How Thoughts Shape Our Lives

What you think shapes your life.

That’s because what you think shapes your behavior, which indirectly controls the way your life unfolds.

If you think you’re unlucky for example, then not only will you not take any chances, but you might also actually miss opportunities that appear. You’ll focus on things that go wrong, and this will make you feel worse about yourself.

If you think you’re bad at your job, you won’t speak up in meetings, you’ll keep your head down, and you might even be less prone to power dressing!

Affirmations

In the case of a thought like ‘I’m always unlucky’, you now know that you’re only unlucky because you think you’re unlucky. Likewise the thought that ‘good things never happen to me’ is self-perpetuating. Ask yourself genuinely what your skills are and your assets. Be objective and ask others if necessary. Chances are you will find that you’re just as capable as everyone else so the only thing that could be bringing you down is your own negativity. Accept this and replace those thoughts.

Likewise, you can also use positive affirmations in order to improve your luck. These are statements you repeat to yourself like ‘I’m a successful and positive person’. Over time, if you repeat these enough they can become ingrained and part of your psyche. If you struggle to remember to use them, consider putting post-it notes up around your home.

This might seem like it wouldn’t accomplish much, but by constantly exposing yourself to these positive messages, you will be repeating the same thoughts over and over and actually strengthening the neural pathways in the brain that are responsible for creating them. As these become strengthened, they will become more likely to be activated in future.

In short, those positive thoughts can actually become a habit.

Thought Restructuring

There are other more powerful methods you can use to transform thoughts too. One is to use “thought challenging.” This means looking at the content of your thoughts and assessing whether it’s accurate.

Can you really just be an unlucky person?

And if you are so bad at your job, how are you in the position you’re in now?

Another trick is something called hypothesis testing. Here, you actually put those negative beliefs to the test in order to prove to yourself they’re inaccurate. For example, take on a big project at work and show to yourself that you can do it!

Using these techniques. you can learn to change your beliefs and that’s when you will start becoming effective and Free.

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3 Mistakes to Avoid In Your Daily Affirmation Practice

Affirmations can be an incredibly powerful tool that you can use to help you achieve your life’s desires. Thousands of people use positive affirmations to obtain success and realize their dreams. However, there are just as many who practice affirmations but never see results. This might be because they are not using them correctly. Here are three mistakes you want to avoid in your daily affirmation practice if you want them to work for you.

Giving Up Too Early

With affirmations, consistency is incredibly important. Once you get started with your practice, the repetition has a lasting effect that will continue to build upon itself. Repeating your affirmations daily make it much easier to maintain. Plus, every time you say the statement you significantly magnify the results. The mistake that many people make is that they give up the process entirely too early. When you give up too soon, you don’t give the affirmations enough time to set into your subconscious.

Using a Different Affirmation Each Day

Using a different affirmation every day is like trying to work on a dozen various projects at once. Since each project requires your energy and attention, you can’t help but shift your focus and effort from project to project. However, if you want to see results right away, then you have to focus on just one affirmation and stick with it. When it comes to affirmations, it is all about focus. To make your affirmations effective, you have to use the same affirmation daily for at least 30 days.

Lack of Attention Mastery

If you’ve been using positive affirmations for a while and have yet to achieve results, and you’ve tried everything else, it could mean that you aren’t entirely focusing your attention on the affirmation. The reality is that most people have incredibly short attention spans, and they are distracted continuously like toddlers. To make your statements work for you, you have to master your attention span, which only comes with practice. By practicing your positive affirmations daily, you can learn how to master your attention. When you can learn how to master your attention, you will start to master your manifestations.

If you haven’t had success with your daily affirmations yet, don’t worry, you just have to make a few simple changes to your daily practice. Avoid the mistakes listed above, and you’ll quickly find success with using affirmations to achieve everything you desire.

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How to Take Better Selfies for Social media

It is becoming increasingly difficult to be an introvert and a successful business owner.

Thanks to the power of the internet and social media, owners and managers are increasingly being asked to step in front of the camera to promote their brands. If you plan on using social media stories as a business for instance, on Instagram, Facebook, or Snapchat, then you’re likely going to have the camera pointed at you a lot of the time.

Problem is… most of us don’t like how we look in selfies. Here’s how to change that and to create professional images that will help to sell your products and services.

The Issues 

First of all, let’s address the issues that surround the selfie. One is the angle/composition, another is the proximity and lighting, and another is the quality. The angle is usually be bad because these pictures tend to be taken from underneath with one hand holding the phone awkwardly. The proximity/lighting then shows up all of your blemishes and pores, and the quality tends to make you look grainy and web-cam-esque. 

But each of these issues can be solved…

Composition: The best selfies are always taken from above to avoid the double chin effect. This is selfie 101 and will give you much more attractive definition right away. 

At the same time though there are other elements of the composition that you also need to consider. For instance, think about what is in the background of the shot and how well it will allow you to show up in the foreground.  

Think as well about your expression, what you are wearing and generally what you are trying to say with the picture. Every picture should say something, and if it’s just a random duck pout, then that’s unlikely to further your brand (unless you’re promoting lipstick…). Show off your clothes, where you are, or just how tired you are after a long day – don’t make the picture and your expression vacant. Think of it like acting!

Proximity and Lighting: The selfie is always going to be relatively close-up as it’s taken at arm’s length and this is part of the charm. Still though, you can limit the negative effects of this by turning off the flash and ensuring the surrounding lighting is good – that means using flatter lighting as opposed to the more ‘directional’ kind which will cast shadows and make you look like you have big tired bags under your eyes. 

Makeup and even skin care can also make a big difference here. Do your best to close over your pores and to give yourself an even skin tone, even if you just splash some cold water on your face this can make a surprisingly big difference. Yes, this applies to men as well! You can also make your skin look better by using colour and drawing attention in the correct way. For women, wearing some red lipstick will make your skin seem lighter and smoother and your teeth look whiter while also distracting away from any less than ideal features.

Quality: Finally, in order to really increase the look of your photo you need to ensure the image is as high-quality as possible. That means investing in a good camera first and foremost – and particularly paying attention to the front facing camera. There’s no reason you can’t run a social media campaign and ‘cheat’ by using your DSLR then uploading your photos…

Of course, the quality can also be improved to an extent in post-production. By using the right filters and altering the lightness and contrast you can give your selfie an almost magazine-like quality to really improve your overall appearance.

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The Difference Between Knowledge and Wisdom

The pursuit of knowledge in some cultures is synonymous with bringing honor on the family. Those who teach knowledge are highly respected. It is certainly correct that knowledge empowers people and there are countless examples of people who on gaining an education have influenced their generation in some way or have changed the course of their society or even their world.

Yet, as virtuous as it may be to have knowledge, without wisdom, knowledge can be dangerous at worse, or a waste of time at best. Wisdom is best defined simply as applied knowledge. It is the ability to take what is known of the world and of people, things and places and to make choices based on that knowledge. Knowledge knows the facts about something, but wisdom knows best how to apply those facts to the real world and to add an understanding of right and wrong to that knowledge.

Without wisdom, knowledge can be dangerous. It can lead to character flaws like conceit and selfishness. Without wisdom there is often little concept of the consequences of using knowledge without consideration of others or the impact on places and things. Knowledge can often lead to subjective actions, whereas wisdom has learned to be objective and to consider that there are two sides to every story.

People who speak with wisdom are often highly sought after for their advice. People do not just want to hear knowledge that they can read in a book or learn for themselves. Life experiences and knowledge provide a strong combination that wise people are often possess and it is because they themselves have learned to apply wisdom to a situation that others seek them out for advice. There is a common belief that wisdom comes with age or experience. This has its basis on this understanding that in our life experiences we learn to put our knowledge into action in a relevant way.

Practically speaking, all of us can learn to be wise. We may benefit from learning from a mentor who can guide us to think deeply about our life, the things we know and learn and the circumstances and events that shape our lives. As we consider these things in relation to their effect on our own life and the lives of others and learn to apply them to other situations, we are on the road to true wisdom.

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Lessons You Will Learn When You Move Outside Your Comfort Zone

At some time or another in our lives, we’re very likely going to end up in a comfort zone. But sooner or later you’re going to need to get up and move on. Staying in your comfort zone for too long can become a cage that you no longer want to stay in. You’ll need to grow and change if you ever want to realize your dreams. Only by pushing yourself will you ever realize your goals.

What’s even more enjoyable is knowing that the sheer act of moving outside your comfort zone not only pushes you forward but that the very act of leaving the comfort zone will teach you things you’d never find out otherwise.

Like what?

1. You can finally see your comfort zone for what it is. By taking a step away from your comfort zone, you have the opportunity to discover just what it was that created that comfort zone in the first place. What things are holding you back, and why? The process of moving beyond that comfort zone is going to mean putting in some work. You start by asking yourself some questions. Things like:

What do I find easy?
What do I find hard?
What do I avoid? Why?
What things make me a little bit scared? Why?

2. You learn to embrace change. Yes, embrace. Too often we think of change as a bad thing, but change is what challenges us to grow. By stepping out of your comfort zone, you’re saying that you’re ready for a change.

3. We find that we’re capable of more than we thought we were. By trying new things, you find new things that you’re good at. Also, by

• • • •

confronting the things we were afraid of, we remove those fears and can then add those items to our repertoire.

Think about it. Maybe your old life, you never once did public speaking if you could help it. But now that you’re stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things (like coaching) you’re learning a new skill, and erasing that fear that kept you from talking in front of people. Now your new life includes an ability to do public speaking that you never had before. Imagine how many doors that opens in your life!

4. You discover your inner superhero. By stepping outside your comfort zone, you find out just how much you’re capable of. The you that you’re destined to be is a pretty amazing person – one that’s strong and self- assured. That kind of confidence makes anyone a superhero!

Moving outside your comfort zone is an exciting process, that can teach you things about yourself that you never knew. Believe it or not, all of this starts with just taking one small chance and then going from there. Challenge your comfort zone, change your life.

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Tips for taking care of YOU. (Self Care)

Tips for taking care of YOU. (Self Care)

(5) Tips

It can be difficult to make time for yourself in our busy schedules.

We run from one commitment to another, filling every gap in our life with work, study, family and social events.

The chaos of modern life makes it even more important that we take the time to care for our individual well being, both physically and mentally.

If you are struggling with your own self-care, consider these five tips to improve your habits.

1. Add caring for you to your normal routine

When planning your weekly schedule, make sure that you have time for personal moments (me time). Cementing its place in your routine means that you will be more likely to commit to it as you will have allocated time specifically reserved for it. The more often you practice self-care, the more it will become a habit and part of your regular life.

2. Do what suits you

(Me) time looks for different for everyone. Some people enjoy getting outdoors, others like catching up with friends and some people prefer sitting at home losing themselves in a good book or movie. Identify what makes you feel better and commit to that. Donít feel pressured by what others consider self-care; long walks aren’t for everyone.

3. Practice gratitude

Engaging in regular gratitude practice is a valuable habit and a worthwhile way to spend your allocated me time. Take some time each day or week to write down three things that you are grateful for. Try to think of unique things that have happened for that week, rather than repeating the same common things each time. It may be difficult at first, but the more you practice gratitude the easier it will become. Regular participation in gratitude exercises trains your brain to be more thankful and positive about the things you have in your life, rather than focusing on the things you donít have or things that arenít going so well.

4. Be brave and try something new

Trying something new is a great way to break the monotony of everyday life. Your mental health will benefit and you will learn new skills, both through the actual activity but also in regard to managing your nerves and being open to new opportunities. It’s a great way to take care of your mental (and depending on the activity) physical health.

5. Detox from social media

Social media can be a great way to keep in touch with people, but in can also lead to resentment through comparison. If you are feeling overwhelmed or finding yourself in a rut, take a breaks from social media to become more present and rejuvenate in the real world.

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Are You Blocking Abundance in Your Life?

In this article, you will find a description of behaviors often exhibited by individuals who are stuck in a scarcity mindset. A scarcity mindset is when you perceive you don’t have enough in your life. Being aware of those destructive behaviors can be helpful to access abundance. Here are 5 signs that you are blocking the abundance in your life.

You Are Focusing on the Gaps

A common mistake that we tend to do is to place all our attention and energy on what is missing in our life. On the other hand, people that live an abundant life are natural at putting their energy on what they want to manifest. By switching your thoughts to what you want, you are painting a clear picture of what it is that you desire.

You Don’t Ask for Help

If it is difficult for you to say “yes” to someone who offers you help, you are telling the universe that you are not deserving of receiving from others. The same applies if you have a hard time asking for help. Showing too much independence can lead to blocking the flow of abundance.

You Are Uncomfortable With Compliments

Compliments are a form of receiving similar to asking for help. If you are uncomfortable with receiving compliments from others, you are demonstrating that receiving is difficult for you. This can automatically lead you to more scarcity.

You Feed a Sense of Urgency

It is demonstrated that people who feed a scarcity mindset will be more likely to focus on immediate “wants.” They feel the need for instant gratification, a sense of urgency that the need has to be met now. This type of behavior can be detrimental to one’s life and have a negative impact on one’s future.

You Envy Others

Envy is a feeling that attracts scarcity because we focus on what we don’t have. It can also lead to resentment toward some people and ruin relationships with friends and families. In order to shift to an abundance mindset, you need to start recognizing the good in your life and stop comparing yourself with others. Start by acknowledging what it is that you like about yourself, others or your life in the present moment.

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YES I Need a Plan of Action

Map Your Success

Success is more than economic gains, titles, and degrees. Planning for success is about mapping out all the aspects of your life. Similar to a map, you need to define the following details: origin, destination, vehicle, backpack, landmarks, and route.

Origin: Who you are

A map has a starting point. Your origin is who you are right now. To gain insights about yourself, you need to look closely at your beliefs, values, and principles aside from your economic, professional, cultural, and civil status. Moreover, you can also reflect on your experiences to give you insights on your good and not-so-good traits, skills, knowledge, strengths, and weaknesses.

Destination: A vision of who you want to be

“Who do want to be?” this is your vision. Now it is important that you know yourself so that you would have a clearer idea of who you want to be; and the things you want to change whether they are attitudes, habits, or points of view. If you hardly know yourself, then your vision and targets for the future would also be unclear. Your destination should cover all the aspects of your being.

Vehicle: Your Mission

A vehicle is the means by which you can reach your destination. It can be analogized to your mission or vocation in life. To a great extent, your mission would depend on what you know about yourself.

Travel Bag: Your knowledge, skills, and attitude

Food, drinks, medicines, and other travelling necessities are contained in a bag. Applying this concept to your life map, you also bring with you certain knowledge, skills, and attitudes. These determine your competence and help you in attaining your vision. Given such, there is a need for you to assess what knowledge, skills, and attitudes you have at present and what you need to gain along the way.

Landmarks and Route: S.M.A.R.T. objectives

Landmarks confirm if you are on the right track while the route determines the travel time. Thus, in planning out your life, you also need to have landmarks and a route. These landmarks are your measures of success. These measures must be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound. Thus you cannot set two major landmarks such as earning a master’s degree and a doctorate degree within a period of three years, since the minimum number of years to complete a master’s degree is two years.

Anticipate Turns, Detours, and Potholes

The purpose of your life map is to minimize hasty and spur-of-the-moment decisions that can make you lose your way. But oftentimes our plans are modified along the way due to some inconveniences, delays, and other situations beyond our control. Like in any path, there are turns, detours, and potholes thus; we must anticipate them and adjust accordingly.

Are You an Innovator or Imitator?

When I started my company, I was at the mercy of what my competitors were doing.

Because I found myself just doing what I saw them doing.

I had no real business insight I had initiative and passion.

The things I was doing took me only so far, but not having clear vision, direction, and strategy the leads to the right action plans caused me to function low end.

It wasn’t until I invested in coaching which trained me to be innovative that I saw a significant shift from low end to high end in my coaching company.

The challenge to innovate demands that entrepreneurs meet changing needs.

Markets always change, sometimes radically.

Disruptive change usually occurs in technology, scale or distribution.

The business that innovates radically enough to disrupt the norm can seize a tremendous competitive advantage.

That business that fails to innovate effectively turns leadership of their market over to its competition.

Putting the financial future of your business in the hands of your competitors is no way to prosper.

I needed to invest in myself to become one of the premier coaches in the industry. One in a million not one of the millions.

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What is Procrastination?

What is Procrastination?

Delay or postpone action; put off doing something.

Killing Procrastination starts with:

Making a Decision.

The Moment you make a decision you enter in…

What is Focus?

The Center of and activity

In order to concentrate on one thing you must, by default, ignore many other things.

Here’s a better way to put it:

Focus can only occur when we have said yes to one option and no to all other options. In other words, elimination is a prerequisite for focus.

As Tim Ferriss says, “What you don’t do determines what you can do.”

Of course, focus doesn’t require a permanent no, but it does require a present no.

You always have the option to do something else later, but in the present moment focus requires that you only do one thing.

Focus is the key to productivity because saying no to every other option unlocks your ability to accomplish the one thing that is left.

Why Can’t I Focus?

Gold fish attention span is 12 seconds but Human is 8.

Most people don’t have trouble with focusing.

They have trouble with deciding.

What I mean is that most healthy humans have a brain that is capable of focusing if we get the distractions out of the way.

Have you ever had a task that you absolutely had to get done?

What happened?

You got it done because the deadline made the decision for you. Maybe you procrastinated beforehand, but once things became urgent and you were forced to make a decision, you took action.

Instead of doing the difficult work of choosing one thing to focus on, we often convince ourselves that multitasking is a better option. This is ineffective.

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