The Power of a Positive Attitude

For those of you that know me, most would agree that I'm a pretty positive person. This week I want to talk about something that I've started to see appear more around me lately, and that's negativity. The road of life, whether personal or professional, can be fraught with bumps and obstacles. At times, these stresses can seem overwhelming to all of us. Everyone, including me, has an occasional bad day, but learning to maintain a positive attitude is the first line of defense against the negative effects of life's challenges.

I think negativity is like a wet blanket. It is not comforting, and it depletes your energy and drive for achievement. A negative attitude wears down your happiness, your motivation and your chances for success. A positive attitude promotes happiness, energy, confidence, and creative inspiration. These effects drive you to take on problems and challenges with a determination to solve them, and you feel motivated to strive for new goals and embark on new endeavors. When you adopt a positive attitude, you exude the confidence to conquer life's obstacles, and this confidence empowers you to achieve your goals. A positive attitude is contagious as it radiates from your demeanor and encourages others around you. When you believe in yourself, then your family members, friends and coworkers are inspired to believe in themselves as well.

If you are a parent, you likely want your children to be all that they wish to be. You have done your best to instill confidence in your children, encouraging them to try out for the school play, tackle the tough math problem, enter the writing contest or even apply to the college of their dreams. We all believe in our children. You must believe in yourself, just as you would believe in your children, to achieve the rewarding results we're all working towards.

Many people have asked me how I manage to stay so positive despite difficulties or problems. Adopting a positive attitude is a matter of learning to acknowledge your abilities and conveying from within that you are more than capable of expanding on your talents. Once you achieve this powerful first step of self-appreciation, your renewed confidence in yourself will start to inspire others. I've found that others are very drawn to positive people, and the same is just as true for a positive person. I don't want to be around those who are always negative, so I try to help by giving them tips that have helped me.

There are several additional simple things that you can do to increase your happiness, confidence and motivation. First, simply choose to be happy. This may seem silly, but the decision to be happy is your choice. There are times when this is easier said than done, but most of the little annoyances that bring you down can be cast aside in your mind. Many of these things are likely insignificant in the grand scheme of your life, and dwelling on them will only detract from your goal of maintaining a positive attitude.

Force yourself to be optimistic by finding a silver lining in every cloud. View challenges and obstacles as opportunities and learning experiences. If you try to visualize the outcome that you desire and mentally accept nothing less, the solution will come into focus more easily. By worrying over the potential outcome that you fear, your negativity will only lead to your mind spinning its wheels in a desperate search for the solution.

Find things to smile about, no matter how trivial some of these things may be. A smile has the power to elevate other people's confidence in you, which boosts your own positive attitude. The client on the other end of the phone can actually detect your smile in your voice while talking on the telephone.

Seek inspiration from others. Read inspiring books, watch an inspiring movie or put an inspiring quote on your computer monitor where you'll see it each day. The achievements of others who began from a similar background as your own can be the most powerful motivators.

A positive attitude will set the stage for thriving in the workplace, effectively dealing with challenges at home and be successful at keeping you healthy. When life throws you a curve ball, you will find yourself surrounded by a support network of those who have benefited from your positive attitude to help you through those hard days. Being a member of a group that strives to be uplifting and successful will offer you a front row seat to witness the ultimate power of a positive attitude.

The 7 Most Popular Life Goals And How You Can Achieve Them

If I were to ask you what your number one goal is right now, I bet it would be in this list.

1. I want to write a book  

2. I want to start a business  

3. I want to be healthier  

4. I want to travel  

5. I want to make money doing something I love 
6. I want to do something positive for the world/volunteer.  

7. I want to reduce my stress (money worries, relationship worries, etc) 

This is a pretty ambitious list of things to want to do. Do you see yourself here? And if so, what have you been doing to try and achieve one or more of these?

Dreaming and doing are two different things. If you've been dreaming of a goal for weeks, months or even years now, here are some simple ways to make any of your goals come true. 

Life Goal #1: I want to write a book

In order to write a 50,000 word book in 30 days, you'll have to write 1,667 words per day. Sound like a daunting task? Stretch it out into a three month or six month process, and the numbers drop to 556 or 278 words per day respectively.

The problem isn't in creating the book; its usually in finding the time to do it. When you look at it in a slightly different format - I'll write my book in six months - it gives you a new perspective. If you normally get up at 7 in the mornings, get up at 6 and dedicate that hour to writing your 278 words. While the first few days might be extremely difficult to get your 278 words out, by the time you're several weeks into the project, 278 words will fall out in a few minutes time.

You can also dedicate time to your new found craft to make things easier. There are many writing and self-publishing groups online and in your local area. Consider joining a group like National Novel Writing Month to keep you on track with your writing. Or read one of the many books on publishing your own book - try APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur - How To Publish a Book 

Life Goal #2: I want to start a business

Starting a business has never been easier. It doesn't take a lot of time. It doesn't take a lot of money. And it no longer takes a lot of resources. If you have a laptop and Internet connection, you can set up a portable business from just about anywhere. In the book Laptops Millionaire it provides many ways to turn ideas into something we can do from our kitchen table, no matter what city our kitchen table is currently located in.

The problem with setting up a new business is overwhelm. If you've been thinking about starting up your own business for a while now, what's holding you back? Chances are it's the complexity of your goals. Instead of saying "I'm starting up a business", change it to something more manageable, such as "I'm printing up business cards today". All of a sudden you can quickly see your goals fall into place, just by shrinking up the requirements you think about every day. 

Life Goal #3: I want to be healthier

Why doesn't a diet work? Because you're not going to the root of the problem. Ask anyone on a diet how they are doing, and you'll start hearing a list of "I can'ts". I can't have this. I can't do that. A brain on "can't" will never make it.

When I decided to go vegetarian, I never once thought of all the things I couldn't eat. Instead, I focused on the delicious foods I got to eat. When I reduced the amount of sugar I take in to almost nothing, I never looked at sweets longingly. Instead, I chose to eat things I knew were healthy and made me feel better both inside and out.

In order to be healthier, you have to learn to turn your can'ts into cans. Commit to something you believe in - becoming vegetarian for instance - and do everything you can to turn that into a lifestyle. Buy a vegetarian cookbook - The Happy Herbivore is one of my favorites - and pick out one recipe for every day of the week. Add those ingredients to your shopping list, and make the time to incorporate them into your meal planning. 

Life Goal #4: I want to travel

What does travel mean to you? Do you like to get away for the weekend? Or does around the world travel, 365 days of the year fit more into your plans?

One of the best ways we've found to get more out of our travel bucks is to rent apartments and homes instead of staying in a hotel. Last year we spent six weeks in Spain and Italy, and rented two bedroom apartments in every city we visited. We had beautiful kitchens and used them almost daily for breakfast, lunch and dinners. We packed picnics when we went sightseeing for the day, and only rarely took in fancy restaurants. I guarantee we saved hundreds of dollars this way (and its healthier too) - which meant we could easily boost our travel time to six weeks on the savings. HomeAway and Vacation Rentals are two great resources for you to find cute vacation rentals right in the heart of everything.

Life Goal #5: I want to make money doing something I love

Let's face it, we all get sick of "life" on occasion. But if you find yourself sick of your day job every single day, it may be time to re-evaluate what makes you happy.

If you are one of the people that exists at work because you don't know what else to do, and a "big idea" has never hit your consciousness, it may be time to focus in on what will make you happy  right now.

Looking for one great idea puts too high of expectations on your lifestyle. Instead, simplify it and look at what you enjoy today and what you can see yourself doing right now. Focus in on the present, not what is feasible a decade or more into the future. By turning to who you are today and what's possible with your knowledge right now, its easier to focus in on things that are possible.

Life is full of opportunity. You just have to focus on what's possible right now in the present.

Life Goal #6: I want to do something positive for the world/volunteer

Sometimes a change of scenery is all you need to make you look at the world a little differently. Why not volunteer? You can take the traditional road and volunteer for something right in your own community, like Habitat for Humanity. Or combine your volunteering with a travel opportunity with organizations like Heifer International.

Volunteering can quickly set you up for finding a passion in your life. From there you may decide to help others set up their own life's purpose with places like Kiva. Or fund your own ideas with a place like Kickstarter. 

Life Goal #7: I want to reduce my stress (money worries, relationship worries, etc)

Think stress has to be a part of your life? Think again. Get to the root of the problem and eliminate it.

Stress doesn't go away without working at it. Stress is simply an outward expression of your reaction to something going on in your life. And if you don't change the pattern, it will continue to fester and grow until it impacts your life and/or your health.

You can start by taking control over your health. Meditation is a great way to put everything else aside and increase the peace you feel from the inside out.

Have specific issues going on in your life right now that you want to change? Don't go it alone. Sometimes an outside perspective can help you see things in an "a-ha" way. I've helped hundreds of people through my coaching programs. Being able to see things in a new light, and change your approach can truly put you on an entirely new path.

Do you see yourself in any of the above? Quit dreaming about it and just do it.

30 Day Challenge - Improving Your Productivity By Creating Better Habits

When it comes to improving your productivity there are a number of strategies you can use to make it happen. One strategy that we like to suggest is to challenge yourself to add a habit or behavior that will support your overall productivity. 


You can also approach this from the perspective of getting rid of a habit or behavior that currently hinders your overall productivity. It doesn't matter as much which of these two you choose to do as long as you actually complete the thirty day challenge. 

At the end of this you can be an even better example of possibility to your friends and family. You will also get the feeling of being able to overcome the things that in the past have been holding you back from being more productive.  


THE THIRTY DAY HABIT CHANGE CHALLENGE; 


Since it is probably safe to say that we understand why you would want to increase your level of productivity I think we should make sure we are talking about the same thing. Wikipedia defines "Habit" as  "...A habit, from the standpoint of psychology, is a more or less fixed way of thinking, willing, or feeling acquired through previous repetition of a mental experience." There are of course two sides of the coin with this. We all have positive habits that we do day in and day out that enrich our lives. Because they have become automatic behaviors they will keep happening until we make a conscious effort to change them. 


What we are looking to do with the thirty day challenge is either add a positive habit to our existing set of habits or get rid of a habit that we have deemed negative. That is an automatic behavior that we keep performing day in and day out that actually takes away from our lives.  


Since our focus in this report is on increasing productivity we will be looking with that outcome in mind.  So Why Will This Work? The thirty day challenge is based on three specific principles that make it work. The first principle is the idea of "Awareness Is Curative". 


This is the idea that as we make ourselves consciously aware of something then we can do something about it because it's not happening out of our awareness.  This is important because if we are trying to change a habit then we have to make ourselves consciously aware of when we are performing the unwanted behavior. Conversely, if we are trying to add a new habit then conscious repetition is one of the keys to making it an automatic behavior. 


The second principle of "Focus Causes Growth" works on the idea that the things we focus on tend to grow. This is partially because that increased focus implies increased importance. Since we usually perform or tend to the things we deem important first then this is a way to leverage that mental strategy. 


Finally, the thirty day challenge works because a "temporary commitment is easier to keep then a permanent one". That is you can more easily make the mental decision to do something for thirty days then you can to say you will do it for the rest of your life. It's a well-known psychological adage that a habit can be formed in 21 consecutive days. 


Once you have formed this habit then no more conscious input is needed on your part.  

60 SECOND DECISION MAKING PROCESS STEPS 


Step 1. Identify a habit to create or change. 

Step 2. Commit to daily execution. 

Step 3. Keep track of your execution or lack thereof. 

Step 4. Adjust your execution using triggers if needed on a daily or weekly basis. 

Step 5. Add controls as necessary. 

COMMON THIRTY DAY CHALLENGE ISSUES 

Of course whenever you are given a new set of tasks to do there will usually be some form of resistance to it even if it was your own idea. Let's take a look at three of the more common issues that people have encountered with this and what they have done to get past them. 


Issue #1 - Looking Past The Thirty Days This is when instead of keeping their focus on just doing what needs to be done today their focus shifts to what happens a month or six months from now. Solution The biggest solution here is to just trust that if you do your part for the next thirty days that the rest will work itself out. The reason we know this to be true is that you currently have positive habits that are working for you right now that you are not even conscious of. We are just giving you a more direct way to add to that collection. 


Issue #2 - Making It To Cumbersome To Track There are two things that will allow you to be successful in the thirty day challenge. The first is to make sure you perform the new habit or substitute something in place of an existing habit you are trying to change. The second part is to make sure you track this. Solution Tracking your daily execution doesn't have to be complicated. It could be as simple as adding a tally to a piece of paper or adding an entry to your digital diary or notepad. Keep it simple. 


Issue #3 - Focus On The Habit Instead Of The Process This is like trying to watch water boil and forgetting the fact that if it's heated at a certain temperature for a certain amount of time it will boil most of the time. 


WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT 


I know we have covered a lot of new information in this report. We looked at why you would want to improve your productivity, introduced the thirty day challenge, covered the principles that make the challenge work and finally what to do if you encounter three popular stumbling blocks. By allowing yourself to commit to the thirty day challenge you can fully expect your productivity to increase in the specific area you have chosen to tackle first. Depending on your choice this could mean more fulfilling relationships, more satisfying career and/or business outcomes and of course a greater sense of accomplishment.

Be Your Very Best With These Personal Development Tips

Each person is unique, and so personal development should be customized to your way of life. With that being said, you need to try and learn as much information as possible to help you in your personal development. The below article can assist you in this regard because it contains a variety of tips that can be used for improving yourself.

Many people often have goals that are too broad, when they are trying to grow through personal development. Create a specific goal for yourself. Well defined goals will garner targeted results. 

Before you begin working on your personal development, you first need to understand your place in the universe. The more humble you are, realizing that there is room for growth, the more willing you are to gain knowledge. Once this idea gets instilled in your mind, you will want to know, understand and learn new things, therefore, improving yourself.


Do you consume more alcohol than you should? Do you make a habit of smoking or engaging in other harmful vices? 

The body is considered a temple, and it needs to be treated with care and respect. Try getting rid of your bad habits; it can be important to making your life better. Take a look at your overall life and the habits you engage in to figure out if there is something you can eliminate.


A positive attitude can be a powerful way to grow your spiritual nature. Living your life with a poor attitude will only attract more of the same to your life. Instead, be "pragmatically positive." This is the idea that a positive attitude will yield instrumental gain.


Someone might have told you that listening skills are just as essential as speaking skills. This truth applies even more to those who are making a concentrated effort to develop themselves on a personal level. 

Don't just listen to other people. Listen to yourself. You will have a hard time finding what your goals are if you are not listening to yourself.


One important aspect of personal development is deciding what you want out of life. You can plan more effectively and enjoy a more accurate perspective on personal development when you have set long-term goals.


To be an effective leader, you must combine humility with power. You can redirect people in a gentle way, and keep in mind that it is best to lead by example. Being a great leader requires that you uphold a standard of integrity and values that others are proud to follow, no matter what the capacity is in which you lead.

If you want to grow and change, you have to consciously make the choice to change. Accepting change will allow you to grow on your path to self development.

You should always want a higher level of self restraint when working hard for personal development. Learn to develop a strong sense of self control. Overcome your body's desire to overindulge in pleasure. Eating is uncomfortable and unhealthy when it becomes overeating; lustful or drunken behavior will harm your body as well. 

Being able to control your desires and restrain your urges will keep you from harming your mind and your body.


If you experience anxiety in social situations, ask a friend to join you at the movie theater. This activity will force you to be around others, but you do not have to talk to them very much, which will minimize your discomfort. This will help get you used to being in the same vicinity with lots of different people.

There are things you can do throughout the day to accomplish more work while at your job. This can be achieved by taking frequent breaks from work. This might sound counterproductive, but breaks allow you to refocus and re-energize, allowing you to return and work more efficiently.


Try to be content with developing and enhancing your existing strengths. We need all kinds of people in the world, because diversity helps us to stay strong. Don't fret talents you have not yet developed, and spend your time building off of the skill set you have already mastered or been blessed with. 

One of the most important elements of personal development is taking proper care of your health. When you are healthy, you feel better and have more energy. You can think more clearly, and even save time and money, by not having to go to the doctor on a regular basis. 

Make a concerted effort to adopt healthy practices.


As you can see, personal development is simpler than it looks. By breaking your personal development process into small, manageable goals, you'll find yourself closer to your goals by the end of every day. You'll be able to practice what you're seeking to adopt as habit, and you'll increase your own morale to continue. These tips are only a springboard, it's up to you to build a better life.

Start A Positive Habit Today: Take Time For Y-O-U!

Self-care is a critical part of living a healthy, not to mention sane, life as a working mom. It will make a huge difference in the way that you feel physically and emotionally and add greater satisfaction and contentment to your life. The challenge; however, is that it often seems that there are more things to do in the day than there is time to accomplish them. Also, busy working moms have a tendency to put everyone and everything before their own needs. If you are like most moms, you fall as they very last priority on your "to do" list (if you even put yourself on there at all).


In order for you to effectively deal with the demands of life and be energetic and available to those you love, it is important that you carve some time out for yourself each and every day. Actually, I retract that statement. It's not important…it is essential!


Until you get into the habit of making yourself a priority, schedule non-negotiable time in your calendar to do those things that bring you enjoyment and nourish your soul. This appointment is just as important as the one you have scheduled on your work calendar with your supervisor. You wouldn't miss that, would you?


If you need to arrange for a babysitter or get help from your partner, do so in advance as to not allow any obstacles to get in the way of you taking this much needed and much deserved time for yourself. Whether it is a 15 minute bath, yoga at your local gym, a massage, a mani-pedi, or a night out with your friends, it is imperative to take care of YOU before stress and fatigue set-in and make you ill. Remember, the more refreshed and balanced you are, the more you will be able to care for the people and things that matter most in your life.


I want to share a quote with you by Thomas Moore: "Most of us DO have time in our days that we could devote to simple relaxation, but we convince ourselves that we don't."


How would it serve you, your family, and your career to take time for yourself? What small changes are you committed to instituting NOW in order to ensure that you make yourself a priority and start living your BEST life?


Self-care is a critical part of living a healthy, not to mention sane, life as a working mom. It will make a huge difference in the way that you feel physically and emotionally and add greater satisfaction and contentment to your life. The challenge; however, is that it often seems that there are more things to do in the day than there is time to accomplish them. Also, busy working moms have a tendency to put everyone and everything before their own needs.In order for you to effectively deal with the demands of life and be energetic and available to those you love, it is important that you carve some time out for yourself. Actually, I retract that statement. It's not important…it is essential!


Until you get into the habit of making yourself a priority, schedule time in your calendar to do things that bring you enjoyment and nourish your soul. If you need to arrange for a babysitter or get help from your partner, do so in advance as to not allow any obstacles to get in the way of you taking time for yourself.


Whether it is a 15 minute bath, a walk around the block, or a night out with your friends, it is imperative to take care of YOU before stress and fatigue set-in and make you ill. Remember, the more refreshed and balanced you are, the more you will be able to care for the people and things that matter most in your life.


I want to share a quote with you by Thomas Moore: "Most of us DO have time in our days that we could devote to simple relaxation, but we convince ourselves that we don't."


How would it serve you, your family, and your career to take time for yourself? What small changes are you committed to instituting NOW in order to ensure that you are a priority and living your BEST life?

You CAN Achieve Your Dreams - Go from Information to Action Now!

No matter what season you are reading this, it's a great time for reflection and a time to think about what changes we'd like to make in the next season. What have we accomplished so far this year, or this quarter, or this month? What areas seemed to give us the most trouble when it comes to moving ahead and pressing forward? Where did we find ourselves "stuck?"



If you are associating yourself with "movers and shakers," you'll be hearing a lot about what really is possible, and what it takes to achieve all we want, and to be all we can be. So, what are the important changes you must make to move forward, both personally and in your business? Will this season be the best of your life? It CAN be!

I have been thinking about this long and hard for the last few weeks and I have narrowed it down to one big change that will help anyone to have their biggest breakthrough ever! I am afraid that if I share it with you, you'll overlook it due to its simplicity. Please don't be fooled, this one idea can transform who you are and can unleash the floodgates of what you are capable of.

It is not an easy change, if it were then it would be common and everyone would have the life and success they desire. The late Jim Rohn, one of the greatest motivational speakers of my lifetime once said, "What's easy to do is also easy not to do." Success takes work, not necessarily hard work, but consistent work. Do you agree with this? The one big change you'll want to make to reach your dreams and the level of success that you know you are capable of is this: You have to commit to implementing what you are learning and what you know. Action will move you forward! Talk may motivate you, but it's action that makes it happen.

Most of us (myself included) are continuously over-stimulated with ideas and information and do nothing substantial with any of them! This is the time to break that bad habit. The theme for me this year is to close the gap between information and action.  Write down any new idea that come across your mind, I believe seeing it helps to develop it. Do your research on the one idea that you are really passionate about and take action on accomplishing one task daily moving yourself closer to accomplishing the idea.

Each new month will be yet another opportunity for you to play by a higher standard that you've previously experienced. Each moment that you devote in accomplishing something you have been desiring eventually you will have accomplished it.  With persistences, perservance, patient, and continuous


The Ultimate Guide to Success: How to Achieve Your Goals in 10 Steps or Less (The Ultimate Success Series) (Volume 2)