Enjoy Your Life: Change Your Point of View

"Two men look out through the same bars: One sees the mud, and one sees the stars."- Frederick Langbridge, A Cluster of Quiet Thoughts

If you've been placed second in a writing contest, will you jump for joy and push for better results the next time or will you be discouraged and find an excuse not to join again?

In life, you are always filled with choices. You may opt to have a pessimist’s view and live a self-defeated life or you may decide to take the optimist’s route and take a challenging and fulfilling life.

So why nurture an optimist’s point of view? And why now?

Well, optimism has been linked to positive mood and good morale; to academic, athletic, military, occupational and political success; to popularity; to good health and even to long life and freedom from trauma.

On the other hand, the rates of depression and pessimism have never been higher. It affects middle-aged adults the same way it hits younger people. The mean age of onset has gone from 30 to 15. It is no longer a middle-aged housewife’s disorder but also a teen-ager’s disorder’ as well.

Here’s how optimists are in action and researches that back up why it really pays to be an optimist:

Optimists expect the best

The defining characteristic of pessimists is that they tend to believe bad events, which will last a long time and undermine everything they do, are their own fault.

The truth is optimists are confronted with the same hard knocks of this world. What differs is the way they explain their misfortune---it’s the opposite way. They tend to believe defeat is just a temporary setback, that its causes are confined to this one case.

Optimists tend to focus on and plan for the 'problem' at hand. They use 'positive reinterpretation.' In other words, they most likely reinterpret a negative experience in a way that helps them learn and grow. Such people are unfazed by bad situation, they perceive it is a challenge and try harder.

They won’t say “things will never get better,” “If I failed once, it will happen again” and “If I experience misfortune in one part of my life, then it will happen in my whole life.”

Positive expectancies of optimists also predict better reactions during transitions to new environments, sudden tragedies and unlikely turn of events. If they fall, they will stand up. They see opportunities instead of obstacles.

People respond positively to optimists

Optimists are proactive and less dependent on others for their happiness. They find no need to control or manipulate people. They usually draw people towards them. Their optimistic view of the world can be contagious and influence those they are with.

Optimism seems a socially desirable trait in all communities. Those who share optimism are generally accepted while those who spread gloom, panic and hysteria are treated unfavorably.

In life, these people often win elections; get voted most congenial and sought for advice.

When the going gets tough, optimists get tougher

Optimists typically maintain higher levels of subjective well-being during times of stress than do people who are less optimistic. In contrast, pessimists are likely to react to stressful events by denying that they exist or by avoiding dealing with problems. Pessimists are more likely to quit trying when difficulties arise.

They persevere. They just don’t give up easily, they are also known for their patience. Inching their way a step closer to that goal or elusive dream.

Optimists are healthier and live longer

Medical research has justified that simple pleasures and a positive outlook can cause a measurable increase in the body's ability to fight disease.

Optimists’ health is unusually good. They age well, much freer than most people from the usual physical ills of middle age. And they get to outlive those prone to negative thoughts.

So why not be an optimist today? And think positively towards a more fulfilled life.

Why not look forward to success in all your endeavors? Why not be resilient? Like everybody else you are bound to hit lows sometimes but don’t just stay there. Carry yourself out of the mud and improve your chances of getting back on the right track. And why not inspire others to remove their dark-colored glasses and see life in the bright side?

Happy as You Want to Be

Almost everyone have heard the hit single 'Don't Worry, Be Happy' by Bobby McFerrin. The song has a very catchy way of conveying its message of being happy to everyone. Bobby Mcferiin's simple message surely made a lot of people by telling them not to worry.

Living a happy, resilient and optimistic life is wonderful, and is also good for your health. Being happy actually protects you from the stresses of life. Stress is linked to top causes of death such as heart disease, cancer and stroke.

One of the better things ever said is - 'The only thing in life that will always remain the same is change', and in our life we have the power to make the necessary changes if we want to. Even if we find ourselves in an unbearable situation we can always find solace in the knowledge that it too would change.

Social networks or relationships are essential to happiness. People are different, accept people for who or what they are, avoid clashes, constant arguments, and let go of all kinds of resentments. If arguments seem unavoidable still try and make an effort to understand the situation and you might just get along with well with

Happiness is actually found in everyone, increasing it is a way to make a life more wonderful and also more healthy.

To be happy is relatively easy, just decide to be a happy person. Abraham Lincoln observed that most people for most of the time can choose how happy or stressed, how relaxed or troubled, how bright or dull their outlook to be. The choice is simple really, choose to be happy.

There are several ways by which you can do this.
 
Being grateful is a great attitude.  We have so much to be thankful for. Thank the taxi driver for bringing you home safely, thank the cook for a wonderful dinner and thank the guy who cleans your windows. Also thank the mailman for bringing you your mails, thank the policeman for making your place safe and thank God for being alive.

News is stressful. Get less of it. Some people just can't start their day without their daily dose of news. Try and think about it, 99% of the news we hear or read is bad news. Starting the day with bad news does not seem to be a sensible thing to do.

A religious connection is also recommended. Being part of a religious group with its singing, sacraments, chanting, prayers and meditations foster inner peace.

Manage your time. Time is invaluable and too important to waste. Time management can be viewed  as a list of rules that involves scheduling, setting goals, planning, creating lists of things to do and prioritizing. These are the core basics of time management that should be understood to develop an efficient personal time management skill. These basic skills can be fine tuned further to include the finer points of each skill that can give you that extra reserve to make the results you desire.

Laugh and laugh heartily everyday.  Heard a good joke? Tell your friends or family about it. As they also say -'Laughter is the best medicine'.
 
Express your feelings, affections, friendship and passion to people around you. They will most likely reciprocate your actions. Try not to keep pent up anger of frustrations, this is bad for your health. Instead find ways of expressing them in a way that will not cause more injury or hurt to anyone.
 
Working hard brings tremendous personal satisfaction. It gives a feeling of being competent in finishing our tasks. Accomplishments are necessary for all of us, they give us a sense of value. Work on things that you feel worthy of your time.

Learning is a joyful exercise. Try and learn something new everyday.  Learning also makes us expand and broaden our horizons. And could also give us more opportunities in the future.

Run, jog, walk and do other things that your body was made for. Feel alive.

Avoid exposure to negative elements like loud noises, toxins and hazardous places.

These are the few simple things you can do everyday to be happy.

And always remember the quote from Abraham Lincoln, he says that, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."

Techniques on How to Meditate for Beginners

by Neeraj Sharma

How to meditate properly is perhaps one of the most common ordeals of those who are beginners in meditation. How to meditate for beginners is actually not that hard as long as you know where to start and what specific steps to follow. When it comes to meditation, it is crucial that we keep in our minds that it is not the odd New Age activity that most of us think of it. Meditation does not necessarily involve having to head to Eastern parts of the world and travel up to the mountains, purely eat vegetables or be in a specific religion to practice it. Meditation is merely an instrument that helps us be ourselves and get in touch with a deeper sense of who we are. It is a great way for us to see the kind of life that we lead and how it unfolds before us and how we can allow things or people that come in our way to influence us. As a beginner in meditation, one must be aware that it has three fundamental concepts: mindfulness, practice and tranquility.

Mindfulness
Mindfulness in the context of meditation is actually an ancient Buddhist practice that has significant relevance in our day to day life. It may an ancient Buddhist practice but you do not have to be in Buddhism to follow it. Mindfulness means paying close attention and being sensitive of the things happening in and around us. When it comes to practicing mindfulness, you can practice it by placing your focus on purpose and the present moment without passing judgment. This may seem such a simple practice but it is said to be the very heart of meditation and is what helps in cultivating consciousness, clarity and acceptance of the reality of life.

Breathing Pattern
In meditation, breathing is a very important component because this is how promotion of relaxation can happen. There is the breath awareness meditation where it requires an individual to stay in one full inhale as it comes in and one full exhale as breath is released. During these moments, it is important to keep the mind open and free. Letting go of all thoughts and ideas is crucial in order to really be able to achieve a higher state of consciousness. When you feel that your mind starts to wander, you can slowly bring back your focus to your breathing and connect the moments of mindfulness altogether as you take in each breath.

Samadhi
The word Samadhi is actually the Sanskrit word which means concentration or literally "single-pointedness". This is actually a type of meditation where you bring your whole focus to an object or to your breathing and you need to focus deeply into awareness of the object. This is actually one of the most commonly practiced types of meditation that even beginners can use it. Through regular practice, the mind is able to become more proficient in concentration and focus and Samdhi is also a very calming and pleasant type of meditation. When you do a Samdhi meditation, you may want to try of thinking of a candle flame for starters or any object that will not tempt your thoughts to wander and distract you.

To learn to meditate London is not really that hard to do. The important thing in meditation in London is you are able to direct your focus and energy to really learn about it and not get easily frustrated along the way.

Join Sadhu Guru London yoga classes for beginners. Learn yoga to get lot of benefits, how to meditate for beginners, how to meditate properly, learn to meditate London.

The First Key To Success: Be Specific About Your Goals And Dreams

By Paula A Parker

Everyone likes to set goals and to dream big, but actually reaching those goals and dreams is often difficult. One crucial problem may be that you aren't being specific enough when thinking about and articulating what it is you want to achieve.

It's hard to begin or maintain a goal when your objectives are too vague. Take a common goal of trying to lose weight. Many dieters fall into the "my objectives are too vague" category and it causes them to lose incentive. For instance, they may set a weight loss goal of losing 40 or 50 pounds, but then what? After a few weeks, with no real plan in place, they get discouraged.

By being specific and detailed about your goal, however, you increase your chances for success. You could set up a very specific goal of losing two pounds a week: one and a half pounds through diet, and a half pound through exercise. Now you can easily calculate how many calories you need to eat each day, and how much exercise you need to meet your weight loss goals.

Of course, this is only the beginning of the battle, but getting off on the right foot with a real and specific plan in place puts you ahead of the game and encourages you to stick with your goal. This simple but effective concept can be applied to any goal you have and will help you stay on the path to success.

Take another very common example. Some people when asked what they wish for most in life will say, "I want to be rich."

Okay, well, who doesn't? "One day I want to be rich" is a very enticing dream, but what road map can you follow to be rich? How do you even start to achieve such a vague goal?

Instead, you might set a more specific and definable goal of opening your own business. This, by the way, probably won't make you rich, but now you can see you have a real starting point. You are no longer living in dreamland. You now have something to work toward, something real to achieve.

And who knows, as you go along in the process of defining and achieving, you may find that your dreams change along with you. Maybe being wealthy really isn't that important to you, afterall. Maybe the personal satisfaction of starting and running your own business is achievement enough for you. And if you can make a decent living out of it, then you really have achieved something.

These are just two examples of how giving your goals and dreams specific details can help you get started on your way and increase you chances for success. It's okay to set big goals and have great expectations in life. Just remember, a dream will always remain a dream unless you can give it a specific and achievable definition.

Paula A. Parker is a freelance writer and owner of http://www.behappyzone.com where she writes inspirational articles about finding happiness and maintaining a positive outlook in life. You can read more about reaching goals in her article: Keeping Your Dreams Alive

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paula_A_Parker
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-First-Key-To-Success:-Be-Specific-About-Your-Goals-And-Dreams&id=7827505

20 Tips for Increasing Your Self-Confidence

by Teresa Meehan PhD

Who can't benefit from an occasional dose of confidence building tips? The following is a quick list of things you can do today to improve how you feel about yourself. For a more step-by-step approach, sign up for our free newsletter and download your free eCourse today!

Here we go:

1. Think about someone who is confident and act, talk and walk like him or her. Model their mannerisms and behavior. It works for them; it will work for you.

2. Smile a lot more. That doesn’t mean putting a silly grin on your face! But smile when you walk down the street, when you meet people and generally be happier even if you’re not feeling that way.

3. Learn from the past; don’t beat yourself up about it. It’s gone; it’s never coming back. Instead learn from it for next time.

4. Buy yourself some new clothes, get your hair done, treat yourself to something new. It will make you feel better and will give your ego a boost.

5. Are you prepared for situations? Are you prepared enough to meet any challenge that may come up? Are you prepared for that meeting, that presentation, that job interview, when you meet someone for the first time? If not, get to it.

6. Play to your strengths. Know what you are good at and expose yourself to these opportunities at every opportunity – because you’re good at it, you’ll enjoy it and have more confidence.

7. Improve your weaknesses. Know and appreciate what these are and put a plan in place to improve them over time.

8. Learn how to say no to people. Don’t be afraid, you’ve got nothing to be afraid of. Just watch the reaction on their face after you’ve said it the first time and there will be no going back.

9. Be positive. Look on the “can do” side of things rather than the “can’t do”. You’ve accomplished lots in your life and you will accomplish lots more in the future.

10. Be in charge of your thoughts at all times. What is a thought? It’s just a question that you’ve asked yourself and the thought is you’re answer. If you’re thinking negative thoughts, you’re probably asking a negative question. Change the questions to be more positive.

11. Whenever you feel a negative thought coming, STOP, THINK, and say, "Is this really important in the grand scheme of things?" A lot of the time it isn’t.

12. Do you let the words of others affect you? Do you mind what they think of you? Remember that no one can make you feel inferior without your consent. It’s not what they say to you that’s the problem. It’s what you say to yourself after they have stopped talking that’s the problem. Change the way you think.

13. List the words that you use on a consistent basis when you feel let down or annoyed. People use different words to mean the same thing and depending upon the intensity of the word – this will have an effect on your confidence. Instead of saying “I’m enraged about this” say, “I’m a little annoyed”. Make a substitute list for the words that you use. Make sure they are lower in intensity and then use them. You’ll be surprised with the results.

14. At the end of each day, list your achievements and successes. You'll be surprised at how much you accomplished.

15. Be appreciative of what you have to be thankful for in your life right now. Who do you love? Who loves you? Who do you help out?

16. Every morning when you’re in the shower, play over in your head the events of the day as though they have already happened and they were a success. Visualize all of the meetings that you had, the people you talked to, the outcomes you had. Visualize success and confidence, and it will be so!

17. Improve your body language. The way that you move your body has a massive impact on your confidence level. Move your body assertively and walk with your head up, shoulders back and as though you’ve got somewhere very important to go. Feeling low in confidence? Change you body language.

18. Emotion is created by motion. As in tip 17, make sure you move around consistently. This creates energy and gets the blood pumping around your body – it makes you feel better and more confident.

19.
Learn to brag about yourself. Yes, you heard me! Talk about your achievements and successes more than you currently are.

20. And finally – You only live once, so any time that you are down just ask yourself in 10 or 20 years time – will what I am worrying about really matter?

http://lifecoachplus.net/WP/20-tips-for-increasing-your-confidence/

Article Source: 20 Tips for Increasing Your Self-Confidence

Unleash the Power of Belief

by Dr. Jill Ammon-Wexler

You might sometimes wonder why you just did or said something. Actually there is an immense power deep in your subconscious mind that silently controls your thoughts and actions - your beliefs.

Each of us has our own unique set of beliefs and assumptions for virtually every aspect of our life, including money, success, 
relationships, body image, intelligence, etc. The list goes on and on.

These beliefs actually run our lives. Why? Because of the power of beliefs we are deeply convinced that they are valid. In fact, we automatically assume they are valid without even thinking about it.

The nature of beliefs may seem a mystery, but they are basically simply emotion-packed thoughts you revisit over and over again. Any repeated thought builds strong physical neural networks in your brain. The thought then becomes an automatic subconscious pattern.

Once they become strongly engrained in our brain-based neural networks, we assume they represent reality and are beyond question. Most of us can get very defensive if someone (even our own self) questions our beliefs. So they remain unquestioned, and often just run right over any personal dream or goal that goes against them.

Thoughts Can Override Beliefs.

I discovered the amazing ability of a single thought to override a belief when I first began to use biofeedback in a clinical environment.

The wife of a prominent local surgeon came to me hoping biofeedback could give her relief from crippling back pain. Mrs. Roberts (not her real name) had been in a high speed car crash three years earlier. She had miraculously not broken any bones, but her back pain had never healed.

She hobbled into the clinic leaning heavily on a cane, and revealed a belief she would NEVER heal from the back trauma caused by the accident (she was driving, and her best friend had died in the crash).

I attached sensors to her back, and we both observed the muscle-related EMG spikes as she painfully tried to move her legs. then I hooked up sensors to her arm, and had her tense and relax her muscles. She saw the clear difference between relaxed and tensed muscles on the screen.

Then I suggested that her back pain "might" be muscle bracing that had become a chronic habit. I proposed an experiment during which she would just think about allowing her back to relax.

I placed the EMG sensors on her back and turned the screen away from her as she began to think about allowing her back to relax. Sure enough, the spikes reduced dramatically.

I froze the screen and rotated it so she could see the results. Her jaw dropped. The power of her thoughts HAD actually reduced the chronic muscle spasms in her back.

I asked her how her back felt. She was even more amazed. It had begun to warm as her circulation was partially restored. After only three biofeedback sessions she was able to release her muscle spasms with a single thought.

A few weeks later the cane was gone and she considered herself totally cured from her pain. Actually, what happened is that she cured herself from a crippling belief (I don't think I'll ever heal) with a single powerful THOUGHT of relaxing the muscle spasms in her back.

Old beliefs CAN be replaced with success-affirming positive thoughts.

Put This to Work in YOUR Life.

Here's how to control the power of belief in your life. Most of your self-limiting beliefs had their beginning in your early childhood from negative judgements of your elders. Replacing the resulting limiting beliefs requires dealing with the subconscious ANTs (Automatic Negative Thoughts) now attached to those beliefs.

If you do have limiting beliefs, your ANTs will constantly reinforce that belief. The only solution is to create new positive beliefs to replace the old negatives.

Here is a major insight to remember: It does not matter if you truly do believe your new positive beliefs at first. Your mind is a creature of habit. The more often you focus on your new positive beliefs, the faster they will be stored on brain-based neural networks. Your neural networks are like paths through a meadow. Left unused, the neural networks holding your limiting beliefs will gradually disappear and be replaced by the new networks you are installing.

About the Author

The author of this article has written several books that can get you started. Go take a look, and download a free audio by the author while you're there =>> CLICK HERE FOR A FREE MP3 and Build Mind Power

Self Growth Techniques for Personal Success

By Katrina D Briggs

What is self growth? It is about shaping yourself to become a better person with solid values, ethics and a well balanced approach to life.  It is the process of working on your areas of improvement and turning them into areas of strength and opportunities. Just how can you do that? Here are five simple techniques for starters:

 

1. Learn from others. Start with your immediate family and closest friends. What are some of their traits that you admire? What have they accomplished that makes you want to be like them? Talk to them and ask them what they did to achieve self growth that led to their professional and personal success. Then check out famous people whose work you admire and read articles on how they got to the top of their profession. Learn as much as you can about their individual techniques and see which ones you can adopt for yourself.

 

2. Observe admirable people. Look at how they conduct themselves, from the way they walk, talk, sit and generally behave in public. Such refinement can only be a product of effective self growth techniques, which include polishing one’s looks, movements and skill sets to complete the overall package of the person. Look at how they treat others and are treated in turn. You can take a page out of their demeanor to propel yourself towards personal success and professional recognition. This isn’t to say you should mimic their every move; just derive the best practices possible from them that you can employ for your own good.

 

3. Assess your own attitude. How have you been behaving by your lonesome? Are you a person of integrity – always doing the right thing even when no one is looking? How are you with other people around? Do you exercise kindness and consideration for others, or are you being fueled by your own selfish needs for personal success? Bear in mind that in order to succeed at self growth, you must possess a mature disposition and a kind heart. Aim to be a caring and morally upright person no matter where you go. The universe has a way of rewarding people who treat others well and punishing those who won’t hesitate to trample on the feelings and rights of others.

 

4. Envision the kind of person you would like to be one day. This is a great self growth exercise that can provide you inspiration on your journey to professional and personal success. Paint a picture of the Ideal You – the kind of individual you wish to become in the future. How do you see yourself in that image? Do you see a nation-building politician, the next Mother Teresa, or the next Steve Jobs? Use your imagination as your mood board to guide you as you work on your greatest ambition.

 

5. Get rid of vices that may be harmful to your self growth. Are you quick to turn to painkillers when you feel the slightest muscle twitch? Do you tend to gorge on sugary snacks and drinks to keep your energy levels up as you slave over a very important project? Remove all self destructive habits from your system and start living clean! You won’t be able to enjoy personal success if your health takes a nosedive and renders you bedridden most of the time. So go have that physical check up and get tips from your physician and nutritionist on how to live a healthier and more wholesome lifestyle.

 

The change starts within you. Find your purpose, work on it and remember to enjoy the journey as well. Good luck and may you serve as an inspiring role model to others.

About the Author:

There are many self growth techniques. It's just a matter of you choosing those that suit your personality and can easily be incorporated into your life. Your journey to a better you starts today!

Articles Source: Self Growth Techniques for Personal Success

It's Persistence, Not Luck, That Leads to Success

By Lisa Ryan

"When I thought I couldn't go on, I forced myself to keep going. My success is based on persistence, not luck." Estee Lauder

Do you know what you want out of your life? Can you see your future clearly in your mind's eye and do you know down to the very core of your being that you're working towards your life's purpose? If so, congratulations! If you're not quite there yet, take a few moments and imagine what your life would be life if you were living on purpose. How wide is the gap between what you want to be doing and what you're currently engaged in?

Sometimes we get "stuck" in a situation that is clearly not where we want to be. Maybe it's because of financial considerations, family expectations, or self-imposed limitations. If you dread going to work every day, it may be time to reconsider the track you're on and look for ways you can progress towards what you want out of life.

It's easy to advance towards your goals when things are going well, when you're "in the flow." You feel great, you're on a "high," and things couldn't be better. Because of your positive momentum, when challenges first happen, you turn on your inner turbo-boosters and plow forward.

However, when it seems nothing is going right, challenges are abounding, and you're not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel, you may start questioning your sanity, your motivations, and whether you should be continuing down this crazy path.

Here are some tips to keep you on track so you can reach the pinnacle of your personal and professional pursuits, whatever they are:

1. Acknowledge yourself for each and every little victory. So often we are looking for what is going wrong, what has gone wrong or what could go wrong that we don't see how many things are going well. At the end of each day, write down your list of "wins" and take a moment to celebrate your accomplishments.

2. Learn from your lessons. It's been said that a lesson is repeated until the lesson is learned. When something goes wrong, take a moment and assess exactly what happened. Then try something different, even a slight shift can make a big impact. This may take you out of your comfort zone, but doing things in a different way will lead to different - and probably better - results.

3. Be grateful. Get into the practice of looking for people, events and circumstances for which you can be thankful. You don't have to wait until something really "big" happens. When you wake up in the morning, before you get out of bed, think of three things that you appreciate about your life. Then think of three more things that you can be grateful for in advance of them happening during the day. In this way, you'll set a positive expectancy for your day and chances are that your day will turn out as good, or even better, than you originally imagined.

Think of your challenges as just another part of your story. Every delay, mistake, and denial is part of what it takes to make your victory stronger and more satisfying than if it happened easily and without trials and tribulations. You are on your way, and your efforts will pay off in ways you may not have imagined. Go for it!

PS - Persistence pays. Slow and steady wins the race - it's all just a matter of time.

Lisa Ryan is the Chief Appreciation Strategist with Grategy. She is a keynote speaker, gratitude expert, and author of five books including "The Upside of Down Times: Discovering the Power of Gratitude" and she is featured in two documentaries: "The Keeper of the Keys" with Jack Canfield and "The Gratitude Experiment.".

Learn more about Lisa Ryan at http://www.grategy.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lisa_Ryan
http://EzineArticles.com/?Its-Persistence,-Not-Luck,-That-Leads-to-Success&id=7818701