Why The Obstacle Before You Is Never Bigger Than Your Power To Overcome It

Lean In To Your Difficulties

The reason you fear obstacles is that you doubt your ability to overcome them. Obstacles are seldom the problem, it is our lack of power to conquer them that gets in the way. For example, have you faced a difficult situation in the past and worried you would not make it through? Recall the circumstances and how you felt as best you can. Now fast forward months from when it occurred and call to mind the same situation from a renewed perspective. Can you see how insignificant it seems from your current outlook? That is, we feel incapable of overcoming challenges instead of believing we will be OK. Perhaps it's the element of surprise or the fear we are powerless to face the problem that scares us most.

It is what author and psychotherapist David Richo refers to in The Five Things We Cannot Change: And the Happiness We Find by Embracing Them when he says: "We worry because we do not trust ourselves to handle what happens to us. We worry because we do not trust that the way the chips fall will work out for the best. We worry because we have not yet said yes." Therein lies the issue: acknowledging the obstacle instead of wanting it to disappear. I'm not talking about unexpected events such as a speeding ticket or your romantic interest not returning a text message. Whilst I acknowledge this may cause distress for some people, I'm talking about larger issues that call on our deepest inner strength. Saying yes to what transpires means leaning in to your difficulties even though it may look untenable on the face of it. However, if approached with an open mind, we will overcome it and gain valuable insights.

No Other Choice Than To Be Courageous

Your inherent power is one of resiliency, determination and courage. Do you believe this power is available to you? Sometimes, we won't know the depths of our power until we are tested. I have faced many challenges throughout my life including the death of a parent and coming to terms with a life-threatening illness. I didn't realise I had the power to overcome those experiences until I had to. In the years that followed, I not only developed a greater strength of will, but the experiences softened me and I developed a humility towards life. I came to appreciate this entity called life is much greater than me. I came to look upon it with reverence and acknowledge that whilst I'm a small cog in the process called life, it functions perfectly irrespective of my thoughts.

Not everyone shares my outlook and that's fine. I wouldn't want to impress my views upon others because they are uniquely mine. I've met many people over the years who endured similar experiences and each person formed their own meaning of the events. Can you reflect on events in your own life that changed your outlook? Was the change for the better or were you angry with others, perhaps with life? It's hard to know how we will react in difficult moments. Sometimes there's no other choice than to face our hardships and step into battle with fierce determination and courage. For instance, if your loved one wants a divorce, you can wallow in self-pity and claim not to have seen the writing on the wall. You might experience sadness for months or brave through it as this is happening to you and see where it leads, not because you want to but because there is no other choice; sometimes there is no other choice than to be courageous.

Therein lies the key message of this article: when there's no other choice than to be strong, life calls us to exert our greatest strength because what we're experiencing may be bigger than we realise. When we don't have a choice other than to step into the fire, what awaits us on the other side is a journey of self-discovery, knowing we are more resilient and courageous than we imagined. It is what author Alex Pattakos refers to in Prisoners of Our Thoughts: Viktor Frankl's Principles for Discovering Meaning in Life and Work where he writes: "Courage is not the absence of fear but the awareness there is something more important." I'm reminded of those who lose their homes in a fire or their life savings to scrupulous insurance companies who undermine their trust or those whose family members betray them. These things happen to good people everyday and many of them have no other choice than to face their challenges. By leaning in to them, we develop the capacity to yield to the forces that oppose us. We learn the obstacle is never bigger than our power to overcome it. It is our willingness to move towards it with faith and determination, trusting the experience itself, which will activate our inherent power.

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Don't Go Through Life Quitting. Anything Substantial Requires Seeing It Through To The End

Life Doesn't Have A Timeline For Us

Quitting is easy though we rarely achieve anything when we abandon our goals. Knowing that, take a moment to reflect on something you're contemplating giving up on right now. It may be career related, health or otherwise. Why do you want to give up? Is it the only way? Have you considered other options? Once you've had a moment to reflect on it, think about why you undertook the goal in the first place. It might be that having a passion or purpose makes it harder to quit because of the emotional investment required to achieve it. Sometimes, we undertake goals we don't resonate with but fill a void in our life. Pursuing a goal or a dream ought to provide us with a sense of value and meaning in our lives, otherwise we're less likely to see it through. Does this make sense, insofar as being committed to the goal instead of wishing for something better to come along?

To go through life quitting weakens our character and erodes our self-esteem since we become habituated to taking the easy way out. As you know, life is not meant to be a bed of roses, nor is it riddled with pain and suffering. When we make choices aligned with our core values and highest intent, we are likely to pursue actions aligned with them. Sometimes, chasing after a goal or dream means toiling away in the trenches, for months, if not years with no respite. Occasionally, it requires walking away from situations that no longer serve us or our core purpose. This is difficult because there are no assurances we're making the right choice. The one measure we have is whether it feels right. Our emotions become our barometer if we're in it for the right reasons.

To achieve anything substantial requires hard work, determination and a resolute will to overcome the obstacles and challenges that lay ahead. It requires facing our demons and wrestling with them repeatedly. It involves revisiting the past and dredging up baggage we thought we once healed. I don't believe life has a timeline for us because sometimes we must gain knowledge, wisdom and understanding which cannot be rushed. Just as a flower blooms at the right time, so do the fruits of our labour when the conditions are right. To quit means to throw away the time and energy invested pursuing a goal. What I'm saying is: We mustn't allow difficult moments to define whether we will achieve our goals and dreams. This is the advice echoed by the American psychologist and author Angela Duckworth who writes in her bestselling book Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance: "Many of us, it seems, quit what we start far too early and far too often. Even more than the effort a gritty person puts in on a single day, what matters is that they wake up the next day, and the next, ready to get on that treadmill and keep going."

Nothing Substantial Comes Easily

Invariably, we will face difficult moments and make tough decisions anyway, so we might as well be doing it pursuing our passions and aspirations. How does this idea appeal to you? Can you see how sticking with something long term can be a great benefit to you? It's worth rendering a caveat here that sometimes we ought to quit when things are not working out. I don't intend the advice in this article to mean you mustn't ever give up. The message is simple: if you are passionate about something and you want it, find a way to get it and let go of why you can't have it.

In this wicked world of illusion, sometimes miracles can happen overnight. Life works in mysterious ways and when least expected. Circumstances can fall into place only if we labour and toil away at our respective goal. Nothing substantial comes easily and if it does, it is likely to slip from our hands just as quickly. For example, if you're in a relationship that has run its course, your only option may be to walk away from it, but what about investing the time and energy to work it out? Might it be in your best interest to keep trying before you quit? I don't have the answers and neither will you until you embark on the hard work which can be tiresome and plain ugly. The hard work is not cut out for everyone and this is why many people quit ahead of time. Decide on what you want for your life and create the structure and foundation for it to rest on. Do everything in your power to complete the task, the goal or dream and then if you want to give up, at least you will have a compelling reason to do so.

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Being Content: How to Not Let Others Affect You

Ever wondered how to be content and happy without letting others affect you? How is it possible? Is it at all possible? This article answers these questions.

Let others' presence not bother you. You do your stuff all by yourself whatever you can. If you need co-ordination or help, ask for it. In break time, have fun and cut jokes and be happy. When you return to your work, do it coolly and be happy. You will cover many milestones this way. Stay in slow and steady mode - after all, you are the person who will win at it. Perseverance and determination always count.

Let others' words not sting at you. Make it go through one ear and out through the other ear. You may not allow what others say hurt you. Be firm and strong and speak boldly. Everything will work out and you do not have to be a people pleaser.

Let how others behave not bother you. You cannot expect everyone to be perfect and up to your standard. Nevertheless talk normally and accept them but don't let them hamper your thoughts or work.

Let how other people dress not bother you. If there is a dress code at work and someone violates it, they will have to pay for it. So you don't bother and sweat. If you don't like the way someone is dressed at a party or reunion, don't bother to say anything. Just keep your distance and mix with the people you are comfortable with and stay contented.

It's not your job to fix anyone. Let others do what they like, talk, behave or wear anything they like. You don't bother about these things unless it's your own family and would like to suggest something more rational or positive.

Learn to be content with your stuff in your place at work or home. Don't let anybody affect your peace of mind. You may sit in a garden for sometime or spend your time at a home library. Time will pass peacefully. If you crave for someone's company, let him or her know that and let them spend time with you for the time being and be content and happy.

Summing up, please don't let others' odd presence or behavior affect you. You may be in for a shock or surprise but it is totally their business. Control yourself and stay cool and at peace with yourself. That way you don't lose your temper or your peace of mind. Instead, tranquility surrounds you in your environment and you are left with your thoughts and work to enjoy and be content.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Being-Content:-How-to-Not-Let-Others-Affect-You&id=10030214

Trending Confidence And Unstoppable Determination (By Jan Verhoeff)

Several weeks back, a conference left me wishing I was at home alone, without anyone looking at me. I wasn't feeling super well, in fact, I might have actually been on the start of a really nasty illness, but I hadn't realized I was sick yet. I just didn't feel well.

The ultimate push to leave the conference came after I'd sat through the afternoon presentation, and in the process of dressing for dinner, I realized I'd brought everything but the DRESS that went with my outfit. Without it, black slacks just weren't going to cut it, I needed the DRESS. Frustrated, almost angry, and feeling defeated, I left the conference without attending the final evening. I'd just had too much. I was done.

I slipped out after everyone else had gone to the dining room for dinner.

Later, with my phone dinging from text messages asking where I was, I made a quick stop to grab a sandwich at a drive through, and looked through the texts. One in particular stood out...

"Hey, I just checked at the desk when I couldn't find you and they said you checked out. Are you okay? I was hoping we could have a drink tonight after the final presentation!"

I was already at the southern edge of town, headed home, and not willing to drive back. I responded with a quick. "I'll be okay. I just needed some space. I'll call tomorrow." And through tears, I paid for my sandwich and drove home. I don't think I ever bothered to eat the sandwich. I was feeling too far down at the time... I needed, really needed, to hear the words from a friend "I was hoping we could have a drink tonight after the presentation."

You see...

Throughout the entire event, I'd felt invisible. I'd been feeling as if I didn't really matter to anyone there. I really had felt as if my presence there was detrimental to the purpose of the event. And because I didn't FEEL good, I'd allowed these negative feelings to drive me away from the final event, which most likely would have shifted my thinking. Why? Because my friend had noticed me, and was planning to ask me to join him for a drink.

We'd talked earlier, but only in groups. And being a bit shy, I had stood in the background, allowing others to "make the impressions" and I wasn't sharing my valuable message with anyone. I was holding back.

Two hours later, at home, I keyed in the video that had been loaded from the final portion of the event and watched as the speaker told "my story" from his perspective. He didn't know he was telling my story. He thought he was telling his own story.

He thought he was sharing the story of a man who didn't feel worthy of sharing his message, because others were sharing the message too. The words he spoke were like prods to my heart, shocking me into the reality that we're all just traveling through this world with our own problems, dealing with our own realities, and none of us has perfected the process. But we don't have to accept that lonely, over the edge feeling of defeat that pushes us into a corner, when we don't feel acknowledged, recognized, or visible.

Imagine for a moment if you looked around the room, behind the smiles that are visible and saw the soul of others as they truly are... Would they be the confident person you see, in the perfectly selected outfit, pressed and pristine, smiling with unstoppable determination? Or would they be a broken, hurting soul, who accidentally left the perfect dress at home in the closet and packed EVERY OTHER SINGLE ITEM for her outfit, and chose a different one for the night?

During the following week, my "not feeling good" required a Dr. visit, and the realization that I'd missed out on a night of fun with a friend that would have meant the world to me. But more... That next week gave me insight into a reality that shook me to the core.

I'm more than the perfect outfit. I'm anything but invisible. My life has meaning. I'm a valuable person, with a message that nobody else has been given, and I'm intended to share that message. Whether there's a crowded room of listeners, or a table for two with a semi-polite stranger on the other side, I have a purpose. I can be confident that my message has meaning. And if I don't share my message with others, it might never be heard.

If you're allowing your message to be stifled because you think you're somehow unworthy, invisible, or not the perfect messenger... STOP. Rethink this process, and rethink who you are. YOU have a purpose. You have a message. And YOU are the only one given the message you have, who can deliver your message to the people who will listen to you. There's someone out there, at least one person who NEEDS to hear the message you're given. They need YOU.

Fight for it. Overcome STUFF that might take you out of the running. Grab onto some of that trending confidence, unstoppable determination, and overcome stuff that would prevent you from delivering your message to the one person who needs to hear it from you!

Do what you've been sent here to do - share your message, with confidence.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Trending-Confidence-And-Unstoppable-Determination&id=9959975

Benefit Yourself (By Joshua Clayton)

We all do love to win without exception, but who loves to train, not cheat, and do it without short cuts of any sort? I will give you a sort of answer: The person who fully and really wants the unadulterated achievement. Cheating and other "tricks" are for people who do not really want to achieve anything genuinely worthwhile, but the genuinely special people earn what they want, fully earning it with love of what they are doing fully.

Realistically, there will be those who disdain this reality and cheat, but for the few that do not. Here I am, writing about the reality that if you really love something you will do it in an original way that is devoid of ease, cheating and weakness.

My girlfriend Diane loves to say and mean that we all have spiritual contracts that we signed up for. I agree with this. But to cheat, or escape or to destructively fear is to break those contracts however "good" or "bad" we made those contracts and realities.

I realize that sometimes there are pauses in progress where I do want to "cheat" or "escape". I realize though that to go through with reality without cheating it is better than living in a fantasy world where nothing is really achieved and everything is cheated. Call it intensity, or call it what you want to, but indeed, I call it being honest with myself as well as others. This is where character is born in reality. Where do you think the saying comes from that "character is doing the right thing when nobody is looking" really comes from anyway? Yes, exactly. The best people have this gift, the worst people will do anything to escape responsibility whether anyone notices or not. So, the ultimate key to benefitting yourself is character. Without it, you are a cheater and if you "succeed" at cheating, you are a hidden weakling. With genuine character, you are a winner. So, I end with a quote on perseverance, determination and perseverance from United States President Calvin Coolidge:

Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.

Persistence and determination are the key to all successful soul contracts, not just in my opinion, but in my universal reality.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Benefit-Yourself&id=9950683

An Unbelievable Story Of Failure And Persistence - Part 2 (By Sergei VanBellinghen)

Following the first part of my unbelievable story of failure and persistence, this last portion shows you how I turned obstacles and tenacity into boldness and audacity. You have to realize that when back up into a corner, you only have two choices: either fight or give up. What would you do?

Now, let's continue from where we left off in the initial story. It was around 8 o'clock in the morning when I arrived at destination, the train station in the center of Warsaw, Poland. The last thing I ate was on the train, early the previous evening and at this point, I had nothing left.

After getting some water from the sink in the men's rooms, I thought to myself "What to do, hitchhiking again?" "No, from here, it is impossible." As I watched all the trains, I thought "Yes, of course, the train!" To my persistence, I now had to add boldness and resourcefulness.

Persistence Thinking

I went and looked at the schedules for the next train going closer to my journey's end. The nearest place was Berlin, Germany. There was a departure three hours later, at 11:25 am. I had no choice but try to get in. And I begin to think about the best way to sneak in without a ticket.

So, I looked at earlier trains to observe how the conductors checked passengers. Their actions were precisely the opposite of what I knew. They were not checking tickets when you enter the wagon but while the train is on its way. In Ukraine, there is a conductor for each carriage. And they check passengers for tickets before they enter the wagon. All of a sudden, my persistence grew into audacity.

Here was my chance! I waited for my train to Berlin and got into the last wagon. I left my luggage in one of the compartments. Then I realized that there were not a lot of people in my wagon. So, I started to walk along all the wagons and back. This way, I could see any ticket controller coming my way.

Persistence Forcing Chance

Suddenly, my heart raced as I saw three controllers checking tickets in the back of the wagon. My only option now was to walk to the first cart. I then locked myself in the restrooms and waited for fate. There, I thought about all plausible ways as I gathered my persistence and determination to overcome this barrier.

I heard one of the conductors knocking at the door and asked me for my ticket. So, I unlocked the door and told him that it was in my luggage in the last compartment of the train. He decided to walk with me to the final wagon to verify my ticket.

But as we were passing in a wagon full of people, with me in front of him, several persons stopped him and asked questions. In holding him back, I felt the urgency to continue walking, hoping that he would not call for me to wait. Persistence and boldness were compelling me to keep going.

An Incredible Blend of Persistence and Audacity

I then went straight to my compartment where I closed the curtain over the door. There, I was alone, and so, I spoke to divine intervention asking for the conductor to forget about me. My heart was pounding so strongly that every footstep was putting me on guard but he did not come.

I felt somewhat relieved. However, worse things were going to happen. I fell asleep of exhaustion for around an hour until another conductor came in, pulling the curtain. This time, it was a woman. She said "Your ticket sir?" So I gathered all of my persistence. And then, with all seriousness and a lot of audacity, I said "Your colleague has already checked my ticket. So I believe it to be enough, don't you think so?"

The woman looked at me, nodded a yes and left without another word. I was even surprised at my audacity as she closed the door behind her and walked away. A few minutes later, German and Polish customs agents came in to check my passport for a few seconds and left. I realized that we were then on the virtual borderline between Germany and Poland.

Creativity through Persistence

The first city we stopped at, in Germany, had to be Frankfurt. So I looked out the window, only to see the three Polish conductors who were on the train, walking away. They finished work. I then looked in the corridor of the wagon and saw new controllers, German this time. This time, I knew that my persistence and playing a poker face would get me nowhere.

Therefore, I decided to leave the train and find another way to make it to my final destination in Belgium. I had taken the train in Germany years before, and I knew how the national railway was functioning. And so, I had already a plan in mind.

I looked for a city train to Berlin, as there is one every half an hour. There are always two floors in those trains. So again without a ticket, I got into the train. I then calculated that I would need the persistence to play around 45 minutes at cat and mouse with the conductor to arrive in Berlin.

Playing Cat and Mouse

So, when the controller was on the top floor checking people's tickets, I got down to the bottom level. Then I would go back up to always be behind her. I played around with her until she got too close to me. So I decided not to take further risks, got off at the next stop and waited for the next train to come by thirty minutes later.

I got into the next train and began playing the same game until I finally arrived at the central station of Berlin. There, I got some rest sitting on a bench. So far, persistence, boldness, and audacity were paying off. I then looked for a train to Brussels, Belgium.

And there was one at night. Therefore, I went to ask the ticket price and explained to the cashier that I was without money but it was to no avail. Her heart was of stone. She merely told me that usually, the one-way ticket to Brussels is 52 euros, but there is a promotion to 19 euros tonight. It is roughly 23 dollars instead of 62.

Persistence Pushes Me to Beg

So, it was good news, but I needed 19 euros. However, asking or begging is not my style but persistence gave me no choice in the matter. I was not ready to give up, not that close. Thus, I asked a few persons, but they all refused. One lady speaking English listened but started to walk away until she looked into my eyes telling her "Please, I really need to get there."

It made her believe my story. She gave me twenty euros and wrote down her name and bank account so that I may send the money back to her later. I thanked her and went to buy my ticket. When I got into the train twenty minutes after, I was alone in the compartment. I lay down and slept on two seats until morning when we arrived in the "Brussels Midi" train station.

Now I thought about what to do next. I decide to go to my grandmother to have information to find my father. My thoughts ran wild thinking that he might have changed. I took the metro and bus without ticket, again. My persistence to reach my destination kept pushing me forward.

Persistence is Mysterious

While arriving by foot at the bottom of her street, I just saw my grandmother taking out her garbage. When she saw from more than fifty meters away, she hurried up and returned inside her house. Not thinking about anything wrong, I knocked on her door. I believed that she was going to open to me. Well, not at all! Sad, don't you think?

I do not know why and I will never do, but I needed to insist three times on the bell to get an answer. She finally opened, not her door, but the window on the first floor which gave onto the street. Sometimes, persistence really brings us into strange situations.

You would believe that she would be pleased to see me. Well, wrong again! She did not invite me in, me, her own grandson, after twenty-five years of separation. Not even for a coffee! She could see that I was tired from whatever journey I was on. Yet, she just answered my questions very vaguely saying that she did not recognize me until now.

My Bag Pack of Persistence

What a lie! Even at that moment, when she knew it was me, Sergei, her grandson. However, she continued to hang out of her window without coming down and inviting me to enter her home. She said she did not know anything about my father. Then she coldly closed the window without telling me goodbye. And she left me there in the street like a common beggar.

So, do not be surprised if I do not have any affinity with the paternal side of my family. One can only endure so much. I just decided to give up any contact with them, and today, well I build my own family.

"Blood makes you related, but loyalty makes you family" - Unknown

Afterwards, I went to see an old friend, but he was not working in that store anymore. However, one of his colleagues, I do not remember his name, was very friendly and help me reach my final destination with the next train. And so, I took my bag pack of persistence and went on my way again, arriving at the end of my journey four hours after.

https://ezinearticles.com/?An-Unbelievable-Story-Of-Failure-And-Persistence---Part-2&id=9836578

You Are Always at Choice - No Matter What It Looks Like (By Joan Silva)

Over the years I've had more and I've had less.

I've had extreme highs and deep lows. Along with many ups, downs, bends, twists and turns. My life often felt as if I was on a large roller coaster in the middle of an amusement park wondering when this crazy ride would ever end.

As if someone else was in charge of the off button and that someone was not me. All was a blur as I was tossed about, out of control, dizzy, scared, and anxious.

Of all the rides in this amusement park called life, had I really picked this one?

Hadn't I always been afraid of roller coasters? Couldn't I have picked another safer ride?

So, what was I doing on this one? And, how would I get off?

Life is made up of many choices!

Some made consciously, and some not. Yet, as I look back on my life here on planet Earth, I see where many choices that I made brought me to my life as it is today.

It reminds me of the year I turned ten, my parents decided to pack up our lives in Wisconsin and move to California. Almost everything was sold, including our home in West Allis, leaving only a few items that were shipped via the mail to my paternal grandmother.

Left behind was my best friend, my bedroom on the second floor tucked away from the rest of the house, and the big, sprawling backyard with the huge weeping willow tree and the much used swing that I could soar high in the air - confident and assured.

Overnight, all that changed. Only a long, tedious car ride across the U.S. loomed ahead with endless stretches of blacktop and windy roads to endure.

The sight-seeing that my parents so loved, I did not. The hours spent in the car, were endless and too close for my much needed personal space and comfort.

I felt a sense of dread with all the unknown that stretched ahead.

If only I had known back then what took me until much later in life to comprehend. That I was an introvert and what I experienced and felt were the common emotions and reactions of an introvert.

Something that I thought was a fatal flaw in my personality. A flaw that often left me feeling ashamed and distraught.

Over the years I would wonder what was wrong with me? Why did I not jump in with glee and enjoy the experience? What made me hold back, withdraw, and be unsure?

Like the huge, rickety roller coaster on the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk that everyone was so excited to ride, even my much younger brother who hopped right on with no fear - but not me.

So many emotions battled within me.

Wasn't it scary enough to be in a state in which I did not feel I belonged? Made fun of in school for my mode of dress, my tall lanky body, and my Wisconsin accent. And, now, it seems, I am expected to get on that monstrosity and call it fun?

NO THANK YOU!

This is how life unfolded for me. The hesitation to dive in. The long moments of assessment before I would participate. The cautiousness that always came before the enthusiasm or acceptance of what lay before me.

I would stand on the sidelines and watch. I would assess the safety of the environment, person, place, or thing before I would enter. Did I wish to make the effort to join in or would I just let it flow past without me?

What I have learned over my lifetime is that we all have choices and we come to decide which ones are a yes and which ones are a no for ourselves. No one else can successfully make those choices for us.

No one can assure us it is safe, fun, or what we are meant to experience, No one can say which is the right path, course of action, and which is not, except ourselves.

Life takes us on many rides. Some scary. Some enjoyable. Some we swear we never signed up for.

Yet, in every instance we are at choice.

Not always at choice whether to move or not, as with my 10-year old self. But, how we perceive it. How we remember it. How it will mold and form us.

For me, I have come to embrace and accept that aspect of me which hesitates, steps back, and assesses before I jump in. I know this is the way I "play" in life. Have I ever hesitated too long? Indeed, I have. And yet, even in this, the outcome was what I was meant to experience.

I look back on the journey my parents took us upon when we left everything we knew behind. What it took for them to give up the life they knew, for the one they did not. It took tremendous bravery and courage.

They forged ahead with the determination to make our lives better.

No matter what it looked like to others. They made a choice and off we went to a new land of opportunity, healthy living, and a lifestyle dramatically different than the one we left behind.

Taking along this introvert, often kicking and screaming, yet it is a journey I do not regret.

Your money-life does thrive in clear, open, tidy spaces. Yet, do you find you don't have any of those?

Maybe it's time for you to step back and assess the situation -- determine how you can free up space? After all, don't you deserve to have a lush, green money-life? No need to fret about money and no need to spend it needlessly on stuff that you do not use.

https://ezinearticles.com/?You-Are-Always-at-Choice---No-Matter-What-It-Looks-Like&id=9955642

Wake Up With Determination - Go To Bed With Satisfaction

Wake up with determination. Go to be with satisfaction. Such an easy principle to live by and yet today, at this very moment, the matrix that is your mindset traps you. In truth, it is your belief system which is so ever-present. It keeps you from taking action and becoming who you want to become.

So, how can you have the correct mindset right from the start go? What are you going to accomplish today? How can you make progress? What can you do to achieve your goals? How can you help?

You must understand that your mindset is so ingrained into the fabric of who you are and the way you process data that you do not even notice it. Actually, you do not even know it is real. And that is a fact that impacts your life; it is your inability to see that your mindset controls everything you think, believe or do.

Therefore, if you want to wake up with determination, you can reconstruct your belief system. If you can choose at any moment to believe in something that is more empowering than what you thought the moment before, it finds its way into your actions. It allows you to do things you could not do previously knowing that opportunity is right now.

And to wake up with determination in the morning, you must take a few minutes to look or think about your goals. Then motivate yourself and think positive thoughts. The reason I am saying this is because as you awaken, your subconscious mind still accessible for the next twenty minutes which set the rhythm of your day. So, you have to choose what you think or say wisely.

Waking Up with Determination Sets the Pace

When you wake up with determination, no matter how much you appreciate life, or how much you are grateful for, you always make it better. It does not matter who you are, or what your goals are for the day. So do something that will help set you up for success that day.

Then the time comes to hustle! So, at the end of the day, you will be happy you did, and you will be one step closer to your goal! If you do that, you will then go to bed with satisfaction! And if you live each day by waking up with determination and go to sleep satisfied, you will achieve your goals.

Now, while you strive for greatness or to accomplish desires, it also makes life a little more complicated. You have to realize that you are trying to make changes while you are living life. Thus, you seek to modify the course of energy which is already propelling you on a particular path.

Being Determined to Small Changes

There are also people who decide to cut most or all ties with their past lives, jobs, habits, friends, and even countries. The majority, however, cannot risk losing everything to create the life of their dreams. Therefore, you perhaps have no choice than to live the life you are now living.

But it is always conceivable to wake up with determination and begin making small changes. I know, you may say it is tiring to maintain the life you have so far shaped for yourself and your loved ones. While at the same time trying to create a different, newer future for yourself.

"One can have no smaller or greater mastery than mastery of oneself." - Leonardo da Vinci

Waking Up with Determination Is a Choice

When you do not wake up with determination, you are dividing your beliefs, thoughts, and focus on the life you are trying to change and the one you are attempting to build for yourself. Some people do jump ship and start from scratch, but it is a choice.

Either way, you have to wake up with determination and do all that you can to go to bed with satisfaction. There is no other way to stay in the right frame of mind. And if you are not determined, you will inevitably fail.

The Key to Wake Up with Determination

So, the key element is to end the day strong, and the only way is by starting it off with the right mindset. Rather than hitting your phone alarm or clock, you should take a minute or two to focus on your goal when you want to wake up with determination.

However, I am not talking about your small daily goals but your big objective, your dream. You have to focus, not dwell, on the goal that matters most to you, and this, first thing each morning and evening. Visualize you achieved your primary goal, and use that vision to fuel your day.

Determination is also Taking Risks

How many seconds and minutes do you waste every day doing things that do not even bring you near your goals, aspirations, and dreams? A determination is also taking risks which are at the core of your journey to success. You have no other choice than to jump into the unknown and see what happens.

Yes, of course, a risk is, somewhat, terrifying. You can lose everything you have in the process. Criticism and humiliation may also be a part of the encounter. All you have left after is to pick up the pieces and begin all over again, and often, more than once. The rewards can be prodigious, but so can the cost. You will fail, but you will have to rise. So, in all cases, your asset is to wake up with determination.

Risk and the Will to Win

When you wake up with determination, all will chip away at your will to win. So, ignore that weak voice inside of your mind which is telling you that you won't be able to make it. It will beg you to stop and promise safety and security if you would just quit. And yes, if you quit, you are not at risks anymore, but you are also not at possibilities for greatness.

If you want to achieve something, you have got to find ways to put yourself at risk for something significant to happen. You have to put yourself in the situation where you may fail. People will have doubts and say that you have limits, but those boundaries are self-placed by the same individuals. The reason is that they were not willing to take a risk or they failed. But you can go beyond that.

As a result, if you are not waking up with determination, fortitude, taking risks and going to bed with satisfaction, you are missing out on a better, more pleasant reality for yourself.

Determination is Essential

The key is that, if you want to make an extraordinary performance, or if you want to dazzle people absolutely, then you have to do something amazing. You have to be willing to put yourself out there. And you need to do things that other people think are going to break you, or that others just believe there is no way that you could be able to pull that off.

You have to show that an ordinary human animal is incapable of going to the lengths which you are professing to go. And when you profess it, you have to be ready to back it up. You have to put yourself on that march knowing that under no circumstances or reason whatsoever, you'll ever be willing to back down.

When you wake up with determination and go in with that level of certainty, then and only then, you are going actually to pull it off.

"Champions keep playing until they get it right." - Billie Jean King

Being Determined Builds Momentum

So, you have to wake up each day with determination. In this way, you can build momentum, because without it you will never realize your goals. A lot of people underestimate the importance of momentum. You need it to produce the well-needed power and energy to break through whatever walls and obstacles life has placed in your way.

No matter how small, rejoice in every success you get along the way. Use it to fuel your drive and desire to succeed. Exploit it to push yourself onward with even more resilience. You might fail at times, but use your failures to give you more determination to reach an even greater success.

If you wake up with determination and go to bed with satisfaction, you will always feel proud to live the existence you currently live. I do not fear many things in life, but regrets, they stick with you. It only hurts you and drags you down.

4 Steps to Wake Up With Determination

1. To wake up with determination, take an hour or two, and go in nature. Sit there and write down your five top goals and dreams. However crazy your goals are, just write them down. Think of what you want to be written on your tombstone and what you would like to be remembered for?
2. Then put a dash that says 'next step,' because the biggest problem people have is that next step. We can all write down our passion, but we always struggle with the next step. And right down next to your goals, put the resources you already have that you can use.
3. Next thing to do is to print what you have written and post it. Post it in three places, where you go to bed, where you brush your teeth, and on the door, you go in and out the most in your house. And the reason why is that, your house is your sanctuary, it is the place you trust.
4. Keep looking at those posts for as many days and months as you possibly can. And you will start to believe and wake up with determination. What you believe becomes your reality. But how can that be? Belief itself is a construct, and if a conviction is such, then it can be manipulated and changed.

A Final Word

At any moment, and this is important to understand, you can choose to believe something new about yourself. The soon as you change a belief, it becomes real. I do not know why or how that is, and I may never understand it but after some time, just believing something makes it true.

You have to live the life you were born for because if you do not, you will regret it. If you learn something or if you take away one thing from this article, it should be: create your reality and always remember that luck is an accumulation of superior efforts and focused execution. Therefore, you should always wake up with determination and go to bed with satisfaction.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Wake-Up-With-Determination---Go-To-Bed-With-Satisfaction&id=9792876

Internal Tickings (By Gini Cunningham)

Even though Word likes to red-squiggle the word "tickings" I find it the only suitable term for all that goes on inside of me - whether I am referring to my brain, my heart, or my soul. The tickings are what make me tick and there are several of those and so I have my invented term. I know that if I use it enough times (and you will discover many usages throughout my previous writings) and if you use it in conversation and written correspondence and then if three of your friends do the same, the idea will spread and soon we will be able to locate this word in the dictionary. All of this is because of our internal drive and determination, our tickings.

Tickings are all of those little items that make us into unique individuals. Our tickings include our way of thinking, acting, reacting, and doing. They are fashioned with brainwaves and heartbeats, cognitive reflections and soul sense and scents. They make us laugh and cry, smile and frown. They accentuate our love of beauty and grace as we abhor violence and cruelty. Tickings sometimes require focus and concentration as we wade through the muddle and confusion of the day. At other times they operate with full automaticity with nary a thought or action needed.

My tickings include boundless energy and enthusiasm and joy for wading into virtually any task. Even when I find myself in over my head I find a way to breath, regroup, rethink, and realign for success. I tend to bulldoze onward but I do not believe I am a bully. I like for others to do their share but when they can't or won't, I usually find a way to get things done. Nagging and begging rarely work; doing does. I find it hard to believe that some people are able to sit and do nothing but stare at a book or television all day and night, but so be it - that is their way and I have no right to judge.

While my husband has fairly much given up on curtailing my active swirl, my children occasionally chide me and try to force me into a quiet, tranquil zone. I have tried to explain to them that I can't, that that isn't me, but they are not yet totally resigned to this idea. Fortunately they mean well so as they pitch in to help I recognize how important their belief in me is to me. I also know that hard work and dedication can be contagious and so I hope that they "catch" some of my internal, eternal drive. Actually, as I watch them work and interact with others, I realize that they share my zest for living and for life.

Imagine my surprise when I was chatting with friends and explaining my belief in the happiness found with being content with our tickings when one lady chirped, "Oh! I hate being so busy, not able to sit down. I want to do nothing but laze on the couch!!" And here I thought that enjoying ambitious get-up-and-go was fantastically exhilarating. I worked to assert that being happy with how we are is critical to a fruitful, fulfilling life, especially when that trait is comprised of energy and personal self-determination. Yes, we must strive to do better, to be stronger, to excel and do good deeds, but there must also be an acceptance of certain characteristics, especially those that are quite positive.

Later that evening as I mulled this conversation, I realized that I must be happy with the person I am and others need to seek solace in the person they are. I cannot, must not, criticize or try to redirect thinking if their tickings are taking them in another direction. What are your tickings? List three or four or for you rapid-fire thinkers jot down twenty or thirty. Then mark them as + positive, x neutral, - negative. Assess and evaluate how your tickings measure up to the person you have become. It's really very fun!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Internal-Tickings&id=9054031

Make It Here and You Make It Anywhere

To accomplish success when you have been dealt only hardships strengthens the resolve of anyone. The statement iron sharpens iron speaks of building character and conviction. To teach you have to be taught. You have to complete the lesson to learn something from the lesson. The idea is to complete what you start. The measure of your success can be gauged by your accomplishments. Your effort drive consistency and willingness to transform define your accomplishments. Your destination is ruled by your determination and tenacity. Most of the time we get in our own way and it is always by choice. When your perception changes your outlook and how you view your circumstances also change. The ability to view your circumstances from different perspectives speaks of the ability and willingness to transform. No matter what you are going through there is an answer to the problem. Your future is greater than your past. Never feel defeated or discouraged. Adversity is just a bump in the road and bumps can be rolled over. Despite of the odds you will make it through if you allow your faith to do its part. Faith is a very strong ally and should never be taken for granted. Faith will work for you if you allow it to. In order to reach a destination you need a planned route and the ability to adapt to the circumstances and situations that you will encounter on your journey good or bad. Nothing is by chance there is order in everything even in calamity.

A made up mind speaks of the substance that believing in your self offers. Acknowledging who and what you are offers freedom. A made up mind speaks of conviction. Conviction is belief held on to firmly. To believe is an acknowledgement of your faith. To believe gains you unmerited grace. Grace is a gift to us it is not a given. The doors that open for just believing and having faith open wide. Our DNA was developed through awesomeness. It will never be imitated replicated or cloned. The uniqueness of you was meant for you and only you. It separates you from everyone. Take advantage of your uniqueness it is your destiny. Anything that you are going through adds to your testimony. When you maximize your strengths and minimize your weaknesses you have the recipe to success. We are closer than we think we just need to hold on. Transformation is the ability to not only adapt but to also overcome. It is to rise up. It is turning old into new. What was is no longer. What you are is still under development. Your direction should be one way upward. The more you strive for greatness the greater you become.

The storms will come and some days they will make you feel as if they are never going away. The storms are just an opportunity to accentuate your testimony. Anything you are going through can be overcome. There are countless records that attest to that. Those records offer evidence of never giving up or giving in. Those records offer proof of faith that cannot be measured. Those records also indicate the strength of loving your self. If you are good enough to love your self you are good enough to have success. The greatness of you is very close to you. Just reach out and grab it. From dust kingdoms were made. We are more than dust. God made you so who can stop you. God is with you so who can stand in your way. Never allow obstacles and set backs determine what you can accomplish and you will always reach your goals.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Make-It-Here-and-You-Make-It-Anywhere&id=9251380

Make Peace With Your Dream

Often, when we are told to "make peace with" something, it's in a challenging context, as in "make peace with" your current weight, bank account, relationship, etc. And indeed, the only way to move forward toward whatever your desired goal is to first make peace with wherever you're at in that journey. So yes, by all means, do that!

But the one "make peace with" we rarely think about is to "make peace with your dreams." Too often, we dismiss our dreams and desires as too far-fetched, impossible, unreachable, and we stop before we start. Or we start, and then halfway there we figure, "Oh, this is ridiculous; I'll never make it" so we give up on our dreams.

Don't do that to yourself! Did you know that what makes for success--at anything and everything--is the dynamite combination of passion and perseverance? It's what researcher Angela Duckworth PhD calls "grit," sometimes thought of as "great results in time." No one exemplifies passion plus perseverance better than Jahkee Johnson. Jahkee was born with shortened legs and deformities in his knees and ankles, which caused both legs to be amputated when he was just an infant. But Jahkee had a passion; he wanted to play in his high school's marching band, and he wanted to play--of all things--the tuba.

Now, most would say "impossible"! A tuba is a big heavy instrument, and how is a boy going to march without legs, much less play the tuba and march at the same time? But Jahkee made peace with his dream. He knew what he wanted, and he was sure he was going to make it happen. Period. With that kind of determination, you can guess the rest of the story. At 15, Jahkee began marching in his high school's band with the help of padded shoes so he can walk right along with his bandmates, first with a tuba and now a trombone. Sure, it took a few weeks for him to get the hang of the shoes and the marching, but what the heck?! That's the nature of perseverance.

What's the dream you've given up on? I'm not talking about a whim, or an idle fantasy, as in "I want to be a millionaire"--who doesn't? A passion would be "I want to be a millionaire. I have ideas worth the time and effort and creativity it takes to succeed at my dream." So what's the dream you have, with passion behind it, that you need to make peace with in order to succeed?

Because once you do that, once you make peace with your dream, you can draw on the energy of the Universe to persist until you make that dream come true. Here's to your success!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Make-Peace-With-Your-Dream&id=9932311

What It Takes To Be A Success In Life

If you ponder about what it takes to be a success in life, you have to realize certain uneasy aspects of what it is. You got to step out of your comfort zone. Have persistence and determination. Be broke for a while. Lose some friends. Have some sleepless nights. But most people simply do not get it.

So, what does it takes to be successful? Why is it so scary for many people? What can you do to keep going when things get tough? How can you persevere to be a success in life?

Success is not a straight line, and the only way to it is crooked. It is going down in the valley and then back up over a mountain. Most successful people have failed more times than you ever even tried. You should not wait for the stars to realign, you have to reach up and rearrange them the way you want. In this way, you create your constellation.

But there is only one slight difference between what it takes to be a success or a failure, and that is that you cannot stop believing in any way. No matter what anybody says, or tells you, you have to know beyond what is humanly possible.

You have to believe in your mind that you can. Do not allow anyone, even family, friends, acquaintances, teachers, or whoever it is to tell you that what you are dreaming for yourself and your family is not possible.

Anything is possible if you do not stop having faith that you can be a success. You have to plant your seed, water it, and accept it as true, even before it happens. Success requires hard work, persistence, and determination but other things come into account also. Here is some of the stuff it takes to be a success.

To Be a Success - Persistence and Determination

Persistence and Determination are a great combination to be successful. Persistence is an incredible quality which allows you to continue doing something or trying to do something, even though it is hard or opposed by other people. Determination is never giving up, especially in your own mind.

How true this is but not simple! So, a part of what it takes to be a success in life is definitely determination and persistence! If you are persistent, you open the door to many more possibilities and have a deeper appreciation for all of the things in life, especially the little things.

If you do not begin or do it, nothing is then possible. Most people do not even try, sadly, and many just try then stop or give up. Very few people try and try over and over, do again and again, and never give up. But those are the people that ultimately succeed and win.

To Be a Success - Hard Work

The bridge between reality and a dream is hard work. No ideas work unless you dare to do the job. Ideas without execution are simply disillusions. You can have the best concepts in the world, yet you have to understand that your ideas and the way it supposes to happen are not the only approaches in which it can occur.

To be a success, you have to stop making excuses and focus on making it happen. You have to focus on one thing, one area at the time. Put all of your energy in watering one area because if you spread the water across many seeds, you do not have as much water for one seed.

So, when you have mastered that one seed; you can then move on to the next one. If you believe in your dream enough or in what you are trying to accomplish, then you can see it. You have to foster the belief in what you are dreaming, put in the work so that it may become a reality. The way to the top and to be a success is through persistence, intelligence and hard work.

To Be a Success - Words Become Reality

Many of us are where we are based on upon what we believe. And it is not what you believe on the surface, but deep down in your subconscious that is holding you back from moving into the life, you feel you deserve. Your unconscious is running a tape through your mind telling yourself you are not good enough, not worthy, not smart, which is an audiotape that is playing for too many people.

If you are not conscious of that, then you end up acting out of this belief system and not out of what you know to be the truth. You are, in part, where you are today because of what you have been saying about yourself.

Words are like seeds. When you speak something out, you give life to what you are saying. And if you continue to say negative words, it can eventually become your reality. You are planting seeds when you talk, and at some point, you are going to eat that fruit. To be a success, you have to plant the right seeds. You are going to reap fruits from the exact grains you have been sowing.

In other words, you cannot talk negative, expect to live a positive life and be successful. You cannot talk defeat and expect victory. And you cannot talk of lack, not enough, cannot afford it, or never get ahead and expect to have abundance.

To Be a Success - Actions and Change

To be a success, you rather have to prophesy good things and wins about yourself. Then your life will move in the direction of your thoughts and words. Too many people go around and prophecy just the opposite. Things such as "I never get any good breaks in life," "business is slow," "I probably get laid off," "Flu season is here, I will get it."

Most people do not realize that they are predicting defeat. It is just like they are calling negativity in.

You have to act the other way around and believe that good things are already yours, and act as if they already are. This way, you can draw this to yourself while you are working towards it.

This way your actions are in alignment with what you say and think. The actions and choices you have previously made are created because of what you believe to be true for yourself. When you want to be a success, you have to act and change the way you think. You have the right to be great. Be different. Stand out. Change your destiny. And quit talking that it will not happen.

To Be a Success - Willpower

It is not enough to think you can be a success; you have to declare it out loud. Do it in front of a mirror. You have to speak out your future. Those words, repeated over and over, will get deep down inside of you. They will not only change your outlook but also change who you are.

Yes, life is hard at times, but you have no option. Handling the tragedies of life is difficult. It is hard when you put all of your efforts into something, and it does not work. Misfortunes happen to all of us, but when it happens, the real question is what are you going to do with it? Ask yourself the resources that you need to be a success and how to make it happen.

You have to fight back, one inch at a time. There will be many sleepless nights, but you will get to the next level if you keep moving. You have the choice to either give up or keep going. If you fail and still want to be a success, try again.

To Be a Success - Self-Education and Sleepless Nights

You have to read books instead of getting frivolous things. Material things come and go, but knowledge and experience are indestructible. You have to work on yourself and fill your mind with what you need to be a success. All people fail, even the most successful, so forget about your past and make the rest of your life the best of your life.

Most people read a lot of books on how to become successful, but writers tend to leave out the dark parts and rarely put them in the books. So, when others tell you that you will never amount to anything, just keep grinding. Do not stop hustling because these people are waiting for the time when they can say: "I told you so."

Do not let life tear you down. Do not spend so much time comparing yourself to others. Do not try to be in somebody else's life. Instead, do your own thing. Keep going and believe you can be a success. It will bring you where you want to be. Have confidence in what you do. So be relentless.

To Be a Success - Friends' Loss and Help

Remember that anytime you walk into a room, know that you are special. You have to know that you mean something to this world. Sometimes, the outcomes are not always what you desire them to be but real failure in life is not trying at all.

You are the master of your fate. And it is very likely that you will lose friends along your journey to be a success, but they will be replaced by value and quality rather than quantity. The path to success is the definition you have of it. Real success is what makes you happy, but you have to be willing to work for it.

But realize that to be a success, you cannot do it alone. You have to ask for help. Most successful people will help you by giving advice, principles to live by, solutions and not money. Some might not step up and help you but others will. But know your worth and let no one put you down. And do not assume but ask.

And yes, to be a success, people will laugh, try to talk you out of your dreams, or turn their back on you. They will not understand what you are trying to achieve, and a lot of people will not be ready for it. But let me remind to continue to dream. It does not matter where you start at, or who tells you what or who you can or cannot be, I believe in you.

http://ezinearticles.com/?What-It-Takes-To-Be-A-Success-In-Life&id=9802812

Message From the Universe: The Behind the Scenes!

"The trick is remembering that, at all times, far more is happening on your behalf than your physical senses will ever reveal.

Like right now.

Because of how much you're loved,

The Universe"

We work hard every day and every night, trying to make something out of our lives and pray for ultimate happiness. For some, because of the nature of life, it may never happen the way we expected and get discourage by the results. Despite our long hours, our struggles, our sacrifices, we still experience hell on earth and wonder if it was all worth fighting for. As an entrepreneur, we will have successes and lots of failures. As with my personal experience, I am comfortable to say that failures are more common through your journey in life. I am not sure as to why the Universe is targeting business owners to plague them with the worst issues to test their determination and desire to move forward, no matter what happens. I guess it (the Universe) love challenges and entrepreneur feed that sick mind of the Universe by dealing with constant hurdles and delays. It is somewhat funny to see that when facing a difficult challenge, I tend to look up into the sky and scream to the Universe: "That's all you got? You can do better than that. Bring it ON". Always be careful what you wish for, believe me, I know, and the Universe does NOT hesitate to BRING IT ON, very hard that is.

Overall, whatever life throws at you is there because IT knows you can handle it. So harder the problem, more credit you are given because of your aptitude to deal with difficult problems. If the challenges were simple, this is when you need to worry as the Universe isn't seeing you as a capable individual ready to tackle the difficult challenges of life, in results, ONLY throws you the easy stuff. As you continue moving forward in life, regardless of the hell you are dealing with, things are happening in the background, good things that is. You may never perceive it as such, and may ONLY look at the bad part of this fabulous equation of life. Change your perception, and KNOW that lot more is happening behind the scenes of your human soul. The Universe is looking at your progress, your changes, your determination, your persistence, and apply its magic to make things happen the way it is SUPPOSE to happen. Stop asking as to the "How" it will happen, but focus more on the "When" it will happen. It is no longer a question of "if", because at the rate you are headed, expect miracles coming out at you and experience the life you always wanted. Again, be careful what you wish for!!!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Message-From-the-Universe:-The-Behind-the-Scenes!&id=9494419

Using Affirmations to Release the Juggernaut Within

Brian Tracy once stated, "Using affirmations... our potential is literally unlimited." I would certainly agree with his assessment. Affirmations are without a doubt one of the most powerful personal development tools I have come across in not only my quest to realize my full occupational potential, but also in dealing with fear and anxiety. In addition to being an incredibly powerful stand-alone tool, I have also experienced that they work quite effectively when paired with goal setting and visualization as part of a daily personal and professional development routine.

For example: Each morning, I pour my favorite donut shop blend coffee in my giant Captain America mug, grab the day by the invisible horns, and say "Alright day. The stage awaits, so let's rock!"

My rhythm section, if you like, consists of goals and affirmations. The work I do in my goals journal acts as my in-the-pocket beat commander. For those of you unskilled in the art of being a wannabe rock star - I'm referring to my imaginary personal development drummer. Along with goals, affirmations add some attitude and flavor to the established focus areas by laying down some beastly low end and supplying an abundance of drive and determination. This rock n' roll party (think Paul Stanley) all gets kicked off within the first hour of being awake. How do you think this sets the tone for the remaining 23 hours? Since establishing this routine, I have personally experienced a dramatic increase in my willingness to get into the work day and immediately take on tasks that might normally frustrate or discourage me.

It is very possible at this point you could be asking yourself "what is an affirmation?" That's actually a great question. An affirmation is simply a positive and assertive statement that can be repeated out loud, as self talk, for many different purposes.

You might develop affirmations for personal growth, professional development, achievement, success, or any number of topics.

In my case, I personally relied on affirmations for dealing with fear and anxiety prior to ever using them in the context of achievement or any similar topics. For example, one of my favorite affirmations for anxiety reads "I exist free of fear."

Compared to the effect that goal setting has had in getting me laser-focused like the "Nature Boy" Ric Flair going after a figure-four leg lock, affirmations have been wildly successful in pairing that focus with a fired-up attitude towards success and achievement.

Here are a few additional examples of affirmations I use regularly:

- "I can do it." 

- "I am responsible." 

- "I feel incredible." 

- "I earn $________ per year, as an exceptional _________." 

- "I achieve the goals I set for myself." 

- "I am unstoppable."

I should also mention that in my experience, there is no more powerful mental quality to be equipped with in life than resilience. When it comes to affirmations, one of the most important side effects I have noticed is that I am able to rebound far more quickly from rejections, disappointments, and outright failures at any time they may occur. Prior to my current routine this was definitely not the case for me. Affirmations have also provided me with the mental clarity to recognize and be reminded that failure does not exist in and of itself. Failure, in my opinion, is a very important stepping stone to success. Failure is to success as Peter Parker's spider bite is to swinging from buildings via self-generated web.

What kind of experience have you had with affirmations? Are you in need of a tool in your daily routine that may have the ability to drown out negativity while increasing the level of optimism, resilience, drive, and excitement in your life? No matter where you are in your personal development journey it's never a bad idea to begin incorporating affirmations into your daily routine. Don't wait until a better time to begin learning more about the amazing resources that are available at your fingertips. Make a decision to unleash your inner juggernaut today and feel the positive effect that affirmations can make for you!

http://ezinearticles.com/?Using-Affirmations-to-Release-the-Juggernaut-Within&id=8940530

Message From the Universe: There Is ONLY One Life to LIVE, So LIVE It Well!

"Do you have any idea of how many fans you have here in the unseen?

Students from far and wide. Admirers from near and far. Friends from other lands and other times. And do you know what they talk about the most when your name comes up?

Besides your French Toast?

Besides your saunter?

Besides your home here with the holiday lights you leave up year-round, the roaming wildebeests in the backyard, and the answering machine that says, "Off having the time of my life in the jungles of time and space... "

Your belief in the goodness of others.

10,000 Kisses, 

The Universe"

There is only one life to live, so live it well. Despite the daily pressures of responsibilities, such as bills, maintaining a household, working on a new business, kids, and so much, we all, somewhat find a way to make all this happen. Imagine standing on top of a cliff, located above the clouds, and when looking down, you see emptiness. On your back, you have a parachute, but this parachute stayed in the backpack since its inception. You have no clue if it will open when you jump but you need to sometimes take that leap of faith and just go for it. I can't guarantee anything about how the descent will go, but life will always catch you by surprise. Situations that are out of your control will come and hit you in the face like a ton of bricks but it will be up to you to accept and find ways to work around them. You need to always stay calm and collected and realize that not everything can go your way. Some illnesses can hit you hard and keep you ill for a long while which are situations you can't really control. This is what life is all about. So when you are on top of that cliff, and you do decide to jump, you will be just among the few who will do that, and if you look back as you free wall to the abyss, you will see many staying up there, scared out of their mind, and just wanting to live this uneventful life and not having faith that their parachute HAS to open. So as you go plummeting down to Earth, you will question yourself as to the reason why you took that jump. Even though you are travelling at 250 miles per hour, it will feel like you are floating, as gravity is pulling you up and not down. The feeling will be odd because you will be at peace. Will this feeling allow you to accept the imminent danger of hitting the ground without the parachute to open? Possibly, but the reality is that it will OPEN because this is what you were meant to do. Your attitude about life is what will propel you to achieving greatness, to be one of the few where people from the top of the cliff will admire as to where did you get the guts to do what you did. They will envy you because of your courage, your determination and your desire to be different.

Not many have these skills or adventure type mentality. IS jumping off the cliff with no guarantee if the parachute will open might be construed as being suicidal, yes, in some instances. However, the truth of the matter is that believing in yourself and knowing that regardless of what is waiting for you on the ground will just help you know yourself better and working towards your goals. You want to succeed in business? You need to be bold and taking risks. Staying up there will never allow you to experience the hurdles to eventually appreciate all the efforts you put to succeed. The pain may be unbearable, and you will see a huge lack of support from your loved ones during your journey to success, but by keeping yourself motivated and determined to go where just a few people have ever dared going will make you someone that everyone will dream in becoming, but never ready to sacrifice anything for the sake of greatness. In your journey, you will feel all alone, in isolation at times. You will have just a few spurts of breathing room and then will have to dunk your head under water again. You will have to do that over and over again. It will feel like you are running out of air but with the presence of unknown power, you will be pulled up so you can breath again, just for a few moments, and the cycle will repeat over and over again, until the time comes where a massive 200 feet boat will fish you out and apologize for the incident of dropping you in the water. You will be given a towel to dry up and when on board, you will realize that the ship has YOUR NAME ON IT. Congrats, you made it in the big league.

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