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The Power of Positive Thinking and how to achieve it

by shedboy71

Positive thinking isn’t merely about making you feel happier or providing you with a more optimistic outlook. While these two outcomes are by-products of thinking positively, there are far more benefits that can change your mental clarity and help you achieve greater success.

Recent studies have shown that positive thinking is directly linked to your brain’s reward system and pleasure stimulus.

This means that once your mind feels the pleasure that positive thinking or happiness brings, it is going to reward itself in the hope of receiving more of this type of feeling. Positive thinking can have a snowball effect on the brain, and once you start thinking positively, your brain isn’t going to want you to stop.

Instead, positive thinking will entice your mind to continue to think this way so that you feel good more often. The manifestations of being able to think more positively about your behavior in regards to your interactions with people you encounter throughout your day will include being more optimistic.

The Brain and Optimistic Thoughts

From a more scientific perspective, positive thinking has been proven to influence growth that takes place in the brain. Specifically, positive thinking has been linked to stimulating the growth of neural connections in the brain.

Of course, even if you are someone who doesn’t typically think positively, these connections will continue to grow, but they will grow at a faster rate when you think positively.

This is important because as you get older, your brain’s ability to develop these connections will inevitably start to slow down. When you can begin to think positively, it means your mind will be able to function more efficiently for a more extended period.

Along with being able to motivate the growth of neural connections in your brain, two other benefits that come with positive thinking are related to doing output and analysis. Thinking positively has been linked to bringing the mind the ability to process thoughts more quickly and being more alert.

Along these same lines, it has also been linked with being able to solve complex problems in less time more efficiently. When your thoughts are negative, it can sometimes seem like we are only thinking of the poor outcome regarding a particular situation.

However, when our thoughts are more positive, we are more likely to be open to experiencing a variety of results. This allows our brains to think of broader scenarios when it comes to finding solutions to our problems.

You Are What You Think

Another way that you can look at positive thinking in regards to decluttering your mind is to recognize that our thoughts often lead us to action or inaction. For those who think positively, they are able to see the world as a better place, where there are more opportunities and where they can accomplish anything they desire.

On the other hand, negative thinking often leads people to believe that the world is a place where their current circumstances are the only circumstances that they will ever realize.

While the positive thinkers use their positive thoughts as a platform to take a leap and strive to achieve their dreams, those who think negatively will use their negative thoughts to limit what they produce and ultimately stops them from growing.

It is essential that you remember that everything is always in flux. Take the time to understand that as a human, you are continually evolving.

To settle and think negatively when it comes to your personal growth is something that you should avoid. This is why positive thinking is critical because people often become their thoughts.

How to Become More Positive

Now that you know why thinking positively is so essential for your success, it’s time to discover how you can become a more positive person. While some people seem to be born with a greater sense of positivity, it doesn’t mean that it isn’t something that you can learn yourself.

The first thing that you need to understand is that people who are optimistic aren’t always positive. These people fully understand that being too positive can also be detrimental to their health and mental clarity.

Instead, positive thinkers are typically those who see both the good and bad in any given situation, yet they choose to focus on the good instead of the bad. This is an excellent place to start when you want to try and be more optimistic.

It is essential that you fully understand that there is a difference between someone who is blindly optimistic to the point of harm and someone who is realistic about what could go wrong and what could go right. Finding this kind of balance is incredibly important, especially if you tend to have more negative thoughts than positive thoughts.

Rather than going all out and trying to be as optimistic as possible, it would be better for you to learn how to recognize both the good and the bad in a particular situation before you consciously turn your focus on the positive aspects of the situation at hand.

Volunteer Your Time

When you can discern the difference between being blindly optimistic and being realistic, you can start to look at ways to become more positive. An excellent way to do this is through volunteerism. You can volunteer your time in a variety of ways.

Write Down What You’re Grateful For

If volunteering your time in your community isn’t something that you enjoy, you can become more positive by keeping a gratitude journal. Every night before you go to bed or when you first wake up in the morning, spend some time writing down everything that you are grateful for in your life.

When you do this, you want to only think about the current day if you are doing this at night, or the previous day if you choose to do this exercise in the morning. This will help train you to think more about the positive details in your life rather than the negative and will likely help you see that your life has many amazing aspects.

Be Kinder

A great way to shift your mindset from negative to positive is to be kinder to those people around you. When you are trying to be more positive, it is essential that you create an environment where you are kinder to the people in your life. Not only will this allow you to see your world from a different perspective, but you will also start to reconsider how you live your life on a daily basis.

Learning how to think more positively isn’t just an essential exercise for your sanity, but it can also help to improve your health. You have the power to change the way you think and thinking positively can help you clear the clutter from your mind and gain more mental clarity so that you can enjoy greater success in your business.

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Self Help

Five Minute Guide to the Kaizen Approach to Improving Yourself

by shedboy71

Kaizen is a Japanese word meaning “improvement.” While this is the literal translation however, it actually contains a lot more meaning than that when used in a number of contexts.

Kaizen as a concept was popularized by the manufacturing industry. Here, the focus was on looking at how very small changes in the assembly line could result in massive improvements in efficiency and output.

Imagine for example that you found a way to speed up a machine that placed screws by 2%. It might not sound like much, but when you are inserting hundreds of thousands of screws daily, it adds up to a huge difference!

This concept quickly became popular among other circles. In particular, it found popularity with the business crowd, and with self improvement gurus.

The claim? That by changing just a few very small things in your life, you could add up to huge change. Thus were born countless articles claiming that the best way to get into shape was with “micro workouts.” By exercising just five minutes a day to form new habits.

Only this was actually missing the point somewhat. The point of kaizen isn’t just to change little things and see the cumulative effect. It’s about looking at processes and flows, and finding ways to remove waste and improve efficiency.

While there is some truth in the notion that starting a big exercise program is a mistake and that doing something smaller can often lead to better results, that’s only part of the story. Understanding what kaizen truly means allows you to take even more benefit from it and to enact transformative change in your life.

An Example: Fitness
If you want to apply the theory of Kaizen to your workouts then, what might that look like?

The mistake a lot of people make is to try and add a huge training program on top of their already-packed schedules. This is where they go wrong.

Working out four times a week might not seem like much, but if you think that’s 4 hours of training, and probably 6 hours out of your routine when you consider travel to and from the gym/getting showered etc. Then there’s washing your gym kit and getting it ready the next day.

This is a conservative estimate. That’s nearly a whole working day of exercise you want to start doing! And currently you do nothing!

Thinking Small

This is one of the very big things that stops us from getting into shape – the simple fact that we come home from work and we are completely drained in terms of energy, and all we want to do is spend some time with our old friend “lots and lots of cake and alcohol.” The problem is that your routine is already packed and that you don’t really have time or energy left to do anything else. So what do you do?

One trick is to snap out of this and overcome that energy drain, so how do you do that? One method is to challenge yourself to do just “something” that day even if it’s a very small bit of exercise.

For instance, you might just try and do a quick set of fifty press ups. This is a good idea because it will be good for you to do something – always do something instead of nothing as it will have a big impact on your body and help get your blood pumping. But more to the point after you’ve done fifty press ups you’ll quickly realise that you feel more awake and energetic and that you want to capitalize on those initial fifty. As a result, you’ll probably end up doing an entire workout.

Here’s the rule then: make sure that every day you do at least three sets of any exercise. So, your aim is still to do more, and to do your training program, but if you find yourself in the above situation and feeling too tired and short on time to start, you should make this effort to do just say 3 sets of 20 press ups, or 20 sit ups.

This is the kaizen approach as it is most often packaged: doing something small in order to get big results.

Reason a) that this works, is that something is always better than nothing and if you do just this small amount you will find yourself improving at least slightly, or at least more than you would. More importantly though, as soon as you’ve done those 20 press ups (which seem like no challenge at all and seem do-able) you’ll find yourself throwing yourself into the rest of the training – because you’ll have found it’s not really that bad, and you’ll have gotten your blood pumping thus giving yourself more energy and more power to train.

No matter how tired you are or how busy you are, there’s no excuse not to accomplish five minutes of training. So you can do this challenge. It’s up to you if you make this a rule in your life or not, but if you don’t you have only yourself to blame for not making progress.

Time and Effort

One of the things that stops a lot of people from going to the gym as well is simply the time and effort it takes for them to start. The problem here is that they have to no doubt walk or drive to the gym – already taking up a significant amount of time, they have to face the cold outdoors, they have to wash afterward, they have to do more washing… it all takes a lot more time and energy than just the hour it takes to work out.

Mistake number one: it doesn’t take an hour to work out! If you’re training for an hour then you’re probably wasting a whole lot of time in the gym and it’s time to stop. Using the best methods to ensure that your workouts are fast and intense is the best way to improve the quality of your workout, and to make it much less of a time investment. You should be in and out in less than forty minutes in most cases and your heart rate should never really drop.
Process Fixes for Exercise
That is where a lot of books and articles on kaizen for exercise would stop. But again, that’s missing the most important aspects of the concept.

Kaizen in manufacturing is about looking at the manufacturing process and finding sticking points – finding waste – where things can be improved. And this is what you need to do with your training.

In the past, you’ve struggled to stick to a training program. That should tell you that your current approach to training is somehow inefficient. So, you need to fix it.
The next plan then, is to make sure that you make working out as easy to do as possible as quickly as possible. This means that if you can make a home gym then that’s fantastic – you should have a home gym for those times when making it out to the actual gym is just a little too much, and all your home gym needs is a bit of floor space and maybe a pull up bar (don’t underestimate the power of bodyweight training).

For going to the gym it’s important to create a system. Make going to the gym as easy as you can so that you’ve chosen one near to you or near to your work, and one that has a shower etc. so you can get ready while you’re there. Then create a “system” or a routine that will make this all as easy as possible – I used to go to the gym straight after work on a Friday, and I’d shower there straight after to save time at home. Every day when I got back I’d swap the towel in my gym bag and throw in a new pair of boxers and change of clothes so that I didn’t have to do that the next day, and I’d have a separate shampoo etc. in the bag so that I never had to remember to pack it.

So, after work I’d hit the gym for forty minutes and shower meaning I got home only an hour later but had saved time from my evening routine and was able to fully relax. Because it was habit, it never got in the way of anything else.

The Rest of the Lifestyle

I’ve similarly created a system for the washing up and made the environment as conducive as possible – by getting enough draining boards that the entire lot of washing up can be done in one go without drying, by drastically limiting the amount of crockery I use, and by ensuring to do it straight away after eating (and once again – excuses just don’t cut it).

You might be thinking I’ve gone mad at this point. How can fixing your washing up routine possibly help you to work out? But here’s the thing: if you spend less time washing up, you have more time and energy to do the things you want. Which in this case means exercising?

To look at this in kaizen terms, we are dealing with waste, and making our lifestyles more efficient. And by doing this, we’re able to fit in more training.

Likewise, you might look at what time you’re waking up. You could get more time in your day if you didn’t keep hitting snooze. And maybe if you negotiate working from home once a week? What if you were to get some kind of chore done on the train on your commute back.

Small changes like this can give you not only more time, but more energy. You’ve made your lifestyle more efficient in order to gain the 6 hours of exercise that you want to commit to. This approach turns the usual methods of starting exercise completely on their head – and to impressive effect.

Fixing Energy

Failing this another thing you can do is simply to try taking a big breath in, standing up, and jumping up and down a bit. This will once again get the blood flowing and you’ll feel instantly more relaxed. You should smile at this point too (as Charlie Chaplin would say) because “facial feedback” will ensure that this improves your mood. And often you’ll find that it’s partly your mood that’s holding you back.

This works because you’re addressing your lack of energy and refuelling. It’s a small thing, that can have big consequences. Another psychological technique you can use here is called ‘priming’ which means creating the right mood for whatever it is you want to be doing. Try watching an action film with Arnie (I recommend Commando) and you’ll suddenly feel raring to go and to hit the gym hard in the face.

Of course, there are also physical things that affect your energy too, so make sure you remember that you are managing your energy levels and trying to save some for when you do your workout. Make sure you start your day with a hearty meal of complex carbs which will gradually release energy throughout the day, make sure you get lots of sleep (at least 8 hours) which is also high quality, and make sure that you don’t exhaust yourself with stress.

Again, this is kaizen done properly: you are looking at every aspect of your routine and your lifestyle, in order to see areas that can be improved to get the results you want to see.

Applying This to Other Areas

Now you understand what kaizen is really all about, you can begin thinking of ways to apply it in other areas of your life. For example, how might you improve your productivity? By looking at every step of your work flow and seeing where any time or energy is being wasted. Speed up your computer boot time by five minutes and you just gained 25 minutes (at least) of extra time a week. That’s a significant amount of time to be doing things!

You can apply this to relationships, to your health, to your finances, and much more. It’s time to stop making bold, unrealistic assertions – and to start taking a more kaizen approach!

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Self Help

Identifying The Three Pillars of Unshakeable Confidence

by shedboy71

Pillar 1: Experiential Confidence

When I was a teenager, one thing that scared me the most was chatting up women, especially strangers. Making the initial approach felt impossible and made me feel like I had completely lost strength in my feet. It simply made me shut down!

Now, two decades later, I can’t wrap my head around what it is that I was so afraid of.

The truth is, you and I can overcome fear and easily do the things that we once thought impossible, simply because we now have experience. I was able to push through those frightening moments and conversation. Now, I can strike up a conversation with every person I find, on the train, coffee shop, or at the office.

I have the confidence to do pretty much anything I put my mind to. It is just like learning to drive on the highway for the first time. At first, it was scary, but with time, you adjust, and your body learns that it does not kill you.

Well, this kind of confidence is what is referred to as experiential confidence. It is the type of confidence that you gain through experience. You have developed this type of confidence at some point in your life. The first step is to have the courage to act and take risks. Each time you fail, you build that confidence because you understand that failure is not permanent.

One thing that you have to appreciate is all the things that did not work out in your life because they allowed you to learn. It is through the past failures that we have confidence today. Therefore, if you want to build your experiential confidence, the first thing that you need to ask yourself is what is the worst thing that could happen if you fail? Will you die? If not, then there is no reason to back down. You must understand that everything you act against fear, you grow your experiential confidence, and all the tasks that is difficult now will be easy later on.

Pillar 2: Emotional Confidence

This simply refers to the kind of confidence that you can turn on at will. Well, here’s an example: I started working for an International company at the age of 21 as a project assistant. One time, for some reason, I wanted to work from another city for three weeks. However, I was so nervous to ask my boss for permission to work away from the main office. Did I eventually do it? Definitely.

Well, I first had to prepare myself mentally. I started by brainstorming how I would walk into his office, present my case, and how I would handle his responses. I created a small decision tree with all the possible ifs, how and why questions he would ask and what my responses would be. This was to help me stay on top of my game so that nothing caught me off-guard. In other words, I needed this to maintain my composure.

What I was essentially doing was tapping into my emotional confidence by learning the tips and tricks of controlling my body language so that I do not send out the wrong message. If you control your body, then you will be able to control your emotions. On the contrary, if you fail to control your body, then your emotions will be running all over the place.

What I simply did was rehearse every statement I was going to say, and how I would do it, with a firm handshake, smiling face, and shoulders high. What I realize was, when you resist the urge of crossing your arms and showing your anxiety, the conversation flows naturally, and the other party eases into the discussion. That is how you gain emotional confidence.

It is important to note that, emotional confidence serves a great purpose especially when you are caught in a situation that you already anticipate; for instance, a presentation, a difficult conversation with your superiors or parents, a performance, etc. Unlike experiential confidence, emotional confidence is not limited to just a single domain.

The only problem, in this case, is that having emotional confidence is not automatic. You have to tap into your inner self to turn it on.

But then what do you do in such a difficult situation when you just don’t feel like it? We will be delving deeper into how you can stick up for yourself and various ways in which you can handle tough situations that come your way.

Pillar 3: Self-Esteem

This is the deepest level of confidence and is the true definition of unshakeable confidence! One mistake that people make today is thinking that confidence has everything to do with survival. The tough truth is that there are so many people with huge muscles, decorated war veterans, and even firefighters who do not have self-confidence! They do not have the confidence to initiate a conversation with a stranger. You have to understand that confidence is something that in this time and age, is broken by identity and not broken bones.

We often think to ourselves… What if others hate me? What if I gave the presentation and they ignore me? What would people think of me? These are all self-defeating questions.

Having high self-esteem simply means that you have the ultimate level of confidence because in such a case, your identity is not broken. Instead, your identity is self-generated. You must never let others shape your identity and purpose. You have the power and the will to uphold your internal code.

The first thing to winning high self-esteem is ensuring that your true identity is tied to your values and standards. It starts by you realizing and accepting that the only person that will break your identity is yourself!

The moment you stop feeling like your identity is at stake, is when you are truly confident. If you live up to your standards, there is no rejection, weirdness, or public humiliation that can upset you. So what are the steps that we need to take in order to live with high standards and peerless confidence? Some of these include you trying your best, fully expressing yourself, taking responsibility for your happiness, and always purposing to do what is right rather than taking the easy way out.

What others think don’t matter. When you live with this mantra, you will never be at the mercy of other’s opinions. Let your purpose always be the guiding light and do your best at all times. Don’t be afraid to do the things that scare you and give your best shot! There is no way to lose with such mentality. In fact, you will gain more than you could ever imagined.

There’s a saying which goes: familiarity breeds comfort. Therefore, ensure that you are exposing yourself to situations that offer you a sense of familiarity if you are going to attend a meeting, scope through the agenda of the meeting in your head. If you are going to give a presentation, run through it in your head.

Additionally, it is critical that you take control of your emotions. Take at least three minutes and speak loudly, with a smile on your face and taking slow and deep breaths into your belly to effectively snap out that bad feeling, anxiety, or pattern. If you make this your identity, you will notice that no failure, rejection, or humiliation will shake your true identity.

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Self Help

Steps To Building An Unshakeable Confidence

by shedboy71

Step 1: Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone

If you are going to have unshakeable confidence, you have to be willing to step out of your comfort zone so that you can do things out of the ordinary. You have to stir up that urge burning within you to be extraordinary.

Perhaps you have a brilliant idea that your believe could benefit your company, but you do not know how to share that with your boss. Perhaps you have a crush that you never dared to approach.

The problem that comes with not acting on these desires is that you will stagnate right where you are. Truth is, when you fail to explore new experiences, you are letting fear take away your sunshine. You are simply digging deeper into your zone of comfort. The hole that you have been sitting in for several decades now.

Yes, it may be intimidating to make the first approach into the unknown, risking being embarrassed by failures. But if you think about it, it’s just ‘FEAR’ – False Evidence Appearing Real. What is the worst that could happen? Often times, you are just overthinking. Stepping out of your comfort zone can be so daunting, but it is important if you wish to fulfill your life’s purpose and have unshakeable confidence. This could be the way you can finally prove to yourself that you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

After all, what is the worst that can happen? You can share with your boss and steer the company to success, or the boss simply turns it down. You could ask that girl or boy out, and they could say either yes or no – You also get your answer without wasting too much time guessing. Either way, it is a win-win situation.

The secret to having unshakeable confidence starts with you!

One thing that I will tell you for sure is that to get out of your comfort zone; you have to start by setting micro-goals that will all eventually add up to the bigger picture. Micro-goals simply refers to small pieces of the larger goal you have. When you break your bigger goals into chunks, accomplishing them becomes quite easy, and you will have so much fun while you’re at it. This will also build up your momentum to keep pushing until you have reached your target.

Let us go back to the example we just talked about earlier. So, you have a business idea or strategy that you would like to share with your boss but haven’t gotten the courage to do it. What you can do instead is break your major outcome into smaller goals that eventually yield similar outcomes. Take small steps to get started, no matter how small it is. Instead of taking the big leap and feeling overwhelmed, starting small will take the pressure off you. When you do this, you simply make things quite easy to digest and make follow-ups easy.

So you like that girl or boy and have no courage to tell them how. But he or she may not be single in the first place. So your micro goal should be to establish a rapport with them first before you dive into the deepest end of things. Even before you ask them out on a date, get to know who they are by just initiating a short conversation with her/him. Isn’t that better? This does not sound like you are stalking them.

That said, you have to appreciate that when you set micro-goals, it allows you to step out of your comfort zone. As you achieve your micro-goals one after the other, you will realize that every small wins can help you get the confidence you need to move forward. Challenge yourself that you are going to do something out of the ordinary every day and see how that grows your confidence.

Step 2: Know Your Worth

Did you know that people with unshakeable confidence are often very decisive? One thing that is pretty admirable with successful people is that they do not take too much time trying to make small decisions. They simply do not overanalyze things. The reason why they can make fast decisions is because they already know their big picture, the ultimate outcome.

But how can you define what you want?

The very first step is for you to define your values. According to Tony Robbins, an author, there are two major distinct values; end values and means values. These two types of values are linked to the emotional state you desire; happiness, sense of security, and fulfillment among others.

Means Values

These simply refer to ways in which you can trigger the emotion you desire. A very good example is money, which often serves as a mean, not an end. It is one thing that will offer you financial freedom, something that you want and hence is a means value.

Ends Values

This refers to emotions that you are looking for, like love, happiness, and a sense of security. They are simply the things that your means values offer. For instance, the money will give you security and financial stability.

In other words, the means value is the things that you think you desire for you to finally get the end values. The most important thing is for you to have clarity on what you value so that you can make informed decisions much faster. This, in turn, will give you a strong sense of identity, and that is where you draw everlasting confidence from. You have to be in control of your life and not the other way round.

One way you can do that is ensuring that you define your end values. You can start by dedicating at least an hour or two each week to write down what your end values are. To get there, start by stating what your values are that you’d like to hone to get to your dream life.

Some of the questions that might help you put things into perspective include;  What are some of the things that matter most in your life?  Are there things that you do not care about in your life?  If you were to make a tough decision, what are some of the values that you will stand by and what are those that you will disregard?  If you have or had kids, what are some of the values you will instill in them?

Step 3: Be Ready To Embrace Change

Have you ever found yourself obsessing about the future or the past? This is something that many of us find ourselves doing. However, here is the thing; the person you were five years ago or will be five years from now is very different from who you are right now.

You will notice that five years ago, your taste, interests, and friends were different from what they are today and chances are that they will be different five years from now. The point is, it is critical that you embrace who you are today and know that you are an active evolution.

According to research conducted by Carol Dweck, it is clear that children do well at school once they adopt a growth mindset. In fact, with the growth mindset, they believe that they can do well in a certain subject. This is quite the opposite of what children with a fixed mindset experience because they believe that what they are and all that they have is permanent. Therefore, having the notion that you cannot grow only limits your confidence.

What you should do to embrace all that you are is stopping selfjudgment. Most of the time, we are out there judging people by what they say, how they say it, what they wear, and their actions. In the same way, we judge ourselves in our heads comparing our past and present self.

For you to develop a strong sense of confidence, it is important that you start by beating the habit of self-judgment and negative criticism. Yes, this is something that can be difficult at first, but when you start to practice it, you realize how retrogressive that was.

You can start by choosing at least one or two days every week when you avoid making any judgment at all. If you have got nothing good to say, don’t say it. If there is a negative thought that crosses your mind, you replace it with a positive one. Gradually, your mind will start priming to a state of nonjudgment, and it will soon become your natural state of mind. This will not only help you embrace others but also accept yourself for who you truly are.

Step 4: Be Present

Sounds simple, right? It is important and necessary that you build your confidence. By being present, you are simply allowing your mind, body, and soul to be engaged in the task at hand.

Let us imagine speaking to someone that is not listening to what you are saying. This is something that has probably happened to a good number of us. How did you feel? On the other hand, imagine speaking to someone, and you feel like you were the only person in the room. Feels pretty special, huh?

The reason why you feel special is that they were present at that moment. They paid very close attention to what you were saying, feeling every emotion with you. They were engaged in the conversation at a deeper level. This way, you can retain information while still experiencing empathy.

To be present, you have to develop a mental double-check. This simply means that you should mentally check-in on yourself regularly. To do that, you have to develop a mental trigger or calendar when you ask yourself where your mind is. This is the time when you act as an observer of your mind.

Are you thinking of dinner reservations while in a meeting? Do you think that you are not good enough? To call yourself out of these negative thoughts means that you mentally check in on yourself every often. Once you have the answer to your question, take in a deep breath and bring back your focus on your most important things.

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Self Help

10 signs your job is killing you

by shedboy71

Make no mistake about it, most people hate their jobs. That’s the bottom line. There are many people who show up to work on time, every day, but when you talk to them, it becomes quickly apparent that they’d rather be doing something else. These people are not all that rare.

In fact, they’re all too common. According to several surveys, more than 50% of Americans express some sort of discontent with their work. In fact, a disturbing percentage of people would quit immediately if given the chance.

Are you one of these people? Now, you may be thinking that your job is okay. You might even have convinced yourself that you are going to stick to what you’re doing until you retire. You might be playing games with yourself. You might be hanging on to something that you should leave behind. Why? It may be killing you.

Here are the 10 signs your job is killing you.

1: You are constantly tired

Do you find yourself constantly struggling with low energy levels? Pay attention to when this happens. If you notice that when you come home from work only to basically flop down on your mattress or on a sofa to play video games or sleep, your fatigue is caused by what you do at work.

You may not have a blue collar job that requires physical labor, but you may still be tired. How come? All the stress and all the mental work grinds you down physically. You may not break a sweat at work, but there’s enough stress on your intellect or emotions that you just are physically worn out when you get home.

This robs you of meaningful leisure time. Instead of having enough energy left over to spend precious time with your family or to do important things to improve your life, you’re just left exhausted at the end of the day.

2: You cannot focus after work

Have you ever noticed that after you go home, you can’t do much of anything? Now, even if you have a lot of physical energy, you might still find it hard to do anything after work. This has something to do with your willpower being sucked up by your job. You feel that after you’ve made some important decisions at work that you really don’t have enough willpower left for anything else.

You can’t even decide what kind of takeout food to order or what pizza topping to get delivered. Not surprisingly, a lot of decisions you make turn out to be bad ones. Why? You simply can’t focus correctly. You get mentally lazy and you become more impulsive. A lot of this has to do with the fact that your work has robbed you of your mental focus.

3: You cannot focus at work

Have you ever noticed that you spend a lot of time on email and at the end of the day you really can’t do any of the big stuff that needs to get done at work? You’re not alone. This happens to a lot of people.

What happens is they get sucked into all the “busy work” and have very little willpower left over for big decisions as well as for their life after work. They just get reduced to empty shells because they feel like they’re just chasing their tails doing “busy work” at the office.

4: You are always daydreaming

Do you find yourself daydreaming at work? You’re thinking of either taking a vacation or enjoying a financial freedom because you set up a successful business. Do you keep repeating this daydream fantasies day after day?

This is a serious danger sign because you’re not focusing on your work. You’re not focusing on the stuff that will help you earn more money or get promoted. Unfortunately, daydreaming is more interesting than your job.

You are able to explore new possibilities or opportunities you don’t think you’re getting from your current job. Also, when you daydream, you get a sense of emotional escape from the daily humiliation or the daily hassle your job has degenerated into.

You might feel like you’re just going through the motions at your job. Daydreaming enables you to get a nice emotional rush that allows you to overcome the negative emotions you may have about about your work.

5: You dont get enough sleep

Do you have bags under your eyes? Does it seem like regardless of how early you try to go to bed you can’t sleep a full 8 hours? Maybe a lot of this has to do with the fact that you keep thinking about stuff at work. Maybe you are obsessed about a report that you have to file.

Maybe you’re scared stiff about a deadline that’s coming up soon. You might not be all that pumped up about your work in general but you still let the small stuff get the better of you. Whatever the case may be, a lot of your mental energy is sucked up by your job that it cannot rest well enough for you to sleep well.

Maybe you can go to sleep, but you cannot get a full 8 hours of rest. This is a serious problem. You feel restless. You might even have the habit of constantly waking up earlier than usual. You feel groggy but instead of waking up fully, you just get up like a zombie. This can really take it out of you.

6: You dont look forward to going to work

Do you find yourself making all sorts of excuses to hang out at the house so you don’t have to go to work? Do you find yourself loitering at the parking lot because you don’t really want to go show up at your job? You’re not alone. This happens to a lot of people, and this has to do with your attitude towards work.

Maybe you had a bad experience with a raise you’re trying to get. Maybe your boss isn’t the most pleasant person in the world. Whatever the case may be, you just don’t look forward to go in to work.

Unfortunately, this drains energy. The more you resist going to work, the more tired and fatigued your mind gets. The more mental fatigue you suffer from, the lower the quality of your work.

7: Your work commute annoys you

Do you have to jump in your car or jump on some sort of public transport to go to work? Do the people there annoy you? Does the whole fact that you have to commute for a relatively long period of time irritate you? Don’t feel alone. A lot of people are in the same boat as you.

Maybe they don’t have problems with their job, but it’s the commute that really kills their soul. They start wondering about what they are doing with their lives. They start worrying. Or they get really bored. Regardless, their minds wander to places and consider topics they shouldn’t focus on.

There’s nothing more annoying than getting stuck in traffic or, worse yet, going down a highway along with tons of other cars like a sheep being led to a slaughter. You do this mindlessly, day in, day out.

8: You always feel you should be doing something else

Even if you’re having a good time with certain parts of your job, do you get this nagging feeling that your talents would be better used doing something else? If you get this constant feeling, this means that you are very dissatisfied with what you do for a living at a very deep level. You feel that your whole personality is not really being fully expressed in the livelihood that you have chosen.

9: You feel sorry about your potential

Do you see yourself looking at old pictures from college or high school? Do you look at your diploma and wonder what could have been? Does it seem like you are living far below your fullest potential? Maybe this is in terms of academics or intellectual pursuits. Maybe this is in terms of your physical hobbies like sports.

Do you feel that every day you spend at work, you stray farther and farther from the kind of life you should be enjoying? Does it seem like your best days are behind you? Do you get the feeling that you are stuck?

You still have potential. You can still turn your life around to the direction of your dreams. But you have to choose this. This is not just going to fall into your life. You can’t rely on luck or some sort of fortunate ‘big break’ to hand you the kind of life you could be living. You have to take initiative. You have to get the ball rolling. Sadly, most people can’t do this. They feel too stuck.

10: You would rather hang out with family and friends rather than work

Do you make all sorts of excuses to call friends and family while you are at work? Do you spend a lot of time checking personal email at your 9 to 5 job? This is a symptom of the fact that you’d rather hang out with friends or family than work.

There’s something about your work that turns you off. You feel that it’s not really fulfilling. You feel that it doesn’t really help you polish your full potential as a human being.

The Bottom Line

If you suffer from at least two of the signs above, then there’s a serious problem with your job. I know you probably don’t want to hear this, I know you probably are trying to get away from this realization, but your job is killing you at some level or another. Maybe it’s killing your hopes and dreams. Maybe it’s killing your perception of what you stand to offer the world.

Maybe it’s killing your self-esteem. Whatever the case may be, you know that there is something fundamentally wrong. You know that there’s something missing. You feel incomplete. You don’t feel fulfilled. You feel like you’re just chasing your tail day after day, each day being the exact same carbon copy of the day that preceded it. You feel that there’s really no rhyme nor reason in what you choose to do day after day, week after week, month after month, and year after year.

The Bad News

If you keep at it, your job is going to kill you. You’re going to be a walking, empty shell of a person. You’ve wasted your best years because you did not invest in your soul. You did not invest in the part of yourself that looks to expand your horizons and you did not allow yourself to entertain your sense of adventure. You just look forward to your next vacation as you compartmentalize your life and look forward to your retirement.

Let me ask you, what happens next? Is that the kind of life you want to build for yourself? Even if you have a lot of money stored away, is that really worth trading your life for?

Because that’s what you’re doing. You’re trading your life for some vague notion of security. Wouldn’t you rather live the kind of life that you want based on your own terms?

The Solution

Thankfully, there is good news. Thanks to the internet, more and more people are enjoying the kind of life they want for themselves. We’re not just talking about financial freedom. We’re also talking about full personal freedom. Regardless of what hobby you want to do, you can do it.

Regardless of what kind of family time you want to enjoy with the most important people in your life, you can do it. This all boils down to building the right income system so your job doesn’t end up swallowing the rest of your life. Click here for the latest report on how to build a system that enables you to get your life back.

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Self Help

The top 10 benefits of meditation

by shedboy71

If you’re going through this training, chances are, you already want to try your hand at meditation. There’s a high probability that you probably already know some, if not all, of the 10 major benefits of meditation.

Just to be sure, if you are still in any way, shape or form on the fence regarding this practical and all-natural way to relax, here are just the 10 major benefits of meditation. Please note that the actual list of meditation’s benefits is quite long. These are just the most commonly reported benefits.

Benefit #1: It slows down your mind

Part of the reason why people are so stressed out is because they have a thousand things on their mind. They’re just so focused on so many things at the same time that they spread themselves too thin.
They’re not very patient, they don’t have much focus, and it’s very easy for them to drop the ball. It’s very easy for them to spend day after day thinking that they really haven’t done much with their time or the opportunities presented to them.

By learning how to meditate on a practical basis, you slow down your mind. You’re able to focus and appreciate one thing at a time. This is not a step back. In fact, this is a great way of reclaiming your ability to focus and control the many different areas of your life.

Benefit #2: It relaxes your mind

Focus is one thing, relaxation is another. Please understand that these are two totally different things. You can be focused on something that really stresses you out and take care of the problem. However, once the issue is done, you may still be tightly wound up. You may still be stressed.

Meditation enables you to completely relax your mind. It is a great way of not only taking off stress, but also relaxing your mind. You get inner peace, you get serenity.

Benefit #3: It relaxes your body

There’s a tight connection between your body and your mind. The less stressed your mind becomes, the more relaxed your body gets. These two are strongly tied to each other. By working on your mind, you go a long way in
relaxing physically.

Benefit #4: You gain perspective

Part of the reason why people are so stressed is because they think that they’re jumping from one emergency to another. They are literally caught in the end-of-the-world every single crisis. It’s as if they’re putting out one fire after another.
Well, it turns out that most, if not all, of the things that you’re stressed out about are nothing to stress out over. In the big scheme of things, they are really small potatoes. When you adopt a daily or consistent meditation practice, you get to see the big picture. Gaining perspective enables you to achieve some level of inner peace.

Benefit #5: You create distance between your emotions and your perception

One of the most common symptoms of stress is when everything seems to revolve around who you are, your personal value, and your goals in life. In other words, every small disappointment becomes a giant failure.
When you don’t agree with somebody else, instead of leaving it at a fairly shallow level, the disagreement becomes really personal. You really have a tough time letting go of your emotions.

Well, when you learn how to meditate, you create distance between your emotions and perceptions. Just because you perceive certain things, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to interpret things in a very emotionally negative way.
The more you meditate, the calmer you feel. It doesn’t have to be the end of the world. It doesn’t have to be all about you. Life doesn’t have to involve a tremendous amount of unnecessary drama.

Benefit #6: Your focus increases in power

Where your focus goes, energy flows. Unfortunately, if you’re stressed out, it’s very easy for you to try to focus, but there’s really not much power left. You can’t muster the willpower needed to get stuff done, regardless of how much you think you’ve set your mind to something.
At some level or another, something is tapping your energy. It’s just leaking out of you and you really can’t, for the life of you, focus like a laser. When you learn how to meditate and control your mental processes, your focus grows in strength. You are able to target specific tasks with your willpower. When you do this, you become a more effective and productive person.

Benefit #7: Your focus increases in clarity

Just as focus involves willpower, focus also involves clarity. Things start to make sense. Things fall into place. Unfortunately, if you’re under a lot of pressure, it’s easy to suffer from brain fog. Everything looks like the same, everything is fuzzy, and it’s hard for you to tell which is which. You don’t even know what your priority should be or not.

It is no surprise that regardless of how much focus stressed out people try to put on certain tasks, they can’t get anything done. It’s as if they tried to impose their willpower to do certain things, but it turns out that they’re doing the wrong things at the wrong time to produce the wrong results. They end up chasing their tails.

When you meditate, your focus not only grows in strength, but it also grows in clarity. You start using your values as your filter as to what to focus on. This can have a tremendously positive result on your productivity as well as your sense that you are able to make things happen in your life.

Benefit #8: It lowers your blood pressure

In research study after research study, scientists have discovered that consistent meditative practice actually lowers blood pressure. This is a big deal because there is a cardiovascular disease epidemic in the United States and other developed nations.
As people live more and more sedentary lives, heart-related issues are killing more and more people. If you meditate, you tend to naturally lower your blood pressure, and this can possibly prolong your life.

Benefit #9: It can speed up emotional healing

If you have a tough time forgiving people, by learning how to meditate, you can gain emotional distance from painful or anger-inducing memories. Sooner or later, you are able to see things in perspective, and this puts you in a position to forgive.

Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that if you meditate, you will automatically forgive people who you feel have done you harm. That will still be your choice. However, when you meditate, you start viewing things in perspective, and it’s more likely that, if you want to, you can forgive and move on. This can go a long way in helping you heal emotionally.

Benefit #10: Can bolster psychological repair

I wish I could tell you that all of us came from ideal childhoods. I wish I could tell you that we all had great pasts and that we’ve always hung out with great people and we’ve always had amazing times. It would be awesome if we all came from nurturing, loving relationships and families.

Unfortunately, that’s not true. There are a lot of us who have suffered psychological wounds and are having a tough time recovering. When you meditate, you tend to gain perspective. This enables you to put yourself in the position to start looking at the past as well as the present consequences of your past with a fresh set of eyes.

If you feel that you’ve been victimized, if you feel that you’ve been harmed in the past, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to continue looking at yourself the same way. Again, just like with speeding up emotional healing, meditation only puts you in this position. You still have to choose this benefit. This doesn’t happen automatically.

Keep the 10 benefits above in mind if you’re still hesitating or feeling apprehensive about meditation. While it is a commitment, please keep in mind that, in most cases, its advantages definitely outweigh whatever real or imagined disadvantages people may see with a meditation practice.

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Self Help

A collection of inspirational proverbs part 2

by shedboy71


Part 2 of the inspirational quotes

A lie travels round the world while truth is putting her boots on. French Proverb

Bear with evil and expect good. French Proverb

A stitch in time saves nine. French Proverb

A rolling stone gathers no moss. French Proverb

Learning is there for every man. French Proverb

Beauty, unaccompanied by virtue, is as a flower without perfume. French Proverb

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. French Proverb

Friends are lost by calling often and calling seldom. French Proverb

He who begins many things finishes but few. Italian Proverb

Anger can be an expensive luxury. Italian Proverb

Better give a penny then lend twenty. Italian Proverb

Give time time. Italian Proverb

Necessity becomes will. Italian Proverb

The habit doesn’t make a monk. Italian Proverb

One who sleeps doesn’t catch fish. Italian Proverb

Silence was never written down. Italian Proverb

The liar needs a good memory. Italian Proverb

He who does not when he can, cannot when he will. Italian Proverb

Better one day as a lion than a hundred as a sheep. Italian Proverb

A good retreat is better than a bad stand. Irish Proverb

Time is a great story teller. Irish Proverb

The work praises the man. Irish Proverb

There is light at the end of the tunnel. Irish Proverb

A change of work is as good as a rest. Irish Proverb

A single arrow is easily broken, but not ten in a bundle. Japanese Proverb

Art is the illusion of spontaneity. Japanese Proverb

Let what is past flow away downstream. Japanese Proverb

Adversity is the foundation of virtue. Japanese Proverb

Art is the illusion of spontaneity. Japanese Proverb

You can know ten things by learning one. Japanese Proverb

Ten men, ten minds. Japanese Proverb

When you’re thirsty it’s too late to think about digging a well. Japanese Proverb

When the character of a man is not clear to you, look at his friends. Japanese Proverb

Better to be a crystal and to be broken, than to be a tile upon the housetop. Japanese Proverb

One kind word can warm three winter months. Japanese Proverb

Gossip about a person and his shadow will appear. Japanese Proverb

There are no national frontiers to learning. Japanese Proverb

Power lasts ten years; influence not more than a hundred. Korean Proverb

Cast no dirt into the well that gives you water. Korean Proverb

Even if the sky falls on you, there is a hole that you can escape from. Korean Proverb

The deeper the waters are, the more still they run. Korean Proverb

A turtle travels only when it sticks its neck out. Korean Proverb

Even a fish wouldn’t get into trouble if it kept its mouth shut. Korean Proverb

Put off for one day and ten days will pass. Korean Proverb

Words have no wings but they can fly a thousand miles. Korean Proverb

A kitchen knife cannot carve its own handle. Korean Proverb

Gossip needs no carriage. Russian Proverb

Praise loudly, blame softly. Russian Proverb

Acknowledgement is half of correction. Russian Proverb

A kind word is like a Spring day. Russian Proverb

He who doesn’t risk never gets to drink champagne. Russian Proverb

Every road has two directions. Russian Proverb

A small link will sink a great ship. Russian Proverb

Failure teaches you more than success. Russian Proverb

Every seed knows its time. Russian Proverb

Take time to smell the roses. Russian Proverb

Success and rest don’t sleep together. Russian Proverb

You don’t get something for nothing. Russian Proverb

To the grateful man give more than he asks. Spanish Proverb

A fifth wheel to a cart is but an encumbrance. Spanish Proverb

A tired person can sleep anywhere. Spanish Proverb

For a good appetite there is no hard bread. Spanish Proverb

The wise man does not hang his knowledge on a hook. Spanish Proverb

We do not know what is good until we have lost it. Spanish Proverb

If there be no remedy, why worry? Spanish Proverb

A wise man changes his mind, a fool never. Spanish Proverb

Home is where the heart is. Spanish Proverb

Who talks much, errs much. Spanish Proverb

Charity well regulated begins at home. Spanish Proverb

We’ll just have to make do. Spanish Proverb

If and When were planted and Nothing grew. Turkish Proverb

Two captains sink the ship. Turkish Proverb

It is not disgraceful to ask, it is disgraceful not to ask. Turkish Proverb

A lake forms drop by drop. Turkish Proverb

No matter how far you have gone on the wrong road, turn back. Turkish Proverb

Today’s egg is better than tomorrow’s hen. Turkish Proverb

Abundance is from activity. Turkish Proverb

He that conceals his grief finds no remedy for it. Turkish Proverb

Patience is the key to paradise. Turkish Proverb

Tomorrow is another day. Turkish Proverb

There is no right way to do a wrong thing. Turkish Proverb

Two heads are better than one. Turkish Proverb

A willful fault has no excuse, and deserves no pardon. Welsh Proverb

He understands badly who listens badly. Welsh Proverb

Three things give us hardy strength: sleeping on hairy mattresses, breathing cold air, and eating dry food. Welsh Proverb

Without perseverance talent is a barren bed. Welsh Proverb

The best candle is understanding. Welsh Proverb

Be honorable yourself if you wish to associate with honorable people. Welsh Proverb

Adversity comes with instruction in his hand. Welsh Proverb

Your hand is never the worse for doing its own work. Welsh Proverb

If every man would sweep his own door-step the city would soon be clean. Welsh Proverb

Adversity and loss make a man wise. Welsh Proverb

Conscience is the nest where all good is hatched. Welsh Proverb

A watched clock never tells the time. Welsh Proverb

The advice of the aged will not mislead you. Welsh Proverb

The smoothest way is full of stones. Yiddish Proverb

The truly rich are those who enjoy what they have. Yiddish Proverb

Confidence is half of victory. Yiddish Proverb

Interest on debts grow without rain. Yiddish Proverb

Had you gotten up early, you wouldn’t have needed to stay up late. Yiddish Proverb

If you ever need a helping hand you’ll find one at the end of your arm. Yiddish Proverb

Money doesn’t grow on trees. Yiddish Proverb

Better ask ten times than go astray once. Yiddish Proverb

If things are not as you wish, wish them as they are. Yiddish Proverb

Make new friends, but don’t forget the old ones. Yiddish Proverb

Talking comes by nature, silence by wisdom. Yiddish Proverb

Beautiful is not what is beautiful, but what one likes. Yiddish Proverb

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Self Help

A collection of inspirational proverbs part 1

by shedboy71

This is is our collection of inspirational proverbs


Part 1

The waiting man gets the wind behind him. Swedish Proverb

The longer the night lasts, the more our dreams will be. Chinese Proverb

Better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness. Chinese Proverb

The bee has a sting but honey too. Swedish Proverb

Nothing is impossible for a willing heart. French Proverb

God gives to those who get up early. Russian Proverb

You need a sharp axe for a tough bough. Russian Proverb

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket English Proverb

If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. American Proverb

A tiger never returns to his prey he did not finish off. Chinese Proverb

The first step is always the hardest. American Proverb

There will be bumps in the smoothest roads. French Proverb

The sun will shine into our yard too. Russian Proverb

Best Chances will become Odds if you don’t react in time. Indian Proverb

You’re never too old to learn. American Proverb

Where there’s a will there’s a way English Proverb

People feel it when they have it. Indian Proverb

Don’t sit among scoffers. Swedish Proverb

Even a stone gets rounded by constant rubbing. Indian Proverb

A fall into a ditch makes you wiser. Chinese Proverb

A bird in hand is worth two in the bush English Proverb

Envy is the companion of great success. Swedish Proverb

It’s better to keep what little you have, than to risk it for something more. American Proverb

Who is everywhere is nowhere. Swedish Proverb

A man who chases two rabbits catches none. Roman Proverb

If you are patient in one moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow. Chinese Proverb

If you want happiness for an hour — take a nap.
If you want happiness for a day — go fishing.
If you want happiness for a month — get married.
If you want happiness for a year — inherit a fortune.
If you want happiness for a lifetime — help someone else. Chinese Proverb

Vincit qui se vincit He conquers who conquers himself. Latin Proverb

Dum spiro, spero While I breathe, I hope. Latin Proverb

Qui audet adipiscitur He who dares wins. Latin Proverb

Possunt quia posse videntur They can because they seem to be able to. Latin Proverb

Per aspera ad astra! Through difficulties to the stars! Latin Proverb

Nulli secundus Second to none. Latin Proverb

Dum vita est, spes est While there’s life, there’s hope. Latin Proverb

Nil desperandum Never despair. Latin Proverb

Aut vincere aut mori Either to conquer or to die. Latin Proverb

Aut viam inveniam aut faciam (Hannibal) I’ll either find a way or make one. Latin Proverb

Faber est quisque fortunae suae Every man is architect of his own fortune. Latin Proverb

Si vis amari, ama (Annaeus Seneca, a.k.a. Seneca the Elder, Epistularum Moralium Ad Lucilium) If you wish to be loved, love. Latin Proverb

Non est ad astra mollis e terris via (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) The way from earth to the stars is not peaceful. Latin Proverb

Ipsa scientia potestas est (Sir Francis Bacon) Knowledge itself is power. Latin Proverb

Fall seven times, stand up eight. Japanese Proverb

Don’t set sail on someone else’s star. African Proverb

If you don’t stand for something, you will fall for something. African Proverb

A cutting word is worse than a bowstring, a cut may heal, but the cut of the tongue does not. African Proverb

If you climb up a tree, you must climb down the same tree. African Proverb

It is not what you are called, but what you answer to. African Proverb

A chattering bird builds no nest. African Proverb

If you run after two hares you will catch neither. African Proverb

When a needle falls into a deep well, many people will look into the well, but few will be ready to go down after it. African Proverb

For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today. African Proverb

A little impatience will spoil great plans. Chinese Proverb

Even a hare will bite when it is cornered. Chinese Proverb

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Chinese Proverb

If you bow at all, bow low. Chinese Proverb

A smile will gain you ten more years of life. Chinese Proverb

A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song. Chinese Proverb

A book holds a house of gold. Chinese Proverb

Talk does not cook rice. Chinese Proverb

Experience is a comb which nature gives us when we are bald. Chinese Proverb

Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still. Chinese Proverb

Behave toward everyone as if receiving a guest. Chinese Proverb

A fall into a ditch makes you wiser. Chinese Proverb

Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without one. Chinese Proverb

He who asks is a fool for five minutes, but he who does not ask remains a fool forever. Chinese Proverb

An inch of time is an inch of gold but you can’t buy that inch of time with an inch of gold. Chinese Proverb

Be in general virtuous, and you will be happy. American Proverb

Good weight and measure, are heaven’s treasure. American Proverb

If you desire many things, many things will be seem but a few. American Proverb

Pride is said to be the last vice the good man gets clear of. American Proverb

Wishes won’t wash dishes. American Proverb

A dose of adversity is often as needful as a dose of medicine. American Proverb

Don’t cut off your nose to spite your face. American Proverb

Necessity never made a good bargain. American Proverb

Here today, gone tomorrow. American Proverb

Variety is the spice of life. American Proverb

From little acorns mighty oaks do grow. American Proverb

Hope is a good breakfast, but a poor supper. American Proverb

A good neighbour is better than a brother far off. Danish Proverb

Break one link and the whole chain falls apart. Danish Proverb

“It will come back,” said the man, when he gave his sow pork. Danish Proverb

A slip of the foot may soon be recovered; but that of the tongue perhaps never. Danish Proverb

Age may wrinkle the face, but lack of enthusiasm wrinkles the soul. Danish Proverb

Faults are thick where love is thin. Danish Proverb

A crowd is not company. Danish Proverb

It is best to be on the safe side. Danish Proverb

A fool only wins the first game. Danish Proverb

Keep your nose out of another’s mess. Danish Proverb

A friend’s frown is better than a fool’s smile. Danish Proverb

Better a little furniture than an empty house. Danish Proverb

Many hands make light work. English Proverb

Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched. English Proverb

A bad penny always turns up. English Proverb

Grasp no more than thy hand will hold. English Proverb

An apple a day keeps the doctor away. English Proverb

Actions speak louder than words. English Proverb

You are never to old to learn. English Proverb

A bicycle can’t stand on its own because it’s two-tired. English Proverb

A stumble may prevent a fall. English Proverb

If you want to judge a man’s character, give him power. English Proverb

If wishes were horses beggars might ride. English Proverb

The future is purchased by the present. French Proverb

A clear conscience is a good pillow. French Proverb

A friend is known in time of need. French Proverb

A healthy man is a successful man. French Proverb

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Self Help

18 interesting facts about meditation and its many benefits

by shedboy71

In this article we look at meditation and the many benefits it has

5 Surprising Benefits of Meditation You Might Not Know About

The most well-known benefit of meditation is stress-relief. Different forms of meditation have been used for literally thousands of years to quickly, and sometimes instantly, relieve and remove stress and anxiety. The LiveAndDare.com website has identified 76 scientifically proven benefits of meditation. They include lowering instances of depression and reducing anxiety. Those mental benefits may seem logically linked to a practice where you calm your mind. However, some benefits of meditation may surprise you, including the following 5 beneficial effects of meditation you just might not know about.

1 – Meditation Makes the Teen Years Livable High school can be a very difficult time, not only for teenagers trying to get through it alive but for their parents as well. The teenage years can be difficult because the human body and mind are changing so rapidly. This can cause self-doubt, frustration, confusion and sometimes a sense that the whole world is “out to get” the teenager. Research from the Harvard Medical School shows that relaxation practices like meditation and deep breathing improved students’ abilities to cope with hormonal mood swings, and the constant drama surrounding teen years.

2 – ‘Meditation’ Can Be Better Than ‘Medication’ for Chronic Pain The Journal of Neuroscience reports on a study that shows you can save major money on prescription drug costs, while simultaneously relieving pain more effectively, with meditation. Pills often have bothersome and debilitating side-effects. This is not true with meditation, that proved more effective than pain medication for chronic pain relief in that study.

3 – Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) Relief IBS can be frustrating, inconvenient, painful and embarrassing. The answer may just be to meditate on a regular basis. Research in one study shows an 8-week practice of mindfulness for stress-relief reduced IBS symptoms by an impressive 26.4%.

4 – Meditation Actually Boosts Your Immune System Your immune system is the complex group of processes in your body that fights infection and disease. Stress and anxiety play havoc with your immune system, and this means you’re more likely to become sick or ill from any cause. Meditating regularly slows the production of stress hormones like cortisol which naturally damage your immune system.

5 – Improves Fertility Rates in Women Researchers are still not sure why this happens. However, there is an undeniably correlated presence of notably higher fertility rates in women who meditate regularly, than in those who do not.

6 Meditation Benefits That Help You Climb the Corporate Ladder Faster

Are you climbing the corporate ladder in search of job security, better pay, more responsibility or personal power? If you are running the corporate rat race and strive to advance as quickly as possible, meditation offers significant benefits. Aside from relieving stress, which as you know is constant in a competitive business environment, meditation offers the following 6 benefits that help you climb the rungs of the corporate ladder faster and more effectively than your coworkers who do not meditate.

1 – All meditation improves focus. If you can’t FOCUS (Follow One Course Until Successful), you simply are not going to make it in the advanced levels of the corporate world. Meditation, especially focused attention meditation, can create a laser-targeted vision that allows you to cut through the constant clutter and distractions around you, finishing projects and assignments quickly and productively.

2 – Meditation encourages objectivity, composure, clarity, and concentration. When you can objectively appraise any business situation, your value to your company increases dramatically. A meditation practice also improves concentration, helps you develop a clarity of vision, and guarantees you practice composure when things get stressful, essential advancement and survival tools in the corporate world.

3 – Meditation increases productivity. Whether you practice Kundalini or Vipassana meditation, or any of the other dozens of varieties, you will find yourself more productive. Incorporating meditation sessions throughout your workday will increase your productivity even greater still.

4 – Your problem-solving and decision-making abilities become stronger. Countless studies show meditation improves mental functioning and memory and dramatically decreases your chances of contracting mental health problems. This means your mental ability to attack problems, solve them, and make smart decisions is enhanced with meditation.

5 – Meditation improves your social and emotional intelligence levels. Meditation trades your brain to react objectively and intelligently. This improves both your social and emotional IQs. Studies show that employees with high levels of social and emotional intelligence are more likely to be chosen for leadership positions.

6 – Meditation is a mental and physical stress-reliever. This is probably the most well-known benefit of a regular meditation practice. What is amazing is that of all the many kinds of meditation, they are all very effective for relieving stress and anxiety. No matter what form of meditation you decide to practice, you will experience less stress. This means fewer days off, not experiencing dread and anxiety on the way to work, and a better capability to compete in a stressful corporate environment than your coworkers.

7 Simple Meditation Tips for Beginners

Beginners to meditation often approach it with preconceived notions. In contrast to popular opinion, you don’t have to practice a particular religion, have a specific spiritual outlook or buy any equipment or accessories to benefit from meditation. Beginners to this age-old practice have heard it is a great stress-reliever that also delivers other mental health benefits and physical rewards.

Anxious to get started, would be meditation newbies generally have one big question on their mind … “How do I meditate?”
They often envision trying to achieve a cramped and painful lotus position while breathing stifling incense and repeating mystical chants as necessary for a meditation practice. Preconceived notions and ill-informed stereotypical misconceptions fill their mind.

If you want to get started benefiting mentally and physically from meditation, the following 7 tips and practices will quickly move you from confused newbie to calm and focused meditation veteran in no time.

1 – Understand right up front that there is no “right” and no “wrong” way to meditate. Whatever works best for you is what you should be doing.

2 – Start off slow. You should aim for 2 or 3 daily meditation sessions just 3 to 5 minutes long at first. Get familiar with the process. At first, even a 3 minute meditation session can be difficult. You may feel like you have “failed”, but stick with it and your performance and benefits will get better over time. 3 – If your thoughts wander, and they will, don’t criticize yourself. Recognize whatever distracting input has interrupted you, and then slowly redirect your attention back to your point of focus.

4 – Don’t try to meditate right after a heavy meal. Most people don’t realize how much energy their digestive system requires. Meditating after you eat can cause frustration when you don’t see or feel results happen quickly enough to make you happy. You should also be hydrated properly, but not to the point that your bladder is begging for your meditation session to be over.

5 – Use meditation soundtracks … or don’t use meditation soundtracks. Some beginners say meditation MP3 files, CDs, and YouTube videos are crucial for providing the correct audio environment for meditation. Others say this music distracted them. Find out what works for you.

6 – Realize that you don’t have to sit in a cross-legged, lotus position. Meditation can take place anywhere, as long as you are seated or reclined in a comfortable position, in a calm, peaceful environment.

7 – Practice mindfulness everywhere. When you drive, while you are shopping for groceries or taking a walk around your neighborhood, be mindful of your experience. Don’t focus on the past or the future, and not even the next step you are taking. Becoming mindful of the “right now” time in your life throughout the day can help your dedicated meditation practice..

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Self Help

Motivation and Positive Thinking affirmations

by shedboy71

Reciting affirmations are a great way to stay motivated. Many people start out getting motivated and then start to lose steam and momentum after a short while. Here’s a massive archive of motivational and positive thinking affirmations you can use for yourself or teach your followers.

I feel motivated and am moving in the direction of my dreams.

I have unlimited creativity, drive and motivation.

I am motivated to continue perusing my goals.

New opportunities are showing up daily and I am motivated to take action towards those opportunities.

I feel alive, energized and motivated to take on any task in front of me.

I am continually motivated and share that motivation with others.

Motivation comes easily to me.

Staying motivated comes easily to me.

Because of my motivation, I achieve and exceed at all that I do.

I am so motivated that others get motivated just by being around me.

I attract those that help me reach my goals.

I am motivated and live my life to the fullest.

My life is full of purpose and motivation.

I have unlimited energy and motivation.

I am happy and motivated when I achieve my goals.

I am easily motivated.

I easily stay motivated toward my dreams.

I stay motivated and energized when working toward my goals.

I wake up motivated and ready to face the day.

I am confident in what I do and that keeps me motivated.

I welcome positive energy and I use that feeling to accomplish more.

I use my energy to live my life to the fullest.

No matter what I’m working on, I’m always committed to completing my goal.

I trust my thought processes. They are clear and I am very capable.

I can find my own intrinsic motivator.

No matter how hard I may fall, I get back up, dust myself off, and forge on.

No matter the challenge, I will see it through.

I enjoy being responsible for my actions.

My life is full of purpose, exciting change, and many recognized deeds.


I am highly motivated to exercise my body because I find exercise as fun.

I create health by expressing love, understanding and compassion.

I am healthy and happy.

By commemorating the smallest nuggets of success I am motivated to complete the larger tasks.

All my actions support my dreams.

Every action I take increases my motivation. Every action I take motivates me more.

Every day I am more and more motivated to work on creating my dreams.

Every day I am motivated to take one more step towards my goal.

Every day I work at creating my dreams.

Every moment of every day I am becoming more and more motivated.

Every positive action I take accelerates my progress.

Every positive action I take leads to greater and greater accomplishments.

Every task I do is a step closer to my dream.

Everything I do brings my goals nearer my grasp.

Focusing on my goals helps to supercharge my motivation to succeed.

Having an action plan helps keep me motivated and on track.

I act purposefully and make things happen.

I always do everything I need to do, as and when it needs doing.

I always know what needs to be done, and get to doing it right away.

I always reward myself for a job well done.

I always take action when needed.

Fear is only a feeling; it cannot hold me back.

I know that I can master anything if I do it enough times.

Today I am willing to fail in order to succeed.

I believe that I have the strength to make my dreams come true.

I’m going to relax and have fun with this, no matter what the outcome may be.

I’m proud of myself for even daring to try; many people won’t even do that!

Today I put my full trust in my inner guidance.

I grow in strength with every forward step I take.

I release my hesitation and make room for victory!

With a solid plan and a belief in myself, there’s nothing I can’t do.

I welcome positive energy and I use that feeling to accomplish more.

I use my energy to live my life to the fullest.

No matter what I’m working on, I’m always committed to completing my goal.

I trust my thought processes. They are clear and I am very capable.

I can find my own intrinsic motivator.

No matter how hard I may fall, I get back up, dust myself off, and forge on.

No matter the challenge, I will see it through.

I enjoy being responsible for my actions.

My life is full of purpose, exciting change, and many recognized deeds.

By commemorating the smallest nuggets of success, I am motivated to complete the larger tasks.

I am at peace with myself.

I accept myself.

My self-esteem is growing daily.

I love the real me.

I’m happy being who I am.

All I have to be is me.

My life is meaningful.

My life is important.

I now make good use of my life.

I’ll now be the best me I can be.

I don’t have to be perfect; I just choose to be perfectly me.

I now recognize my talents and skills.

I feel good about myself.

I feel better each moment.

I’m happy being me.

The more I accept and love myself, the more I can accept and love others.

I now eject negativity.

I now control my thoughts.

I now control my feelings.

I’m building a storehouse of positive energy.

I’m storing positive thoughts.

I’m storing positive images.

I am in charge of my mind.

I am in charge of my life.

I choose to be positive.

I am positive.

I have great potential and I’m going to use it.

Every day life gets better & better.

I expect good things to happen.

I see something positive in all situations.

I turn negatives into positives.

I am totally positive.

I am sure of my ability to do what is necessary to improve my life.

If I make mistakes, I am able to give myself the benefit of the doubt.

I feel basically worthy as a person.

I am able to take risks and try new things without fear.

I feel good about the way I do my job.

I feel about myself pretty much what others think of me.

I have compassion for myself and the way my life has developed.

I am deserving of all the good things in my life.

I am glowing with health and wholeness.

I behave in ways that promote my health more every day.

I deserve to be in perfect health.

Wealth is pouring into my life.

I am sailing on the river of wealth.

I am getting wealthier each day.

My body is healthy and functioning in a very good way.

I have a lot of energy.

I study and comprehend fast.

My mind is calm. I am calm and relaxed in every situation.

My thoughts are under my control.

I radiate love and happiness.

I am surrounded by love.

I have the perfect job for me.

I am living in the house of my dreams.

I have good and loving relations with my wife/husband.

I have a wonderful and satisfying job.

I have the means to travel abroad, whenever I want to.

I am successful in whatever I do.

Everything is getting better every day.

I can choose my thoughts at any time

I enjoy releasing my limiting beliefs

I feel full of energy to accomplish my dreams

I can meet successfully all the challenges I encounter

My body is perfect the way it is

I am always loved

I take care of my needs

I enjoy living my life

I create my own reality

I always have access to internal peace

I have all the resources I need at any given time

I am grateful for my good health

I am supported by loving people

I radiate compassion

I treat myself with respect

I am open to abundance

I am grateful for the blessings I receive daily

I love nutritious healthy food, and I enjoy eating fresh fruits and vegetables.

I am healthy since my practices are healthy.

I let go of the past so I can create health now.

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