Thursday, 27 November 2014

22 Inspiring Thanksgiving Quotes

“Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough” - Oprah Winfrey

"Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it" - William Arthur Ward

"If you made a list of all the things you could be thankful for, the list would undoubtedly be longer than your misfortunes" - Catherine Pulsifer

"Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds" - Theodore Roosevelt

“The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness” - Dalai Lama

"Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving" - W.T. Purkiser

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others” - Cicero

"A single grateful thought toward heaven is the most complete prayer" - Gotthold Lessing

"Gratitude is the sign of noble souls" – Aesop

"Feeling grateful or appreciative of someone or something in your life actually attracts more of the things that you appreciate and value into your life" - Northrup Christiane

"God is glorified, not by our groans, but by our thanksgivings" - Edwin Percy Whipple

“The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest” - William Blake

"Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow" - Melody Beattie

“Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart” - Seneca

"We can always find something to be thankful for, and there may be reasons why we ought to be thankful for even those dispensations which appear dark and frowning" - Albert Barnes

"Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: It must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all" - William Faulkner

"Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action" - W. J. Cameron

"If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get" - Frank A. Clark

"Gratitude is our most direct line to God and the angels. If we take the time, no matter how crazy and troubled we feel, we can find something to be thankful for. The more we seek gratitude, the more reason the angels will give us for gratitude and joy to exist in our lives" - Terry Lynn Taylor

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them" - John F. Kennedy

"When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup" - Sam Lefkowitz

"Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some" - Charles Dickens

Tuesday, 25 November 2014

Powerful Inspirational True Story...Don't Give Up!

When you don't give up, you cannot fail.

Saturday, 22 November 2014

23 Inspirational Dalai Lama Quotes

In our struggle for freedom, truth is the only weapon we possess
If you can, help others; if you cannot do that, at least do not harm them.
If you have fear of some pain or suffering, you should examine whether there is anything you can do about it. If you can, there is no need to worry about it; if you cannot do anything, then there is also no need to worry
My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness
Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion
Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them
The ultimate authority must always rest with the individual’s own reason and critical analysis
Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive
We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves
Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible
With realization of one’s own potential and self-confidence in one’s ability, one can build a better world
A spoon cannot taste of the food it carries. Likewise, a foolish man cannot understand the wise man´s wisdom even if he associates with a sage
We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection
When you think everything is someone else’s fault, you will suffer a lot. When you realize that everything springs only from yourself, you will learn both peace and joy
Human potential is the same for all. Your feeling, “I am of no value”, is wrong. Absolutely wrong. You are deceiving yourself. We all have the power of thought – so what are you lacking? If you have willpower, then you can change anything. It is usually said that you are your own master
To conquer oneself is a greater victory than to conquer thousands in a battle
If you don’t love yourself, you cannot love others. You will not be able to love others. If you have no compassion for yourself then you are not able of developing compassion for others
Through violence, you may ‘solve’ one problem, but you sow the seeds for another
There is a saying in Tibetan, “Tragedy should be utilized as a source of strength.”
No matter what sort of difficulties, how painful experience is, if we lose our hope, that’s our real disaster
Where ignorance is our master, there is no possibility of real peace
The creatures that inhabit this earth-be they human beings or animals-are here to contribute, each in its own particular way, to the beauty and prosperity of the world

Tuesday, 18 November 2014

How to Stay Motivated When the World is Against You

I have certainly been there and I am sure most of you have too. However, it is in those moments that we can show our real strength and our determination for success. Those moments distinguish the winners from those who will never make it big.

What is it then that we can do to stay motivated when everything seems to be turning against us?

The Mindset
Mindset is everything. I am not the first one to tell you this and I won’t be the last, but the transformation I have experienced in the last months by simply changing my mindset is incredible.

If you stop acting from a mindset of fear and start having trust in the world and in yourself, your entire outlook on life will change. You will feel happier, more balanced, more confident and stronger, which will weave itself into your work and your performance. By believing you will make it and by knowing that there is room for your success in this world no matter the economy or the circumstances, you will deliver your A game and you will be able to push through those moments of doubt and fear.

The People
The people you surround yourself with are crucial. Are they tearing you down? Are they trying to keep you small? Are they affecting your mood in negative ways? Are they limiting your thinking?

No matter how strong you are, no matter your confidence, when you spend too much time with people who have a limited mindset, it will affect you personally and ultimately hinder your performance.

However, if you seek people who share your vision or who have already achieved success far beyond what your situation is right now, you will automatically dream bigger and achieve more. These people will push you to new heights of performance and they will be there to celebrate your successes with you or keep you motivated when things are looking anything but rosy.

The more confident and successful people you surround yourself with, the better your chances for major success.

The Inspiration
Another huge factor in uplifting you is getting inspiration from all kinds of sources. Read books, attend classes, listen to podcasts, find a mastermind group or go to conferences. Inspiration is all around. You just have to find it. No matter the graveness of your situation, no matter your frustration, you can always find someone who has been where you are, but didn’t give up and ended up immensely successful.

By feeding your brain this positive and encouraging information, your thoughts will transform themselves and act as a catalyst for reinforcing you that you can always turn your business around. At the same time, you can learn from these people and find new ways of thinking and approaching whatever it is you’re doing.

The Goals
When I started my recovery from anorexia after 14 years of struggle, I had many days and weeks of depression, anxiety and complete loss of identity. But I had a goal in mind: I wanted to live. So I pushed through. I ate, not wanting to. I fought against the urge to overexercise. I stopped abusing laxatives. I gained weight, loathing myself, but I did not give up. I knew my goal and I went after it, no matter the measures of discomfort I experienced.

The same is true for wanting to create a successful business and life. You need to have a clear, tangible goal and action plans you can implement. The more precise the goals the better. The more detailed the action plans the more beneficial. I know it is tedious. I know most people would rather spend their time in different ways. But when you don’t know in which direction you want to go, you cannot expect to stay motivated in rough times.

Knowing exactly what you want to achieve will help you along the way and this is the safest way to always stay on track, remain motivated and keep working hard.

The Persistence
Sometimes you simply have to keep pushing through. Yes, bad times suck and they can wear you down, but if you really want to achieve something, you have to persist. By implementing my suggestions, you should believe by now that change is possible, so staying on track should not be too hard. However, if you still feel like giving up, simply don’t. Just keep going. Take one step at a time, but never lose sight of your big goal.

Don’t be fooled. We all have setbacks. We all have times when nothing seems to work and we seem to tread water.

Having the right, positive mindset, surrounding yourself with encouraging people, keeping yourself inspired and always knowing your goals will keep you on the right road to major success.

Source: http://www.dumblittleman.com/2012/04/how-to-stay-motivated-when-worlds.html

Monday, 10 November 2014

RIP Dr Myles Munroe - Inspirational Speech by the late Renowned Motivational Speaker

Dr. Myles Munroe OBE was born in Nassau, Bahamas on 20 April 1954.

He was the president and founder of the Bahamas Faith Ministries International (BFMI) and Myles Munroe International (MMI), a Christian growth and resource center that includes leadership training institutes, a missions agency, a publishing company, a television network, radio and Web communications, and a church community.

He was chief executive officer and chairman of the board of the International Third World Leaders Association and president of the International Leadership Training Institute. He was the author of 69 books and was a world renowned inspirational/motivational speaker.

Below is one of his powerful inspirational speeches -

How to Face The Future with Fearless Confidence

RIP Dr Myles Munroe.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myles_Munroe

Monday, 3 November 2014

29 Of The Most Powerful Quotes Of All Time

Let me guess…

You often drag yourself to work and feel like everyday is the same. Perhaps it feels like your life is on autopilot.

At moments you might even feel like your life is not very meaningful and you miss a clear sense of purpose.

Am I right?

Well, sometimes all you need are a few inspiring wise words that will give you a new perspective on life.

There are a lot of words of wisdom out there and many of them are good, but not life changing.

These 29 carefully selected words of wisdom truly are some of the most powerful and wisest quotes ever written.

Here they are…

1. “Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.” - Albert Einstein

2. Before you diagnose yourself with depression or low self-esteem, first make sure that you are not, in fact, just surrounded by assholes.” - Sigmund Freud

3. “In seeking happiness for others, you will find it in yourself.” – Unknown

4. “Love is a verb. Love – the feeling – is a fruit of love, the verb.” – Stephen Covey

5. “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” – Viktor Frankl

6. “He who fears he will suffer, already suffers because he fears.” – Michel De Montaigne

7. “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

8. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” – Gandhi

9. “When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.” – Helen Keller

10. “Challenges is what makes life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” – Joshua J. Marine

11. “If you want happiness for an hour – take a nap. If you want happiness for a day – go fishing. If you want happiness for a year – inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a life time – help someone else.” – Chinese proverb

12. “Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.” – Viktor Frankl

13. “A mind that is stretched by a new experience can never go back to its old dimensions.” - Oliver Wendell Holmes

14. “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.” – Confucius

15. “Many people are passionate, but because of their limiting beliefs about who they are and what they can do, they never take actions that could make their dream a reality” – Anthony Robins

16. “True success is overcoming the fear of being unsuccessful.” – Paul Sweeney

17. “The only way that we can live is if we grow. The only way we can grow is if we change. The only way we can change is if we learn. The only way we can learn is if we are exposed. And the only way that we are exposed is if we throw ourselves into the open.” – C. Joybell

18. “If you don’t like something, change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.” – Mary Engelbreit

19. “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” – George Bernhard Shaw

20. “Time is too slow for those who wait, too swift for those who fear, too long for those who grieve, too short for those who rejoice, but for those who love, time is eternity.” – Henry van Dyke

21. “I would rather die a meaningful death than to live a meaningless life.” – Corazon Aquino

22. “God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” – Reinhold Niebuhr

23. “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply.” – Stephen Covey

24. “We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty. We must start in our own homes to remedy this kind of poverty.” – Mother Theresa

25. “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.” - Bil Keane

26. “Falling in love is not a choice. To stay in love is.” – Unknown

27. “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” - Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

28. “The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.” – Albert Einstein

29. “Happiness is like a butterfly. The more you chase it, the more it eludes you. But if you turn your attention to other things, it comes and sits softly on your shoulder.” - Henry David Thoreau

It’s up to you now

Do you feel inspired and a little bit wiser?

That’s great!

It’s all too easy though to read these inspiring words and then forget all about them.

So, I challenge you to read them again and then ask yourself what you can do differently in your life from now on to experience more happiness, success and fulfillment.

It might take a little bit of effort from your side, but you’ll reap the rewards for sure.

You can compare it to reading a book about losing weight. Just reading the book won’t make you loose weight. You actually have to get up and do something!

Are you ready to accept the challenge?

Source: http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/29-of-the-most-powerful-quotes-of-all-time/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+pickthebrain%2FLYVv+%28PickTheBrain%29

Friday, 31 October 2014

50 Life Secrets and Tips

Memorize something everyday. Not only will this leave your brain sharp and your memory functioning, you will also have a huge library of quotes to bust out at any moment. Poetry, sayings and philosophies are your best options.

Constantly try to reduce your attachment to possessions. Those who are heavy-set with material desires will have a lot of trouble when their things are taken away from them or lost. Possessions do end up owning you, not the other way around. Become a person of minimal needs and you will be much more content.
Develop an endless curiosity about this world. Become an explorer and view the world as your jungle. Stop and observe all of the little things as completely unique events. Try new things. Get out of your comfort zone and try to experience as many different environments and sensations as possible. This world has so much to offer, so why not take advantage of it?
Remember people’s names so that they feel appreciated and for your own future benefit when you want something from that person. To do this, say their name back to them when they introduce themselves. Then repeat the name in your head a number of times until you are sure you have it. Continue to use their name in conversation as much as possible to remove any chance of forgetting it. If you’re still having trouble, make up a rhyme about their name: “Dan the Man” or “Natalie flatters me.”
Get fit! It’s ridiculous to think that we have one body, one sole means of functioning, and people are too lazy to take care of themselves. Fit bodies lead to better health, confidence and more success with romantic endeavors. I’d say those are 3 very good reasons to get in shape.
Learn to focus only on the present. The past is unchangeable so it is futile to reflect on it unless you are making sure you do not repeat past mistakes. The future is but a result of your actions today. So learn from the past to do better in the present so that you can succeed in the future.
Even more specifically, live in THIS moment. Even 10 minutes ago is the past. If you live purely in this moment you will always be happy because there is nothing wrong in this split-second.
Smile more often. Whenever you get a grin on your face, your brain is releasing serotonin, the happy hormone. Smiling is the natural way to force yourself to be happy. Many people even smile for five minutes straight in the morning to get themselves in a great mood for the day. It is a very powerful tool that is utilized less and less as we grow older and need happiness more than ever. Just remember that while happiness leads to smiles, smiles also lead to happiness.
Drink water. Hydration is tremendously important for overall health. Soda has absolutely ZERO nutritional content; it’s like pouring a punch of sugar and syrup into your cup. Instead, fill it with life-replenishing water. It may taste plain at first if you’re coming off of a heavy soda-drinking streak, but you’ll soon find yourself addicted to it. 10 glasses per day is optimal, how many have you been getting lately?
Don’t take life so seriously! Learn to laugh at the little things and this whole “existence” thing will be a whole lot easier. Be amused by your mistakes and failures and be thankful that you learned your lesson and won’t mess up like that again. And most importantly do things that you enjoy! Life is not strictly business, it can be mixed with pleasure.
Think positive thoughts. When you find yourself thinking a negative thought, stop it immediately by any means necessary. Slap yourself in the face, yell something positive at the top of your lungs or jump up and down. Do whatever it takes to get back to a positive mindset as such is essential for continual happiness and success.
Read books. Knowledge is power.
Get in the sun. Superman was completely re-energized when he flew out to space and soaked in some rays and you can do the same right outside your front door (if you live in a constantly dreary place, my apologies). The sun feels amazing: your entire body will be coursing with warmth and life.
Help others.I’ll just give you aplethora of reasons why this is a MUST
- Helping people has a ripple effect. If you help someone they will feel more obliged to help someone else, and so on. Pay it forward
- You grow by giving and helping others. It can change you in ways you never expected
- Your relationship with that person will become stronger
- It’s the most fulfilling thing you can do on this planet. It not only feels amazing physically, you also feel like a good person
- You might be able to call in a favor later when you need some help
- Karma (if you believe in it)
- Because there are more people in this world than just you
Set aside a specific time to worry each day. Ponder all of your problems and anxieties during that time so that they will not distract you during work or moments of pleasure. This way you can be extremely efficient with your time and avoid focusing on negative things as much as possible. If you get all of your worry out of the way and have the mental fortitude to keep from reverting back to them, you will be much happier on the daily.
Be honest at all times. Lies lead to nothing but trouble. Being known as trustworthy is an excellent trait to maintain and essential to having integrity.
Sleep less. Fully adjusting to a new sleep cycle can take up to 21 days so don’t give up if you feel tired after switching to 5-hour nights. The “required” 8 hour/night is for normal people. If you’re reading THIS article on THIS site, you are not normal. So figure out how much sleep YOU really need and adjust accordingly. As enjoyable as sleep is, waking existence is much more fulfilling and efficient.
Read “Bringers of Light” and “Conversations with God” by Neale Donald Walsch. These books will help you decide what you want to do in this life and how to get to that point. They will also profoundly change the way you look at the purpose of existence. Read them!
Figure out what your goals and dreams are. So many people wander aimlessly through life simply go for whatever small thing they want moment by moment. Instead, decide what your perfect life consists of and begin to put the steps in motion to reach that place. The most satisfying thing in the world (yes, better than sex, much better) is overcoming a challenge and reaching a goal. We are the happiest when we are growing and working towards something better.
Start your day off right. Wake up and set aside an hour for personal development activities (meditation, self-introspection, observing nature, etc.) Do the things that make you feel blissful, optimistic and empowered so that you can set a positive tone for your day. I guarantee that once you start doing this, your days will be more enjoyable and fulfilling. Today is going to be the best day of your life.
Utilize ‘The Burning Method.’ Whenever a fear or worry or complaint comes to mind, close your eyes and imagine writing down the thought on a piece of paper. Then proceed to light the paper and fire and watch it disintegrate. Even better, actually write it down and burn it. You won’t have any problem ridding your mind of the thought after doing this.
Travel Anyone who has ever gone anywhere will tell you that traveling is one of themost exciting and life-changing activities that you can do. Observing a different culture will expand your mind while making you further appreciate the life you already live. This goes back to becoming an explorer: this world is your jungle so go explore! Who knows, maybe you’ll find a place you love so much that you decide to move. Imagine the positive repercussions a new environment could have on your life.
The Rubber Band Method This is the third and final way to rid yourself of negative thoughts (hopefully by now you have figured out that this is very important!). Place a rubber band around your wrist and snap it against your skin anytime a negative thought finds its way into your head. This operant conditioning technique associates a slight pain with negative thoughts like Pavlov associated food/salivation with the sound of a bell. Sounds a bit cruel at first but it only stings for a second, I promise. Plus the outcome, having only positive thoughts, far outweighs a little slap on the wrist here and there.
Learn to be unaffected by the words of others. Most people get very upset when they are called negative names by others, but there is a simple trick to overcoming this. Here it is: If I went up to you and called you a fire hydrant, would you be upset? Of course not. Obviously you are not a fire hydrant, you are a human being. The same concept applies to when someone calls you something that you know you are not. They are foolish for saying such things, so why would you react with such anger? The only exception is when someone calls you something that is true! In this case, you should thank them for alerting you to a weakness, one that you can now work on changing.
Read “Zen and the Art of Happiness” by Chris Prentiss. This book will give you the knowledge and instruction to be happy at all times regardless of the circumstances. Yes, this sounds like an oversimplification of happiness, but I assure you that this book will change you in an amazing way.
Develop the ability to forgive. Forgiveness is something that most people fail miserably at even thought it’s so simple. Grudges only bring more misery to those who hold them and prevent good relations with the target. YOU makes mistakes all of the time so why not have mercy when others do? Remaining angry feels horrible while forgiving someone brings a refreshing sensation to the mind and healing to the relationship.
Be the person that makes others feel special. Be known for your kindness and sympathy.
Learn to lucid dreamor to realize when you are dreaming so that you can control your dreams. Sleep feels good, but it’s rather boring and unproductive. With lucid dreaming under your belt, night-time can be even more exciting than when you are awake. You can do anything: fly, travel to other planets, party with a celebrity, get intimate with your dream boy/girl, etc. Many lucid dreamers have also reported being able to speak directly with the subconscious during dreams by demanding to be taken to it after becoming lucid. For those that know a thing or two about your subconscious, that is a BIG deal.
Visualize daily. It has been said and proven time and time again that what you focus on is what you get. If you complain all of the time, you will run into more of the things you complain about. The same goes for good things like health, wealth and happiness. So spend some time in the morning imagining yourself achieving whatever it is that you currently desire. Focus is key in this exercise, so choose a quiet environment where you won’t be disturbed. If you’re having trouble focusing and continually find that your mind has wandered to something else, read about meditation in the following life tip.
Meditate everyday for at least 20 minutes. In this modern world where everyone is so connected to everything else via cell phones, TV and internet, most people rarely enjoy the beauty of silence. The ability to quiet your mind and relax your body is an art and skill that everyone should develop. Simply sit somewhere, preferably in nature, and focus on your breathing or try to think about nothing. This is going to be extremely hard at first! You might find it boring or just plain impossible to think of nothing, but you will get better and you will learn to love it. Post-meditation, you will feel extremely clear-headed and.. well, just plain wonderful. The only way to really understand this sensation is to try it.
Learn to control your mind What kind of skilled human are you if you cannot even control your own thoughts? While the human mind is described as being a stream of consciousness, that does not mean you can’t decide where your stream flows. Techniques like meditation and the 3 ways to flush out negative thoughts will aid you immensely in learning to control your mind.
Learn to control your emotions. The only person that can make you unhappy is you! You are the one that decides to be affected by the words and actions of others. Realize this so that the next time you experience a negative emotion, you can find the strength within yourself to overcome it.
Take a class in speed reading. Books are full of information that can enhance your knowledge-base, vocabulary and yourself as a person. Speed reading is an easy way to get at this info faster so that you can have more time for other endeavors.
Relax! This one is for you workaholics out there (myself included). Yes, work is very important and productive but you need to take some time to chill out everyday or you are going to burn out faster than a candle with no oxygen. Additionally, you need to reward yourself for a job well done. What’s the use of doing all of that work if you can’t have a little fun from time to time anyways?
Work on making good first impressions. Practice a strong, firm handshake and the small talk that generally goes along with meeting someone for the first time. People won’t know what to think of you if you have nothing more to say beyond “My name is _______, nice to meet you.” Also make sure you remember names, as mentioned previously. Who knows, you may be going into business with or marrying this person you’re meeting for the first time if you make a good impression. Be sure and make an excellent one.
Learn to use your eyes to their full potential:
- Make constant eye contact when in conversation. Looking away (especially down) is a sign of inferiority and uncertainty. Instead, look at your conversation partner dead in the eyes and keep them locked on
- Master the piercing stare. You know when someone looks at you and it feels like they can see into your soul? Well that’s not a hereditary characteristic, it just takes practice. Work on sharpening your gaze in the mirror. You’ll know you have it when it’s intimidating to continue looking at yourself
- Master the one-eyebrow raise. This one isn’t necessary by any means, but hey, why not? Pick a brow to learn with and go look in a mirror. Raise both of your eyebrows but use your hand to hold down the brow that you want to stay down. This will probably feel very stupid at first but if you keep trying, you will eventually pin down the muscle you need to flex to get that one brow up

Be mysterious. Don’t let off everything about you and definitely leave out some major details. There is something both alluring and mesmerizing about someone who no one knows fully about. I’m not saying to confide in no one or to alienate yourself. Just think James Bond.
Come up with a life mantra. You know, like “Carpe Diem” or “Live life to the fullest,” but not as cliché. Make it something that really hits home with you so that you will actually stick to it. Make sure it’ not so specific that it rarely applies but also not so general that it’s not personal.
Get good at something. Call it a hobby or a passion, whatever it is, just get damn good at it. Your occupation does not count! Make it something that you can practice often enough to excel at. Examples: Magic tricks, surfing, ping-pong, creating short films, and unicycling. It can be anything but I would recommend choosing something that: 1) You are passionate about 2) You can bust out at any moment to display your skills for any discerning crowd. My mind goes immediately to aerobatics and break dancing, but that’s just me.
Work out those abs. Above any other muscle group in the entire body, the abs are the most important. They constitute your core, the center point of your body. Your ability to balance comes almost completely from the strength of your abdominal muscles and balance is vital to performance in any physical activity. Summary: they’re very important.
Keep your brain sharp. The majority of people are stuck in ruts. They go to the same job everyday, hang out with the same friends and eat at the same places. While that may feel safe, it’s not the most stimulating lifestyle for your brain. Those synapses have been built up enough, so try something that you do NOT know how to do! Buy a model car kit, master the art of sudoku or crosswords, or go pick up another major at your nearest college. The point is you need to be learning new things to keep your brain honest. Form new synapses by forcing your mind to work in ways it has not worked before. Just like physical workouts, doing too much of the same exercise will eventually give no results. Switch it up!
Read something inspirational right before bed and after waking. This will set get you in a great mood for sleep and for the day. Read anything from a famous speech to your favorite self-improvement book. Try to read something that get’s you really excited in the morning especially so that you’ll leave your house beaming with energy and wonder.
Do what you love There is a huge difference between making a life and making a living; which one are you making right now? So many spend their entire lives trying to make as much money as possible so that they can afford to do what they really want later. It makes no sense to settle in life until you’re 65 so that you can retire and do what you want when you’re already WAY past your prime. We only live life once so why wouldn’t you want to spend it pursuing your bliss? To do anything else would be a tragic waste of the freedom you are allowed if you are reading this right now. Follow your bliss and you will be a thousand times more happy than your retirement date and 40+ years younger. But first you need tofigure out what you love to do.
Choose your friends wisely. You are affected far more than you think by the people you spend your time with. Do your friends share your values? Do they encourage you when you speak of your goals and dreams or do they scoff? Make sure the people around you are conducive to the lifestyle you want to lead or you will find yourself being dragged again and again into behavior that distances you from your desires. Friends with a habit of producing negative thoughts will especially hinder you. This can be a hard task to follow through with if you realize you good friend is one of these saboteurs, but you must be firm! Don’t let anyone get in the way of you being all that you can be.
Don’t burn bridges. By that I mean maintain your relationships with people even if you think you are never going to see them again. For example, if you are quitting your job, don’t chew out your boss before leaving! You might run into him/her again later and life and wish you had never severed ties so harshly. You never know when you might need the help of someone you knew in the past. Plus there is already too much hatred in this world, why add more towards the people you interact with?
Keep a journal/diary. It sounds like a very monotonous habit at first, but when you get into it, that little book will become a great way to organize your thoughts and track your growth over the years. Most of us already stay awake in bed at night pondering the events of the day anyways so why not document those thoughts in an organized fashion? That will allow you to look back and observe how your way of thinking has changed over time.
Read “New Pyscho-Cybernetics” by Dr. Maxwell Maltz. This book will explain why the content of your thoughts has such a profound effect on your life through religious, philosophical and scientific arguments. A must read for completely understanding how this life thing works.
Learn to use and trust your subconscious/intuition. When you spend time in silence everyday, listen not for words but for a feeling that tells you to do something. Do not mistake your own reasoning and thoughts for those of your subconscious. If you can track where the thought came from, (this thought led to that thought which led to this thought, etc.) then it was not from your subconscious. Learning to accurately discern between the two will allow you to tap into knowledge that you don’t consciously have.
Develop a charismatic personality. You know, the kind of personality that is surrounded by people constantly and is the life of the party. Start visualizing yourself as THAT person. Maybe take a short course on dynamic speaking and learn some jokes. Take the time to learn some party tricks and sleight of hand. Most importantly, believe that you already are charismatic even if you fail at being the center point of the next party. Lie to yourself constantly and tell yourself that you are more warm and gregarious than Ronald Regan. Belief is the first step! Reality will come soon after.
Love is all there is. If you truly want to be a master of life, let love be in your every action. Love your friends, family and enemies alike. This is the most difficult thing to do out of this entire list, which is why it is listed at #50. But if you accomplish this, you will be seen as a leader among everyone that allows hate, envy, disgust and all other negative emotions into their lives. Think Gandhi. Love is so rare in this world when compared to the massive presence of hate that by exuding love, you will immediately see yourself and the people around you change. Love. Love. Love.

Source: http://www.highexistence.com/life-secrets-and-tips/

Sunday, 26 October 2014

20 Things to Remember When You Think You’re Not Good Enough

Truth be told, you can’t berate yourself into a better version of yourself. And even though I know this, I sometimes still fall victim to my own negative thinking. Sometimes I’m downright rude to myself. I make a mistake, or fall short of my own expectations, and instead of treating it as a learning opportunity, I beat myself up about it.

I’m sure you can relate. We’ve all been there. We all have bad days and moments of self-doubt.

Sometimes the pressure coming from peers, family, work, and society in general is enough to make us feel completely broken inside. If we don’t have the “right” job, relationship, lifestyle, and so forth, by a certain age or timeframe, we assume we’re just “not good enough.”

So what can we do about it?

Here’s how I handle it: Every time I catch myself thinking I’m not good enough, I immediately write down an opposing thought that debunks my negativity. I’ve been doing this for the past several years and it’s made a tremendous difference in my life. I challenge you to do the same.

If you need a little extra inspiration, here are some things I’ve come up with – 20 good reminders when you’re feeling “not good enough”:

Nobody is doing better than you because nobody can do better than you. – YOU are walking your own path. Sometimes the reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes circumstances with everyone else’s public highlight reel. Forget what everyone else is doing and achieving. Your life is about breaking your own limits and outgrowing yourself to live YOUR best life.
Where you are right now is a necessary step. – Sometimes we avoid experiencing exactly where we are because we have developed a belief, based on our ideals, that it is not where we should be or want to be. But the truth is, where you are right now is exactly where you need to be to get to where you want to go tomorrow.
Everything is coming together… maybe not immediately, but gradually. – When times are tough, remind yourself that no pain comes without a purpose. Move on from what hurt you, but never forget what it taught you. Pain is part of growing. Remember that there are two kinds of pain: pain that hurts and pain that changes you. When you roll with life, instead of resisting it, both kinds help you grow.qws
It is your resistance to “what is” that causes your suffering. – Remember, happiness is allowing yourself to be perfectly OK with “what is,” rather than wishing for and worrying about “what is not.” “What is” is what’s supposed to be, or it would not be. The rest is just you, arguing with life. Think about that for a minute. This means your suffering only ever occurs when you resist how things are. You cannot control everything that happens to you; you can only control the way you respond to what happens. In your response is your power.
Every day brings a choice: to practice stress or to practice peace. – Choose to be miserable and you’ll find plenty of reasons to be miserable. Choose to be peaceful and you’ll find plenty of reasons to be at peace. Think about it. Are you skilled at making yourself miserable? With those same skills you can make yourself motivated, effective and fulfilled. Do so.
You are always good enough to try, and that’s what’s important in the end. – Everything you achieve comes from something you attempt. Make the attempt. Trust me, twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did do. Give yourself a chance.
There’s always something small you can do. – There is absolutely nothing about your present situation that prevents you from moving forward, one tiny step at a time. Remember, vision without action is just a daydream; vision must be combined with venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps, you must step up the stairs. And all you have to do is take one step at a time. Sometimes the smallest step in the right direction ends up being the biggest step of your life. Tiptoe if you must, but take that step.
Failures are really just lessons that need to be learned. – No day is ever wasted when you live it with purpose and presence. Value and enjoy the journey, even when there are detours along the way.
Yesterday’s impossibilities may be possible today. – Experience is the hardest kind of teacher; it gives you the test first and the lesson afterward. But this is really a blessing. It means you’re growing stronger and more capable with every passing day. So don’t you dare give up on today because of the way things looked yesterday. Don’t even think about it.
What “might happen” can only stop you if you let it. – Rather than worrying about what might happen, move forward and use your energy and intelligence to deal with what does actually happen.
The quality of your vision drives the quality of your life. – It’s up to you how you visualize things and what you focus on. Forget what you don’t like. Focus on what excites you. If you see a possibility, explore it. If you have a dream, live it. Those who are passionate and excited about what they’re doing have an advantage that is nearly impossible to conquer. Be one of these people.
You don’t need to get everyone’s approval first. – Stop listening to what the world says you should want. Start listening to who you are. Truth be told, there are only a few people in this world who will stay 100% true to you, and YOU should be one of them.
What you’re capable of achieving is greatly based on how much you want it. – When it means enough to you, then you can do it. When you are willing and committed and persistent, you will get yourself there, every time. Success is neither magical nor mysterious. Success is the natural outcome of consistently applying your focused effort to what you want. The fatigue might be there sometimes, but you must understand that putting it aside is the single most important factor in succeeding.
Your best bet is to give yourself no other choice. – It’s amazing what you can do when you have no other choice. In fact, achievement consists mostly of giving yourself no other choice. You are more than good enough; you just have to own it – you have to own everything you are and everything you’re up against. If you believe your troubles are too powerful, then you’ll never allow yourself to rise above them. Stop fretting. Quit worrying. Don’t complain. You know what you must do. So do it.
You have to work hard on yourself too. – Self-respect, self-love, self-worth… there’s a reason they all start with “self.” You can’t receive them from anyone else. Earn the respect of others by having the audacity to respect yourself. Dare to love yourself as if you were a rainbow with pots of gold at both ends. It’s your responsibility, above all, to see your own value. And this responsibility to yourself means refusing to let others do your thinking, talking, and deciding for you; it means learning to use your own brains and intuition to make things happen – hence, grappling with hard work.
You are stronger than whatever is troubling you. – Use each setback, each disappointment as a cue to push on ahead with more determination than ever before. When something bad happens, you can either let it define you, let it destroy you or let it strengthen you. The choice is yours. So pump yourself up! You are a lot stronger than you think you are. You may not be where you want to be yet, but look how far you’ve come. Celebrate the fact that you’re not where you used to be.
For everything you’ve lost, you’ve gained something else. – Appreciate what you have today. Life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful. No regrets, just lessons. No worries, just acceptance. No expectations, just gratitude. Life is too short. The story of your life has many chapters. One bad chapter doesn’t mean it’s the end. So stop re-reading the bad one already, and turn the page.
You have made the best of some tough situations. – Smiling doesn’t always mean you’re happy with everything. Sometimes it just means you’re strong and smart enough to accept it and make the best of it.
Your scars are symbols of your strength. – Don’t ever be ashamed of the scars life has left you with. A scar means the hurt is over and the wound is closed. It means you conquered the pain, learned a lesson, grew stronger, and moved forward. A scar is the tattoo of a triumph. So don’t allow your scars to hold you hostage. Don’t allow them to make you live your life in fear. You can’t make the scars in your life disappear, but you can change the way you see them. You can start seeing your scars as a sign of strength and not pain.
You are still here trying. – If you have no other testimony right now, you have this one: “I’m still here trying.” Be positive, patient and persistent. The more you feel like quitting, the more there is to be gained by continuing to do all three. Because the strongest people aren’t the people who always win, but the people who don’t give up when they lose.

Afterthoughts

The wisest, most loving, and well rounded people you have ever met are likely those who have known misery, known defeat, known the heartbreak of losing something or someone they loved, and have found their way out of the depths of their own despair. These people have experienced many ups and downs, and have gained an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, understanding and a deep loving wisdom. People like this aren’t born; they develop slowly over the course of time.

And you’re getting there.

The floor is yours…

So, which of the points in this post do you resonate with the most? What makes you feel “not good enough?” How have you coped with this negativity? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts and insights.

Source: http://www.marcandangel.com/2014/09/28/20-things-to-remember-when-you-think-youre-not-good-enough/

Tuesday, 21 October 2014

25 Inspiring Self-Confidence Quotes

If you have days, weeks, months, or even years when your confidence is low, please know you’re not alone.

Whether it’s circumstantial or chronic, low self-confidence impacts all of us at different points in our lives. Even those born with a more positive personality type have times when they doubt their abilities or feel incapable of success.

Lacking faith in our abilities, our attractiveness, or our relationship skills is a common theme in the human drama.

Life regularly presents us with difficulties and challenges, some of which we’ve carried since childhood. Self-confidence isn’t developed by escaping these difficulties, but rather it’s nurtured and strengthened by the way we respond to these circumstances and how we view ourselves in spite of them.

The foundation for self-confidence is embracing your inherent value and capacity for success, even as you recognize you’ll meet challenges and failure along the way.

Self-confidence is trusting that ultimately you have what it takes to be who you want to be.

Of course we all need support and reminders of this truth. We need something or someone to jar us from our entrenched negative thinking so we can retrain our brains to accept the positive truth about our potential for greatness.

Here are 25 confidence quotes to improve your self-confidence and remind you how much you have to offer the world.

1. “Always be yourself, express yourself, have faith in yourself, do not go out and look for a successful personality and duplicate it.” ~Bruce Lee

2. “Don’t wait until everything is just right. It will never be perfect. There will always be challenges, obstacles and less than perfect conditions. So what. Get started now. With each step you take, you will grow stronger and stronger, more and more skilled, more and more self-confident and more and more successful.” ~Mark Victor Hansen

3. “Low self-confidence isn’t a life sentence. Self-confidence can be learned, practiced, and mastered — just like any other skill. Once you master it, everything in your life will change for the better.” ~Barrie Davenport

4. “Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit.” ~e.e. cummings

5. “Trust yourself. Create the kind of self that you will be happy to live with all your life. Make the most of yourself by fanning the tiny, inner sparks of possibility into flames of achievement.” ~Golda Meir

6. “One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” ~Arthur Ashe

7. “The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear and get a record of successful experiences behind you.” ~William Jennings Bryan

8. “You either walk inside your story and own it or you stand outside your story and hustle for your worthiness.” ~Brene Brown

9. “I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: Turn back.” ~Erica Jong

10. “It is confidence in our bodies, minds and spirits that allows us to keep looking for new adventures.” ~Oprah

11. “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

12. “But failure has to be an option in art and in exploration – because it’s a leap of faith. And no important endeavor that required innovation was done without risk. You have to be willing to take those risks….” ~James Cameron

13. “If you hear a voice within you say ‘you cannot paint,’ then by all means paint, and that voice will be silenced.” ~Vincent Van Gogh

14. “People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within.” ~Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

15. “Confidence comes not from always being right but from not fearing to be wrong.” ~Peter T. Mcintyre

16. “Argue for your limitations and, sure enough, they’re yours.” ~Richard Bach

17. “The courage to be is the courage to accept oneself, in spite of being unacceptable.” ~Paul Tillich

18. “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.” ~Dr. Seuss

19. “If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.” ~Thomas Alva Edison

20. “Shyness has a strange element of narcissism, a belief that how we look, how we perform, is truly important to other people. ” ~André Dubus

21. “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?” ~Marianne Williamson

22. “Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.” ~Brene Brown

23. “Embracing your true self radiates a natural beauty that cannot be diluted or ignored. Confident, powerful, untamable, badass you!” ~Steve Maraboli