Positive Thinking: A Powerful Tool

Have you ever met someone who was so positive about life, you wish you felt that way as well? You can.  Positive thinking is a powerful tool.  Our minds control all of our thought processes and can be the catalyst for living a happy and positive existence or live life with a doom and gloom attitude.

Here are several ways to not only improve your mindset, but your life as well.

* If you are faced with a negative thought, change it to a positive one. Remember the movie, “Pollyanna?”  Her father taught her the “glad game.” She encouraged the town to find things to be glad about. Eventually, they did and were happier than ever before.
* Surround your life with positive people. Go to events which bring you joy or have special meaning. Invoke positive memories whenever you can.
* There is a saying, “It’s the simple things in life that make me happy.” Find those simple pleasures, no matter how small or insignificant they may be. They are yours to enjoy.
* Laughter is the best medicine, especially for a heavy heart.  Be around people who make you laugh; it’s quite contagious.
* Love yourself; nurture the inner you; love others, and most of all be kind. Greet the doorman in the morning, or give a hug to someone who needs it most.
* Help someone less fortunate than yourself. Volunteer your time at a nursing home or hospital.  When you give, you receive ten-fold.
Remember, what you do affects others.  If you are negative, people will shy away from you. However if you are positive, you will be surrounded by people who wish to be in your company all the time. Congratulate yourself on jobs well done! Positive thinking breeds positive results.
Begin your day in a positive manner. Nothing is worse then getting up in a grumpy mood.  It not only sets the tone for the days’ events, but impacts your family as well.  Place flowers around your home; open the curtains and let the sun shine in. Also, add more light to your home if needed.  Light has a direct effect on one’s mood.
Changing the way in which you view life can make all the difference.  Try not to think about the negative aspects, but focus on the positive blessings in your life. Turn off the bad news, and channel your thoughts in the direction of goodness.  It may be cliché, but take time out to smell the roses.  Give thanks for all you have; and be generous to those who have nothing.

Take a look at the smiles on your children’s faces. Nothing in the world can negatively impact the feelings those smiles invoke. Live life to the fullest and enjoy every precious moment of it. 

Overcoming Procrastination: A Few Easy Steps

Does this sound familiar? You wake up in the morning; have your coffee; read your list of things to do today; then go back to bed.  Is this procrastination, or a more serious problem?  If it occurs more than once; it is.  However, people procrastinate for a variety of reasons such as; fear of failing or succeeding; poor organizational skills; and sometimes, a lack of self-esteem. Let’s explore these particular areas and offer a few easy tips in overcoming procrastination.

Fear of Failing or Succeeding
If you fall into this category, there are certain tasks you can perform to understand your resistance.  Ask yourself what are you most afraid of; the task, the requirements needed to fulfill the task; the outcome, or possible failure? Perhaps it may go even deeper.  Maybe you are afraid you will succeed.  Most often, there is a tendency to sabotage a certain project because in succeeding, you are meeting the high expectation others’ have about you and your work. Thus, more pressure is being placed upon you; and therefore, no excuses can suffice in exceeding those expectations.

Fear of rejection can be another reason why you cling to procrastination.  This may originate from low-self esteem; or a lingering uncertainty within your own mind.  It can also be generated from a past rejection which has resurfaced by the task itself. Do not place so much importance on what others think; affirming confidence in your own abilities is the key to overcoming rejection. You may feel a slight twinge, but will be able to brush it off if you just remember who you are. 

Organizational Skills: Create a Small List
Instead of pressuring yourself by including twenty or more things to do on your list, create small lists of five things to do. Managing your life in this way will make it easier for you to complete the tasks; leaving you with a feeling of accomplishment. Do not allow anyone or anything to overpower you; your life; or your achievements.

Lack of Self Esteem and Motivation
Lack of self-esteem prevents you from completing the easiest task. Why? Either because you do not feel you are worthy of the challenge, or because you feel you are not good enough to complete it. Motivation is a good place to begin. Start with an easy task first; then gradually work your way up to full completion. Your confidence will build; you will feel more positive about what you can accomplish, and you will be less likely to avoid the next task at hand.

Lift the Weight off Your Shoulders
Here is an analogy which may help you. Food shopping requires a list, correct? Each time a product is placed in the shopping cart, you cross it off the list.  Well, following the same procedure with other tasks in your life will lift the weight off your shoulders, and the burden will disappear. The secret is not to overload your mind with tasks neither you nor anyone else can handle.  Take it one step at a time. Remember, no one is testing you; there is no time-clock. There is no pressure.

Monday Motivation

As mentioned on my blog, I lost my WAHM Mojo. I just haven’t been able to get back into the swing of things. But thanks to Wendy at SparkPlugging.com, I have been motivated to get motivated!

Typically, before vacation that is, I plan my work week every Monday. This keeps me focused and on track. I haven’t done that for the past 2 weeks and I’ve gotten behind and feel very frazzled. So today, I am going back to my routine and planning for the week.

On top of my daily business maintenance and my day-specific tasks, I am going to accomplish the following this week:

• Set-up my OpenAds so that all of my banner and button advertising is automated and easier to track and manage.
• Write 2 lessons for my new group-coaching product so I can launch it ASAP. (details available in this post)
• Draft press releases for my group-coaching product as well as another in-the-works project
• Contact affiliate directories to have my Affiliate Program listed.

So tell me, what’s your Monday motivation? What do you have planned to accomplish this week? Leave me a comment – and don’t forget to visit Wendy at SparkPlugging.com and leave a comment there!

Oh, what’s my “daily business maintenance” and my “day-specific task” all about? Stay tuned…

One Small Step at a Time: Break Your Goals Down Into Measurable Steps

As Neil Armstrong disembarked from the space shuttle, he uttered these words, “One small step for man; one giant leap for mankind.”  If you remember that historic first walk on the moon’s surface, you will understand why one small step at a time is the basic tenet needed to break your goals down into measurable steps.

Mr. Armstrong didn’t just utter one day, “Well, I think I’ll walk on the moon next week.”  It took years of education; practice; knowledge, commitment and focus before he was even able to board a spacecraft, let alone walk on the moon.  The point is everyone finds it difficult to stay focused on a goal.  The topsy-turvy world of self-motivation is evident everywhere.  Lose weight; gain weight. Even the smallest goal can carry the heaviest weight.

Realistic expectations and a positive attitude, combined with small action steps can make your goals more achievable.  How? You must first know and understand your goal. Begin with one specific goal, and write it down often. It doesn’t have to be anything major; start with something simple. Use construction paper and hang it up everywhere. This is your first step to focusing on your commitment.  Then, break it down into small steps. 

For example: Let’s say you want to begin a diet and exercise program. Your goal is to lose 50 pounds, and be able to run two miles a day.  It’s August; you indicate a target date of February. Write it down: 50 pounds; two miles a day; February.  Focus daily on these words.  Next, break it down into even smaller steps.  Follow a specific diet plan; and begin running 10 minutes a day.  If in the first week, you begin to see results – your confidence will build; and you will become even more motivated to continue. 

Keep a journal. In one half of the book record your diet progress; in the second half of the book record the amount of running time you’ve achieved. You may not believe it, but when you write about yourself, you tend not to lie about it.  Read your journal often. Use a red pen to write your diet and exercise achievements. Even if you consume something you shouldn’t, don’t worry about it. You’re not perfect; and you don’t need that kind of pressure. Just keep going. You’re allowed a mistake every once in a while.

Finally, never give up. You’ve come so far; your confidence is growing, and you are so close to your goal – stay focused. Reward yourself every now and then.  You deserve it! Don’t think about the end result, enjoy the journey.  If Neil Armstrong can walk on the moon; you can accomplish anything you set out to do.

Is Your Self-Esteem Letting You Down?

How can negative self-esteem spill over into your life and affect everything you say and do?  Read this one particular account, and ask yourself if it has a familiar ring.

“They used to say I was born with a fork in my mouth. I was always told to eat everything on my plate. Growing up in an Italian family, while our meals primarily consisted of pasta and bread; I wouldn’t consider myself to be someone who ate constantly. The overriding factor contributing to my weight was sweets.  In addition, I inherited my father’s genes; which unfortunately consisted of a large frame, and a tendency to gain weight more easily.  Conversely, my mother’s side of the family was thin. To add insult to injury, my sister was fortunate enough to inherit my mom’s genes.”

My early childhood years were painful, to say the least. Attending elementary school posed many problems. Since uniforms were mandatory, I was unable to find a store that would accommodate my size.  I was laughed at; made fun of; and as a result, became extremely shy and introverted.  I would always sit in the last row in class; did not have many friends; and realized soon enough I was not like everyone else.  While my parents were always telling me how beautiful I was, I didn’t believe it.  Eventually, I withdrew; going through the motions of living a normal life; but not. As teenager, it was even more difficult to form friendships.  To compensate, I read books; listened to music and thought that if I were intelligent enough, I would be included.  It didn’t happen.  If I attended a high school function, I usually went alone, but was never asked to dance.  I became used to being ignored. I developed a low self-esteem which took over my life for the next thirty years.”

Low self-esteem can be devastating, especially for children.  If not dealt with, it can spill over into adulthood as described in the story.  It can invade every part of your life; forming friendships; engaging in relationships; taking care of family and home, and decrease the desire to live a full and happy life.

To improve your self-esteem, it is necessary to find the underlying cause.  Professional help may be warranted.  Speaking to someone who can be totally objective can have a profound affect on the path you will eventually take to free yourself from this internal bondage. It takes courage and determination to face your own fears and to seek help. You can be assured; however, once you do there will be no need to ever look back.

It’s time to get out of your own way, and find the truth within. Self-esteem issues can be resolved.  All it takes is one step toward the direction of the light; leave the darkness forever behind you.

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