Brokenness - A Blessing Or A Curse

Have you ever experienced brokenness? Not sure how to define brokenness? Doing whatever you can to avoid being broken? Just to be clear - I'm not referring here to your broken toilet, car or computer - I'm talking about your spirit, your relationships, your career or even your life. If you don't like where you think this article is headed do yourself a favor and go back to your - whatever, but if you have ever experienced brokenness of any kind, my hope is to help you grow from it, learn from it and pass through it with dignity, courage, faith and yes even speed if that is possible.

So, first - what is brokenness?

From my perspective and trust me I have been broken several times during my life (if that admission causes you to stop reading - believe me that doesn't surprise me - I've watched a lot of people walk out of my life because they found out I wasn't perfect) - where was I - OH, brokenness can be defined differently by everyone who has experienced being broken. Some would say it's devastating, others lonely, still others painful and uncertain and many - not what I expected or what I feel I deserved in life.

So, what is it - well from my perspective it's when life doesn't give you what you planned for, hoped for or desired when it comes to your goals, expectations, desires or dreams? It is when some aspect of life falls apart in some way - financially, in your health, your career or an important relationship. It's when you feel you have nowhere to turn for help, guidance, support or even someone who will just listen and care.

Why does life break us or try to break us every now and then?

Life is not the enemy. It isn't out to get us, destroy us or makes fail or experience pain. But life is. In other words, life contains a wide variety of potential positives and negatives and it does not discriminate or pick on any particular individual or group.

Oh, please don't start going into all of the stuff that humanity has done wrong over the centuries - I get it - but that's not the intent of this article - I don't care if you are female or male, old or young white or black, Christian or Jew, rich or poor, ugly or good looking or any other group that has been persecuted in the past.

The first thing we all must do is decide how we choose to define these two concepts. How do you define negative? How do you define positive? Once you have this out of the way you will have your first clue as to what brokenness is and, in your life, now or has been in the past.

Life is not picking on anyone but there are consequences to all actions, choices, decisions, attitudes and behaviors and these are nothing more than the natural ebb and flow of life as it unfolds. Do or say something stupid and sooner or later you may have to pay a price.

What can be the causes or contributors of brokenness?

As I said above there can be literally thousands of contributors to brokenness, but I have learned there are a few common denominators. Here are just a few. Arrogance, out of control egos, stubbornness, uncontrolled anger, hate or any other destructive and ill-placed emotions. Impatience and the need for control can also contribute to certain areas of brokenness. And let's not forget narcissism, selfishness, and just plain stupidity.

How do these contribute to a broken life is some way? Here's just one example.

A personality-driven by self-orientation, ego, and narcissism over time can drive people away from you in life. If this behavior continues - one day you may wake up and realize that you are alone without friends who care, family who wants to be around you and even strangers who turn their back on you. And the consequences - well it depends on how you react to traveling through life completely alone - for many this can be a devastating life position. There are literally thousands if not millions of ways that each of us responds to life stuff and decide whether we are going to let it break us or build us up.

What can we do while in the middle of brokenness?

This too is a choice - we can grow or withdraw, we can learn, or we can blame, we can get wiser or we can retreat, we can reach out to others or we can isolate ourselves even more. The response often will come back to your definition of positive and negative. I can hear some of you now - how can something obviously negative be positive? OK, can being broke (obviously negative) be positive? Can divorce (obviously negative) be positive? Can a heart attack (again obviously negative be positive)? Well, friends, I've been through all three and my answer is - yes, they can be positive if I chose to define them that way. I can hear even more of you "are you crazy?" Well, if seeing these as opportunities to get smarter, wiser, better, etc. then yes, I am crazy.

What can we learn from times of brokenness?

Let me close with a couple of simple ideas if you are in brokenness now or want to handle it if and when it comes into your life in the future.

- How you choose to define broken says a great deal about how you will experience what has come into your life.

- How you let broken define you will determine how long you stay broken and how well and fast you recover.

- Going through anything in life alone is stupid. Find someone who cares and reach out to them and share, learn from them and don't hide your pain.

- Keep the negative idiots out of your circle and out of your life if necessary. The last thing you need is more people pointing fingers at you, blaming you or not helping you learn something from your circumstances.

- Learn to be there for others when they are in need.

- You have been broken for a reason - discover it so you can learn from it.

- Read, Read, Read - as much as you can to learn as much as you can.

- Accept surrender as a positive approach rather than negative.

- All brokenness happens for a reason whether it's timing, details or circumstances.

- And finally - broken does not equal; stupid, failure, or denial but it can be related to these and other attitudes, choices, and decisions.

https://ezinearticles.com/?Brokenness---A-Blessing-Or-A-Curse&id=10157064

Noticing Positives

We are living in a world that can be scary and full of unknowns. Never before has there been anything exactly like the COVID-19 pandemic that has been terrorizing the entire world. Governments have followed recommendations of researchers and health experts in ways that have changed our entire lifestyles. At the same time, however, I have noticed that there are many, many positives that are occurring every day.

Following are some of the things that people tell me they have been enjoying:

1. Time - Being required to respect physical distancing and working from home for those who can, has allowed us much more time to pursue interests. Instead of having to attend meetings or appointments and drive children to events we can pursue other personal interests. Many people are investing the extra hours saved in hobbies, learning a language, reading, or exercising.
2. Money - A large portion of the population have less money coming into the household but those who are on fixed incomes have told me that they are spending less than they did previously. Some of this, of course, is because businesses such as beauty shops and retail outlets are closed but being at home also means that there seems to be less interest in spending money. The government has been trying to fill the gaps with financial programs and we are also watching the stock market with the hope that it will rebound over time. It seems that everything we were used to has shifted.
3. Skills - Being at home provides more opportunities to learn and use skills. Many family members are cooking and baking, renovating, starting seedings, doing their own hair or sewing - practical skills that our ancestors used for everyday survival. Before the pandemic our busy schedules often would encourage us to turn to others to do the things that we are now doing ourselves.
4. Relationships - More time with those who live in your home can be positive - a time to communicate and share activities. Fortunately, we have social media sites and technology that allow us to stay close to loved ones who are living at a distance. Close proximity can also be stressful though and it is therefore important to schedule "alone" time.
5. Reflection - Facing difficulties can led to assessment and realignment of values. When we are in isolated situations, we begin to think about what is really important in life. Most recently the ideas of health and loved ones top the list.

I know that there are many challenges that have been brought on by the pandemic. One of the most serious is that we do not have any clear idea about exactly how it will affect us and when it will end. It is therefore very important to drastically limit the input from television and internet as these can significantly increase stress. Instead focus on the things that you can do that will make today and your future more satisfying.

And remember to laugh as often as possible for laughter is good for the soul!

https://ezinearticles.com/?Noticing-Positives&id=10288144

Sadhguru-Learn to live life in an profound and intense manner!- Motivational video

Do You Eliminate the Positives or the Negatives?

If there's one thing I know well, it's that life is good and always getting better. IF you let it. A business associate once told me, 'This is the worst it will ever be. It only gets better and better!' That is an empowering belief!

The pessimists (and the close-minded) will say 'How awful! You're doing so bad it can't get any worse!' Well, OK. One of my friends actually believes it CAN get worse, no matter what. He is thankful for what he has, which he should be, but mainly because 'it could be worse.'

Why is the first statement good and the second bad?

It's relative. The first statement assumes two things: 1. the past is the past and doesn't equal the future and 2. It will ALWAYS get better than it is now.

The second statement assumes 2 things as well: 1. It is a struggle to get and keep what you have and 2. Things are more likely to get worse than better. If not, why the focus on what could happen?

Your outlook on life determines so much. It is your filter.

Do you know what a filter is?

A filter eliminates undesired particles and things from whatever is poured through it. Its entire purpose is to purify what is poured. A filter lets in what is good and pure through while keeping out the unwanted.

We use filters all the time in life. We filter our coffee. An internet search is a filter. We use content filters to keep explicit images away from our kids' computers. The whole idea is to protect, whether coffee, our kids or just our time and experiences.

We also have mental filters. We view the world through these filters and it applies preconceived notions and ideas to what we see, hear, experience and do. If we believe that getting fired is a bad thing (which it certainly can be for most), that is how we will experience it.

But think about this. Several years ago, I was let go from a job. It was a job I hated because of my boss and the environment there. My doctor was encouraging me to leave the job for health reasons. My wife wanted me to leave for happier shores. Not long after being let go, I saw my doctor and she commented how much happier I seemed, even though I was still unemployed.

Getting let go was the best thing that could have happened to my health. We didn't starve or get kicked out of our home. It was actually a positive.

What is a devastating event for one person can be an uplifting, positive event for someone else? It all depends on their filter.

What kind of filter do you have?

Do you eliminate the positives or the negatives?

http://ezinearticles.com/?Do-You-Eliminate-the-Positives-or-the-Negatives?&id=9479057

Highlighting Positives Within The Law of Attraction

When you look at self-improvement as a whole, you're going to be littered with solutions. There's no "one" thing that works best. There's a lot of things that can work, and many people are finding this through the Law of Attraction. This is a way of thinking that goes beyond simple tasks, it can create outstanding results. For instance, one of the main benefits is in regards to coming into a lot of money. While this may sound insane at first glance, you'll find that it's just a starting line that is worth exploring on a bigger picture.

Attracting Positivity

Think about the infectious nature of a smile. When you are smiling, it seems like the whole world will oblige in returning this for you. You're going to find that few people are going to have a disdain for this, and it shows with everyone that has a positive element in their lives. There's a beauty in smiling and being happy, and it comes with positivity. That same principle that causes this notion to be infectious is the same thing that you are going to be pursuing within the notion of attraction. However, attraction in the law is something that goes out to the universe, and returns dividends that are not just physical.

Changing Yourself For The Better

Right now, many people are fighting to get a semblance of self-esteem. They aren't feeling good, they lack confidence, and aren't really sure how to progress in the right arenas. That can be changed by looking at the silver lining in life, and chasing positive elements. The more you work with positivity, the better you're going to be at enjoying the fruits of your labor. Changing things for the better starts with looking at what you're thankful for, and then building on that over time. You'll find that changing for the better is an easy thing to get done, if you just focus on listing things out with a pen and paper.

Avoiding Negativity

The best thing that comes with the Law of Attraction is in regards to casting aside negative things. You don't want to surround yourself with this. This is a sure fire way to decrease happiness, and cause a lot of issues to rise up within your mind, and body. If you've never tried to fight this before, this is your chance to shake things up. The more you chase different paths, the better you are going to feel inside, the more your mood will elevate, and the better your life will become.

At the end of the day, you are going to find that attraction is not a singular thing. It's something that encompasses a whole different world view. Take time to focus on the bigger picture and you are going to see a huge jump in your path towards freedom from negative elements. This all starts with recognizing that you control a lot more than you give yourself credit for, and then goes into a full changing scale.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Highlighting-Positives-Within-The-Law-of-Attraction&id=9387731

Building a Better Life With The Law of Attraction

Life can get pretty hectic sometimes. You are going to find that there are a lot of different things that you can do to make things better, but it can be difficult to manage. Building a better life can be assisted with the Law of Attraction. This is a solution that could very well change the way that you see life, because you're going to find positivity through every ordeal. Positive elements that come through will manifest great elements, including silver linings when others see negative things. If you want to build a better life in this regards, consider how to navigate through the world of attraction right now.

Write Down Things That Make You Anxious

The first thing that you need to do is simple, write down things that make you anxious. Write about what really is heavy on your heart, and your shoulders. By doing this, you're going to be able to pin point what you need to change. People often times dwell on the negative, and don't really know how to change things. Writing the negatives can allow you to see what is happening in your life, and can help you traverse a new path down the line.

Highlight Positives

Aside from illuminating the issues, you need to highlight the positives. There is a great deal of positives in your life, and when you start to highlight them, you will see your life change for the better. The reason why many people do not get what they want, is because they don't focus on the things that make them happy. Happiness manifests when you are thankful for what you have, and reach for things that you want past them. Focusing on the positivity that comes with life will help you build on the right parameters others don't seem to focus on. There's a great deal of beauty that comes through enjoying life in a new manner, and the Law of Attraction is exactly that.

Charging Away From Negativity

As a whole, negativity is a big killer. Negatives flood life and cause you to lose focus on thanksgiving. It's for that reason why you should shake this, and focus on the good things. Negativity will ruin the joy in your life and will cause a great deal of problems overall. It's for that reason that you should look into living a better life by removing elements that can drag you down. You can start by simply moving forward with a new way of thinking. Instead of focusing on things that are not going to give you a bit of positivity, and cast them aside. Over time, you will be able to rise above the issues that you may face and will start to see change manifest in due time.

Building a better life starts with focusing on new things, positive things, and casting away the negative. It takes time to manifest, but it will usher in a lot of great things. Just remember, this all takes time, so don't give up too early.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Building-a-Better-Life-With-The-Law-of-Attraction&id=9387716

Create Your Own Path in Life

"You must make a decision that you are going to move on. It wont happen automatically. You will have to rise up and say, ‘I don’t care how hard this is, I don’t care how disappointed I am, I’m not going to let this get the best of me. I’m moving on with my life.” – Joel Osteen

Download 25 Most Powerful Motivational Quotes

Creating Your Own Path in Life

Why It Benefits to Read the Motivating Quotes

When you start to feel down or depressed, a simple solution for a quick pick me up is to read a series of inspirational or motivating quotes. Whether you decide to read William Shakespeare, Buddha, or Rumi quotes, there is an endless list to read which should keep you entertained for a long time. Here are five positives of reading the motivating quotes:

Provides inspiration

Reading the motivating quotes is certain to help improve your mental well-being with its ability to give great inspiration. After reading a series of quotes, you are more likely to have a positive outlook, feel happy and motivated, and willing to get on with your day-to-day activities or even try something different for a change.

Gives encouragement

For those feeling down and depressed, the motivating quotes provide a simple, fast, and cheap remedy to help improve your general outlook on life and leaves you feeling better within yourself. Experts believe that a person's thoughts can have a significant impact on success in life and by removing the more disturbing or negative thoughts it is possible to be more content and productive.

Cures postponement

A regular reading of quotes is certain to benefit from its ability to help cure postponement. Anyone that regularly experiences issues with delaying a certain action will find reading a book dedicated to quotes can give a boost of motivation and encourage you to move on and get working on what you keep leaving to one side.

Capture your subconscious mind

Anyone that reviews the motivating quotes on a day-to-day basis has the benefit of being able to capture the subconscious mind. Psychologists believe the subconscious mind is extremely resourceful and creative. If you are able to fill your mind with positive thoughts that come from reading quotes, this has the potential to give an all-round boost to your personality.

Theme for meditation

Reading quotes from the world's spiritual leaders or scriptures can make it possible to feel quite relaxed and this can become a useful theme for meditation.

How best to read quotes

There are several simple techniques that can be used to help increase the potential benefits of reading quotes, including:

Read the quotes more than once

If you really want a quote to sink in and resonate with you it usually helps to read several times. Reading a quote on a daily basis has the potential to affect you in a positive manner in relation to both behavior and mind. For ease in reading the quote it can help to print it out or copy it so that it is always readily available.

Think about the quote just read

Once a quote has been read make sure to think about its meaning and how it might have a positive influence on your life. Not every quote written is meant to have a deep meaning, but if able to carefully think about those you read, there is usually some inner meaning that can benefit you.

Read between the lines

If you really want to get a deeper understanding of what is being said in the motivating quote it helps to try reading between the lines. By fully understanding the meaning of the quote it is positive to take ideas and inspiration that can improve your day-to-day life.

Collect favorite quotes

For complete ease in reading the favorite quotes it is possible to create a personal collection that is stored in a pocketbook or on the smartphone. So, if you have a free moment at home or work, it is possible to pull out your collection of quotes and have a good read.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Why-It-Benefits-to-Read-the-Motivating-Quotes&id=9378014

Highlighting Positives Within The Law of Attraction

When you look at self-improvement as a whole, you're going to be littered with solutions. There's no "one" thing that works best. There's a lot of things that can work, and many people are finding this through the Law of Attraction. This is a way of thinking that goes beyond simple tasks, it can create outstanding results. For instance, one of the main benefits is in regards to coming into a lot of money. While this may sound insane at first glance, you'll find that it's just a starting line that is worth exploring on a bigger picture.

Attracting Positivity

Think about the infectious nature of a smile. When you are smiling, it seems like the whole world will oblige in returning this for you. You're going to find that few people are going to have a disdain for this, and it shows with everyone that has a positive element in their lives. There's a beauty in smiling and being happy, and it comes with positivity. That same principle that causes this notion to be infectious is the same thing that you are going to be pursuing within the notion of attraction. However, attraction in the law is something that goes out to the universe, and returns dividends that are not just physical.

Changing Yourself For The Better

Right now, many people are fighting to get a semblance of self-esteem. They aren't feeling good, they lack confidence, and aren't really sure how to progress in the right arenas. That can be changed by looking at the silver lining in life, and chasing positive elements. The more you work with positivity, the better you're going to be at enjoying the fruits of your labor. Changing things for the better starts with looking at what you're thankful for, and then building on that over time. You'll find that changing for the better is an easy thing to get done, if you just focus on listing things out with a pen and paper.

Avoiding Negativity

The best thing that comes with the Law of Attraction is in regards to casting aside negative things. You don't want to surround yourself with this. This is a sure fire way to decrease happiness, and cause a lot of issues to rise up within your mind, and body. If you've never tried to fight this before, this is your chance to shake things up. The more you chase different paths, the better you are going to feel inside, the more your mood will elevate, and the better your life will become.

At the end of the day, you are going to find that attraction is not a singular thing. It's something that encompasses a whole different world view. Take time to focus on the bigger picture and you are going to see a huge jump in your path towards freedom from negative elements. This all starts with recognizing that you control a lot more than you give yourself credit for, and then goes into a full changing scale.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Highlighting-Positives-Within-The-Law-of-Attraction&id=9387731

Steps To Use The Law of Attraction For Your Life

People of all ages and backgrounds are starting to learn about the Law of Attraction. This is a beautiful thing when you start to look at how it can improve your daily world view. It all starts with pushing out negative energy, and reaching for the stars. When you reach past the negativity that plagues many people, you will start to see a manifestation of greatness, and that is something that will bring to you better relationships, more money, and so much more. Getting there is a difficult task at first glance, but it can be moved along with a few steps.

Focus On Meditation

The first thing that you should do is simple, learn to meditate. Meditation allows you to slow down the world for a few minutes at a time. You can start this by focusing on silence for at least 10 minutes. Spend time where your eyes are closed, you are breathing deeply, and you focus on energy alone. Don't let anything else plague your mind, just focus on silence.

Write Down What You Want Out of Life

The next thing that you will need to do is simple, focus on writing down what you want out of life. When you know what you want, you can start to make steps towards getting it. The universe around you will bring you the right elements, and your path will change if you focus on what you want. People don't usually reach their greatness because they don't really understand this step.

Request The Universe Deliver

As you meditate, focus your energy on getting what you want. Asking the universe is not a matter of deity, but rather focusing on the beauty of the world around you. Just imagine the greatness of achieving your goals, and focus on the positives. When you focus on the positives in your meditative state, you'll find that attraction will manifest in your life.

Showcase Gratitude Whenever You Can

The next big thing is simple, focus on being gracious. Show gratitude wherever you are, smile, and be joyous about what you're doing. Gratitude will allow your world to shift in a positive manner. Once you start pushing the world in a positive manner, you're going to end up with a huge jump going forward. Gracious thinking will help you enjoy your life a bit more, and will deliver on the attraction you need for success.

Trust That You'll Enjoy Greatness

The last thing that you need to remember is that you will need to be patient. Trust that good things are coming, and try to shove away any negative things. When you focus on the power of positivity, you will see great things manifest in your personal world. Be patient, and try not to stress out about the variables. Your goal is focus on the beauty of the world around you, and avoid allowing anything negative to fall into your lap. These steps will help you gain leverage in a new way. Just keep going forward and you'll see benefits amass over time.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Steps-To-Use-The-Law-of-Attraction-For-Your-Life&id=9398423

Managing Stress to Perform at Your Best

I recently read an article by Dr. Travis Bradberry called "How Successful People Stay Calm." In it he says that your "ability to manage your emotions and to remain calm under pressure has a direct link to your performance." The vast majority of successful people have developed the skill to keep calm and carry on, as the British wrote in a motivational poster during World War II.

He pointed out that moderate levels of stress keep the brain engaged and keep us performing at optimal levels whereas prolonged, high levels of stress can be detrimental, increasing the risk of heart disease, depression and obesity. We can't control some stressors in our lives, but we can control how we react to them.

When traffic is unusually bad on your morning commute or when a patient is being extremely difficult, you can choose to become upset or you can choose to empathize with the other commuters or the patient and release your stress.

He listed a number of ways to reduce stress. One is to focus for a few minutes on your breathing while blocking other thoughts. Another is getting sufficient sleep each night to allow your brain not only to process the previous day's thoughts but also to allow it to recharge for the day ahead. Yet another is to limit caffeine intake since it triggers the release of adrenaline, which is the source of the "fight or flight" response.

You can fight stress by noting on a regular basis those things for which you are grateful. You can fight it by cutting out your negative self talk. When negative self-talk creeps in, you have to check to see if it is valid. If it isn't valid, forget it. If it is valid and is something you can change, change it. Don't dwell on the "what ifs." Instead, look for the positives.

I think we focus on problems because those are things that need our attention. If you write down a list of the things that are going well, things you are grateful for as well as a list of your worries, you'll likely see that your list of good things will be longer than your worries. It's calming to remind yourself of all of the things that are going your way.

You can also reduce stress by gorging on junk food and chocolate. Oh, wait, that wasn't in the article; forget that.

For the complete article and to read more about Dr. Bradberry, look for the Early to Rise website and search for "How Successful People Stay Calm."

http://ezinearticles.com/?Managing-Stress-to-Perform-at-Your-Best&id=9525306

If You Want to Succeed, Here Are 5 Things You Need to Do Differently

No matter what your individual definition of success may be, finding it can often be a challenge. Whether its career success, monetary success or something in between, most people have a certain level of accomplishment that they want to reach in their lives. However, many fail to reach that magical level of success and have no idea why. The good news is, there are a few things that every person can do differently to change their current course of action and find the success that they deserve.

Below are five:

1. Stop looking for a perfect strategy

For the many people who take their quest for success seriously, they can get caught up in looking for a “perfect” strategy in reaching their goals. The truth is, there is never a perfect time to do anything, and there is no such thing as a perfect strategy. Many people fail to start “doing” the things they need to do, because they spend so much time planning. The only way to start a strategy is to get out there and take the first step. You can tweak and improve along the way but getting out and doing will be much more beneficial than spending all of your time trying to find the ideal strategy.

2. Stop seeing problems, start seeing opportunities

If you start looking at hurdles that come up as problems, you can put yourself in a negative mindset that will prevent you from finding success. If you instead start looking at these obstacles as opportunities, you can start finding more success. Take the challenge of approaching every problem and instantly calling it an opportunity. It can be hard to find opportunities in some problems, but if you look hard enough, there are positives even in the most overwhelming of issues.

3. Stop the information overload

Some people unfortunately find they spend too much time gathering information on how to succeed. When people do this too much, they can struggle with what is known as information overload. When you have too much information, you can suffer from paralysis by analysis and all of the research you have done can actually hurt instead of help. Nothing is as powerful as taking action and getting started.

4. Stop focusing so much on entertainment

While all people love to be entertained in a certain manner, society spends far too much time focusing on entertainment, instead of education. While you should always have your personal time outside of your professional life, many people spend too much time watching television, gossiping, playing video games and reading celebrity news. Doing this too much can prevent you from staying focused on your goals and your success. Spend your personal time entertaining yourself by consuming educational materials for personal growth. It will pay off in the long run and help you enjoy your personal time in a way that is still beneficial to your overall success.

5. Stop looking at the short term

Focusing on short-term accomplishments can actually get in your way when it comes to finding the substantial success you seek in life. This is something that many people struggle with, as there is nothing wrong with fulfilling short-term accomplishments but this shouldn’t be your focus. You should always be focusing on laying down a strong foundation for long-term growth. You can do this in a number of ways. Start looking at everything you do as a long -erm investment. Invest in your education, the future and do your best to ignore the appeal of instant gratification. This can take practice, but you can condition yourself to no longer find the same appeal in instant gratification.

http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/241005