Simple Steps to Self-Care

What does self-care mean to you? What pictures come to mind when you think of the words 'self-care'? It usually means something very different for different people. Some of the responses I've had when I've asked people what it means to them include

· Taking time out for me

· Eating healthy

· Exercising

· Having a massage

which are all great answers!

Self-care to me means simply looking after your whole self, not because you 'have to' but because you want to, because it feels good to do so and because you like looking after your own needs as well as other people's and it is such an important thing to do for yourself. We can only give to others when we have plenty within us to give. If you let yourself get run down, tired, de-hydrated, lacking in nutrients, mentally exhausted and a tired body, you simply cannot enjoy life nor can you be there for the important people in your life.

By taking care of yourself properly, you reduce stress in your own life. You increase happiness, you create a healthier body and mind and you feel more satisfied with life in general. Self-care also helps prevent burnout, but most importantly, self-care shows you that you are indeed an important person. That your needs matter just as much as anyone else's needs and that it's not selfish or self-indulgent to take time out for yourself - it's simply showing yourself some self-respect.

There's a difference between eating fast food just because you're hungry and need a quick fix, compared with making yourself a delicious and nutritious meal. Fast food is taking care of the hunger part of your body, but the nutritious meal is taking care of all of yourself; your hunger, but also your body and mind. You can have a quick shower to get clean or you can prepare a warm bath with some Epsom Salts and essential oils and have a soak. Again, these both achieve the goal of getting clean, but the bath is taking care of all of you - allowing you to relax, unwind, have time out and also get clean, instead of the rush that a quick rinse off in the shower will give you.

Often ladies will tell me that the reason they don't do much in the way of self-care is because it's either too expensive or they don't have time. It is true that some self-care activities can be expensive but there's plenty of other things you can do also. Facials, massages, manicures, retreats, yoga classes etc. can all be wonderful ways of taking care of yourself, but of course they come with a price tag. For these type of items, you may want to put a little money aside each week and treat yourself on a quarterly basis for example. Giving yourself these same types of luxuries at home though can be relatively inexpensive and yet you'll still feel great after doing them.

And yes, sometimes self-care actions are impracticable on a daily basis - no, we don't all have time to soak in the bath for an hour every day, but there are many self-care actions that you can introduce that can quickly become habits in your life, and other actions you may want to schedule in time for on a weekly or fortnightly basis.

Some cheap, quick and easy ideas for self-care can include:

· Swapping your morning coffee for a slice of lemon in hot water

· Giving yourself a hand massage and manicure

· Taking a nap

· Drawing, painting, creating etc.

· Listen to music

· Meditate

· Going for a walk on the beach (or your other fav place)

· Investing in a foam roller and giving your aching muscles a massage

· Exercising

· Preparing a healthy and nutritious meal

· Reading

· Start a compliment jar. When someone says something nice to or about you, write it down and pop it in your compliments jar. Every now and then re-read through all the beautiful things people think about you

· Stretch your body; or even better find a yoga workout on YouTube and treat your body to that

· Get some sunshine

· Go for a swim

· Slow down. Walk slower than you usually do, put your phone away and try to spot 5 beautiful things in your environment

· Keep a gratitude and accomplishments journal. Each day, write 5 things that you're grateful for and anything you're proud of accomplishing that day

· Give yourself a facial

Other aspects of self-care include things like regular doctor, dentist, option appointments for example. Is there some minor health issue that's been bothering you but you seem to never get around to making that doctor's appointment? If it was your child or family member, would you make sure they got checked out?

Self-care is often the first thing to get neglected when you become busy, tired or stressed and yet it's the very thing that you should be turning to at these times. Many people treat self-care as a type of reward or treat, but if you start incorporating self-care into your daily and weekly routines, you'll begin to notice great improvements in your life. If you're feeling stressed or you've forgotten what self-care feels like, take some time today to pick out a couple of activities you can do every day that is caring just for you and then pick out another maybe lengthier activity you can do on a weekly basis.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Simple-Steps-to-Self-Care&id=9615609

Take the Time to Get Happy - At Least Once, or a Few Times a Day - The Benefits Can Eliminate Stress

*Happiness is a great way to get through the heart of your day- Everyday in one way or another- find a way to take a happiness break! Whether reading your I-pad or playing with your dog or cat, do something DAILY that makes you happy!!

Laughing is so good for the mind, the soul and kind to the brain- we should ALL strive to laugh a little more, than we currently do, everyday! Did you know that laughing can help minimize or eliminate your stress and cortisol levels? Look it up! I did and frankly, I was astounded by the results that I found... It changes the mind/body trajectory both physically and chemically in many immediate ways! It loosens tight muscles, helps you breathe easier and invites more reasons to laugh and get happy over and over again! To laugh a lot more and often opens the door for more reasons to be content, MAKE IT A DAILY EVENT...

Yeah, there is nothing more hearty to the soul than a good cry, or a hearty laugh. Take the time to have presence of mind; renew or refocus your rapid, heart-pounding adrenaline exhausting energy or trajectory by inviting impromptu opportunities to laugh and get happy!

Live to laugh, even if only in short spurts, otherwise things that you perceive may get construed as hurtful or offensive- a laugh breaks makes things hurt a lot less. Don't take yourself too seriously, at least not all day... Consciously decide to take control of your emotional or stressful events by taking the time to laugh, cry or to at least decompress, especially before making major decisions.

Laughing brings joy to the brain and flips the switch focus onto comedy, or something that you find whimsical,or silly at best. The good thing about laughing is that it has no ceiling and requires no testing, or measuring to be a successful accomplishment!

We are all doing a lot of things, simultaneously, and sometimes we get too invested in the pressure that it takes to complete everything. Whether or not,we are able to meet deadlines, timelines or another's expectations gets exhausting.

Find your solace, or your favorite book, magazine or form of diversion to make the conversion a simple feat. Laughing should be easy! Know what and who makes you laugh, seek their energy or presence. *** Welcoming jovial energy around you, allows you, to laugh, smile, grin or even release a giggle- Hey, it's ALL the Universe can ask of you! Giggle when appropriate, and as often as possible!

I have a few examples of ways to laugh... Try reading a corny joke book. It's so corny that you'll laugh anyway. Or, text your brother and send him a funny photo of him with long hair and a brightly-colored tie-dye shirt that he wore back in the 80's. Tell him that you have a great picture and you need his approval to post it on Facebook. Perhaps you can do the same to your sister too! Text her a picture of her lopsided cake that she baked for her boyfriend from 20 years ago; she thought it looked beautiful! You get the picture? DO something whimsical, and get yourself and others to chuckle, LOL (laugh out loud), or do anything that gets you to be happy for a few moments each day! You Tube has a lot of funny videos that you can peruse and pass along to family members or friends to share and to laugh along with you.

Happiness, joy, and laughing are all good for the soul and if not easily found, should be sought daily, even if done in small doses.

***I enjoy learning from you and from others offering me knowledge continuously!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Take-the-Time-to-Get-Happy---At-Least-Once,-or-a-Few-Times-a-Day---The-Benefits-Can-Eliminate-Stress&id=9622011

Unfold the 5 Secrets to Live a Happy Life

We all strive to lead a happy life. But being happy is not that easy. If you are concerned about money then happiness is definitely far beyond your reach. The actual fact is that "money can't buy happiness". Happiness is all around us in the things, in the people and yet we fail to grasp it.

A psychological research has found out that happiness can be achieved in very simple ways. These are-

Practice gratitude

Irrespective of the fact where they are and what they have been doing the happy people finds things to be grateful for. They remain less stressed and have low levels of depression. One can find gratitude even in the smallest of the things. This can be a book, delicious dinner, a challenging video game, and many more things. If you focus on the good things and feel gratitude for them then you will have less stress.

Smile more

If you are having a hard day cheer yourself by thinking of something or someone that always makes you happy. In this way you will be happy again. The sure analysis of this is still not done but some scientists believe that due to the release of dopamine the feel god factor comes in you. So, put that cute smile on your face wherever you go.

Embrace your mistakes

Mistakes are normal. But if you bring ego in between your mistakes and agreeing them then that is totally wrong. This will be an obstruction in your way of growth. Thus, learn to embrace your mistakes and start learning more. You will see that this quality will make you more likeable among the people.

Be optimistic

Happy people are more open to responding to negative events in a positive way than the unhappy lot. They have high confidence levels that help them to overcome negative thoughts and actions. This attitude also helps one to recover from illness, solve problems in difficulty, etc.

Forgive everything

Do not keep any hard feelings in your mind neither encourage one to do the same. The hard feelings do block happiness when we keep them. We do not feel truly happy then. If you forgive, it does not mean that the earlier things had been for good but it is that you are no longer in a mood to carry on with the ill feeling.

Along with all this practice self love. We are sure that this will keep you happy and help you to lead a happier life that you had always dreamt of.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Unfold-the-5-Secrets-to-Live-a-Happy-Life&id=9633144

Happiness Is a Choice and Is Already Within Us (By Dale R Duvall)

When I tell people that I haven't been angry in years, I often get the "stink eye" so I have written the "Happiness is a Choice" to clear up some of the misunderstandings. I would like to note that "never being angry" does not mean that angry thoughts do not exist, because they do. They come and go the same as thoughts of gratitude, love and good ideas. A good idea will slip away as silently as it appeared if you don't write it down. Anger too, is only a thought and will float away even sooner if we make a point of replacing it. I try to stand back and observe my thoughts, choosing the ones I wish to spend time with and allowing the others to float away. It's fun.

There is no evil greater than anger and no virtue greater than Patience. But Patience takes practice, so we are grateful for every opportunity to practice. When someone harms, frustrates, annoys, rejects, or embarrasses us, we immediately imagine a Big Red Smiling Stop Sign. We Stop, Smile, Breathe, and say, "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you," as a sincere expression of Gratitude for the opportunity to practice Patience, Kindness, and our right to choose the thoughts upon which to focus. We say Thank you silently, or audibly if appropriate, at least once and preferably three times because anything one wants to remember or emphasize should be stated three times. A name, place, concept or idea presented in threes is inherently more interesting, significant, and memorable.

We Recognize, Neutralize, Dismiss, and Replace anger, fear, guilt, worry, sadness, shame, and other harmful thoughts with Gratitude, Patience, and Kindness, knowing that something good will come of this. We are Grateful that it was not worse and feel Compassion for those who are worse off. We begin to understand the powerful connection between thought, feeling, and behavior. We discover that we can choose our feelings, and thus our behavior, by choosing to focus on more appropriate thoughts. Just as emotions trigger thoughts, thoughts trigger emotions. It is impossible to feel sad without spending time with sad thoughts, or angry without dwelling on angry thoughts, so we consciously replace harmful thoughts with Gratitude or some other worthy thought to reverse the cycle. We feel Gratitude and Compassion for our tormentors because they have been valuable teachers and are inflicted with the disease of anger, harming themselves most of all. We accept the situation for what it is and adapt to the present moment with Patient positive thoughts, wisdom, and curiosity. We ask if the problem can be resolved, and look for opportunity. Then, with a calm, peaceful mind, we allow our own natural wisdom to determine the best course of action. We remain balanced and centered, happy and at peace, with a sincere intent to promote harmony and the understanding that everything is and was as it should be. It might be that way to provide us with the opportunity to make it better. Life is a fun adventure of curiosity and wonder.

Like a fertile garden, the subtle (or Subconscious) mind will return, in abundance, whatever we plant. If we plant kindness, it will return kindness. If we plant hostility, it will return hostility. If we choose to plant corn in our garden, water and care for it, it will return hundreds of corn kernels for every one that we plant. If we choose to plant nightshade, it will return poison in just as wonderful abundance. It is impersonal. It does not care what we plant. It will return an abundance of what we plant but it will not judge what we plant. Judgment is a function of Ego and the Conscious mind, not the subtle or Subconscious mind. Things are always popping up from the subtle mind, some good and some not so good, and it is the job of the Conscious mind to observe and weed the garden by identifying and discarding harmful thoughts while allowing worthy thoughts to grow and flourish.

We need to tend our wonderful garden and tell our subtle mind what we want it to do; plant good seeds, worthy goals, and ideals. Then nurture them, care for them, and observe what shows up. Pull out the weeds and let the seeds of our goals grow. We need to be diligent, or the weeds will take over and kill our seeds. We simply need to observe and choose our thoughts. Recognize, Neutralize, Dismiss, and Replace harmful thoughts with worthy thoughts: Gratitude, Patience, and Kindness. Man's greatest disability is pessimism, and his greatest super power is the creative integration of gratitude, patience, and kindness.

We cannot always control events, but the thoughts we allow ourselves to think about a situation or event produce our feelings and moods. Our feelings and moods affect our actions and reactions which in turn affect the direction and quality of life. When we develop the ability to choose our thoughts, we will be able to control our feelings, actions, circumstances, and destiny. It has been said that destiny is no matter of chance, it is a matter of choice, and our thoughts are the driving force. Another wise man once said, "If you want to be happy and at peace, then be happy and at peace. If you want to feel good, then feel good. It's your choice. Simply choose the appropriate thoughts. If you think good thoughts, you will feel good. If you think bad thoughts, you will feel bad. If you think about nothing, you feel nothing. You are only one thought away from a good feeling. Ice Cream! The smile of a happy grateful child; Chocolate; a playful puppy or a white fluffy kitten playing with a ball of yarn; a beautiful flower, fragrance or melody."

Where one person sees a dirty window, another might see a beautiful landscape. Look beyond adversity and see the innocents. We choose what we see and what we feel by choosing our thoughts. One can be miserable in paradise, while others can be happy living in an igloo. The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but our thoughts about it which we do not necessarily have to believe. We have thoughts, but we should not let them have us. We need to be aware of the link between our thoughts, feelings, and behavior. We need to understand that we are not our thoughts or the emotions that they create, rather we are the observer and the controller with the ability to accept or dismiss our thoughts.

We can choose to be miserable, or we can choose to be happy. When harmful thoughts pop up, we Stop, Smile, Breathe, and say Thank you. We recognize anger, fear, guilt, worry, sadness, shame, and other harmful thoughts for what they are and neutralize them by understanding that they may have been appropriate at one time but NOT NOW. Then we replace those nasty thoughts with worthy thoughts: Gratitude, Patience, and Kindness. Worry, for example, is useless and seldom accomplishes anything. Worry replaces rational thought with irrational fears, and actually prevents us from resolving the situation that may have triggered the worry in the first place. Revenge belongs in the same trash bin as worry. Nothing positive has ever come out of a revengeful act.

Some people spend a lifetime searching for paradise and happiness, from beautiful beaches and mountain highlands to remote Pacific islands, and from the pampered life of affluence to abject poverty. If only they knew... it's already found!! It's here! It's all around us! Wherever we go, there it is. Paradise is where we make it. When faced with adversity we "Stop, Smile, Breathe and say Thank you." Confident that something good will come of the situation, we look for opportunity. As Helen Keller wrote, "When one door closes, another opens. But we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us." Recognize, Neutralize, Dismiss and Replace harmful thoughts, and nurture good thoughts. We choose what we see and what we feel... by choosing our thoughts.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Happiness-Is-a-Choice-and-Is-Already-Within-Us&id=9602844

The Key to Happiness You Wish You Never Had

Most people would argue that being happy is much more important than being unhappy.

Is that really the case?

You won't find books with titles such as 10 Easy Steps Towards Less Joy in Your Life, or More Unhappiness: A Practical Guide Towards a Sadder You. If you happen to find books like these, I'd bet good money they're not selling that well!

When you Google the word "happy" there is an astounding 2,7 billion results. Searching for "unhappiness" only yields around 80 million results.

Society clearly has much more interest in happiness than in unhappiness, but does that make unhappiness any less important?

No, it doesn't. They are equally important because happiness simply cannot exist without unhappiness. There can be no happiness without unhappiness.

Confused? Let me explain.

It's All Relative

Close your eyes and imagine... actually don't close them, otherwise you can't read any further, so just imagine then, that every place on earth has the exact same temperature. In this world, the words hot and cold have no meaning, because after all, everything has the exact same temperature.

Suppose then the temperature in the Arctic decreases while remaining the same everywhere else. Now, and only now, can we refer to the Arctic as being cold. Why is this? Because now, and only now, is the rest of the globe relatively warmer than the Arctic.

The temperature imbalance was required to give meaning to the words hot and cold. Cold, being the one extreme, only found meaning once the other extreme of warmth found its meaning. The one extreme can't exist without the other.

Happiness and unhappiness is certainly no different. Happiness after all is an extreme emotion, with unhappiness being the other extreme. Happiness only exists because unhappiness exists. It's therefore essential to be unhappy at times so we can be happy during other times.

Still not convinced?

We're all 55 Years Old

Suppose that every single person on earth is 55 years old. In this make-believe world, people are neither young, nor old because everyone has the exact same age. The words young and old have absolutely no meaning in this world because every single person is 55 years old.

The arrival of a 15-year old alien will bring about the change. As soon as he lands on earth, an imbalance is created, giving meaning to the words young and old. Now, and only now, that someone (or is that something) younger than everyone else exists, can the words young and old have their meaning.

The people who are 55 were never old. Only after the arrival of the 15-year old extreme can they be referred to as being old. The arrival of the 15-year old has given meaning to the words young and old. The one extreme exists, only because the other extreme exists.

Similarly, unhappiness has to exist for happiness to exist.

The Poor Makes The Rich (Or is it the Other Way Round?)

Why are people rich? Sure, they work hard or got a lucky break, but the word rich is a relative concept. A rich person may be someone who is worth $100 million, $10 million or someone who is worth only $1 million.

In some developing countries, a person who is worth only $10 000 could be considered rich. Why is this? People are deemed rich because they have more money compared to those around them, and not because of the actual sum of money that they have.

Rich people therefore exist only because poor people exist around them. The one extreme can only exist because the other exists.

It is crucial for us to experience unhappiness in establishing benchmarks against which we can compare our current-day emotions. If unhappiness did not appear in our past, we will have a skewed benchmark against which to compare the emotions we experience today. It's all relative and unhappiness is essential in making this relative comparison possible.

Happy Meal

A person, who has had enough to eat throughout his life, will not be struck with happiness when presented with a plate of food, simply because he has never experienced the unhappiness associated with being hungry. To him it will be just another meal.

A person who has faced starvation on the other hand, has experienced unhappiness associated with lack of food. When this person is presented with the same plate of food, he will be overjoyed. His happiness results from the unhappiness of not having had enough to eat in his past.

Unhappiness plays a vital role in life. In fact, it is absolutely essential for us to know unhappiness, if we ever want to know happiness. Without unhappiness, there will not be happiness; only a dull and monotonous journey through a life filled with mediocrity.

Whenever you experience unhappiness again, be consoled by the thought that you're simply experiencing an emotion essential to your happiness.

The key to happiness is a regular dose of unhappiness.

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Key-to-Happiness-You-Wish-You-Never-Had&id=9538405

Lifting The Barriers To Happiness

As humans it is our birth right to be happy and joyous and no one can take it from us. The interesting thing is that we are ourselves the main impediment to living a happy and fulfilled life. Over the years, we have formed some beliefs and engraved then into our mind as truths. Whereas all these beliefs are mere fallacies. If we are to live to our maximum then watch out the following barriers to our own happiness.

a. Happiness Is Something External

Believe me or not Happiness has nothing to do at all, with the external circumstances. It is totally in our control. It is in our mind. It is not the situation itself but the reaction to the situation that makes us unhappy.

b. Happiness Is Near To Impossible in Today 's Stressful World

People say, after all, stress is here to stay and if we want to live in this world, we have to encounter stress in one form or the other. The answer to this is: it is us who make a situation stressful or otherwise. It is in our control. Birds, animals and plants also live in the same world. Have you seen a sparrow in stress, a cat in tension, a tortoise in distress? Never! Actually there is no stress in the world! Sounds weird? But it is THE FACT. Let me quote here one of my favorite authors Dr. Wayne Dyer. He says "There is no stress in this world, only people thinking stressful thoughts". What a price less quotation! Just read it again and again and let it settle deeply into your heart and soul. Just observe the power of these words. Next time whenever you start feeling anxious or stressful or worried, just repeat the above words slowly and let them take root in your heart. I have not said mind purposely because mind is the cause of all this stress.

c. Happiness Is Found In Some Achievement

This is also one of the thoughts our mind repeats to us almost incessantly until we are convinced that we can only be happy if we have achieved something great or if we are immensely successful at this or that skill or field. Actually, the converse of it holds true. Remember this and keep it written somewhere where you are able to see it often. YOU DO NOT GET HAPPY BY ACHIEVING SUCCESS, YOU ACHIEVE SUCCESS BY GETTING HAPPY.

d. Happiness is in Future-I Will Be Happy When...

This is also one of the major misconceptions and keeps billions of people unhappy throughout their lives. The internal dialogue within us is something like this: I will be happy when I get a promotion, when my daughter gets married, when I am selected as one of the top 10 performers, when this bad weather is over, when economy is stable, when my dream of world tour materializes, when the boo I am writing gets completed, when I am able to meet my ideal person, when I hit a jackpot etc. etc. and the list goes on and on and on. It is endless. What does this mean? It is called postponing happiness to the future. This is all nonsense. We can only be happy in the present moment. Past is gone and future is in no body's control. So why not enjoy each and every moment of the present. If we are not happy NOW, we cannot be happy in the future.

e. Unhappiness is Natural State Of Humans

Another mayor delusion which we all have within our mind is that it is OK and natural to be unhappy. After all there is so much to be handled by an adult in day to day circumstances, how can one remain happy? Only children can be happy because they have nothing to do except enjoying their lives. Here lies the point; when a child can be happy without status, possessions, achievements, awards, then why can't we be? The answer to the questions raised above is that first of all we have to train our mind that our Natural state is Happiness and not Unhappiness. It is the conditioning done by our society, our culture and our environment to our minds which makes us believe that happiness is some elusive concept- unable to achieve in this practical world. So from now onwards challenge this well-established view and say repeatedly to yourself that HAPPINESS IS THE NATURAL WAY OF LIVING OF ALL HUMAN BEINGS.

f. Happiness Needs Some Special Skill

Believe me, to achieve happiness you do not need to be intelligent or bright or even literate for that matter. You do not have to be sharp or clever or smart. The only thing you need is commitment -a solid commitment with yourself. If you are really committed that you will remain happy for the rest of your life, come what may, then YOU WILL REMAIN HAPPY and if you just want to be happy or you are just thinking to be happy then it won't work. A strong commitment is what is required and nothing else.

In short, to paraphrase what has been written above, happiness is totally in your own control and it only depends on how committed you are to achieve it.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Lifting-The-Barriers-To-Happiness&id=9639438

Being Happy - It's Better to Give Than to Receive

We've all heard that it's better to give than to receive, yet we've misunderstood how it really works to benefit all involved. Most think that giving involves only money or acts of charity. There is a deeper element to giving that guarantees your happiness and the enhanced happiness of those you interact with.

Giving is based on you having something and passing it on to someone else, easy, right? But what if what you are giving is judgment and criticism? What if giving is based in trying to "fix" or change someone else? What if conditions are being placed on the gift? That changes the energy of giving into manipulation and continues a cycle of anger, fear, lack, sickness and poverty.

You can learn to give in a way that actually delivers happiness, health, wealth and prosperity to all. Giving that changes the world involves being able to see the best, the highest level of goodness in everyone and holding them in that energy even when they are not aware of it or living it. Perhaps you want your children to be more content and do their homework and keep their room clean without you needing to nag. You give promises of rewards if they do these things, you go out of your way to meet their needs in order to get them to give in return. What happens? The cycle continues.

Try this instead. Close your eyes and relax. Use your powerful imagination, which creates everything you experience, and see your children happy, cooperative, enjoying making good grades in school and delighting in a clean home environment. In your imagination interact with them, say to them what you would say if this were actually so. Hear them talking and saying what they would say if this situation were actually a reality right now.

Break it down to a small interaction where they are in their orderly room, homework done, laughing with you and saying Thank You in response to your congratulating them their report card. Practice this until it feels totally real. Let the joy bubble up inside you.

This type of giving actually lifts yourself and others into a higher expression and experience. It's easy, and more effective than anything else you can do. Give the greatest of all gifts to the world, the gift of love, abundance, success, health and acceptance. It will pay off in a multitude of ways.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Being-Happy---Its-Better-to-Give-Than-to-Receive&id=9625215

Downshifting Your Way To A Happier, Simpler, Stress-Free Life

Are you cranky, stressed out and unhappy with your everyday life? If so, maybe you should seriously consider downshifting your way to a happier, simpler, stress-free life!

Have you reached a cross-road and find yourself questioning what it actually means to be alive? What if I was to suggest that everything you are working for in your life is counter-intuitive and possibly even destructive to your well-being?

Life, for most, consists of an overriding drive, installed in us from childhood, confirmed during our education, reinforced daily whenever we turn on any form of media, and that is to accumulate wealth!

You may have a list of things you want to achieve and possess, but isn't your real goal to be happy, and for your family to be happy? I can almost guarantee it is. You are told happiness is all about the material acquisition, and the path to happiness is obtaining the next shiny object or objective that you feel will increase your credibility, your status and your pecking order.

But what's the point? Are you prepared to work until you drop? Consider your end goals. Have you maybe started to detect the ways you are being manipulated and maybe you want off the crazy train? Of course, there are financial obligations that we all need to pay attention to but we just need to find a balance point where they are beneficial to our lives.

Part of the reason why we cling so tightly to the idea that we are supposed to constantly be making more and more money is that we become indoctrinated with the consumer philosophy from an early age. Money equals success.

Consider what we learn in school; most people believe their first goal in life is to work towards providing a comfortable roof over their head. But as soon as you get that house, you start thinking about the next house, a bigger house, a better house.

The goalposts always move, so no matter how much you obtain and possess, no matter how many materialistic shiny things you horde, you know from the start you will still die unfulfilled wishing you had more. This is the great race. It is a race to your grave that guarantees disappointment if you take part.

Hopefully, you realize that opting out of the great race is the best thing you can do as it gives you a chance to achieve contentment, peace, a stress-free life, a life where you have all that you truly need. That doesn't mean you have everything you are currently dreaming of, it means you'll have the quality of life things; things that actually matter to you and the time to spend with the people most precious to you.

The alternative to the great race is downshifting and really embracing your life. Once you seriously start thinking about who you are, and what you stand for, you can finally begin to start creating a life that you want to live. This may not be a life that others would choose for you but that's the point, it's your life, not their life.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Downshifting-Your-Way-To-A-Happier,-Simpler,-Stress-Free-Life&id=9614781

How To Be Happy and Create Happiness

THINGS THAT CANNOT BE TAUGHT

It is funny that I cannot stop laughing at myself for the stupid idiosyncrasy I participate in.

There are things we try to learn and others we strive to unlearn. Moreover, in spite of our failure, we continue fighting this losing battle.

Let me ask you the following questions, be sincere with your answers:

1) Who taught you how to be happy? 

2) What is his name, who told you when to be sad? 

3) Can you remember her face, who told you there is nothing pleasurable as being in love; killing like being betrayed and ditched? 

4) Do you remember their address, those who taught you how to cry? 

5) Who his teacher was, he who taught you good and bad?

Doubt anyone can have an answer except 'NO' to any of the above questions. None of these were learned: Happiness, Sorrow, Sadness, Love, Passion, Hatred and Desire - why try to unlearn what you did not learn - trying to fix what was not spoilt. They are innate! Everything is in you, like the application on your phone; you do not need to instruct it how to run, just launch it.

You are sad and do not know how to be happy? You need to ask the person who taught you how to be sad to teach you how to be happy. If he does not know, he should be able to refer you. If you were not taught how to be sad, what are you waiting for before you become happy? It is in you! Nobody can hurt you, make you sad or make you happy; they can only make you hurt yourself, make yourself sad or make yourself happy. Counsellors, Therapists, Doctors, Motivational Speakers, Motivational books and Yoga guru charge and do nothing other than make you make yourself happy. Yes! I repeat, they MAKE YOU MAKE YOURSELF HAPPY. Why? Because they cannot make you happy, simple! Only you can!

These are things that cannot be taught, so cannot be unlearned. They are all innate as stated earlier. You are in control, you determine the emotion to launch in your life. As for me and myself, I had rather remain happy than being sad. Happiness is the most expensive thing to buy - only few people know it is free.

Happiness is a decision. Displayed emotions are nothing but a performance of their actors/actresses script (decision).

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Be-Happy-and-Create-Happiness&id=9605436

8 Ways to Live a Happier Life (By Adejoke Adeyanju)

This topic resonates so much with me, I have fallen in and out of depression, there was even a time in my life when I contemplated suicide, happiness looks kind of easy, but it is such a task and it's something people strive for but often difficult to reach.

In this article, I present to you 8 ways to live a happier life, based on my personal experience and what has worked for me; Enjoy.

1. You need Faith in your life. 

According to an online dictionary, Faith is complete trust or confidence in someone or something. I don't care whether you're a Christian or a Muslim, or what church you attend; all that doesn't matter. You need Faith in God in your life, that's what will pull you through the challenges of life. Faith gives you this confidence and quiet trust during life turmoil.

2. Be Thankful. 

Happy people are always thankful people. There are so many things to be thankful for; things that you would ordinarily overlook; the gift of sleep, a bed, food, safety, good health etc. Practice the attitude of gratitude, it makes you appreciate life.

3. Do something, you Love. 

One of the biggest sources of unhappiness is expending your energy on things that you don't love. Most often times we do things simply because we have to or to fulfill the expectations of others. For example, you may be working at a job you absolutely hate because of the salary, job security etc. Instead of spending your energy on something you don't love, why not concentrate your energy on something that you love and watch your self-esteem and happiness soar. Success can only come when you do something you love.

4. Flush out every form of Negativity. 

You can't be happy when there's negativity around you; negative people, negative thinking, and negative words.

5. Have a positive attitude. 

Be optimistic about life. More than half of the things we worry about never happen. Great things happen, when you think positively and have the right attitude. People with a good attitude are active and productive. Attitudes drive behavior. If you want to → succeed at anything you need to have the → right mindset. When you adopt a positive attitude, life becomes a rewarding adventure instead of something to get through.

6. Surround yourself with loving, supportive people. 

We cannot run life alone, it is not an individual race; we need other people. Social interactions can be a source of happiness. We're social beings, even if you're an introvert or a loner. Life's too short to live it completely alone. People with perceived positive social relationships even live longer. So be social, surround yourself with people who make you feel good, and release those who make you feel bad.

7. Travel. 

Don't spend life in one little corner; take some time out to see the world (while you still can). Travelling is an escape from reality, gives you a new breath of life, moreover, it's an opportunity to meet different people. Meeting people and seeing new ways of living, expands your horizon, gives you exposure and a new zest for living.

8. Laugh 

What do I mean by Laugh? Learn to laugh at yourself. Don't take yourself too seriously. Don't beat yourself up for making mistakes. If you make a mistake, learn from it and move on. Sometimes, laugh at the mistakes you make and move on.

In summary, in life; it is not what happens to you that counts. It is how you react to what happens to you, especially when you have unexpected problems of any kind. The only source of → happiness - and unhappiness - comes from inside you.

Happiness is not something that comes to you. It is something you create now, today. Waiting for something to change in order to be happy is waiting to live → your life.

http://ezinearticles.com/?8-Ways-to-Live-a-Happier-Life&id=9588300

Too Busy to Hear Your Inner Calling?

I believe an inner calling comes to each of us in subtle ways, and the subtlety of that calling becomes the song of your heart. Your job, should you desire to find your greatest potential, is to learn how to listen.

When your life is filled with busyness of the things you have-to-do, you may forget that you created it all by the choices you've made.

Abraham-Hicks shared at a recent conference that as human beings; "we always have choice, our lives are based in freedom - even the freedom to choose bondage."

Why would anyone choose bondage?

I know the feeling when life slips into autopilot and I start living in reaction to things or people. The day gets filled with a long list of to-dos, family, bills, home, business... and a feeling of "stuck-ness" can build over time.

Though at first it may be subtle, the inner calling for your own survival begins to get louder and louder.

Some of us can hear it early on and respond by changing and realigning life. Others try to ignore the symptoms and continue to push on, mistakenly thinking that things will change... but they never do.

Many who choose to ignore their own well being can experience less than subtle manifestations of the inner voice. If you are aware, you will notice a correlation to the things that force you to slow down, potentially resulting in physical pain and/or sickness.

I remember when this happened to me. I had known for several years that I couldn't keep living on adrenalin, but still I pushed on. My focus, towards what I thought was success, overrode my attention to the intuitive voice within that was calling me in another direction.

Intuitive guidance can feel like a sense of off-ness, but if you listen within, you will understand the message. Life requires fluid adjustments in order to move forward with greater ease.

Your ability to tune in and listen to your inner calling is known as intuitive intelligence. This level of intelligence is your access to an ever-expanding intelligence of "mind" that is infinitely more fulfilling.

What if this intuitive information offers the keys to life expansion, real success and ultimate joy?

We know the mind-body connection links thought to physical well-being. In other words, your thoughts impact the health and well-being of your body. It has been scientifically studied for years, and the more we learn the more exciting it becomes. Thoughts, directly and cumulatively, impact the body's health and ability to heal. But there is even more.

Studies at Heartmath Institute show the heart's coherence with electromagnetometers (EMA). It authenticates the electromagnetic emission of non-verbal energy that is communicating from our bodies all the time. What science is now proving, animals have known for eons. We are communicating volumes without every speaking a word.

In experiential work with horses, I have seen physically clear responses to energy, especially the energy of dissonance within humans who are in proximity to the horse. Horses physically react by moving away from dissonance but conversely, when there is congruence or head and heart coherence, it creates the desire to commune.

This not only verified the physical response of discomfort that occurs with dissonance, but possibly even more importantly, it pointed out the natural instinct and desire for cohesion and alignment within a coherent group. The simplicity yet complexity is astounding and the potential for human expansion; infinite.

What if this is just the tip of the iceberg?

What if your body, through an inner calling, is actually helping you to tap into infinite intelligence?

Is it possible that your body is trying to provide the necessary information, not only for health and wellbeing, but for inspiration and direction with others?

There is a secret level of awareness that is essential for sustainable success, personally and professionally. It was through the work of Frederic Pignon and Magali Delgado, who have dedicated their lives to the mastery of horsemanship, that I found some of the most essential keys for interpersonal connection and benevolence that creates cohesion.

Having worked in the field of leadership development and team-building for two decades, I wanted to provide something greater that energetically empowered individuals to succeed, and these two extraordinary horsemen helped me find the missing links.

Creating coherence in a team had always been an elusive skill that was largely untapped because was not easily measurable. Now we have the tools that provide instant feedback and unparalleled training. Great leadership thrives with inner balance, intuitive intelligence and personal congruence. Mastering these skills, a leader can inspire the world.

What if this is what it is all about?

http://ezinearticles.com/?Too-Busy-to-Hear-Your-Inner-Calling?&id=9649848

When Does Forgiveness Become A Necessity?

What if holding on to the belief that "someone did you wrong" continues to hurt no one but you? What if that judgement prevents you from receiving and accepting your abundance? And... what if all those things you have wanted have been pushed away by you because of your refusal to forgive?

How do you do forgiveness? To forgive does not mean to forget. It does mean to let go of any resentments, judgements and rejecting feelings you hold against the one whom you feel wronged you. Since everything is energy, when you hold disapproving feelings in your heart like unforgiveness, you block joy from coming to you. You literally build an energetic thick wall of grievances, block by block with each unforgiveness.

So... when does forgiveness become a necessity - uh, NOW, if you want your life to change into more abundance - abundance of joy, peace, freedom, fulfilment, health, money, loving relationships, and harmonious work experiences. Forgiveness starts with self, as all things do. As an energetic being, like attracts like. We attract the things needed for our soul growth - experiences mirror our beliefs to us.

You know you haven't forgiven when you obsess about how you wish someone had treated you differently. Could you begin now by forgiving yourself for the following ways you treated you:

1. Believing yourself to be the "black sheep" or "hero" in your family. (What if both required expending a lot of energy on your part in playing out that role.)

2. Getting that divorce or multiple divorces. (What if when the energies no longer match, they end - there is no right or wrong to an ending; it simply is.)

3. Being unable to get pregnant. (What if a child would have held you down from completing your life's divine purpose.)

4. Getting fired from that job. (What if you had outgrown it and it was time to move on to something more suited?)

5. Living in poverty. (What if you needed to learn compassion?)

6. Ruining your life with drugs, alcohol and other addictions. (What if you learned through opposites and needed to experience who you were not so you could get in touch with who you really are?)

7. Your house foreclosure. (What if you increased your knowledge about money by going through loss?)

8. Being abused in some way - emotionally, physically, sexually. (What if you gained insight that you are worthwhile and deserve improvement?)

9. Seemingly trapped in a bad relationship. (What if you learned that you have choices?)

10. Hating being fat, skinny, ugly. (What if you realized and accepted that you are the only one to change those beliefs and make different choices?)

11. Feeling guilty for someone's death. (What if each individual chooses the time for his/her own death and you cannot be responsible for another's choices?)

Once you forgive yourself, it becomes easier to forgive others since you now understand that you can let go of judgement whenever you want. Judgement has only been a misguided belief about something or someone which limits you, not them.

http://ezinearticles.com/?When-Does-Forgiveness-Become-A-Necessity?&id=9653541

Are You A Happy Person, What Do You Say?

What do you say about yourself? Are you a happy person? If your reply is in negative then you need to think over it. All your education, intelligence, money, status and success is meaningless if you are not living a happy life. What is the reason of living if a person is not happy with his life?

I firmly believe that it is the right of every person to live a happy life but most people are not aware how to. Psychologists believe that 90% of our happiness depends on us while 10% depends on external circumstances, on which we have no or little control. If we are not living a happy life then it means that we are depriving ourselves of our 90% happiness due to our own narrow or negative thinking.

Always keep in mind that happiness has nothing to do with money or circumstances. I have seen rich people living unhappy life and poor people living happy life. In fact, it is the inner state of one's mind which keeps a person happy. You need to train your mind to be happy. If you decide to be happy no one can snatch your happiness. Some people are so much determined to be happy that even living in the worst circumstances, they manage to keep themselves happy. I salute such positive people.

I must stress that the top most reason of being unhappy is the negative thinking of a person. Negativity can ruin a person's life beyond imagination. My motto is "Positive Thinking, Happy Living". I am of the view that if you think positively, you can live happily, no matter whatever your circumstances. It is up to you how do you want to spend your life. How do you see, feel and live your life. How do you treat yourself, being a happy or an unhappy person.

It is a painful fact that the number of unhappy people in this world is increasing at a much higher pace than the happy people. On a daily basis, you see unhappy people everywhere, in the streets and in any business or organization, whereas, happy, helpful and cheerful people are rare to find. Because of the unsatisfied human nature, we are not in the habit of appreciating what we have. We have interlinked our happiness with the accumulation of material things and this is our biggest mistake. Things do not give happiness, thinking does.

To be happy is much easier than you think. All that you need is to cultivate the seeds of happiness in your mind. Why depend on others or circumstances? Why not create your own world, your own joy and your own happiness. No one else can make you happy unless you decide to be happy. Be the master of your own fate and the master of your own happiness. Choose to be happy. Bury your worries deep in the soil and start digging out the gems of happiness from there.

Be the master of your own destiny and the torch bearer of your happiness. A happy person gets happiness by giving and sharing. Share your fortunes with the less fortunate people. The more you give the more you get happiness in abundance and that is the beauty of giving. A kind hearted person is a happy person. Be a kind person. Be a helpful person. Appreciate the good qualities of other people.

Start your day with a positive state of mind. Every morning bow your head before God in gratitude for all His blessings. Be grateful to God for being in good health. Spend some time in praying and early morning meditation.

Be the master of your own destiny and the torch bearer of your happiness. Always keep in mind that a happy person:

- fights negativity with full force

- lives a purposeful and meaningful life

- is an honest and hardworking person

- is a kind and helpful person

- is a creative person who can create something out of nothing

- spends some time alone in meditation and establishing a link with God

Not only live your life as a happy person but also spread happiness. Making other people happy is not only a great service of mankind but also a source of seeking inner happiness.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Are-You-A-Happy-Person,-What-Do-You-Say?&id=9670698

What Makes Happiness Knock Into Your Life

It is a legendary question of all times: How can happiness make its way into your life? There are several ways and they are not hard to implement. Read on for highlights.

Here are some tips:

1) Happiness actually arrives when you stop looking for it. Stop thinking about it and go ahead in your life, doing your everyday work and enjoying it. Whatever stands in your way, beat the odds and stand upright on your own two feet. Believe in yourself and in the power of prayers. Happiness is bound to knock into your life.

2) Keep yourself motivated every day. One day's motivation doesn't last - you have to keep doing it on a daily basis. Find something to celebrate or call someone for a fun conversation. Make a list of things that motivate you. Choose one every day and do it. You will be happy.

3) Appreciate what you already have. Don't keep looking outside of yourself. Look within you. What are the blessings that you already have? Can you make a list and stick to your PC's monitor where you can see it every day? Add, delete and edit the list and keep looking at it. Appreciating what you already have makes room for more blessings to enter your life and makes you happier.

4) Happiness is a state of mind. If you are feeling remorse and low in spirits, think of the past happy moments in your life. In this way, make a mind shift. And your spirits will soar and you will be a happy person again.

5) Think of how you can be more of value to your family and nation at large. Try thinking two or three ways and expand the list gradually. You can start small for instance, keeping your room tidy the minute you get up from bed and end up large by being the manager of your company. Yes it's possible - say that to yourself. You will have bigger challenges now - fight your way through them and end up victorious. You will have moments of bliss. Think of more ways to overcome your upcoming challenges. And it becomes a game of life, with you winning over them all the time and be full of smiles.

6) You cannot help others without helping yourself. So help your community, your kids and family, friends and colleagues. When you make others happy, you also catch their vibes and become happy. Laugh and play together during free times. Life on this earth is meant to be happy. So find ways to help others to make them happy while you become happy in the process.

Summing up, those are six ways you can boost your happiness level. Try those which resonate with you. And in no time you will be beaming with lovely smiles, drawing others to you and becoming a happier person in their company.

http://ezinearticles.com/?What-Makes-Happiness-Knock-Into-Your-Life&id=9669027

Practise Equanimity

Equanimity is a wonderful quality, a spaciousness and balance of heart. And it can be yours with a bit of practise and patience.

The skill of equanimity depends upon the ability to detach from emotions and thoughts. One place to start is with the belief that negative emotional states are to some degree inevitable. Depression, anxiety, fear, jealousy, hatred, anger, and other painful emotions are natural and human so you can expect them sooner or later.

By accepting this fact and understanding the nature of emotions, you will continue to change your relationship to your emotions. You will not be able to eliminate negative emotions, painful memories or harmful thoughts but you can change your relationship to them.

This is particularly important for people who suffer from strong emotional reactions and need to be able to tolerate painful feelings in order to pursue the rewards of long-term goals.

If you are at war with your thoughts and feelings all the time and you are fighting life events and problems such as a living with a chronic illness, mindfulness meditation is a way to step out of the battle. We need to approach these difficult situations and feelings instead of avoiding them.

This is so much the life of an individual with a chronic condition. We live with a lot of stress because of all the pain and disability that we endure.

So, equanimity is a way for us to reconceptualise our reality with our illness so that we can live well with chronic illness. And this can really help us to cope and to be the best that we can.

The capacity to recognize all thoughts as transient mental events rather than decisive descriptions of reality is crucial to relieving suffering. The capacity to observe fearful thoughts and feelings in a non-reactive way makes freedom of choice possible. The ability to observe in a non-reactive way is a way to experience peace and mental stability that reactivity does not allow.

Researchers have found that if individuals can change their relationship to their thoughts and feelings then healthy thoughts and feelings are able to follow naturally. The individuals who tried to practise equanimity learned the process of assuming a de-centered observing position in relation to their negative thoughts.

The goal is to recognize the earliest sign of a negative mood or thought and apply de-centering skills. Decentering is a three step process that involves learning to recognize, observe and detach from negative thoughts. To be able to do this regularly with negative thoughts, the chronically-ill individual must first learn to decenter from bodily sensations, ordinary thoughts, and common feelings through mindfulness meditation.

You can visualize your mind as an open sky with thoughts and emotional experiences as transient phenomenon like clouds which pass through but do not become permanent structures in the expanse of the sky.

You can have this kind of freedom of thought and emotion too with some practise, effort, patience and willingness to change your mindset. Being free from negative emotions and feelings is really within your reach.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Practise-Equanimity&id=9672906

We Must Tell Our Stories (By Pam Bauer)

It was fifteen years ago when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. My first reaction was shock. Worry quickly followed. How serious is it? What is the treatment? What is going to happen?

Frantic concerns were swirling in my head. While I was plenty aware of breast cancer, I had no previous experience of it. No one close to me had been diagnosed. I felt shaky on unfamiliar ground.

I went to work and made an effort to go on as if it were an ordinary day, but I couldn't concentrate. Finally, when I felt like I was going to cry at my desk, I confided in a trusted coworker about my mother. With the compassion and understanding that comes from having walked this path, she asked me questions about the tests and diagnosis and told me about her family's experience.

Then I spoke to my supervisor so I could plan for some time off, and she shared her family's experience with breast cancer. In fact, over and over again when I told others, they shared their stories of a loved one's experience with breast cancer. I had no idea there were so many people around me that had gone through this. It was like I had joined a club that I didn't know existed.

This became a silver lining around the cloud of cancer: I wasn't alone. I was supported. I had a community. And I was a lot less scared.

This is why we need to tell our stories.

Yet so often we go through our days with a shiny veneer of "I'm fine!" while hiding a sadness, grief or struggle that inevitably shows up in our lives. When everyone walks around presenting the image of having it all together while we are struggling, we feel lost and alone. And it's a big fat lie.

Social media doesn't help. Scrolling through your social media feed provides a continuous highlight reel of others' carefully curated, photogenic lives. All the best vacations, happiest family gatherings, and most awesomest meals ever. Just thinking about it makes me feel a little deflated.

On some college campuses this pretence has become ingrained in campus culture. At the University of Pennsylvania, students use the shorthand "Penn face" to describe acting happy and confident even when stressed and overwhelmed. At Duke, students feel pressured to be effortlessly perfect without visible effort. At Stanford, it's called Duck Syndrome because ducks appear to glide smoothly over water while paddling frantically below the surface.

The truth is that everyone's life has highs and lows. But the more we hide the lows and present a façade of constant highs, the more we cut ourselves off from the support that's all around us and the more difficult we make it for others to find comfort that they are not alone.

This doesn't mean that you need to bleed your heart with every person you meet. Brené Brown, who studies vulnerability and shame, says "Our stories are not meant for everyone. Hearing them is a privilege, and we should always ask ourselves this before we share: Who has earned the right to hear my story?"

You get to choose who has earned your story - someone you trust, someone who will understand, someone with whom you have a solid connection. The person you open up to may not be the same for every story, and you may become more comfortable sharing your stories over time.

Give yourself permission to take off the mask of "I'm fine!" and discover your community of support.

"Be careful about hiding yourself away, because walls that are meant to be fortresses can quickly turn into prisons. Be careful about trying to become invisible or you may accidentally disappear." - Elizabeth Gilbert

http://ezinearticles.com/?We-Must-Tell-Our-Stories&id=9678159

Take Care Of Your Mind + Take Care Of Your Heart

The hosts of Reply All, a podcast about the internet and culture, received an email from a listener with the subject line "You broke my heart". That caught their attention, so they followed up with her. The listener wrote because something in the previous episode bothered her.

In that previous episode, the hosts were talking about a YouTube channel that had briefly become a meme on Twitter. They spoke to two MTV News writers who described the YouTube-r as having "a sizeable-ish following, 600,000 subscribers. Which... I've heard isn't that impressive."

When asked how many subscribers is impressive, the MTV writer responded, "Like two million."

That exchange, which lasted all of 20 seconds (out of 33 minutes), is what motivated the listener to write. But why? This snippet was hardly relevant to the episode's story and didn't seem like something that would cause distress.

It turns out that the listener has a YouTube channel of her own, with three friends. They've been making videos for a year in their spare time - she edits during her lunch break at work. They love making videos but it takes hours to produce a 5-minute video. They've been working hard at this, and felt good that their channel had grown to 600 subscribers. When they hit 500, they made a celebration video to mark the milestone.

And then, she listened to the podcast. She heard that 600,000 subscribers isn't impressive. And her channel is nowhere close to that. Heartbreak.

Why am I telling you this? Let's go back to her email: You broke my heart. YOU broke my heart. In other words, she felt bad and it was someone else's fault.

Oh really? Actually, no.

Here's the thing: she - not the podcast hosts, not the MTV News writers, not the YouTube-r - caused her pain. She broke her own heart the moment she heard that 600,000 subscribers isn't impressive and believed it meant something about her. Like, maybe she wasn't working hard enough, or good enough. Or maybe her work is insignificant, or she'll never figure out the secret to video success. Ouch.

And that illustrates what's really heartbreaking - how we cause our own suffering. It's our thoughts that create our feelings.

But there's good news here too, because it means we're in control of how we feel. Your feelings are not at the mercy of other people or events. You can change how you feel by choosing what you think. This is how you begin living deliberately, and it is powerful.

A colleague of mine says that our minds are like a toddler with a knife - dangerous when unsupervised. Start paying attention to what you're thinking and how it makes you feel. Similarly, notice how you feel (both good and bad), and trace it back to the thought caused it.

Discover the connection between your thoughts and feelings. This awareness, my friends, is freedom. It won't matter how you compare to others. Do they have more? Have less? You choose what it means. You choose how you respond. And your heart will be stronger for it.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Take-Care-Of-Your-Mind-+-Take-Care-Of-Your-Heart&id=9716643

Message From the Universe: Show No Fear

"The very same magic that you used to get your first job, to find a best friend, and to heal what hurt, that even now finishes your sentences, beats your heart, and inspires your dreams, is the exact same "grade" of stuff that can make what you most want today come to pass.

Point being: You've already engaged it. You've already commanded it. You've already done the impossible... So what's the big deal about doing it again?

Oh go on... 

The Universe"

Let's take the example of Donald Trump to define what this quote tries to convey. The Trump man declared bankruptcy over 7 times in his very successful career but yet, got out of it as quickly as he filed. Of course, many might say that he had banks that backed him out many times over to avoid losses when investing on this guy. However, despite the many challenges, Trump knew how to get his wealth back because of following the same approach he used to and reaching his goals. Bad decisions happen to everyone but when believing in yourself comes into the equation, no matter what happens, you can still manage to get out of these difficult times and come out a winner. Nothing is impossible. The Universe listens by looking at your efforts and meets you halfway by making things happen for you. Never abandon your dreams thinking that no one is there to help because you wouldn't want to live your life with regrets. Focus on your goals and let the Universe work with you.

You will have many jealous people out there wanting to put stick on your wheels, believe me, I know, and I see it on a daily basis. These individuals have really nothing else to do with their time to bring havoc into your life just because they can. Do not let this deter you from your goals. Continue working hard on your venture and when facing with challenges caused by the jealous people, just work on creating a network of professionals who can help you deter the malicious work of the ones who want to inflict harm. I am sure it will put a damper on your spirit but you will need to do whatever you can to just push forward. You can't waste your energy on these people and when you ignore them and work on finding creative ways to grow your business, they will eventually feel like their vindictive ways aren't doing anything to hurt you. Remember that terrorism works ONLY when you show fear, and by living your life like nothing is happening shows their attempt in hurting you are in vain. Pursue your dreams and thanks to these jealous people who really have nothing else to do with their pathetic life, you will become more creative with your business acumen and grow bigger in success. Embrace these challenges and become a better person.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Message-From-the-Universe:-Show-No-Fear&id=9601875

How To Be Motivated Despite Having No Money

Oftentimes, people's goals in life are associated with money and status symbol. Although, there is nothing wrong with wanting them both but it might lead us astray if those are the sole reasons why we want to be successful in life.

When I'm struggling for motivation, feeling lethargic and generally struggling to achieve anything of significance I reflect back on a diary I've kept off the goals and dreams I hope to achieve.

Do something you enjoy, and then experiment with learning to do it better. Eventually, you realize you solved your problem. When you're not doing anything, you become stagnant. Stop thinking, start doing. Even something stereotypically non-productive, like hiking and biking, can motivate you. It might lead to falling off but enjoy it.

Eventually, you are motivated enough that you want to reach for your dreams. Maybe you get frustrated because you don't have marketable skills, so you start teaching, or suddenly, you're motivated to go back to school to learn to account. Whatever. The point is to do something. Anything will do because working hard makes you strong.

Discover your own unique way of giving to other people.Your potential for material success is limited. After you earn your millions or billions, get mentioned to Time's most influential list, and grace the covers of magazines, your drive to earn more money, earn more power, and accumulate more fame may start to fade. Money-motivation is limited. Purpose-motivation, on the other hand, is infinite. It never runs out.

People thank you for your work.If people have been thanking you for changing their lives in some way, it proves that your work has been substantially good and that you're successful in your area of work. You lose track of time while working. Although they get hefty paychecks at the end of every month, they never seem to be happy with their work. This is a true success.

You know what you're doing. Most people do, and there's nothing to be shameful about this. You're probably aimless at work. You work with people who you like. It takes a long time for coming to this simple conclusion. You take risks. You believe in making a difference. Success is realization of this true inner worth.

The second reason is legacy. Find success by giving. You pissed someone off because you believed in something. Because you have a (well-informed) opinion that others may disagree with. Successful people don't seek to maintain the status quo. You do things that excite you. The opposite of love is indifference, and the opposite of happiness is boredom.

Successful people collect memories, not dollar bills by living your own standards. Not the standards of society. Not the standards of your friends or family members. If your dream is to be a writer then write. Define what success means to you and do whatever it takes to make it happen because life is how you make it.

Success happens when you stop living your life to please everyone around you. Success happens when you quit thinking preconceived notions you were taught growing up. Quit being "realistic." and start living.

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-To-Be-Motivated-Despite-Having-No-Money&id=9685521