their competition? No challenge at all! As individuals we must be the best person we can be in order to be on top of our game. And to do so we must continue to set goals consistently no matter what. Happy New Year! And may 2013 and the following years to come bring you much success and prosperity!



Anuel St Clair
Phone: 754-246-2924
Email: anuel@choiceteam.net
Website: www.choiceteam.net

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Talk Minus Action = Nothing!

Action is the special sauce to achieving anything. Everyone talks about positive thinking, which I am certainly a proponent of, however, very few people talk about positive action. Action is what separates the doers from the dreamers. Have you ever had an idea and thought, “This is a million dollar idea!” then you did nothing with it, and a year or two later you see your idea on some infomercial? What separated your idea from the person who produced the product? You guessed it. ACTION!

I love to run, but I never considered myself a runner. I didn’t have the physical stamina or the mental willpower to endure more than a thirty-minute jog. Nonetheless, I relished those 30 minutes early each morning, when the world was quiet and I was alone with my thoughts.

On the morning of April 1st, 2005, my thoughts matched the weather – gloomy. As my breath quickened during my run, I thought of Mike.

Out of the gloom came a crazy idea, a zealous, perhaps foolish, daydream. Suddenly, my mind flooded with possibilities, not obstacles. My adrenaline soared, and my legs bounded, pumping faster and faster. I ran faster and longer than ever before. As I approached Olmstead Street, my pace slowed to a walk as my thoughts continued to accelerate. My whole body shook with enthusiasm as I considered making my “dream” a reality. For a brief moment, I doubted. I wondered if this were fate’s version of an April Fools prank: Inspire an out-of-shape dreamer into running 1,200 miles, and laugh as he stumbles after mile two. No. With every step I became more certain.

I would take Mike and David to Orlando for an unforgettable vacation-movies, shopping, and excitement at the Mecca of magical thinking, Disney World. Then, I would embark on a run that would change my life forever.

As soon as I got home, I e-mailed long-distance runner Stu Mittleman and asked for his guidance. I knew that Stu ran a thousand miles in 11 days, and from San Diego to New York City. He replied to my e-mail within one day with his phone number. I called. He answered on the second ring. I explained my crazy idea.

Stu agreed to be my coach, and over the next few days he sent me a diet plan and a strict training schedule. Four months hence, I would run from Orlando to Chicago. For Mike.

I have had many crazy ideas before, what was different about this one, is that I took action right away. Tony Robbins talks about never leaving the site of goal without taking some form of action towards attaining it. This was the first step in a monumental undertaking, but without this first step, none of the following steps would have been possible.

Article Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tim_Wambach

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Be Positive! Live Longer!

Each new day brings its own problems, situations, and worries that could alter our peaceful lives but not everybody has the ability to bear it. Some of us will see it as a heavy burden to carry and others will see it as an opportunity to obtain something positive out of it. The difference between these two types of persons is called positive thinking or positive attitude against an unpleasant situation!

If you feel that you are one of those persons who lack of positive thinking, the good news is that you can achieve it and master it. It’s not an easy task, but it is possible. Drop by drop.

Even though positive thinking is associated with self-control, in this article we’ll focus our attention on how to create a positive thinking and the benefits it brings about.

Positive Thinking

Our mind has been compared to a big stage where good or bad characters (thoughts) could come to be the main characters in each play. Even though, as a stage director, you prefer the good and positive characters in the scene, sometimes you’ll notice that unexpectedly bad personages will also appear capturing your attention and getting over the good ones if an immediate action is not taken. So, what could you do?

- Always remember that everything “IS” in your mind and you can control it no matter how difficult you think this is. After all, you are the stage director, aren’t you? This is not about climbing a wall o jumping over a river. This is about controlling your thoughts; the foundation of your feelings and the engine of your acts.

- Identify and write down on a paper a list of the areas of your life that you typically think in a negative way and start analyzing in which way you could approach them in a positive way. Organize that list by putting in first place the easy ones. Don’t try to change all of them in one shot or one day. This is a new habit for you. You need to adapt your mind to this new concept or way of thinking. Once you have conquered the first one on the list, you will probably be more confident about yourself to overcome the second one, and so on.

- Check your thoughts periodically. Evaluate them. If you feel that you are improving them, this is excellent! Keep going and don’t stop! But, if you feel they are still in square one, don’t give-up, don’t lower your arms, just try harder. You can do it!

- Change the way of approaching different situations.

Instead of saying “It’s too complicated,” you could say “I’ll deal with it from a different point of view.”

Instead of saying “No one bothers communicating with me,” you could say “I’ll see if I can open the channels of communications.”

As we mentioned before, this is new habit for you, so practice, practice, practice until your brain get used to it.

- Smile! Show your teeth! You surely have a beautiful smile.

- Be open to humor. Remember that a happy face is always contagious. You are helping not only yourself but also those who are around you. You never know who could be in your same situation.

- Eat healthy. Engage in physical activities. Go to bed early and get up early. These simple rules we’ll give you all the energy you need to go throughout the day with a positive mind.

- Get involved with positive people even though it means changing your social life. Don’t take the risk of having to start all over again.

Life could be compared to a boat. Sooner or later, you’ll find people around you who had fallen in the water just complaining about their life, family, work, etc. Everything looks negative and bad to them and although the line is extended so they can be saved, in their mind they are so busy still complaining that they are blinded to see the opportunity to get back to the boat. You have taken the decision to stay out of the water, so keep swimming because the boat is right there.

- Never get empty or lazy mind moments. If you do so, it could become your enemy and fuel for “bad characters”. Always keep yourself and your mind busy. Dedicate time to yourself, read good books, watch inspiring movies, talk more frequently to your love ones, and help those in need.

Benefits of Positive Thinking

Although, researchers still continues to study the benefits of positive thinking, we would like to share at least 6 of them:

- Lower levels of stress

- Lower rate of depression

- Reduced chance of heart attack

- Better and more stable physical and mental states

- Increased life span

- A big happy face!

Conclusion:

As we said before, each new day brings its own problems, situations, and worries. Don’t pretend that life always will be bright. You’ll have grey moments and it is OK. Actually, grey moments are necessary; otherwise, how can you progress in life? How can you know that something is sweet when you don’t know how bitter tastes? How can you know that something is beautiful when you don’t know what ugly is? You always need a contrast in life, an opposition.

Start creating positive thinking habits. That’s your main goal if you want to succeed in life.

Never forget that you are unique in this world and that makes you an especial and important person in this life. No matter how hard your way through life could be, you’ll always have the potential to raise yourself above all your problems; you’ll never receive more weight than the weight you can bear.

Start today making the changes you consider necessary and it will bring you happiness and peace in your life.

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

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You Determine Your Success

Ever heard the quote "It's Not What You Know, It's Who You Know". If so I am here to tell you that theory is false! In reality you determine your own success. This quote may apply to those who want to get into the entertainment industry such as actors, models, musicians, etc. However to become an entrepreneur requires no such support. Don't get me wrong, having connections is always a plus in any business venture but certainly not required on your journey to success. Many successful entrepreneurs started their companies themselves from the grown up and became huge success stories. Becoming a successful entrepreneur requires patience, determination and perseverance. After acquiring these attributes now you need an engine that will help navigate you towards success. For some this engine maybe a natural talent like Michael Jordan who possesses the skills to play basketball. And for others this maybe an idea like Bill Gates who created Microsoft. Lets face it, not everyone possess a natural talent that will create tremendous wealth let alone have brilliant ideas like the creators of Google. If your like me, you most likely have hobbies and passions in life you rather pursue but needed money to manage all your bills and expenses. Imagine being able to make more than enough money to support your lifestyle and manage expenses without having to give up most of your time. Most of your time should be dedicated to your love ones, hobbies, passions, etc. Not a job that barely pays you enough to get by. If your like me and didn't have any special talents or brilliant ideas but just needed a solution that will pay more than enough so you never have to worry about money again watch the video below. Learn how you can start becoming financially free!

Anuel St. Clair
GoFun Places
Phone: 754-246-2924 
Email: anuel@choiceteam.net 
Website: www.gofunrewards.com/?s=choices

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