How To Clean Up Your Clutter

Self-Help for the Pack-Rat

PACK RATS PAY ATTENTION this article is for you. You need to get rid of clutter, not re-arrange it so let’s get busy! Here are some ideas that will make your life simply CLUTTER FREE! Let’s get busy putting a lid on clutter.

Tupperware is out and ZIP-LOCK containers and every plastic storage box you can imagine can now be purchased for as little as $1.00. These clear containers can be purchased in all sizes to keep your life organized and clutter-free! The containers can easily be marked with a Sharpie pen so that you can store items in higher cabinets and know exactly which one you need to grab for items like batteries! Your utility closets can be more organized by placing mittens and ski goggles in larger containers or smaller office supplies in much smaller, round clear boxes.

If you have a habit of not getting film developed, now is the time to create a special place for the film you need to send off and the snapshots that are truly unforgettable. Place all film that needs to be developed in one container and never run out of film again by placing new film in another container. Store recently developed pictures in a small square container until you have time to put them in photo albums.

If you have a daughter (or son) who may be interested in scrap booking, mark one of the larger boxes specifically for Scrapbook activities. Stock it with any recently developed photos, class play programs, ribbons, and all sorts of scrap booking supplies.

Have a box designated for all books, tapes, old X-Box games and Western Movies that Dad no longer watches. When the box is full take the whole family to a SWAP shop and trade the old in for items that are new-to – you. You will be surprised what kind of treasures can be found …….old Beatles records , The Old Ronald McDonald glasses from McDonald’s , Old books and much more.

If you check books and videos out at the library, make a box for items to return to the library. You also need a “returns” box, especially right after Christmas. Anything you need to return to a SPECIALTY SHOP or the MALL, you will have it handy as you start to run out the door.

Everyone needs a Gift Wrapping Center which should probably be the largest container that you have in your arsenal of plastic boxes. Be sure you have ribbon, scissors, wrapping paper, Gift Bags, an assortment of paper tissue, tape and everything you need to simplify your life.

While you’re probably visualizing a mental photo of your house looking more like a clearing house for Tupperware, nothing could be further from the truth. After you organize your boxes, simply put them away ….shove them in closets, under beds and place your cosmetic box neatly under your bathroom sink. When you need something, you will quickly know where to find it, but don’t worry; your guests will never see the boxes because after you organize everything into neat boxes and containers, you’ll have plenty of places to hide them !

Control Stress By Managing It

One reason you can rarely tell when Corporate Executives are stressed out is because they have learned to effectively manage their stress levels. If they didn’t, under the high pressure, they would fold. They can’t walk around in a state of disarray because they don’t have that luxury. There’s always another Apprentice ready to take their place, and they too will be able to effectively manage stress.

One of the number one stress-relievers is exercise. Exercise is a way to release tension and take your mind off of the stress that is likely bogging you down and weighing heavy on your heart. If you don’t have the time to exercise, you better find time. High-stress jobs can bring on all sorts of health problems and put you at a greater risk for heart disease and stroke. You also run the risk of other health problems often brought on by stress.

If you like to read, curl up with one of your favorite books right before calling it a day. If you read before you fall asleep, it’s likely you will experience a more restful night because the last thing on your mind as you begin to doze off will not be a mental checklist of things to do first thing the next morning. Do not watch the news before going to bed. There is always something on that will lead you to think of stressful situations in the world, and right now at this very minute, you can’t do anything, so go to sleep without the TV on.

If you are on the computer a lot during your normal business hours, avoid it at all costs on the home front. You don’t need a visual reminder of what work looks like. Don’t even play online poker during the work week, don’t turn it on. Take up a new hobby such as Golf, Horseback Riding or something the whole family can enjoy. It is much more fun to have time to relax with your family and friends and as long as everyone gets along, it’s stress free.

Soak in a hot, luxurious bath. Fill the tub with bubbles and let your cares float away and all of the stresses of the day. Guys and Girls find that a manicure with an extensive hand massage is a favorite way to relieve stress and ladies, a pedicure can do the trick, quicker! Taking care of you definitely relieves the day’s tensions. Full body massages are an extra special way to treat yourself when you know you are facing a pretty tough week ahead or you have just had the week you want to forget.

Take your vitamins and find out which vitamins and nutrients are effective in giving you more energy and mental clarity so you are sure to be at 100% on the job or off!

Finally, plan ahead. Keep an organized day planner and use it for business and personal events. Keep important phone numbers in the address book of the planner, because you never know when you might be stuck in traffic and running late! And being late can cause an enormous amount of stress.

Checklist For Success

Students that are planning to attend College after graduating from High School, need to plan early in life what they want to “be when they grow up.” You may ask why it is so important for them to make up their minds this early in life. The reason is competition . In the day of Parents pushing their children harder than ever before, College Admissions are likely to see an Increase in Very Capable Students applying for college.

The Ivy-League Schools are going to have their choice of top-notch College Applicants with no one person “standing out” as a more Beautiful Mind than the next student standing right behind him. Many High School Seniors are showing down scores of 1500+SAT (Is) before they begin the process of applying for any of the top schools in the nation. Last year, College Admissions had the toughest time deciding who to admit and who to place on a waiting list. It was the toughest year in the history of the Ivy League Schools.

The reason we are seeing a dramatic increase in College Test Scores is not only because Students take the ACT and SAT earlier than before but also the test preparation and study guides that help a serious student plan and study. It goes deeper than that. College Admissions are not seeing an increase in qualified candidates just because of test preparation, High School Curriculums are becoming tougher and States are cracking down on attendance, disciplinary problems within Public Schools, and other factors that cause distractions within the classroom.

Private Schools are making their curriculum tougher with each passing year and Parents are making more and more sacrifices to send their children to the best Private Schools and Boarding Schools in the nation. Private schools offer creative financing and grants for Parents that simply could not afford the Private School Education any other way.

Parents are driven to have their children succeed and they know that it isn’t going to happen with mediocre schools with mediocre curriculums. Homeschooling has become a viable option if parents can provide their children with a better education than public schools offer. Homeschooled Children, like the Children that attend Private Schools , are scoring higher on state-initiated tests, and this proves that the county and public schools are simply not doing what it takes to offer an exceptional education to the children of this country.

If Parents do not take an active approach in insuring their child has every opportunity to succeed in life, children of today will be lucky to work for minimum wages when they enter the workplace. It’s likely with the top Colleges in the nation battling for the Best, the Brightest, that the average student will receive a mediocre college education. If Parents look ahead at what competition their children will face, they might begin to encourage their children to take active measures to become a better student, and not just a better student, an exceptional one.

How To Earn Money From Home

More and more people are looking for profitable ways to earn money from home. Commutes are shorter from the bedroom to the home-office and lunch is cheap. There isn’t a better way to make a living than from the comfort of your own home. So why aren’t more people doing it? They don’t know how.

There are many “opportunities” on the World Wide Web today. In order to find the one that suits your needs, you first need to decide what it is that you want in a home-based business opportunity. Ask yourself a series of questions of what it is that you are looking for in a home business and then go to the world wide web and search until you find one!

Your first order of Business is to list each question and each answer on a sheet of paper. Brainstorm with yourself for a few minutes. What is it that you like to do? Do you have an interest in Network Marketing? Do you like the Health and Wellness Industry? How many hours per day are you interested in working? What are your income goals?

After you have listed a series of questions and answers , determine what kind of home business you would be interested in starting or if you don’t really want a home business of your own , determine what companies would have a need for home workers to work from the comfort of their homes.

Are you salesperson? If so, some companies will hire you to do their telemarketing from home. Do you enjoy health and wellness? There are a lot of home-based business opportunities waiting for energetic distributors and demonstrators. You can find anything you want by certain keywords such as: Direct Selling, Home Based Businesses, Distributors Wanted, Home Party Plan and many more.

If you are interested in making money on ebay, you would be surprised to know that there is still room for you on eBay. The company’s slogan should be similar to a famous battery slogan with minor changes, “eBay, they keep growing and growing and…..” You get the picture. eBay can always use new talent.

Day Trading in the stock market is also a viable option. Careful though, if you choose this route, be conservative, there isn’t much difference between Day Traders and Professional Gamblers, so if you don’t know what you’re doing, avoid this option.

If you want to work from home, but not necessarily on the computer, you have unlimited options including: Wedding Planner, Catering, Providing Before and After School Childcare for school aged children, Pet Grooming and Boarding , and the list goes on. The opportunities are endless.

Once you find your niche, get with an Accountant to see what you need to do to get the most tax advantages from your home based business. You can write off things you probably would never think about without the advice of an expert. In fact, it is just smart business to have a home business because of the tax advantages. See an Accountant as quickly as you can, because you are going to be a huge success!

Self Help For Social Anxiety

Social Anxiety Disorder is a Psychiatric Disorder that attacks one out of every eight Americans. This disorder can devastate more than your self esteem, it can destroy your marriage, finances and many other aspects of your life. The disorder is characterized by fear of social situations. Those who have the disorder can become physically sick in social situations.

There is help for people suffering with this disorder. If you seek treatment, you will be able to obtain medications, counseling and support group information to help cope with this Psychiatric Disorder. After seeking treatment, there are things that you can do to help alleviate stressful social situations and ways to begin to reacquaint yourself with friends and family members.

First, You need to read everything you can on Social Anxiety Disorder. Go to your local library and check out books on the subject. Then, check out books with topics on Building Self-Esteem, Positive Thinking, Public Speaking, anything that you think will empower you to gain more confidence. You can not just “snap your fingers” and have this disorder just disappear You need to read everything you can on the subject and subjects that will help you re-build your own self-worth.

Second, Keep a daily, weekly, and monthly journal. In the daily journal write down where you are right now in your life. Write about any and all social situations. How did you feel in those social situations? How do you think other people reacted to you and how did you react to them? Did you feel sick today when you were in the social situation?

At the end of the week, summarize your set-backs and itemize your progress. At the end of the month, write two pages in your journal. The first page should summarize any difficult situations and how you overcame the situation, or how you dealt with it. The second page should summarize the social events and social situations where you felt comfortable and why you felt comfortable. How did you feel overall? While this may seem to be a waste of time, the journals will help you face and overcome your fears.

Third, Set social goals and follow through. If you are extremely uneasy at the mall, then go to the mall and walk in. Then walk out, immediately. If your social anxiety seems to attack you when you are in the middle of a crowded building, walk to the center of the crowd, and immediately turn and walk away. Take Baby steps.

Finally, always talk to your Doctor openly and honestly. Take your medication and try to overcome your social anxiety so that you can experience the life that you deserve to live at the very fullest. Stressful social situations happen to everyone at some point in their lives and one out of every eight people know how you feel to be living with something much worse than “one social situation ,” you are not alone at all and though there is little comfort in knowing that you aren’t alone , do know that you are understood.

Learning To Cope With Your ADD Child

Attention Deficit Disorder, ADD, is one of the hardest things to cope with as a parent. The child with ADD is hard to parent but given the desire to learn effective coping strategies, both parent and child will find a workable solution.

One of the first things you need to do when you are informed that you child “has ADD” is get a second opinion. Teachers will often take a child with behavioral problems and pull a parent aside to insist he be tested for ADD. Whoever it is that gives you their “professional opinion” on your child and the potential they may have for ADD, will likely know what they are talking about. However, because ADD in children can sometimes be hard to diagnose, always get a second opinion.

Make sure the entire family learns all they can about ADD and works to help the child that is battling the disorder. Children with ADD will often have moments that will embarrass the entire family, because usually what comes to mind comes out of their mouth. During these particularly uncomfortable moments, pause and take a deep breath. Then just smile. NEVER MAKE EXCUSES for the child in front of him/her.

Understand that if one family member has ADD, it will affect every family member. Try to form a support group for each other, but never allow the child with ADD to feel like it is him against the rest of the family.

Decide if you are going to initiate counseling for the entire family. ADD FAMILIES do not let the person carry the burden alone, if one goes to counseling, they all go. Anytime you sense one member is pulling back, make sure you quickly encourage that individual and remind them of the family unit... Older siblings sometime begin to resent all of the attention and focus on the ADD child’s problems and concerns. They feel left out and often feel they have their own needs put aside for the needs of a more important family member……”the needy one.”

Try to keep a good sense of humor. ADD can turn a family inside out and upside down and you just have to keep your wits about you otherwise you will pull your hair out. In the mid 90’s, children with ADD were treated more like outcasts. Often without meaning any harm, the very people that made ADD children feel abnormal were the
People they were closest too. Announcing to everyone you meet that you have a child with ADD doesn’t build his self-esteem and sometimes the things you say in front of a child with ADD can cause even more problems.

Daily, tell your child that you love him or her. Take the opportunity to tell them you are proud of them and when you see significant improvements in the effort they are putting forward to manage the ADD on their own, make a point to share with them that you see an improvement.

Adult Chidren Coping With Their Parent's Divorce

Anyway you slice it; DIVORCE is a big ugly word no matter how you say it. When 2 people get married, have children and then divorce, it is even uglier. It’s even harder when grown children watch two of the people they love equally “separate and divide.”

Though Marital Separations and Divorce should be easier on Adults than young children, often that isn’t the case. Young children are resilient and can adapt more quickly to change.

Adults have such a hard time watching their parents divorce because as adults, they now understand relationships. They understand adultery, deception, financial difficulties, health issues; they understand more than they care to understand. This makes it harder for them to accept. If the adult child lives nearby, it can be even more difficult. Parents may not mean to, but by talking to their children about the divorce or the situations that caused the marriage to deteriorate, they are putting their children in the middle.

If one parent has health or psychological problems, this makes it tough for the other parent. Blame can be placed and assumptions made about the parent having no humanity for the person they spent the better part of 20+ years claiming to love. Health and emotional problems endured by one parent can turn the adult child into an overnight care taker of the parent that needs additional support because of health-related issues. This can then lead to resentment, anger, and total contempt for the parent that doesn’t seem to have any pressing health problems and definitely lacks compassion.

How, then do adults cope effectively when their parents divorce late in life? Open Communication is necessary in order to have a continuing relationship with both parents. It is important for the children to refuse to become involved in the splitting of marital assets. If either parent is leaving the marriage because of an extra-marital affair, it is important for the child to avoid confrontation with the new focus in the parent’s love life. Remember, Parents divorce each other not their children.

Adults watching there parents divorce late in life may be difficult, but they need to be a support system for both parents and realize now it is all about them. It has nothing to do with anyone else.

Counseling for all parties involved might be a good idea if things do not go smoothly for the family. Even through Divorce, it is important to remember that the Family will always be there with memories, stories, and love. As hard as it is to accept that parents decide late in life to walk away from what was perceived to be a blissful marriage , it would be harder to watch aging parents live out the rest of their lives with what-ifs and if-only.

The best things an adult child can do for their divorcing parents are nothing unusual or out of the ordinary. Don’t cater to their every whim and don’t take sides, just love them both.

Positive thinking

Filling one’s mind with positive thoughts and encouraging beliefs can empower one to become far more successful than one actually is. Even if that person cannot fully unleash their full personal potential, he or she will actually see and feel himself or herself move up rung-after-rung on the ladder of success!

Using positive thinking to improve your life can be….just that…life-changing. It’s when you admit thoughts, words, images that are conducive towards your growth and use it for the betterment of your life, you’re using positive thinking. Positive thinking can be done using mere thoughts, eliminating negative ones, using words and phrases or quotes; or some people use positive affirmations and visualization to help improve their lives. It all depends on what works best on that person and with positive thinking, no two persons respond the same way to the same method. Everyone is different.

An open and positive mind is not only open to ideas on how to improve his or her life, he or she is actually using the mind to control his or her decision so that he or she can achieve better results in life. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and success. When the mind anticipates these things, that person will make decisions based on these expectations.

Even though many people have heard about the benefits of positive thinking or have seen the encouraging outcome of people who have turned their lives around using this technique, some, sadly, still scoff at the idea and choose to think that it’s all a bunch of hogwash! The problem with these people who choose not to believe in positive thinking is that they are not informed enough to make a sound judgment and have not tried out the method or even if they’ve tried out the positive thinking method, did it wrongly. Despite the fact that some people remain unbelieving of the positive thinking concept, the topic is quickly gaining ground and popularity, judging from the number of books, lectures, papers, thesis’s and guides written to help people use positive thinking techniques more effectively.

Let’s use an example to illustrate how positive thinking can change one’s life.

Emma thought that her life was over when she found out that her cheating husband is filing for divorce. She will be saddled with their child, Emily, with no fixed income. Her life is over, as far as she is concerned. She has a very negative outlook in life and has no self-esteem left. A friend recommended positive thinking to Emma after her divorce to cure her of the drinking problems and insomnia that Emma has been feeling. Her life didn’t have to fall apart, according to that friend.

And her friend was right, with the techniques of positive thinking, Emma, today, is successful in her own right as a secretary, earning a nice income, living in a nice apartment with Emily and enjoys a fulfilling life as a career woman and mother. She’s even dating now and this is the kind of happy ending positive thinking is capable of providing.

Once you stop believing that one mistake, one negative event can destroy you, positive thinking can turn your life around…for the better.

How to create positive energy and get the success you deserve

We have all heard about the power of positive thinking, and it is certainly true that positive energy can go a long way toward ensuring your success and that of your colleagues. Whether you work for someone else or work as your own boss, radiating a positive energy will get you noticed in the right way.

It is not always easy to radiate this positive energy, especially when things are not going well. This is especially true of those who take their future into their own hands by running their own businesses. Every industry has its ups and downs, and it can be difficult to maintain a positive energy when the company falls from profitability and it is hard to make ends meet.

The best business owners, however, find a way to maintain a positive spirit and positive energy no matter what is going on around them. Even when times are tough, those successful business owners find a way to make the most of the situation, and to help keep those around them focused and positive as well.

Maintaining a positive attitude in the face of adversity is an essential part of running your own business. That is because a positive attitude is infectious, and those around you will find themselves picking up on your own positive energy. People just naturally like to surround themselves with positive people, and if you exhibit a positive attitude you will find it much easier to deal with suppliers, coworkers, colleagues and superiors. There is a reason that the most successful people in the world of business tend to be those with the most positive attitudes.

Just as important as surrounding yourself with positive energy is avoiding contact with negative attitudes. Negative energy is just as contagious as the positive variety, and many people find that associating with a negative crowd can be a real impediment to their success. It is best to cut yourself off from the negative energy of those around you, or, better yet, to turn that negative energy into positive energy.

Turning negative energy into its more positive variety is a great way to turn a bad situation into a better one. This is true whether you are working for an outside employer or making your own way in the world. If you are working for someone else, keeping an aura of positive energy about you can make it much easier to deal with your coworkers, and to get them to see things your way. That is because people naturally like to be around those with a positive attitude and a good outlook on life. Being the person with this great attitude can help you enjoy the success you deserve.

A positive attitude and an abundance of positive energy can have benefits that extend far beyond the world of business. A positive attitude can be a great thing in personal relationships as well. Whether you are enjoying a great party or enjoying the company of a special someone on a night out, radiating positive energy can help you put your best foot forward and increase your chances of a great and satisfying relationship.

Using positive affirmations to achieve success

Everyone talks about the power of positive thinking, but many people do not realize just how important a positive attitude is to professional success. We all recognize the importance of positive affirmations to personal growth and healthy relationships, but many people do not understand that the power of those positive affirmations extends far beyond one’s personal life into his or her professional life as well.

Whether you are in business for yourself or working for someone else, having a positive attitude can be a real boon to your long-term success. If you are one of those people moving through life always concerned that the worse will happen, chances are you will be right, and bad things will continue to happen to you. Until you turn your attitude around, using a combination of positive affirmations and other psychological and personal coaching techniques, you will be held back from the success that you deserve.

You have probably noticed a common element in those who are most successful, in business and in life. These achievers and successful people tend to be enthusiastic and eager, in all aspects of their lives. This enthusiasm is infectious, and it tends to rub off on all those people with whom the successful person has contact. A positive attitude, and the ability to turn that attitude into results is essential to motivating employees to do better, getting the best from suppliers, and working with peers, both in business and personally.

As you can see, a positive attitude is a valuable asset, no matter what your place in the working world. This means that you should get into the habit of doing regular positive affirmations. Making positive affirmations a habit is a great way to change your world view and help yourself be more successful.

It is never too early to start this cycle of positive affirmations, and even those in entry level jobs can benefit from a positive attitude. Even if your job seems insignificant and meaningless, it is important to display a positive attitude, and not let negativity creep in to steal your enthusiasm. Remember that some of the most successful CEO’s and business owners started at the bottom and worked their way up. It real is possible to work your way up from the mailroom to the corner office, but without positive affirmations and a winning attitude, this move will not be possible.

Regular positive affirmations are even more important for those people running their own businesses. Running a business is never easy, but it is important to remember that those around you, from employees to suppliers to competitors, pick up on your attitude, and use at as a cue. If you are constantly complaining about the business and its lack of growth, your employees will be less than inspired. If, on the other hand, you are constantly providing positive affirmations to your employees, even in the toughest of times, they will see your enthusiasm, learn from it, and use it as a cue to work harder and help the business grow and prosper. It really does all boil down to attitude; a positive attitude and positive affirmations can help your business in ways too numerous to mention.

Addressing the performance vs. outcome issue

The issue of performance vs. outcome is always a hot button issue, and it is important for all managers, business owners and others to address it properly. While top performance and a winning outcome often go hand in hand, it is possible to put in a winning performance and still not achieve the outcome you seek. It is important to understand that an occasional disparity of performance vs. outcome is perfectly normal.

For instance, sometimes this difference in performance vs. outcome is caused by factors outside our control. For instance, a downturn in the airline industry may mean that no matter how admirably a flight attendant, manager or pilot performs, the underlying results will still be lacking. This is perfectly understandable and not something in the control of the average person.

However, this extreme example is far from the norm, and in most business scenarios we have far more control over the performance vs. outcome aspect of the business. This is certainly true for the small business owner, who exercises a far greater level of control than is possible in a larger corporation. So while it is normal for performance and business outcomes to diverge on occasion, if it happens consistently there is most likely an underlying problem that must be addressed.

In order to achieve success, it is vital to get to the bottom of any recurring performance vs. outcome disparities, and to do all you can to address those issues. The first step to take when performance is good but outcomes are bad is to find the underlying cause of the problem. Are your competitors undercutting you on price and stealing your business away? Are you losing quality employees to your competition? Is the attitude of your staff members (or yourself) negative? Until you get to the bottom of the problem, it will be impossible to address the underlying performance vs. outcome issue.

After you have identified the source of the performance vs. outcome, it will be easier to address it. For instance, if the problem is one of employee attitude, there are techniques that can be used to boost employee morale. Other than the obvious step of giving your staff increased wages and benefits, a step that is often out of reach for small business, there are smaller, less expensive things that can be done to show employees that they are appreciated. These inexpensive but thoughtful touches include awards ceremonies, certificates of achievement or even a day off with pay. These morale boosters have been used by many successful companies to improve their business and address problems with performance vs. outcome.

Even if you do not own your own business, these techniques for addressing performance vs. outcome can be very important. All successful managers know how important it is to get the best from their staff, and that means using many of the morale boosting techniques used by business owners. While the typical manager will not have as much latitude when it comes to raises as does the business owner, there are many excellent techniques he or she can use to address any performance vs. outcome disparities and turn them around.

Path to success

Let’s not kid ourselves. The path to success is one that is going to be riddled with lots of uphills and downhills. We will never be adequately prepared for the path to success, no matter how well we’ve planned things.

The mind, the body and the soul will all have to be prepared for success and it’s not an easy task – especially the mind. But generally speaking, there are three parts or three legs to success. The route is the same but through the path of success, there will be three major turning points. And here, we will deal with the three turning points.

Turning point, path to success No. 1
This is also called the I-am-so-sure-this-is-going-to-work turning point. This is the point where you are confident, you’re sure and you’re absolutely enthusiastic beyond words to get to where you want to go. It’s like when you first start out planning your vacation. You can’t wait to get there and is absolutely sure you’re going to have loads of fun, make new friends, find a new love or just get baked under the sun! Everything’s going to be perfect.

This is the most exhilarating and fun-filled part about your journey. Everything’s so rosy, you can’t believe that you didn’t think of this sooner.

At this point, you’re also mapping out your journey, planning your path to success, talking incessantly about it and all psyched up about the notion of becoming great at something. Listen, this is the most fun-filled part of your journey, so, make sure you enjoy it because…here comes turning point No. 2.

Turning point No. 2
This will be the hardest, most difficult, extremely excruciating and challenging time of your life! You’ve invested a lot of money, time and effort into starting this journey. Your friends all know that you’ve started something and was all hyped up about it. You’ve got everything planned – but nothing is working! Well, perhaps one or two things have started shaping out, but everything else got flushed!

It’s frustrating, disappointing and absolutely nothing short of devastating to watch your plan dissipate into thin air. Everything was supposed to be perfect.

Well, at turning point No. 2, you have to decide whether you want to trudge on through the mud or turn back to the starting point. It takes a lot to be successful and that means that you have to be persistent, mentally strong, consistent and patient. This stage will pass, you will get through it alive….and this is a fact, but can you hang on? It is at this point of the journey that most people quit their projects. Are you one of them? Decide. If you’re mentally strong enough or have a strong-enough dream, you’ll get through this path to success a little bit scraped and bruised but stronger. By getting through this stop you will be stronger and more capable to handle turning point No. 3.

Turning point No.3
You’re tired and exhausted from all that fighting and keeping up with things and people. You’re almost there but you’re heaving, puffing and totally beat. You can see success in the far off distance and you’re totally sure you can reach it – but you’re tired. Absolutely tired.

Giving up now is not an option. You’ve come this far. Giving up now means you’ve wasted all those scrapes and bruises during turning point no. 2. And you MUST trudge on. If you make it, you’re a winner. If you don’t, you go back…. Further back than your starting point.

You decide.

Are you feeling overworked and underpaid?

If you are feeling overworked, underpaid and underappreciated, you certainly have plenty of company. The past few years have shown a marked increase in downsizing by all kinds of employers, from the smallest mom and pop operations to the largest multinational corporations. This drive to do more with less has left the people who remain with their employers feeling increasingly overworked, and unsure of what to do to improve the situation.

One way to deal with the feeling of being overworked is to work smarter instead of harder. We have all heard the famous phrase “work smarter not harder”, but few people have taken the time to understand what this phrase really means. If your employer needs to do more with less, in order to remain employed you will have to do more with less as well. While it may not seem fair, and probably is not fair, to be asked to do the work of two, three or even four people for the same amount of money, that unfortunately is the world we find ourselves in today.

Another way to deal with being overworked, of course, is to ask for a raise, but it is important to proceed cautiously when taking this approach. Before you ask for a raise, it is important to make a detailed list of your accomplishments, especially those projects that have helped to save the company money. Your chances of getting the raise you need and want will be enhanced if you can show the company real savings you have created. If you can show your boss how you have saved him or her money, he or she may be willing to share some of those cost savings in the form of a raise. Simply being overworked will not be enough to convince your employer you deserve more money.

If these plans to address the problem of being overworked do not work out, you may want to consider striking out on your own and opening your own business. Before doing so, however, it is important to realize that being your own boss will definitely not relieve those feelings of being overworked. You have probably heard that entrepreneurs put in much longer hours than their nine to five counterparts and this is certainly true of most business owners.

The great thing about running your own business, however, is those long hours are in the service of a goal you can see, and a goal in which you enjoy the rewards. Instead of being overworked and underpaid for an unappreciative outside employer, when you own your own business you are squarely in charge of your financial future. Therefore, even if you remain overworked, you may find yourself less stressed, and more amply rewarded for your efforts.

Whether your feelings of being overworked stem from an unappreciative employer, general feelings of stress, personal problems or financial issues, it is important to address them. Doing whatever it takes to avoid feeling overworked is important, whether that means finding a new job, becoming your own boss, or working smarter at your current job.

Using mind tools to enhance personal and professional success

For many years, professional coaches, psychologists and even doctors have understood the important role mind tools play in success in a wide variety of areas. From professional sports to business to good health, mind tools play a vital role in helping you achieve your goals and get the most out of life.

Smart business owners understand how to use mind tools to visualize the success of their various business ventures, and then to make that vision a reality. One of the most significant barriers to success, in business or anywhere else, is a negative attitude. If you feel that you cannot succeed, you will not be successful, no matter how good your product or service is. If, on the other hand, you project a positive and winning attitude, even when things are not going well, chances are your business will grow and thrive.

Using mind tools effectively is not that hard to do, but it does take some practice and some patience. Some people are naturally more adept at visualizing their future success than are others. If using mind tools to visualize your success comes naturally to you, chances are you will find it easy to conquer this psychological technique. If, on the other hand, you are one of those people who find it difficult to visualize things, you may need to seek help or professional coaching in order to learn how to use mind tools effectively.

Fortunately, there are a number of excellent counselors, in many markets around the country, who are skilled at teaching business people how to use mind tools to enhance their success. It should not be difficult to find such a coach, but it is important to find one which whom you feel comfortable. When it comes to personal coaching, the repoire between the coach and the coached is one of the most important factors. If you do not feel comfortable with your personal success coach, you will not be able to learn to use those mind tools to achieve success.

Many people find it helpful to seek personal coaching recommendations from other professionals in their field. Soliciting the advice of those who have already been there is always a good strategy, whether you are dealing with mind tools and personal coaching or how to effectively market a business. After all, those will personal experience in the world of business and professional coaching will have knowledge that is not available in any book. It is difficult to overstate the importance of learning from experience, whether the subject is mind tools and professional success or self esteem and personal growth.

The bottom line is this: if you are looking for a way to enhance your business and make it a success, the first step is to make your attitude a positive one. Few business owners will be able to succeed without a winning, can-do attitude, and it is important to visualize yourself as a success in business and in life. Using a combination of personal enrichment, professional coaching, psychology and mind tools will help you achieve a positive attitude and a winning business strategy.

Examining mind programming and its affects on your success

When it comes to succeeding, in business and in life, it is difficult to overstate the importance of a positive attitude. A positive, can do attitude can work wonders in business and personal relationships, while a negative attitude can be a major impediment. That is why mind programming is so important. Programming yourself for success is a vital first step toward enjoying the success you have earned.

When people speak of mind programming they may have several different things in mind. To one person, for instance, mind programming may simply mean keeping a positive attitude in the face of adversity. That positive attitude will certainly serve you well in the business world, and it will help you greatly in personal relationships as well.

That is because no one likes to be around someone who is constantly throwing off negative energy. People who are negative can drag down those around them, and an important part of mind programming is eliminating those negative influences from your life. Surrounding yourself with negative people is dangerous to your success, and it can be a major impediment to a happy life as well.

That is why surrounding yourself with a positive and helpful circle of friends, colleagues and acquaintances is such an important element of the techniques of mind programming. Keeping yourself surrounded by people who express a positive attitude is a great way for you to get the support you need, and to make yourself a success in all you do.

This kind of mind programming is important for just about everyone. After all, everyone can use a more positive attitude, and it is hard to not see the world negatively from time to time. If you can learn to use mind programming techniques to fight these negative urges, you will be more than halfway to the success you have always wanted.

A positive attitude and a hunger for success will serve you well whether you work for someone else or strike out on your own. If you work for someone else, a positive attitude will help you achieve the cooperation you need from your colleagues, coworkers and superiors. A positive can do attitude is infectious, and if you continuously show a positive attitude, chances are those around you will follow suit. This can make it a lot easier for your team to achieve the results you desire, and for you to showcase your abilities to those who can help your career.

Of course, one of the most positive decisions any person can make is that of starting a small business. After all, small business helped to build this country, and small business continues to help the economy grow and flourish year after year. Starting your own small business is a great way to put yourself in charge of your own financial future, and to give yourself a real chance at success.

When it comes to opening a new business venture, mind programming is even more important. Without a positive attitude it will be difficult to get the financing, the customers and the employees you need to succeed. As in the world of work, a positive attitude is infectious, and your positive attitude will help you get the most out of any business venture. So whether you plan to run a part time business for extra money, or use your new business to replace your nine to five job, it is important to use the mind programming you have learned to achieve the success you have always wanted.

Mind power

Most of us are familiar with the old adage “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”. With this simple but true statement, the possibility of using one’s mind to overcome obstacles, problems and mistakes…is projected. And believe it or not, even Yoga uses the simple logic of mind over matter to help people de-stress and detach from the real world to enter a reality that is totally in their mind.

Springboard to life
Sometimes, mind power is also loosely termed as affirmations. Many believe that affirmations can help lift shattered spirits and mend broken hearts. It can help people get back on their feet when they feel that they are beaten. It can bring the soul back to life when the soul sinks into depression. No scientifically designed drug or medication works as effectively as mind power.

In some cases, using the power of the mind to control an outcome or break a negative trend can be life changing too. For instance, if someone has been going through a cycle of bad relationships, there is a way of breaking that chain and prevent history from repeating itself. Self-hypnosis, for one thing, is also considered a method of controlling the mind to help the owner of that mind control his actions.

The mind is a finger tapping into your inner powers
And oh, let’s not forget the preaching of some of the self-help gurus out there who tells you that if you learn how to control your own mind, you can tap into a limitless, bottomless pit of opportunities and unleash the giant from within your small self so that you can achieve the most out of your life. It’s true. The subconscious mind can be controlled and can be used to our advantage.

Well, the brain and the mind are, for most of common folks, the same thing. It’s the grey matter up in there. But for successful people and people who understand, comprehend and embrace the power of mind-control knows that the brain and the mind are totally different things altogether. You use the brain to decide what to do when there’s a mistake; you use the brain for mathematical solutions. But you don’t use the mind to do all of that. The mind is like a hardly-used passageway between the heart and the brain. Using your mind is connecting the heart (your love, interests, passion, and beliefs) and the brain (logical thinking and assessment of actions and decisions).

Knowing how to use the mind is extremely, extremely empowering!

When success is all in the mind….
The difference between those who make it and those who don’t is that some of these successful people are success-minded. And when one is success-minded, he or she will spent a certain period of time every day mentally going ‘into’ himself or herself, evaluating his or her own needs, requirements, goals, mistakes, focus, and talents. The process of ‘going into oneself’ is akin to concept of having mind power capabilities.

So, if you think you want to cruise around in a red, hot Ferrari, go ask your mind for one. You can overcome anything, even the financial burden of buying a Ferrari – if you really want it your mind will help you devise a plan to achieve it.

Manifest your desires

Manifesting our desires is all about turning whatever that is in our minds into a physical form. We’re essentially trying to bring out the ideas and desires, the wants and dreams into a form that we, as human beings, can identify with and can touch, feel and explore. Visualization, a form of technique currently widely accepted and used in many different fields and industries, is just a form of technique that helps people create a mental picture of what they want. Visualization is currently widely used by sportsmen to help them improve their performance and achieve their goals. And visualization is also used by physicians to help in healing and prayer. The effectiveness of visualization is, today, irrefutable.

The reason why manifestation and visualization techniques are so powerful is because more researches are finding a deep connection between the power of the mind and what actually happens in real life. On a very subconscious level, whatever the mind can conceive, can and will happen.

Through in-depth studies and researches, it has been found that when you place together a group of people who practice manifestation, keep journals, and share their own experience with each other, they will each report strangely but conceivable rates of success in achieving their dreams. The foundation and basis of manifestation and visualization is called ‘creating the lives we want to live’. Once you learn how to control your mind and convince the mind that you are living your dreams, the better you are able to steer your ‘actual life’ that way.

Manifesting is sometimes coined as a way of ‘cheating’ your mind. Remember, the ‘mind’ and the ‘brain’ are totally different entities. You use your brain to think and solve daily problems and make decisions. The mind is a pathway between your heart and your brain. Through the ‘manifesting’ process, you’re channeling your energy, time and effort into turning your life around. You can literally refocus your life from a ‘not having’ state to a ‘having’ state.

Evaluate this statement: If you focus more on what you don’t have, you will have increasingly less of what you do want. If you focus energy on the things you would like, the more these things will become a reality.

Some people think that manifesting is a form of traveling in a time traveling shuttle. Through manifesting, you’re basically trying to reach across time and space to reach into the future and feel whatever it is that you want to have. It feels real and in your mind, it IS real.

And yet, for most successful people (irregardless of their interest, field and business), manifesting requires that you eliminate all negative thoughts altogether. In your mind, everything should be positive, if not positive, it should be neutral thoughts. Manifesting is like a prayer. You say it every night before you sleep. You are trying to convince yourself that you are (or will) live your dreams. You say it with conviction and are so sure that it will happen (or is already happening) that every single cell of your body tingles with the notion. You get excited and can’t wait for the next day. And the next morning, you wake up with enthusiasm, ready to take on the world.

The importance of managing stress to a successful life and career

Everyone knows that stress can be very detrimental on both emotional and physical health, and that managing stress is important both to a healthy life and a healthy career. No one can be successful and constantly at the top of their game if they have to deal with stress all the time. This means that taking the time to relax and recharge is as important to your career as it is to your overall life.

It is important to remember as well that managing stress is very much a health issue. As scientists learn more about stress, they are coming to recognize the role that it plays in a number of serious diseases, including heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. If you are able to successfully deal with the normal stresses of life, you will be in a better position to take charge of your health.

As a matter of fact, managing stress has become so important in today’s world that many health insurance plans pay for stress reduction programs and other ways to deal with stress. Some health care plans pay for chiropractic care to deal with stress and tension issues, and some go so far as to pay for massage therapy.

The companies offering these enhanced ways of managing stress are not simply being generous to those who work for them. These companies recognize the importance of managing stress to a healthy and productive workforce. After all, many sick days are incurred by workers who are overwhelmed by stress, and whose health suffers as a result.

Even if you are not lucky enough to have an employer who pays for massages, there are some very simple, and very inexpensive, steps you can take to reduce the level of stress and tension in your career and personal life. One important coping strategy is to set priorities. It is virtually impossible to get everything done in today’s hectic world. Instead of running yourself ragged trying to do it all, why not decide what is truly important and focus your energies there? Setting priorities, and deciding what is the most important, is a great way of managing stress.

Another great technique for managing stress is the good old vacation. It is surprising how many people, including some making very high salaries, have not taken a real vacation for many years. The purpose of a vacation is not simply to relax and have fun, but also to decompress and to let the worries of your working life fade away. If you feel you cannot afford to be away for an entire week or two, try taking a long weekend doing something you love. Whether it is camping in the mountains, fishing in your favorite stream or watching your favorite play, getting away even for a few days is a great technique for managing stress.

As you can see, managing stress is vital to the long term success of your career, and to your health as well. Taking even a few minuets a day to relax and shut out the rest of the world will help you immensely. Learning to relax is very important to your success and your emotional well being.

How life coaches can help you achieve your goals

When it comes to juggling the many demands of home, work and personal life, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and not know where to turn. Life coaches are specially trained professionals whose job it is to help you deal with the high level of stress and anxiety inherent in this modern world. Even if you feel you do not need outside help to manage your career and personal life, it may be a good idea to look into the subject of life coaches, and to see what these professionals have to offer.

We all want to be as successful as possible, both on a professional level and as a human being. It can be difficult, however, to set priorities, keep to schedules and achieve the goals you want. It seems there are always a few roadblocks in the way of our professional and personal happiness. That is where those life coaches come in. These professionals are skilled at helping each individual client understand what is important, and helping them focus on the tasks that are most critical to success.

Life coaches differ from the more specialized career coaches you have probably heard about in that they are able to focus on the bigger picture and to see how the worlds of the professional and personal intertwine and intersect. This is an important consideration, since the stress and anxiety caused by work can affect home life, and vice versa. While many people strive to keep the worlds of work and home separate, it is impossible to completely separate these two related worlds.

There are a number of signs that you could benefit from the assistance of one or more life coaches. Some of these signs such classic symptoms of stress as overeating, trouble sleeping, trouble concentrating and sudden irritability. If you are feeling overwhelmed, either by your job, your personal life or both, chances are you could benefit from the sort of assistance provided by life coaches.

Of course once you have decided that the help of life coaches is right for you, you will need to find a qualified and competent coach. It is imperative that the life coach you choose be someone you can work with on a regular basis, and someone with whom you feel comfortable. If you do not feel comfortable with your life coaches, they will not be able to help you to the best of their ability.

There are many places to start the search for life coaches, including on the internet, in the local telephone directory, and through professional and personal contacts. Where you start your search is up to you, but it is important to cast your net as widely as possible in order to get the widest range of life coaches from which to choose. Once you have narrowed your choices down to just a few, it is just as important to check the references of these life coaches to make sure they can provide the services you need the most.

Leadership

Having the support of others can vastly improve the rate of your ascend to success. No one can succeed alone; you might accomplish your goal alone but it will be harder and the journey longer. Therefore, leadership is a very important skill to learn and acquire. Good leaders are not born, they’re taught. Leadership skills are acquired through our life and the difference between a good leader and a bad leader can be seen when we try to lead a team of people.

You may be the manager or supervisor of a team of people but this does not make you a leader. The title will simply bestow on you the power of a boss. Being boss does not make you a leader. Not all bosses are good leaders, this is a plain and simple fact and we see this every single day in all organizations. Good leaders directs and organizes a team of people towards a common goal and the difference is…with a good leader, the team WANT to achieve the goal together while with a bad leader, the team goes along with the flow and follows orders because they want the salary at the end of the month!

People who are open to ideas and are willing to learn and listen are often natural leaders. They continue to learn through self-study, improve themselves when they listen to others and take others’ opinions into consideration and get sufficient training and experience.

Tapping into the skills of the team members
With a good leader, there’s no forcing and blackmailing involved. Instead, a good leader taps into the skills of the team member. The good leader observes how the team member works and understands his views. The good leader will try to utilize the inherent ability of the team member for the good of the organization instead of forcing each team member to do something he or she dislikes (or unable) to do.

Trusting the leader
In many studies, it has been found that the more people trust you, the better leader you will be. And trust is very hard to earn from your employees or colleagues. As soon as they team members know that you have their best interest at heart, they will trust you and believe you. And most importantly, they will follow your lead…not just OBEY you.

Heading towards a common goal with a vision
A good leader not only knows the overall vision of the company or organization. They are able to share and communicate this vision to the people involved in the process. The good leader will be able to inculcate the sense of belonging in the team of people who have been assigned to the project.

Show, don’t tell
Now, answer this. If you’re a technician, would you trust someone who knows only the share market or would you trust someone who knows BOTH the share market and how to fix a broken coffee maker? The answer is clear. You’ll trust the latter, won’t you? So, in order to encourage others to follow you, you not only need to be knowledgeable, you will need to be a good role model and show them that you’re good at what you do. This way, you have their unwavering respect.

Keys to success

No matter how you view success, there are many different ways to turn your life into a more successful one. And here, we have outlined several keys to success that almost anyone can use, regardless of whether they want to make changes in their business, lose weight or improve their marriage.

A plan
Without a plan, everything is doomed right from the start. Key No.1, you MUST have a plan. If not a concrete one, at least have a basic idea of how you’re going to reach your goal. Let’s say you want to have a better relationship with your wife. Think about ways to do it and some of the things you may have to think about are….what does your wife like, what would make her feel good, how would you like the relationship to change, what would make you feel happy with the marriage….etc. After identifying areas of change, device a plan that can help you work towards a better marriage. If it’s more business you want, device a plan that won’t break your bank account to help bring in more sales. Creative ideas and innovative execution if often required.

Focus
It’s easy for any single one of us to get distracted in the middle of the journey, no matter how gung-ho we started out in the beginning. At the starting point, you’re excited and raring to go; towards the middle, it gets harder and you’re struggling to remember why you’re doing this in the first place. And when you get past the hardest part, it’s the final leg of your journey, the focus and the endurance part. It’s like trying to kick a drinking problem. In order to be successful, you have to consistently work towards that goal, make an effort to REMEMBER that goal and repeatedly psyche yourself up for it every single day.

Visualization
Most successful athletes use this technique to help them get their Gold medals. If you want to earn a million dollars from your business within 3 years, you’ve got to sit down and ENVISION yourself rolling around in the money. You’re happy and financially free, in your vision. You see, the more you envision yourself in the situation, the more you want it. The more you want it to happen, the more the mind will help you strive and work towards that goal. And when your mind is committed to the goal, everything will slowly but surely fall into its rightful place.

Be open to change and new ideas
Yes, you’ve got a plan and yes, you’ve got a sense of purpose now. But does this mean that you cannot change your plans or alter your purpose? No, definitely not. Part of the process of reaching your goal requires that you remain open to other people’s ideas, input, feedback and thoughts. As soon as you spot something better, you have to grab it, evaluate it, decide whether you want to use the idea or not or how it would fit into your plan, and then discard it or use it. The goal remains the same but the process can change. If you are not adaptable to change, you may be losing out to your competition or your peers because they’re catching on with the latest technology and trends and reaching their goals faster than you.

Journaling

“Journaling is kid stuff”, laments one adult during a personal development seminar. He said this loud enough for the rest of the attendees of the seminar to hear. And yet, this is was something he truly felt and could not deny it. What he was about to learn was that personal journaling can help people become better people, realize their dreams, achieve their goals and develop better habits (or kick bad ones).

You can literally write your way to a better you!
You don’t have to be a writer to write a journal. You don’t even have to write if you’re not good in any one language. Pictorial journals are also extremely helpful in helping people develop their skills and achieve their goals. Not only does journaling help people achieve their goals, you can actually use journaling as a stepping stone when you’re trying to overcome a difficult obstacle or get over someone. Some people use journaling to help them get over a divorce, death of a loved one or loss of a job.

Your journal is a your personal confidante who won’t kiss and tell
You can spice up your journal with lots of ideas and inspiring quotes, motivational stories and even write anecdotes and jokes to liven up your spirits. In fact, it is recommended that every time you begin a new entry, you should greet the journal or pretend you’re greeting a very close friend. Writing a greeting is like opening the door to a friend who has just come for a visit in your home. It’s intimate and you’re sharing your thoughts, fears, joys, excitement, and anxiousness with someone (something, in this case) close to you. But of course, your journal will never tell anyone else about what’s in it – unless you leave it somewhere else to be discovered.

Very few people have the strength to resist opening someone else’s journal, so, keep it safely somewhere personal so that no one else will be tempted to open it and read it!

A place to write and remember your goals
A journal is more than just a friend. It is possible for you to use the journal as a place to write down your goals and dreams. In order to most effectively use your journal, write down your short-term and long-term goals in your journal and go through them everyday to remind yourself about what you want to achieve in your life.

Note down the progress you’ve made through your journey, the mistakes you’ve made, the things you’ve done right and your time line. Write down what you want to achieve in six months. In fact, write down the specific date you want to achieve this. Like they always say, there’s nothing like a deadline to give you that extra push.

Finding stuff in your journal
Before you begin writing in your journal, you should leave about 4-5 pages empty at the beginning of the journal. In these 4-5 pages, you’ll be writing your index. The index to your journal will help you find stuff inside your journal so that it will be easy for you, in the future, to refer to the journal for thoughts, ideas and information.

Hypnosis

Mention the word hypnosis and what do you see in your mind’s eye? A half-bald scientist or psychiatrist waving a clock in front of you, muttering something you can’t hear and asking you to walk through jungles and fly through clouds or count stones in your mind, with your eyes closed? This is the general perception people have about hypnosis. While it’s not completely right, it’s not completely wrong. And the movies don’t help very much in painting a pretty (or the right) picture about hypnosis either.

Through hypnosis, the patient will actually fall into…no, not a half-asleep state, but into a hyper-attentive state. Thankfully, through the wide availability of information, we, the modern word, understand and comprehend more about hypnosis than we used to back then. Hypnosis, in fact, has ceased to be such a phenomenon and is now a more acceptable form of treatment for many mental and sometimes physical problems.

Exploration of this form of treatment has been ongoing ever since it was first introduced and used to cure people. And we have yet to find the complete answer to that question. How does hypnosis actually work? And why does it work? What we are seeking to do is to find out how the mind works. It is unlikely that we will be unearthing any ‘deep and dark secrets’ about hypnosis nor will we ever find out about the magical appeal it has but many do understand what hypnosis is.

Hypnosis is a process of sending a patient into a trance-like state. The patient will have to be totally relaxed and his/her imagination will be heightened. Being in the state of trance is very different from being half-asleep. In fact, it’s totally different! When you’re in a trance-like state, you will be completely obsessed with something. Your mind is focused and sharp and yet you remain relaxed; this relaxed-but-focused state will help imagination soar. When you are half-asleep, you will have difficulty focusing. Therefore, being hypnotized is not like being half-asleep. If there’s a conscious state that we can draw a similarity with, it’s daydreaming. Being hypnotized is like being sent into an unrestrained state of daydreaming.

When you’re daydreaming, everything seems real to you and the line between imagination and reality is blurred. It might even make you feel like you’re in a movie or in an imaginary world. When under hypnosis, you will feel a lot of very real emotions….fear, sadness and happiness. In this mental state, you will be uninhibited and relaxed. When the psychiatrist suggests something, you will embrace the idea whole-heartedly.

People find it easier to overcome their fears and find a point of focus through hypnosis. For instance, someone who has a fear of heights could be sent soaring happily in the skies with birds and planes during hypnosis treatment. Slowly, this patient will relax and eventually get over his or her fear of heights.

A psychiatrist can only urge you to do something, hoping to help you solve your problem. He or she cannot possibly force you to do something you don’t want to – even in a state of trance.

You are essentially daydreaming about something willfully. That’s why hypnosis works so exceptionally well.

Healthy fear

Fear. Many people automatically assume that fear in unhealthy and doesn’t serve a purpose. Hence, the term ‘don’t worry, be happy’ may not always work in our favor. True, we should all learn not to sweat the small stuff and let things slide if they are unnecessarily causing us harm, physically, emotionally or spiritually. But learning to differentiate between healthy fear and unhealthy fear can benefit us because healthy fear can and will benefit us in the long run.

In Buddhism, it is actually taught that we should try to ignore or eliminate unhealthy fear and embrace healthy fear.

An example of unhealthy fear is a fear of lizards and insects. The fear is real although the danger is not. We get squeamish and avoid bugs and insects because we fear them. But bugs and insects don’t hurt us, they cannot. Hence, the fear is unfounded. An example of healthy fear is a fear of cancer or death. We all know that cancer and death are real. Most of us have to agree that we are afraid to die especially from an incurable disease like cancer. The fear is termed healthy fear because it may help us quit smoking or taking drugs. The healthy fear can steer us in the right direction because we’re afraid of getting cancer or a deadly disease like AIDS.

You will be surprised; many people have different types of fears. The most common ones are insects and death, the ones we’ve used in the paragraphs above. But there are people who have profound fear of heights, fear of being separated from their loved ones, fear of losing control of their lives, fear of driving, fear of the dark, etc.

The fears are real or as real as it can be for the person experiencing it. But the fears can be snuffed out. We can control it or reduce the effect it has on us. Using mind control, we can eliminate the control it has over our actions and daily decisions. We should eliminate all unhealthy fears (as many of them as possible) and control or make use of our healthy fears.

In understanding and recognizing the healthy fears we have in our lives, we will need to learn how to make use of the healthy fears or do something positive about it. For example, if someone is afraid of dying of cancer because he smokes heavily, there’s no point of him knowing that he should do something about it and not do anything. He must make an effort to recognize the fear and then use it to stop his smoking habits.

There are many ways in which we can learn how to control our fears or utilize them. For one, we can take up Yoga to learn how to calm our inner self down. We can learn how to have more self-confidence. We can start journal writing to put our thoughts into words, turning our thoughts into words can be extremely helpful. We can also join support groups or gather with a bunch of friends to relate our experiences, fears and sadness – it will help connect all participants and we can lend a helping hand to each other. Connecting with others who have the same fears can be so helpful because you will finally understand that you’re not alone. Support is always only a phone call away.

Goals: pushing or preventing?

Setting goals, and working to achieve those goals, is one of the most important things any business owner can do. Proper setting of goals, and the relentless pursuit of those goals, is one of the keys to success. Most successful business owners have one thing in common, and that is the ability to push themselves and to ask this important question - goals: pushing or preventing? This means examining your goals, determining which goals are the most achievable, and not letting any barriers get in your way.

The most successful business owners in history have been those who plowed on no matter what the circumstances. Those who have been able to keep going when the going got tough have found their perseverance amply rewarded by success in their chosen field.

When asking yourself goals: pushing or preventing? it is important to read as much as you can about the history of some of the most successful business owners in history. From Sam Walton to Bill Gates, those whose businesses are wildly successful have one thing in common. That key to success in the competitive world of business is the ability to see what the customer wants, and to serve the customer better than anyone else ever could.

This focus on the customer should be a huge goal of anyone contemplating starting a new business venture. Starting a new business is never an easy process, but having clear goals in mind will make the process of starting and running a new business far easier. It may be helpful to jot down your most important goals on a piece of paper, and keep that list with you as you plan the new business.

Knowing exactly what your goals are and goals: pushing or preventing? Is absolutely essential for a number of reasons. For one, any potential investor in your business, any provider of startup funds or any business banker, will want to see your business plan before they part with their hard earned cash. After all, these banks and investors are quite used to working with new businesses. They will likely be quite skilled at sorting out those businesses that have the best chance for success.

It is also helpful to learn as much as you possibly can before attempting to start that new business venture. Learning from those who have been there is one of the best ways to answer that vital question - goals: pushing or preventing?

Many communities provide resources for those interested in starting a new business, including mentoring programs where successful business people and retirees provide much needed first hand business advice. Leaning from those who have been there is an essential element of success, whether in the world of business or in any other venture. Those business people who have already enjoyed success will be in the best position to give you advice on the best ways to structure your business, the best ways to lower your taxes and the best ways to make sure your business survives and triumphs over the competition.

Goal setting

Goal setting is a process whereby you decide what you want to achieve and set up a plan to do it. Some people say that goal setting is just a matter of sitting down and deciding what to do with their lives but we beg to differ. There is more to goal setting than meets the eye.

If you fully intend to achieve your goals, you should perceive goal setting as an extremely powerful process of personal planning. Goal setting should not be taken lightly because your journey to success depends completely on the goal setting process. Your personal goals and achievements should be based on what you want out of your life, your interest, your capabilities, and the time and money you are willing to invest into achieving your goals.

Goat setting techniques are relied upon heavily by some of the best athletes and sportsmen in the world. Not only that, we can go as far as to say that anyone who is successful in their life depends quite heavily on the goal setting process. It gives you the kind of vision that you won’t otherwise have – the long-term vision. It helps you plan on how you want to find information, gather and collect them and use them. It helps you organize your time and resources effectively.

The very first step of goal setting is to, first, determine what you want at the end of the journey. That is your ultimate destination. Ask yourself…in this lifetime, what do you want to achieve? Really want to achieve? This desire will help you outline your goals in life and lend a helping hand in the goal setting process. Goal setting should touch on areas regarding artistic, attitude (personality), career, education, family, financial (most popular), physical, pleasure, health…etc.

Suffice to say here that when you’re writing down your goals, think about no one else except for yourself. What do you feel deep inside your heart? What are your dreams? Your secrets…what are they? Forget about your parents, sisters, brothers, relatives, friends and associates. They should have nothing to do with your personal goals. Therefore, they should not influence your decision even in the smallest way.

Once you’ve decided on your goals, it’s time to sit down to plan how to get there. This process is just as important as the initial goal setting process. It’s time to prioritize all your goals, if you have more than one. You should set out to achieve your goal over a certain period of time….like 25 years; it all depends on you when you want to achieve your goals. Then within the 25 years, set smaller goals.

For instance, if you’re trying to have financial freedom, the goal should be 25 years. But in 5 years time, you could set out to get a new job or get a managerial post in the same company or another company. In 10 years time, you want to get your own apartment and start your own business. In 15 years time, you plan to open a new outlet or a branch, etc. In 20 years time, you set out to have at least $500,000 in your bank account with a fixed deposit. And in 25 years time, you plan to retire with at least a couple of millions in savings!

Of course, this is a hypothetical goal and while we think it’s achievable, it doesn’t have to your goal. Your goal is yours and yours alone to make.