How To Use Affirmation Properly

“I think, therefore I am,” is a phrase affirming your existence as a being. It may be a simple phrase, but it says everything about the person saying it. This indicates a confidence that is not commonly found among other living things. Makes you feel kind of special, huh?

But do people need affirmation? And why do people need to follow this unique thought pattern? Is existence relative to one’s affirmation?

Affirmation is a very powerful technique used to empower one’s subconscious. Once the subconscious is disciplined to believe one’s affirmation, the latter is converted into a positive action for the conscious mind. Through affirmation, beings are empowered to act, to work, and to strive for more things. Affirmation allows people to believe in themselves, and to put their thoughts into action. It is a force behind that which motivates you.

Affirmation is a combination of verbal and visual techniques of a preferred state of mind of a person. Strong affirmations can be very powerful, and can be used by almost anyone to achieve his goals and fulfill his desires. However, the power of an this depends on how strong or weak an affirmation is.

Affirmation is merely an assertion made by a person, about something or about a state of being. A person can affirm those that he chooses to attain, like “I now have a good life.” Being healthy in mind, body, and spirit can also be made possible through this method.

A strong affirmation should be stated in the present tense to be more effective. An affirmation of “I am now a happy being” is more effective than an affirmation saying, “I am going to become a happy being.” Affirmation should always be in positive terms because it is supposed to work for you and not against you. Instead of saying, “I am not sad,” why not make an affirmation saying, “I am happy.”  

An affirmation should be made up of simple but concise words, and it should be short to be more effective. A very long affirmation can work the other way around, instead of creating a positive mindset for yourself. A short affirmation can be easily spoken, and repeated easily on end - almost habitually. It serves as a kind of mantra that can be repeated over and over again.

To be effective, an affirmation must be repeated. Repetition works and influences the subconscious, which in turn motivates you into acting out your affirmation. When you create the affirmation, you should be deeply involved with the words you will be using, so it will be easier for it to manifest itself. Writing words that you believe in can be very powerful, and this can be put to good use when creating an affirmation.

However, creating an affirmation alone by itself, and repeating it a million times would not make it a state of mind. The important thing is to live your affirmation and to be open-minded enough to do the things that will help it become a reality. Feel, and apply it in your life - it will help make it a reality.

While affirmation is generally used to make you a better individual, it can also be used to boost or confirm another person’s value. By affirming another person‘s existence, you are helping him improve his self-worth.

Affirmation is a very simple thing that can make a very big difference in a person‘s life. It can be a great motivator and can make things happen.

How To Determine What You Want In Life

What do you really want in life?

Most people don’t discover what they want in life until it’s time to die – and that’s a shame.

Most people spend the best years of their lives watching television or doing things they dislike. An author described humanity by saying, “Most people die at twenty and are buried at eighty.” Are you one of the living zombies?

What do you really want in life?

Some people struggle in answering such question. When asked what they want or what their goals in life are, many are unsure. They dillydally in their decision, hardly giving any thought about what they want in life. People without definite goals are letting time pass them by. Are you one of these people?

If you are undecided about what you want out of life, do not worry.  There are many ways of discovering your purpose in life.

To discover what you want in life, try looking deep into your heart. Oftentimes, people are ruled by logic. People live by what they think they should be or by what others like them to be. The discovery process is the perfect time to listen to your heart. What your heart desires comes from the whispers of your authentic self. Your authentic self is the real you.

Listen to your heart to be able to listen to your authentic self. What your heart says usually feels right. What your heart desires is what you usually love to do and this represents your passion. Anything done with passion is like play where the task is accomplished without hesitation. You pour out your very best and feel no pressure or resistance.

You will totally enjoy doing things that are your passion. Setbacks, difficulties, and obstacles will make it more challenging, but should not deter you from pursuing your goals. Naturally, there may be barriers that may prevent you from reaching your goal, but your heart’s desire will find ways to overcome these barriers so that you may ultimately get what you want in life. Remember this: the universe supports people who are pursuing their passion and those who are pursuing their destiny.

However, this does not mean that you don’t use your head. People are born with both the mind and heart. Your duty is to live your best life and be in harmony with your mind and heart. The poet Rumi wisely said, “Live completely in the head and you cannot feel the breath and rhythm of life. Live completely in the heart and you may find yourself acting like a love-struck fool with poor judgment and discipline. It’s all a fine balance - the head and heart must forge a lifetime partnership if one wants to live a beautiful life.”

Listen to your instinct. Part of human nature is the mysterious and spontaneous reaction on things. Often times, these are called instincts. Your authentic self communicates with you and guides you via instincts. Instincts are those gentle nudges that urge you to act and follow a certain path. Your role then is to listen attentively.

Often times, we listen to what others say and allow them to run our lives. Parents often do this to their children. “We come from a family of doctors, so my son must also be a doctor.” How often do we hear this from parents who have good intentions for their children? Parents unconsciously block the true expression of their child’s real self and calling. Friends and critics will discourage you and point out the impossibility of your dream. Before heeding their advice, evaluate the accomplishments of the critics. Did they achieve theirs dreams? Do they dream big at all?

Remember, it is your destiny that is in line, not theirs. It doesn’t mean, though, that you will not listen to what other people say. Hear them out just the same. But the final decision should be yours.

There is only thing to remember: Every person, to live truly and greatly, must define how he wants to live and what his brightest life will look like.  Listen to your instincts and follow your heart’s desire. You will never go wrong.

Start Living A Healthy Life

How many times have you gone to sleep at night, swearing you'll go to the gym in the morning, and then changing your mind just eight hours later because when you get up, you don't feel like exercising?

While this can happen to the best of us, it doesn't mean you should drop the ball altogether when it comes to staying fit. What people need to realize is that staying active and eating right are critical for long-term health and wellness -- and that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. The more you know about how your body responds to your lifestyle choices, the better you can customize a nutrition and exercise plan that is right for you. When you eat well, increase your level of physical activity, and exercise at the proper intensity, you are informing your body that you want to burn a substantial amount of fuel. This translates to burning fat more efficiently for energy.

In other words, proper eating habits plus exercise equals fast metabolism, which, in turn gives you more energy throughout the day and allows you to do more physical work with less effort.

The true purpose of exercise is to send a repetitive message to the body asking for improvement in metabolism, strength, aerobic capacity and overall fitness and health. Each time you exercise, your body responds by upgrading its capabilities to burn fat throughout the day and night, Exercise doesn't have to be intense to work for you, but it does need to be consistent.

It is recommended engaging in regular cardiovascular exercise four times per week for 20 to 30 minutes per session, and resistance training four times per week for 20 to 25 minutes per session. This balanced approach provides a one-two punch, incorporating aerobic exercise to burn fat and deliver more oxygen, and resistance training to increase lean body mass and burn more calories around the block.

Here is a sample exercise program that may work for you:

* Warm Up -- seven to eight minutes of light aerobic activity intended to increase blood flow and lubricate and warm-up your tendons and joints.

* Resistance Training -- Train all major muscle groups. One to two sets of each exercise. Rest 45 seconds between sets.

* Aerobic Exercise -- Pick two favorite activities, they could be jogging, rowing, biking or cross-country skiing, whatever fits your lifestyle. Perform 12 to 15 minutes of the first activity and continue with 10 minutes of the second activity. Cool down during the last five minutes.

* Stretching -- Wrap up your exercise session by stretching, breathing deeply, relaxing and meditating.

When starting an exercise program, it is important to have realistic expectations. Depending on your initial fitness level, you should expect the following changes early on.

* From one to eight weeks -- Feel better and have more energy.

* From two to six months -- Lose size and inches while becoming leaner. Clothes begin to fit more loosely. You are gaining muscle and losing fat.

* After six months -- Start losing weight quite rapidly.

Once you make the commitment to exercise several times a week, don't stop there. You should also change your diet and/or eating habits. Counting calories or calculating grams and percentages for certain nutrients is impractical. Instead, use these easy to follow guidelines:

* Eat several small meals (optimally four) and a couple of small snacks throughout the day

* Make sure every meal is balanced -- incorporate palm-sized proteins like lean meats, fish, egg whites and dairy products, fist-sized portions of complex carbohydrates like whole-wheat bread and pasta, wild rice, multigrain cereal and potatoes, and fist-sized portions of vegetable and fruits

* Limit your fat intake to only what's necessary for adequate flavor

* Drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water throughout the day

* It is also recommended that you take a multi-vitamin each day to ensure you are getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Enjoy life, we all deserve it.

Learn to Set Goals

There are people who are bound by laws and rules, yet success remains distant for them. On the other hand, there are those who appear to be loose, and easy going, but are perpetually successful. Do you think you have what it takes to be like them? Or would you rather do something different to achieve success? Take heart in mind, and mind in heart, to set your goals.

What do your goals represent by the way? They represent your visions of yourself and your future. Goals should be achievable and realistic - in other words, within reach. These kinds of goals allow you to put your method and character into practice or at least take part in some activities that allow you to monitor your progress along the way. However a little more is involved than just merely setting realistic goals. Remember that in order to achieve your goals, you must act according to your goals. Otherwise, it would all be in vain if you did not exert any effort in reaching them. The following guidelines will help you set some achievable goals.

To make this exercise more effective, consciously apply these guidelines to your current situation, and how you can fit your desired results, your targeted goal, to these principles

1. Enhance your skills in achieving targeted goals by setting objectives, as well as standard and optional activities that will help you meet your goals. Apply any and all methods within reach to effectively focus on your task, which will optimize all you gain

2. Strategize and take risks in meeting your goals. Strategic thinking is very important because this will allow you to be productive and focus on the activities according to your goals. Find a comfort zone, and think your actions through before you even do them. You will see that as you go through those motions, they take less effort and lend familiarity. This breeds strength and confidence

3. Act in accordance to your goals. Proper mind setting is very important in achieving your goals. Go that  extra mile. Try taking risks but never compromise your safety. Taking risks means that you are ready to learn new things, and meet challenges that will help you in the long run. This is an affirmation of your dedication, which will build your endurance and your ability.

On one hand, you may wonder why there is a need for you to set goals if you think you have not failed at all in your endeavors. Remember that setting goals does not mean that you always fail. Setting goals means that you are acknowledging your limitations and you are ready to work your way up towards success, professionally or personally. It is for this reason why objective, sensible goals matter.

Moving forward, you also have to consider that there are goals that are just too hard to achieve on your own. At times, these goals can even create conflicts, so that you might think of surrendering them in the long run. Take heart. Everybody has had similar concerns at times. If this situation occurs and you think that surrendering is the last option, why not look for a partner, a friend maybe who is willing to help you out with your goals? Collaborate with your prospective partner and learn to prioritize. Even if it requires spending a little time plotting all the possibilities, both the pros and the cons, try it. Learn to take the goal on, not the other way around

Remember that goal setting is focused on the benefits. So try to work things out and focus, focus, focus. Minimize or avoid distractions if possible so you can work on your goals clearly. Work that proper mindset for a clearer vision of you achieving those valuable goals. If you are vying for promotion in your workplace, it is important that you see yourself already in the position you want. Shoulder the load completely - take everything, and all, into consideration. Know exactly what you need to do, in one nice little package, and act upon it. If you are aiming for a personal or educational goal, make things happen by planning and doing things related to your goals. You will then realize what goals, no matter how difficult they may appear, are worth your consideration and your time. Once your goals are achieved, sweet success knocks on your door and commends you for a job well done.

Learn to Solve Your Problems

What percentage of a class of 30 students will agree with you that Mathematics is a great subject? You might answer “around 10 to 35%” and that's all. Most kids today, like always, are not too thrilled about solving Mathematical equations; not because they don't know the processes involved, but because of their lack of interest in it.

In a similar way, our daily activities do not necessarily mean 100% joy and 0% problems. At times, we have more problems than joy. Fortunately, there are individuals who are skilled in handling problems the right way. Would you like to know their secrets?

Well, carefree people, as some might call them, have one thing in common: optimism. These kinds of people do not mean they never had problems before. Try remembering a colleague, a relative, a friend, or someone from your community who has the brightest smile; from the start until the end of the day. How many times did you see that person frown? Carefree people are fun to be with because their attitude is contagious. Have you tried asking them how they carry their problems lightly? Below are their secrets:

1. Learn to control your feelings by separating negative feelings from positive thoughts. This is the first step in solving problems. Only after you have cleared your mind from unnecessary thoughts can you start solving your problems accordingly.

2. Treat each problem as challenge, and an opportunity for self-improvement. Empower yourself.

3. Get rid of that "scapegoat" attitude. Do you routinely point your finger or blame others for mishaps? Take responsibility for your mistakes. You can't see clearly by fogging up the lense. No one is perfect, so never put the blames on others.

4. Use a pen and paper, and rate the depth of the problem and possible answers to your problem. The laws of Probability will allow you to evaluate how far you have thought of resolving your problems. Learning, or not Learning from experience.

5. Keep a journal and treat it as a “secret friend” who is always willing to listen to your grievances. Write your feelings freely.

6. Develop a noteworthy hobby, this will help you lessen or minimize the stress in your life.

7.  Take time off from work and create variations of your daily schedule. Relax and check out the best movies in town. Travel and meet new wonderful people. You will find these activities worthwhile in the long run.

The above tips will help you optimize those positive feelings of yours. Say you are already consumed by some problems. Here are the 1-2-3 steps in doing your problem solving:

1. Determine the root cause of the problem. If you think it is difficult, ask hundreds of why’s and what’s and you will soon find out the cause.

2. Think, strategize, and act for resolution.

3. Develop a strong desire to solve the problem.

4. Review the situation for you to avoid repeating the same mistakes committed beforehand.

Consider that everybody experiences lowliness many times, but problems are problems. They are there not to annoy you; but problems are created when you cannot accept your limitations. Once you accept your limitations, problem solving is just a 1-2-3 step, hassle-free, and a life-sharpening experience indeed. Do not ever consume yourself with, or lock yourself in your room when a problem strikes. Think that problems are states of your being limited to something you need the most. But if you cannot have that important thing, accept it. Let go and you will free yourself with worries. Remember, less worries mean less problems. If you think that you really want some time out because of problems, consider that there is another room available for you called “improvement.”

Get Rid of Procrastination, Now!

Do you put off your work for later, only to find your deadlines steadily creeping in? Then you, my friend, are one of the millions of people afflicted by the procrastination virus. Procrastination is the biggest reason for loss of productivity and late output. Though many would not admit it, they would benefit greatly if they start their work on time.

For many people, putting off their work for later is more habit than desire. It can be so hard to get into a groove where starting your tasks in a timely fashion is a priority, especially if the consequences for being late are things that one can probably bear.

If you are one of these people, yet you desire to shake off your propensity for procrastination, then you have come to the right place. Here are a few tips to help you overcome this dilemma and become a more productive and reliable person.

1. Set schedules – It is very important that you have a list of activities to accomplish per day. This will help you realistically budget your time and resources. One of the cardinal sins people commit in regards to performing their tasks is to put off their work because they feel like there is so much time left. A journal, organizer, or calendar of events will help you plan and schedule your task so that you can start them promptly and finish them on time.

2. Save the Vacation for Later – Many people put their work off for later saying, “I'll just have a little fun then buckle down to work later.” While it may be true that they may have more than enough time to accomplish their tasks, it would be better if they finished their work first and relax afterwards.

Wouldn't relaxation be sweeter if it were after a taxing job? If you choose to lay back and relax before doing your tasks, you will be more prone to burnout and will have nothing exciting left to look forward to after accomplishing a task. It is always better to have slack period AFTER a job than before one, especially considering that people are wont to overusing their slack time. This is suicide if you are heading towards a deadline.

3. Never Underestimate Your Tasks – Sometimes procrastination sets in because people underestimate the resources, difficulty, and time spent for a particular task. They will usually say, “It's just mowing the lawn, its easy; I could do it in a jiffy.” The problem is, no matter how trivial the task, it still takes time and resources to accomplish. If you underestimate a task, you will most likely set too little time to do it and schedule it too close to its deadline.

4. Don't Allow Yourself to Get Comfortable Doing Nothing – It would definitely help if you kept a subconscious alarm whenever you are doing nothing. Get this alarm to remind you of things that may need to be done. This will help you foster the notion that jobs accomplished now means more time for relaxation later. However, even if this is the case, do not forget to put ample time in for rest and to remove all thoughts of troubles before hitting the sack. The trick here, however, is not to overdo you rest. There is a difference between resting and idling. Always set the right amount of time for rest and stick to that schedule.

Advantages of Being Confident

Almost all successes and attainments in life come from your ability to feel certain that you can accomplish what you set out to achieve. Confidence is the gateway to success; to the life that you wish to lead and to the dreams that you desire to live.

With confidence you can boldly progress towards your ambitions and aspirations. With confidence you can rise up and handle life’s demands and challenges. You can tackle any hurdle and obstruction, and move on to the next step of your journey to fulfilment and achievement.

One of the principle requirements to anything you want to do in your life is confidence. Confidence is an indispensable part of your development, betterment, progress and success, both at a personal and professional level. With confidence you can forge ahead to fulfil your potential and perform at your peak level.

Having confidence is the crux that allows you to achieve your true potential in whatever situation; in your relationships, your work or career, your finances and your self-image.

When you experience a lack of confidence, it may stop you from striving for what you want. This feeling of lack of confidence can be the root of many complications and hardships that block you from achieving your desires. It can be like a large thorn that continually bursts the bubble of desire.

There may have been times when you have felt a level of confidence when you were engaged in an activity that you were good at; such as driving a car, being a parent or managing your team. At those times you would have displayed a high level of certainty, which is a form of confidence.

However, there may have been other circumstances where you found that you felt less confident. On these occasions, you would achieve a fraction of what is truly possible for you. With determination and focus to pursue and gain confidence, you can develop the strength and fortitude to climb out of the depths of any circumstances, and take advantage of the opportunities and successes that lay ahead of you.

In the same way that you have learned to lack confidence, you can also learn to have unlimited confidence. And the simplest and quickest way to kick-start the engines of your brain, is to know and accept that confidence can be an acquired process; it can be learned and formatted to suit all moments.

As your confidence increases, you can take a front row seat in mastering many areas of your life. You will find that you become more and more comfortable and confident in multiple areas, including:

• Moving ahead in your career

• Starting your own business

• Embracing the risks of every day life

• Refusing to be held back by fear

• Creating circumstances rather than waiting for them

• Smiling more and enjoying life

• Dramatically improving your health

Successful and dynamic people have gained mastery on how to feel courageous and confident. When you develop and build on your own confidence skills, you, too, will feel and become a different person. You will feel much more enthusiastic, motivated and determined in every aspect of your life.

Once you improve on the way you think and feel about yourself, your beliefs and your actions will follow. You will confidently overcome the challenges that life thrusts upon you and you will manage them with new-found belief and faith in your capability to do so.

As you become more confident you abandon worry, hesitation and, more importantly, you side-step fear. The focus here is on your whole being, every part of you; your thoughts, the images in your mind, your emotions, and ultimately your behaviour and the actual outcomes in your life.

Bear in mind that as you focus on change, change does begin to happen. It is fun, motivating and very rewarding to feel and see yourself growing and improving and becoming more confident and effective day-by-day and week-by-week.

There is great power in believing that you can succeed in your quest for greater confidence. With awareness and consistency, this is attainable. Your confidence can stretch beyond any measurable scale and further still, knowing no boundaries.

Just think what you can do with all the confidence that you can have!

10 ways to start taking control

At first glance, it would seem that positive thinking and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) have nothing to do with one another. But many of us with ADD develop negative thinking patterns because we become frustrated by our challenges and frequent feelings of being overwhelmed. This negative outlook then makes it even harder for us to manage those challenges and move forward.

Practicing positive thinking allows people with ADD to focus on our strengths and accomplishments, which increases happiness and motivation. This, in turn, allows us to spend more time making progress, and less time feeling down and stuck. The following tips provide practical suggestions that you can use to help you shift into more positive thinking patterns:

1. Take Good Care of Yourself

It's much easier to be positive when you are eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest.

2. Remind Yourself of the Things You Are Grateful For

Stresses and challenges don't seem quite as bad when you are constantly reminding yourself of the things that are right in life. Taking just 60 seconds a day to stop and appreciate the good things will make a huge difference.

3. Look for the Proof Instead of Making Assumptions

A fear of not being liked or accepted sometimes leads us to assume that we know what others are thinking, but our fears are usually not reality. If you have a fear that a friend or family member's bad mood is due to something you did, or that your co-workers are secretly gossiping about you when you turn your back, speak up and ask them. Don't waste time worrying that you did something wrong unless you have proof that there is something to worry about.

4. Refrain from Using Absolutes

Have you ever told a partner "You're ALWAYS late!" or complained to a friend "You NEVER call me!"? Thinking and speaking in absolutes like 'always' and 'never' makes the situation seem worse than it is, and programs your brain into believing that certain people are incapable of delivering.

5. Detach From Negative Thoughts

Your thoughts can't hold any power over you if you don't judge them. If you notice yourself having a negative thought, detach from it, witness it, and don't follow it.

6. Squash the "ANTs"

In his book "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life," Dr. Daniel Amen talks about "ANTs" - Automatic Negative Thoughts. These are the bad thoughts that are usually reactionary, like "Those people are laughing, they must be talking about me," or "The boss wants to see me? It must be bad!" When you notice these thoughts, realize that they are nothing more than ANTs and squash them!

7. Practice Lovin', Touchin' & Squeezin' (Your Friends and Family)

You don't have to be an expert to know the benefits of a good hug. Positive physical contact with friends, loved ones, and even pets, is an instant pick-me-up. One research study on this subject had a waitress touch some of her customers on the arm as she handed them their checks. She received higher tips from these customers than from the ones she didn't touch!

8. Increase Your Social Activity

By increasing social activity, you decrease loneliness. Surround yourself with healthy, happy people, and their positive energy will affect you in a positive way!

9. Volunteer for an Organization, or Help another Person

Everyone feels good after helping. You can volunteer your time, your money, or your resources. The more positive energy you put out into the world, the more you will receive in return.

10. Use Pattern Interrupts to Combat Rumination

If you find yourself ruminating, a great way to stop it is to interrupt the pattern and force yourself to do something completely different. Rumination is like hyper-focus on something negative. It's never productive, because it's not rational or solution-oriented, it's just excessive worry. Try changing your physical environment - go for a walk or sit outside. You could also call a friend, pick up a book, or turn on some music.

When it comes to the corporate world, protocol is pretty much the religion. To know the things needed to do are the basics of productivity, but interaction and having a steady mind makes up the entire thing to true productivity. There are those who seem to work well even under pressure, but they're uncommon ones and we are human and imperfect. To get these little things like stress under our skins won't solve our problems. Sometimes it takes a bit of courage to admit that we're turning to be workaholics than tell ourselves that we're not doing our best.

A Mental and Emotional boost for Self Improvement

You may not realize this, but your emotional and mental status when combined help improve and motivate yourself . Emotions can be quick to dominate your actions and reactions, even though you may not want this to happen. Society often sees emotions as a sign of weakness, so people are getting used to putting them aside and focusing on the rational aspects more and more. No matter how strict or logical you may be, you will always feel emotions. One way or another, someone or something will get through to you.

Positive emotions are a lifelong goal for many of us concerned about our emotional health and self improvement. Which is more important: The amount of money you made during your life? or the times you laughed out of sheer joy? People tend to put their positive emotions behind their negative feelings. This is one of the biggest problems that people can have during their lives. There is no clear way to ignore a negative experience and try to replace it with a positive one. Life just does not work that way.

For example, when you were a child, if your goldfish dies, you would be heartbroken. Your parents will probably buy you another goldfish but the sorrow is still there. Things get even more complex when you become an adult. A fight with your spouse the night before will affect your entire day. You will go to work angry, tired, and your mind will wander. On the way home from work you won't notice the sun shining, and you won't be tempted to stop by a roadside stand to pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables. All this because that one negative thought has contaminated the way you perceive the reality around you.

At this moment you will realize finding a safe place to relax your mind will do wonders for your emotional and mental improvement. That place is relatively easy to find. It can be an actual place or an imaginary location. The best idea is to totally lose yourself in it. Let us say you have a problem on your mind, and it just would not go away. Go bowling. If you don't know how, then give it a try. Get caught up in the game. Your mind will drift away from the negative thoughts that dominated your last hours or days and start processing a whole new kind of information.

A safe haven can take many forms. It can be a song, a movie, even a person or animal. The main thing is allow yourself to get completely involved with this new activity. You might still get flashes of the problem every now and then. Ignore it and get even more absorbed in what you are doing. When the bowling game, the song, or the movie ends you will abruptly return to reality. You will probably want to retreat back to the safe place. Do not do it. 

The safe place exists only as a helping hand, not as a solution to your life's problems, may it be a small or big. It serves only as an escape route. You will return from your safe zone with an increased energy level. You will feel better about yourself and gain more confidence. You will see that any issue can be resolved. 

This is how a small escape from a harsh reality can increase your emotional and mental health. Try to do this often and you are on your way to improving yourself. 

How to Motivate Yourself Forever

Just as willpower is an essential factor in achieving success, at some point in time, discouragement and lack of motivation may hinder you from reaching your objective. And it is up to you, and you alone, to devise techniques that will help you keep that drive within on fire.

It is helpful to have visual goals. whatsoever that is you are working towards, make it visual. It maybe something material like a car, or a vacation you have been looking forward to for the longest time.

Take or cut out a picture of it and post it at a conspicuous place at work or at home where you can see it often. So that when you feel discouraged, this will remind you of your goal and will help you keep your spotlight.

Make a contract with yourself. According to motivational researchers, people who write down to-do-lists are far more triumphant in achieving their intended goals than those people who just keep mental lists instead.

Putting something in writing somehow makes it more powerful psychologically speaking. This may also be the basis why most cultures have such a high regard in honoring contracts. In the contract, you may also include a certain reward that you will give yourself once you have accomplished the task.

After all, everyone likes to be rewarded for completing a good job. Even a simple pat on the back, “good job”, or “thank you” may do the trick to give the person the additional push to carry on, but unfortunately, these may not always be readily available. Considering that these are also essential in keeping oneself motivated, you must learn to find a way to get that encouragement on your own through pleasing yourself.

Abusive people lower your self-esteem and bring you down. Get these negative people out of your life. Surround yourself with positive people. Imitate their example. Smile amply and think happy thoughts.

These will give you a brighter outlook and lets you see a clearer picture of what you really want and a fresh mind to know what steps to take to get there. Rather than wait for things to happen, try to be proactive and MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. Inactivity idles the brain and stagnates your potential to reach your goals.

 Read inspirational books and literature. These will help you improve your attitude and heal your mind. A book of success stories also proves to be encouraging. You will not only learn from others' experiences and derive confidence boosting insights from them but the story will be instrumental in motivating you to go for your goal and move ahead with your plans. If this still seems to falter, get training or education.

Oftentimes, not knowing how or where to start is frustrating. Knowledge is power. Having a clear understanding of how and where to start is empowering and it will provide the extra drive needed to hit the mark you are aiming at and follow it through.

After reading all these tips and tricks to help get you motivated, but you still seem to lack that much needed drive; there is still one last thing to try.

Whatever it is that you have been meaning to do, or wanting to achieve, JUST DO IT! Keep on aiming high and go for it! Actually getting your hands dirty best solves the problem of motivation. By “forcing” yourself to just do it, your momentum will pick up gradually as you go along and before you know it you have finished the task or have finally achieved your goal. Divide and conquer is the key.

Break down the apparently unattainable activity, into small do-able steps. Not only does it become less overwhelming, but seeing the "in the meantime" results will further your confidence that it can indeed be done.

Lack of motivation happens to us all, but if you do not encourage yourself to accept opportunities and be challenged, no one else will. It is most important to keep your eye on the goal, find ways to keep going, and in no time, you shall reap its benefits.

And if at the beginning you were just doing it for the material reward, you will also learn to realize that the fulfillment, satisfaction and self-achievement you derive from reaching your goal is a much enjoyable high that will keep the drive within constantly burning.

Reduce Stress and Be Happy

Anything taken too much is bad for the health. A little stress is actually good, as it could serve to help you function at your best. However, stress that seems a little too much could take a physical, as well as mental, toll to your body. Stress should be managed in order for depression or anxiety to be prevented.

So how should you do it then? The following are tips and advice to help manage stress.

Write it out, Schedule it

It is best to write down everything that seems to be overwhelming. You will find a things-to-do-list much easier to manage than having errands all crumpled up in your head. Writing down the tasks, and putting a specific schedule and time to do them, helps anyone manage activities one chunk at a time. Crossing out an activity that has already been accomplished is very rewarding and could actually help you feel more relaxed when doing the other tasks at hand.

One at a time works

Focus and put all your attention specifically on one task at one time.  It does not help to feel panicky about the other undone or to-do tasks. Thinking about them only adds unnecessary stress and could even hamper in doing the task you are attempting to accomplish at present.

Relax and take it slow

At least, try not to expend too much energy on activities that are currently not priorities. This is in order for your energy to be not easily expended on the tasks that are not that important, at least for now.

Delegate, Delegate, Delegate

You need not do everything all at once, and you need not do everything on your own. Ask for help, get help, or pay for help.  When there is a feeling of being overwhelmed that is cropping up, hire someone to mow the lawn or get a sitter for your children. The feeling of being pressed to finish something on time will somehow be eliminated if tasks are delegated. It takes a load off unnecessary worry and anxiety. Moreover, it is easier checking up on how things are, than worrying yourself sick doing everything on your own, all at once.

Give yourself a reward

You deserve it. Acknowledging your accomplishments, no matter how big or small, is an effort that is necessary before getting on to the next tasks and activities. It reduces stress and could even make you happier in doing the next task.

Give yourself a break

You need it to be more productive. A ten to fifteen minute break during your work is necessary. Go visit a café nearby, take a quick brisk walk, or do anything to put your mind off work, at least for a while. This is necessary to refresh and recharge. Believe it or not, you can also stay in your work and sit with your eyes closed as you visualize a peaceful landscape or a relaxing scene. This frees the stress from your muscles and your mind.

Relax and be cool

Doing so makes you healthier, happier, and a lot more productive.

5 Tips To Supercharge Your Motivation

Motivation is the driving force behind life-enhancing change. It comes from knowing exactly what you want to do and having an insatiable, burning desire to do what’s necessary to get it. It keeps your dream on track as it is the power of motivation that keeps you going when the going gets tough.

Here’s 5 top tips to help you supercharge your motivation:

1. Create a picture board and fill it with images of your desired goals. The car you want to own, the house you want to live in, the area where you want to live yes, they’re the obvious ones. Others could be pictures of holiday destinations, trophies, first-class travel tickets, clothes you want to buy, fine restaurants you want to frequent – whatever you can think of that gets your pulse racing.

2. GET ANGRY. If you want to change your life for the better then get angry about where you’re at now. Having a blasé attitude towards change isn’t what’s needed and it won’t create a strong desire within you. So ask: “Why do I want to change?” Is it because you’re FED UP with debts? Does your job DRIVE YOU CRAZY? Is your life DULL AND PRECITABLE? Are you SICK AND TIRED of doing the same thing week in week out? Are you BORED BEYOND BELIEF by the dull, uninspiring, unhappy people you associate with? THEN GET ANGRY ABOUT IT. And I mean REAL ANGRY. Write it all down, all of the frustrating, unrewarding, miserable lot of it that makes every day a dull slog until your final days. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?

3. Speaking of your final days, start to appreciate the value of time. Time is one of the most precious resources you have and it is also a NON RENEWABLE resource. You can either use it fully or squander it. If you want to create change you’re going to have to invest a lot of time to make it happen. Start to reduce the time you waste on irrelevancies: Television, newspapers, lie-ins, weekends spent shopping, partying, dining out, visiting an endless line of relatives and friends – these won’t help you get what you want and all of them will rob time from you. Valuable time that you can use much more effectively by investing it in YOU. Remember this: You have a finite amount of time here on Earth. You don’t know how much time you have – no one does. But it’s how you use the time you have that counts. So make your time count and that means starting from right NOW.

4. Conformity. Are you a mindless little sheep who’s way too timid to pursue your own way? Do you have to follow where everyone else goes, doing exactly what everyone else does and therefore, who gets the same levels of happiness as all the other little sheep? Seriously, does this describe YOU? Are you too frightened to be different than all of the other sheep because they wouldn’t like it if you decided to follow a different path? So you dutifully trot along following all the other sheep because if they’re doing it then that’s how it is right? But if you do what everyone else does you’ll just get what everyone else gets. Do you want to be a mindless, timid little sheep who blindly follows all the other sheep? Or do you want to be a leader, a warrior who possesses the courage to be uniquely you and to do what you want to do and make your dreams happen? If so then this means you have to be more like a tiger than a sheep. Do you really want to be a sheep? I mean, haven’t we got enough sheep already?

5. Fear your fear. Fear is the force that is determined to stop you in your tracks and rob your dreams from you. But it can only do this if you let it. Are you going to let this cruel destructive charlatan trample on your dreams, steal your happiness and crush your spirit? Imagine this thought haunting your final days: “I didn’t do the things I wanted because I was too frightened to live”. And by then, it’ll be far too late to conquer fear. Refuse to let fear spoil your life and start taking action – now!

The world is waiting for your unique gifts. Why keep it waiting!

Life is About Choices and the Decisions We Make

Life is like a road. There are long and short roads; smooth and rocky roads; crooked and straight paths. In our life many roads would come our way as we journey through life. There are roads that lead to fame and fortune on one hand, or isolation and poverty on the other. There are roads to happiness as there are roads to sadness, roads towards victory and jubilation, and roads leading to defeat and disappointment.

Just like any road; there are corners, detours, and crossroads in your life. Perhaps the most perplexing road that you will encounter is a crossroad. With four roads to choose from and with limited knowledge on where they will go, which road will you take? What guarantee is there that we will choose the right one along the way? Will you take any road, or just stay where you are: in front of a crossroad?

There are no guarantees

You do not really know where a road will lead you until you take it. There are no guarantees. This is one of the most important things you need to realize about life. Nobody said that choosing to do the right thing all the time would always lead you to happiness. Loving someone with all your heart does not guarantee that it would be returned. Gaining fame and fortune does not guarantee happiness. Accepting a good word from an influential superior to cut your trip short up the career ladder is not always bad, especially if you are highly qualified and competent.  There are too many possible outcomes, which your really cannot control. The only thing you have power over is the decisions that you will make, and how you would act and react to different situations.

Wrong decisions are always at hindsight

Had you known that you were making a wrong decision, would you have gone along with it? Perhaps not, why would you choose a certain path when you know it would get you lost? Why make a certain decision if you knew from the very beginning that it is not the right one. It is only after you have made a decision and reflected on it that you realize its soundness. If the consequences or outcomes are good for you, then you have decided correctly. Otherwise, your decision was wrong.

Take the risk: decide

Since life offers no guarantee and you would never know that your decision would be wrong until you have made it, then you might as well take the risk and decide. It is definitely better than keeping yourself in limbo. Although it is true that one wrong turn could get you lost, it could also be that such a turn could be an opportunity for an adventure, moreover open more roads. It is all a matter of perspective. You have the choice between being a lost traveller or an accidental tourist of life.  But take caution that you do not make decisions haphazardly. Taking risks is not about being careless and stupid.

Here are some pointers that could help you choose the best option in the face of life’s crossroads:

· Get as many information as you can about your situation

You cannot find the confidence to decide when you know so little about what you are faced with. Just like any news reporter, ask the 5 W’s: what, who, when, where, and why. What is the situation? Who are the people involved? When did this happen? Where is this leading? Why are you in this situation? These are just some of the possible questions to ask to know more about your situation. This is important. Oftentimes, the reason for indecision is the lack of information about a situation.

· Identify and create options

What options do the situation give you? Sometimes the options are few, but sometimes they are numerous. But what do you do when you think that the situation offers no options? This is the time that you create your own. Make your creative mind work. From the most simplistic to the most complicated, entertain all ideas. Do not shoot anything down when an idea comes to your head. Sometimes the most outrageous idea could prove to be the right one in the end. You can ask a friend to help you identify options and even make more options if you encounter some difficulty, but make sure that you make the decision yourself in the end.

· Weigh the pros and cons of every option

Assess each option by looking at the advantages and disadvantages it offers you. In this way, you get more insights about the consequences of such an option.

· Trust yourself and make that decision

Now that you have assessed your options, it is now time to trust yourself. Remember that there are no guarantees and wrong decisions are always at hindsight.  So choose… decide… believe that you are choosing the best option at this point in time.

Now that you have made a decision, be ready to face its consequences: good and bad. It may take you to a place of promise or to a land of problems. But the important thing is that you have chosen to live your life instead of remaining a bystander or a passive audience to your own life. Whether it is the right decision or not, only time can tell. But do not regret it whatever the outcome. Instead, learn from it and remember that you always have the chance to make better decisions in the future.

Self Improvement And Success

There are many lessons right in front of you, that you can use on your journey to improve yourself. Take advantage of all you have. - MJ


Everything that happens to us, happens for a reason. Sometimes one thing can lead to another. Instead of locking yourself up with your fears, and crying over past heartaches, embarrassments, and failures, treat them as your teachers and they will become your tools in both self improvement and success.

So, when can self improvement become synonymous with success? Where do we start? Take these tips:

*Stop thinking and feeling as if you’re a failure, because you’re not. How can others accept you - if you can’t accept you?

*When you see hunks and models, think more about self improvement, not self pity. Self acceptance is also not just about having nice slender legs, or great abs. Concentrate on your own inner beauty.

*When people feel down and out about themselves, help them cheer up. Don’t go down with them. They will pull you down even further and both of you will end up feeling inferior.

*The world is a place for lessons, not mistakes. Don’t feel stupid, and doomed forever, just because you failed on a science quiz. There’s always a next time. Make room for self improvement.

*Take things one at a time. You don’t expect a black sheep to be a goody-two-shoes in just a snap of a finger. Self improvement is a one-day-at-a-time process.

*Self improvement results in inner stability, personality development and success. It comes from self confidence, self appreciation, self esteem and discipline

* Set meaningful and achievable goals. Self improvement won’t turn you into the exact replica of Cameron Diaz or Ralph Fiennes. The aim is to result in an improved and better you.

*Little things mean a lot to other people. We don’t realize that the little things that we do like a pat on the back, saying “hi” or “hello”, greeting someone nicely or telling Mr. Smith something like “Hey, great tie!” are simple things that mean a lot to other people. When we’re appreciative to things around us and to other people, we also become appreciated by them.

*When you’re willing to accept change, it doesn’t mean everyone else will. You will find that the world is a place where people of different values and attitude are found.

We should always remember that there’s no such thing as an ‘overnight success’. It's always a nice feeling to hold on to the things that you already have now, realizing that those are some of the things you once wished for. A quote says “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”  We are all here to learn our lessons. Our parents, school teachers, friends, colleagues, officemates, neighbors… they are our teachers. When we open our doors for our own self improvement, we increase our chances to head onto the road of success.

Unlock Your Self Improvement Power

Positive change is a change for the better. Sometimes we fail to realize this. It takes effort at first, but once we step back, take a look and realize where our shortcomings are; we can easily see what we need to do. It gives a sense of accomplishment and appreciation to your effort amd makes the process much  easier. - MJ

When we look at a certain object, a painting for example – we can never be really appreciate iwhat is painted and goes with it if the painting is only an inch away from our face. But if we step back a little further, we have a clearer vision of the whole art work.

We reach a point in our life when we are ready for change, and  the information that will help us unlock our self improvement power. Until then, something can be right under our nose but we don’t see it.  The only time we think of utilizing our self improvement power is when everything goes for the worst. Take this frog for example –

Try placing Frog A in a pot of warm water. What happens? He ribits! He jumps out! Why? Because he cannot tolerate the sudden change in his environment – the water’s temperature. Then try Frog B: place him in cool water, then turn the gas stove on. Wait until the water reaches a certain  point. Frog B then thinks “Ooh… it’s a bit warm in here”.

People are like Frog B in general. Today, Josie thinks Chuck hates her. Tomorrow, Percy walks up to her and tells her that he also hates her. Josie stays the same and doesn’t care what her friends says. The next day, she learns that Kathy and Jim also dislike her. Josie doesn’t realize all at once, the importance or the need for self improvement until the entire community hates her.

We learn our lessons when we experience pain. We finally see the warning signs and signals when things get tough. When do we realize that we need to change diets? When none of our jeans and shirts fit us. When do we stop eating candies and chocolates? When our teeth are falling out. When do we realize that we need to stop smoking? When our lungs have gone bad.

The only time most of us ever learn about unlocking our self improvement power is when the whole world is crashing and falling apart. We think and feel this way because it is not easy to change. But change becomes more painful when we ignore it.

Change will happen, like it or not. At one time or another, we are all experience different turning points in our life – and we are all going to eventually unlock our self improvement power not because the world says so, or because our friends are nagging us, but because we realized its for our own good.

Happy people don’t just accept change, they embrace it. Now, you don’t have to feel a tremendous heat before you realize the need for self improvement. Unlocking your self improvement power, means unlocking the cage of thought that “it's just the way I am”. That is just a poor excuse for people who fear and resist change. Most of us program our minds like computers.

Marcie repeatedly tells everyone that she doesn’t have the guts to be around groups of people. She has heard her mom, her dad, her sister, and her teacher; all say the same things about her to other people. Over the years, this is what Marcie believes. She believes its her own story. And what happens? Every time a group  gathers over their house, or in school, and  the community – she tends to step back, shy away or lock herself up in a room. Marcie not only believes in her story, she lives it.

Marcie has to realize that she is not what she is. She has to have the spirit to show people “I am an important person and I should be treated accordingly!”

Self improvement may not be everybody’s favorite word, but if we look at things from a different point of view, we might have a better chance of enjoying the whole process, instead of counting the days until we are fully improved. Four sessions a week at the gym will result in a healthier life, reading books instead of looking at porn will help you gain knowledge, going out with friends will help you take a step back from the daily grind and unwind.

When you are enjoying the process of unlocking your self improvement power, you’ll realize that you’re beginning to take things in stride much easier, and are becoming a happier person.

A Starters Guide To Self Improvement

Negative influences are all around and can have a dramatic effect on your self esteem. Don't let unchecked people and circumstances pull you down. Here are 6 tips on how to minimize your exposure and how to concentrate on positive influences and as a starter guide for self improvement.

Staying calm, composed and maintaining strong self esteem in today's tough environment can be difficult but is not impossible if you follow a few simple guidelines. Here are 6 tips you can use as a starter guide to self improvement.

Everything and everyone else around you can affect your self esteem. Other people can deliberately or inadvertently damage your self image. Unchecked people and circumstances can ultimately destroy your self esteem and pull you down in ways you won't even notice. Don't let these influences get the best of you. But what should you avoid?

1 : A Negative Work Environment

Beware of a "dog eat dog" environment where everyone else is fighting just to get ahead. This is where non-appreciative people usually thrive and working extra is expected and not rewarded. In this environment no one will appreciate your contributions even if you miss lunch, dinner, and stay at work late into the night. Unless you are very fortunate most of the time you will work too hard with no help from others around you. This type of atmosphere will ruin your self esteem. This is not just healthy competition, at its worst it is brutal and very damaging.

2: Other Peoples Behavior

Bulldozers, brown nosers, gossipmongers, whiners, backstabbers, snipers, walking wounded, controllers, naggers, complainers, exploders, patronizers, sluffers - whatever you want to call them, all have one thing in common - an overriding desire to prosper at the expense of others. Avoid them and do not be tempted to join them. They may get some short term advantage with their behaviour but deep down most are very insecure, unhappy and ashamed of their behaviour. For most their self esteem disappeared a long time ago. Seeing someone like this prosper is sickening but do not join them - you are better than that!

3: A Changing Environment

In today's fast moving society it is difficult if not impossible to avoid change. Changes challenge our paradigms and tests our flexibility, adaptability and alter the way we think. Changes can make your life difficult and may cause stress but, if it's inevitable, you must accept it, don't fight it and in time find ways to improve your life. Try to manage change and try to avoid multiple changes at the same time. If a particular change can't be avoided welcome it.  Change will be with us forever, we must learn to live with it.

4: Past Experience

We all carry "baggage" - past experiences which have moulded us to who we are today, but some people live in their past experiences - usually something that hurt and still hurts. It's okay to cry out when you experience pain but don't let pain dominate your life as it will transform itself into fears and phobias. If something painful happens, or has happened to you, find a way to minimise the effects. Discuss it with a friend, a family member or a professional if necessary and move on. Don't let it continue to dominate your life and dictate your future actions. Because something bad has happened doesn't mean it will happen again. Learn what you can from any bad experience and move on.

5: Negative World View

The television news is full of doom and gloom and it is true that around the world there are many people suffering war, famine or other natural or man-made disasters. Whilst I do not suggest you should not care and do nothing, remember that there are many beautiful positive things happening too. Don't wrap yourself up with all the negative aspects around the world. Learn to look for beauty too for, in building self esteem, we must learn how to be positive in a negative world.

6: Determination Theory

Are we a product of our biological inherited characteristics (nature) or a result of the influences we absorb throughout out lives (nurture)? I believe how we are is due to a mixture of both nurture and nature and as a result our behavioural traits are not fixed. Whilst it is true that some things are dictated by genetics (for example race, color and many inherited conditions) your environment and the people in your life have a major effect on your behaviour. You are your own person, you have your own identity and make your own choices. The characteristics your mother or father display are not your destiny. Learn from other people's experience, so you don't suffer the same mistakes.

Are some people are born leaders or positive thinkers? I don't believe so. Being positive, and staying positive is a choice. Building self esteem and drawing on positive experiences for self improvement is a choice, not a rule or a talent. No-one will come to you and give you permission to build your self esteem and improve your self. It is in your control.

It can be hard to keep positive, especially when others and circumstances seem to be conspiring to pull you down. You need to protect yourself and give yourself a chance to stay positive. Improving your self esteem gives you that protection.

One way to stay positive is to minimise your exposure to harmful influences while using affirmations to boost the positive influences in your life. Constantly reminding yourself of the good things in your life will keep the impact of negative influences to a minimum.

A Motivation Theory To Try Right Now

There is a motivation theory that came from neurolinguistic programming which you can try right now. You might be surprised at the results.

A good motivation theory has to recognize the fact that we each get motivated differently. In the practice of neuro-linguistic programming  or "NLP" this is taken into account in many ways. One of the more useful NLP theories is the concept of "away-from" and "towards" personalities:

Of course, we each have both modes of operation as a part of the way we function, but often one is dominant in each of us. Those in who the "towards" motivation dominates will be more affected by thoughts of future rewards. Those with a primarily "away-from" motivational style, will be more affected by thoughts of escaping pain or trouble.

Why not use this test to get an idea about which motivational style dominates your personality? Just read the following two descriptions of what having millions of dollars could mean to you.

1. You are safe and secure. You never have to return to your job or do anything you don't want to do. You have the means to eliminate most of your problems easily. You have everything you need to be free and comfortable.

2. You have the house of your dreams, and your favorite car, too. You buy anything you want for you and your friends, and you do what you want. You have the means to achieve any of your goals.

If the first description is more compelling to you, you primarily have an "away-from" personality. If you feel more motivated by the second description, you have a "towards" personality. There are good and bad points to both types. "Towards" individuals make good entrepreneurs, for example, but often get into trouble because they don't plan well enough to avoid problems. "Away-from" individuals manage things well and avoid problems, but don't do as well at big goals.

So how do you use this motivation theory and this knowledge about yourself to your best advantage? Suppose you want to make more money and you are an "towards" person. You would want to envision the things you'll buy and do with that money, but also be aware that you may be glossing over the problems. If you are an "away-from" person, you'll need to continually remind yourself what a mess it will be if you fail. Otherwise you'll lose your motivation once you reach some level of comfort.

Of course, when you understand these two motivational styles, you can also influence others more easily. If you wanted to sell a new car to someone, for example, you would first determine if they are motivated away from things or towards things. For the former, you might explain how this new car will mean no more used-car hassles, or how it will make life easier. For the latter, you would explain how great they'll look in it, or what it can do.

You can play with this theory, and practice using this knowledge to influence others, but don't forget to influence yourself. While it is useful for understanding and influencing others, this is a motivation theory that is best used to affect your own self improvement.

Motivation, The Heart Of Self Improvement

Pain can be a good reason why people change sometimes. Flunking grades make us realize that we need to study. Debts remind us of our inability to look for a source of income. Humiliated gives us the ‘push’ to speak up and fight for ourselves to save our face from the further embarrassment. It may be a bitter experience, a friend’s tragic story, a great movie, or an inspiring book that helps us get the right amount of motivation we need to improve ourselves.

With all the negativities the world brings, how do we keep ourselves motivated? Try these tips from A to Z. You will be surprised at how obvious and easy to apply they are

A - Achieve your dreams. Avoid negative people, things and places. Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

B - Believe in your self, and in what you can do.

C – Consider things on every angle and aspect. Motivation comes from determination. To be able to understand life, you should feel the sun from both sides.

D – Don’t give up and don’t give in. Thomas Edison failed once, twice, more than three times before he came up with his invention and perfected the incandescent light bulb. Make motivation your steering wheel.

E – Enjoy. Work as if you don’t need money. Dance as if nobody’s watching. Love as if you never cried. Learn as if you’ll live forever. Motivation takes place when people are happy.

F – Family and Friends – are life’s greatest ‘F’ treasures. Don’t loose sight of them.

G – Give more than what is enough. Where does motivation and self improvement take place at work? At home? At school? When you exert extra effort in doing things.

H – Hang on to your dreams. They may dangle in there for a moment, but these little stars will be your driving force.

I – Ignore those who try to destroy you. Don’t let other people to get the best of you. Stay out of toxic people – the kind of friends who hates to hear about your success.

J – Just be yourself. The key to success is to be yourself. And the key to failure is to try to please everyone.

K – keep trying no matter how hard life may seem. When a person is motivated, eventually he sees a harsh life finally clearing out, paving the way to self improvement.

L – Learn to love your self. Now isn’t that easy?

M – Make things happen. Motivation is when your dreams are put into work clothes.

N – Never lie, cheat or steal. Always play a fair game.

O – Open your eyes. People should learn the horse attitude and horse sense. They see things in 2 ways – how they want things to be, and how they should be.

P – Practice makes perfect. Practice is about motivation. It lets us learn repertoire and ways on how can we recover from our mistakes.

Q – Quitters never win and winners never quit. So, choose your fate – are you going to be a quitter? Or a winner?

R – Ready yourself. Motivation is also about preparation. We must hear the little voice within us telling us to get started before others will get on their feet and try to push us around. Remember, it wasn’t raining when Noah build the ark.

S – Stop procrastinating.

T – Take control of your life. Discipline or self control jives synonymously with motivation. Both are key factors in self improvement.

U – Understand others. If you know very well how to talk, you should also learn how to listen. Yearn to understand first, and to be understood the second.

V – Visualize it. Motivation without vision is like a boat on a dry land.

W – Want it more than anything. Dreaming means believing. And to believe is something that is rooted out from the roots of motivation and self improvement.

X – X Factor is what will make you different from the others. When you are motivated, you tend to put on “extras” on your life like extra time for family, extra help at work, extra care for friends, and so on.

Y – You are unique. No one in this world looks, acts, or talks like you. Value your life and existence, because you’re just going to spend it once.

Z – Zero in on your dreams and go for it!!!