Be Wise: Choose Wisely

Bewilderment is active thought, searching and seeking fundamental answers to life's challenges. Answers are starting blocks, firming up the push to establish wisdom. Finding reality is a process that involves facts, beliefs, and myths. These raise awareness, and once examined and sorted serve to foster understanding. Together, awareness and understanding create a pathway of measurable experiences, leading to wisdom. Managing the journey reduces the bewilderment. Wise choices consisting of clear, active thoughts bring about productivity and success.

Every day is a new day, bringing forth new life experiences. Routines may begin to fill waking hours, some becoming boring and lackluster. These elements are prone to create conditions that block or retard development. Self-defeating thoughts create negative behaviors and encourage unwise decision-making. Understanding that conditions are factors (like the weather) one has little to no control over. A condition cannot be changed or wished away. Rather it requires behavior to manage as best one is able. Seeking adjustments, experimenting with new ideas, and implementing productive alternatives to challenges are avenues to achieving satisfactory results. Another effective process is to remove "I can't thinking" and replace it with "What can I do?" Wise choices and accomplishment lets you experience wisdom in action.

The mind is a powerful instrument. It takes us places we've never been; it challenges us to do things we've never done; it encourages us to replace hate with love; and, it makes all these things possible through belief. It is amazing how we can do things over and over, never stopping to consider what they mean. Belief in what we do creates awareness, understanding, and purpose. When these three units are operational, all things are possible. Belief starts with knowledge and continues to expand with understanding. Follow-through and completion result in satisfaction and success.

We develop common sense by experimenting and experiencing with results. Wise choices and wisdom is learned from both beneficial and harmful experiences. If harmful, be wise and never repeat those behaviors. This is called positive learning! When experiences are beneficial, repeat behaviors as long as they continue to be rewarding. This is called living, loving, and enjoying life for what it is meant to be! "As you think, so you go" is a good motto. Your thoughts direct your actions and behavior.

Each day we awake is a blessing, and a gift of life. We can make any day what we choose it to be - happy, sad, exciting, worry filled, enlightening, or depressing. It's our choice. A common weather complaint heard is, "But the sun's not shining!" Reality is it is shining above the clouds. When you think negative thoughts, you produce negative affects. Positive thoughts invoke a sense of wonder, and this is no small thing! Conditions, those things out of our control, happen. Asking "What can I do right now?" presents a wise choice for us to manage forward! The "sunny side" consists of positive thoughts leading to the beauty and wonders of life. Choose to think positive thoughts, replace negatives, and bring happiness, productivity, and success to your endeavors.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life! As each new day begins, let enthusiasm be a major aspect in your life. Understand the power and blessing you are to others, and them to you. May love and peace be the foundation on which you build this day and every day. You are blessed with many gifts. Be aware, relish, and share the power of enthusiasm - a blessing you offer to others. This will illuminate your wise choices, and guide your wisdom for decision-making.

Life's struggles and challenges have a way of deflating one's spirit. In reality, these conditions are little more than potholes in the road - a little bumpy, but manageable. Maintaining control "shows class;" believing you are okay "presents pride;" and effectively managing "displays character." In all ways you are a winner when you live life with faith, hope, love. And, as the Good Book says, "the greatest is these is love!" Thoughts guide your actions, and winning thoughts belong to winners. Be wise and choose to be a winner.

ezinearticles.com/?Be-Wise:-Choose-Wisely&id=9578940

Feelings Aren't Facts

Often there may be a distortion, be it big or small, regarding how we see ourselves, others, or our lives in general. This distortion, or as I call it, the story we tell ourselves, frequently leads to emotional pain, increased anxiety, and potentially depression. That is because feelings aren't facts.

The phrase, feelings aren't facts, is commonly used in 12-step programs, yet it is profoundly true for all of us. This phrase uses the term, feelings, in such a way that it is not about emotions such as sadness, grief or anger. Instead it refers to our beliefs, perceptions, interpretations and thoughts. It speaks to the ways in which we experience ourselves, or others, in a subjective way.

Perception is Reality

When we say, for example, "I don't feel good enough." How could this statement not create further unease? Although others in our world may perceive us as amazing, or more than good enough, it is what we tell ourselves, even if it is not a fact, that emotionally distresses us.

This may be further exacerbated by making comparisons based on our assumptions about other people. We may tell ourselves, "That woman has got it all together. Look at her. How come I don't?" This story may also not be a fact, yet because we believe it is, it may further exacerbate, or contribute, to the wearing away of our self-esteem.

Fact or Fiction

When we operate from a place of misconception, distortion, or fiction, then we walk through the world from this place. This can produce a distortion of ourselves, of other people in our lives, or the world in general. If we function from a place of fear, anxiety or anger our perception of reality can be tainted with negativity. These painful feelings, although triggered by non-facts, can still ultimately affect us.

Another person's comment may remind us of something that occurred in our history. Accusations and judgements that occurred in our childhood, or adolescence, that were not resolved may influence our interpretation of circumstances in our current lives. The other person, and even ourselves, may have no idea this unresolved issue has influenced our perception unless this interaction is explored or clarification is sought.

We Believe What We Perceive

Our internal process, or how we internally experience or interpret something, is often more about our history as opposed to what the other person may truly mean. The stories we tell ourselves about what the other person means may negatively affect the relationship.

Often we use the word feeling for what is not a feeling. For example, I feel that you are accusing me of lying. It is important to differentiate this thought from the feelings that are triggered by it.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Feelings-Arent-Facts&id=9703527

10 Words People Who Lack Confidence Always Use

Want to avoid giving the impression you lack confidence and authority? Avoid these words.

Nine-hundred and seventy-two.

That's the total number of e-mails I received just in May, and it's about my average. That's not counting the hundreds and hundreds of messages Gmail dumped into categories for promotional mail, forum posts, and social networking updates. I've become proficient at jumping through messages quickly (using the J and K keys), but there's one thing I've mastered even more than that: spotting a lack of confidence.

I also take quite a few cold calls--people who are not really sure what I do and have not really done too much research but have me on a phone list for some reason.

In most cases, it's a pitch about a product or someone asking a question about marketing to journalists. He or she might say he or she "usually" does something. In a few cases, it's someone with a business idea he or she "suspects" will be perfect. Most of the time, these messages are straightforward--the sender isn't messing around. But a few seem hesitant. I fire back a question, and the response makes me question the person's authority on the subject.

These words are not always triggers about confidence level, but they are my first signal that something is amiss. They make me think the sender is not that sure about the product or service. And they are dead giveaways that I need to question what the person says.

1. Might

Be careful when you tell people you "might" do something. Are you sure about that? No one is asking you to solve world peace. When you say you "might" finish a report, it implies you lack some ability, don't manage your time well, or have too many priorities.

2. Won't

Here's an obvious word to avoid in your emails. Anyone who says he or she "won't" do something or "won't" attend a meeting is generating a negative vibe. Be more decisive: Either accept an invitation or reject it; using the word won't suggests hesitancy.

3. Usually

This is a trigger word in email that makes it obvious to everyone that you don't have all the facts. If you say the accounting department "usually" doesn't approve your expense report or the boss is "usually" late to work, it means you're stretching the truth.

4. Suspect

Unless you are talking about a suspect in a trial, avoid saying you "suspect" anything. You're not Sherlock Holmes. Just use direct terms: You know an investor is pulling out of the project, and here's why; or you have facts to support your conclusion on a new marketing plan.

5. Impossible

I'll bet Mark Zuckerberg has never used the word impossible in an email. The recipient will lose confidence in you quickly. State why something might be hard or difficult or just don't agree to a course of action. Don't bother telling people it's impossible.

6. Worried

We all worry about the stresses of life. Telling people you are worried by email makes it seem as if you lack confidence in your abilities. If you are worried, don't bother saying that to anyone--just express what you are concerned about and offer solutions.

7. Confused

Expressing your confusion will create even more confusion. It's better to just say what you are confused about and ask questions. Saying you are "confused" gives people the impression that either you don't understand something or that the topic is confusing to you.

8. Need

We all have needs in life. When you express those needs by email over and over again, it makes you look needy. I "need" you to come to work early, I "need" you to get that report done. Avoid saying "need" and express requirements more directly.

9. Quandary

Have you sent a message and said you were in a "quandary"? You should know that the word means you are in a total state of perplexity. I mean, you are really perplexed. That's not often the case when it comes to a new business proposal or fundraising round.

10. Likely

Few of us are in the business of predicting the future. If you say something is "likely" in an email, you are expressing to the recipient that you are not really sure about the topic, and you don't have all the facts yet. It's likely that you just lack confidence.

http://www.inc.com/john-brandon/10-words-people-who-lack-confidence-always-use.html