When Is Your Time to Shine?

We often think we have all the time in the world to be who we want to be, live how we want to live and love who we want to love. However, days turn into months and months quickly turn into years and before you know it, it's never the right time to really start living.

Fear, stress, worry and self sabotage often stand in the way of you living the life you've always dreamed of. However, when you think about the fact that life has an ending - what are you really afraid of? The problem is, of course we don't want to think about our lives ending - nor should we dwell on it. However, using it as a little reminder that NOW is actually the best time to start living according to your true self, can be a powerful way of motivating yourself to change and improve.

What are you afraid of?

What holds you back from living your dreams?

Do you really know what your heart desires, or are you living a life in accordance with other people's values?

The answer to these questions are vital.

The first place to start on this journey is with your inner self. Shifting from negative thinking to positive thinking gives you the power and self belief that you can actually achieve your hearts desire.

With a clear vision of what you want in life and a more positive mindset, you can start to devise a plan for moving forward. Part of this plan involves evaluating what you are currently doing and checking that your current behaviors are in line with your desires. For instance, if you desire to have a close and loving family, but spend a lot of time at work rather than at home, you are not living in line with your true desire. Similarly, if you desire to attract and maintain the best partner for you, but you spend a lot if time self criticizing and avoiding social events, you are also living in contrast with your desires.

Now that you know which areas of your life need to be tweaked, you can work on developing a plan to match your desires and then commit to following through with this plan. So, if your desire is to have a close family, make sure you dedicate time every day to having fun, listening and laughing with your parents, siblings, children and/or partner. Similarly, if your desire is to attract and maintain the perfect partner for you, become conscious of your inner thoughts and challenge and re-frame your negative thinking so that you always present your BEST you in social situations. Also, join a social of sporting club where you are likely to regularly meet potential partners that are right for you.

Take action every day to ensure you stay on the right path. Live for now - don't wait for the perfect time to start truly living.

Don't let life pass you by and particularly, don't waste your life feeling down because you haven't yet achieved your dreams. When you're following your plan, you are taking steps towards your ultimate desires - and that in itself is committing to living your dreams.

It's never too late to be true to yourself.

You can do it!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lizzie_O'Halloran

Self-Discipline - 3 Tools to Make It Happen!

If self-discipline does not come naturally to you and for many of us, it does not; there are several ways to develop the habit.

Tool 1: Develop a love affair with time. Whether your days are heavily structured or loosely sketched, there are daily routines which need attention. If getting up is an issue for you, set as many alarms as you need and learn to leave the snooze button alone. If you work in a structured environment, heavy with meetings, assignments, and events, it is especially important to review your schedule, both before you go to bed at night and first thing in the morning. Make a list of those tasks you absolutely hate and set a digital timer for 15-minute segments to tackle them until they are completed.

Tool 2: Become proactive. This simply means anticipating something coming up in the future and taking any necessary action prior to the event. A case in point - you know that the licensing and inspections for your vehicles are due two different months each year. If you use Outlook or some other kind of calendaring system, set a reminder one month in advance to ensure you allow the time to complete these activities. If you have children in school and they are not in school during the summer, you know there will be purchases to be made and a new schedule will begin in the fall. At least one week before school begins, set clock alarms for an earlier time to get the children accustomed to an earlier rising time each day.

Tool 3: Reap the benefits. Effective self-discipline becomes a habit, something you do without conscious thought. Many times we think about it in terms of "I have to xxx". Usually we do not stop to think about the time and other resources it frees up for us to use for fun. When you consistently use Tools 1 and 2, you need to reward yourself, at a minimum, for avoiding crisis management - the worst resource depletion we have. As difficult as it may seem, it is critical that we make time to put ourselves first! Taking this step refreshes our outlook on life, work, family, relationships, and a host of other benefits. Remember that it typically takes thirty days to develop a habit and the next sixty days to firmly cement the new behavior.

I leave you with one final thought from Clint Eastwood. "Respect your efforts. Respect yourself. Self-respect leads to self-discipline. When you have both firmly under your belt, that's real power."

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Georgia_Day

Self-Confidence: Don't Leave Home Without It

Mark Twain said he could live on a single compliment for two whole weeks

We know that society thrives on negativity and derives pleasure tossing fireballs fast and furiously at those who try to succeed in life.

Our family environment consists of either positive or negative energy which determines the emotional and physical status of our well-being, as well as the levels of enthusiasm and incentive.

We are born with self-confidence. It is our basic foundation; develops during childhood and sculpts itself, forming our adulthood. This precious and ever so fragile commodity eventually makes a stop along the way, taking on still another form called the "False Negative" and the "False Positive" factors, respectively.

The "False Negative" factor is generated when we are stifled, ignored or, held back personally, professionally and/or socially from self-expression or, from demonstrating our skills/talents; hence, preventing us from excelling or achieving success.

The above usually stems from a family history of ill-confident under-achievers; negative friends; negative work environment and, of course, the worst scenario of all, "competitive jealousy" which the writer describes as "disease of the soul."

We are often compared with other family members, friends and co-workers; hence, coerced into competing and proving our ability or, inability to succeed. Subsequently, we sacrifice our self-worth to become "one of them", leaving our hopes, dreams and goals virtually abandoned.

Self-confidence already damaged and psychologically immobilized, we now lend a deaf ear to praise, feeling incapable of succeeding.

The "False Positive" factor is not only the worst form of self-deception, but is detrimental to both the human being and the human race. This is best described as a lifeboat with a huge hole in its bottom. The family is overly supportive; rewards bad behavior with the "always right/never wrong" theory.

We were never properly schooled or groomed to graciously accept constructive criticism or, justified rejection; hence, we enter the fiercely competitive industry armed with false validation; lack of preparation or proper tools. Subsequently, we are left bewildered and inept of comprehending the "how to" of the real world.

We also find the "learning curve" in the workplace somewhat disconcerting, yet a challenge, especially the 'Team Leader/Team Player" segment. Some of us will resent this type of orientation since we are considered the official family and/or neighborhood "pack leader" and chose to set our own rules rather than follow organizational policies, procedures or protocol.

Scholastic-related, we delude ourselves with the false concept that popularity or "connection" will get us a passing grade. At some point, we are suddenly brought to a jarring halt, rude awakening and the hard-core reality that professors are there for a purpose and expect each student to focus with full commitment. This is the only way courses are passed and Degrees are earned.

Socially, the so-called insecure "high and mighty" will be found sitting or standing alone in the corner or, with only a certain few with whom they can actually relate. They regard everyone/anyone else somewhat beneath them.

In essence, it is a luxury to have just one true friend or, mentor, as a positive "constant"/"go-to" person in our life. This friend accepts us for who we are, yet reminds us when we tend to stray. This friend guides and directs us; also helps us recognize our true potential. We then learn to acquire the strength, incentive and emotional stability to pursue our own dreams and goals, plus survive the odds of a negative and unforgiving society.

Reclaim your self-confidence today.

Mark Twain said he could live on a single compliment for two whole weeks. It takes less oxygen to compliment and more energy to criticize. We live and learn, then we learn to live. Self confidence is as precious as the Hope Diamond.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lori_A_Buttermark

Want to Stop Giving Your Power Away to Others?

Do you know that giving away one's power means feeling like an indentured slave to the whims, needs and expectations of others? Do you know this leaves one feeling like they do not have full ownership of or control over the direction of their life? Do you know that such individuals were programmed, from a very early age, to believe they have no right to a free, fulfilling and self directed life and that their sole purpose in being here was to be a "slave servant" to others? Do you know that it is the programming, and not the individuals around them that renders them slaves? Finally, do you know that it is now possible to completely erase all the old emotional baggage responsible for this stifling programming and to be set free once and for all? Want to learn more?

So, what form does that programming take, you ask?

Well here are some examples that may be familiar to you:

1. The need to be liked.
2. The need to be accepted.
3. The need to belong.
4. The need to be validated.
5. The need to be loved.
6. The fear of being alone.
7. The need to be taken care of.
8. The need to be comforted or soothed.
9. The need to be rescued.

And so on.

Now I realize that some of you may immediately say, well aren't those normal human experiences?

I would reply, they are indeed common but do they really enhance the quality of one's life and their sense of empowerment and emotional independence? Again, I would reply a definite "no" to the latter.

You see, those programmed needs and fears are actually only present in individuals who feel emotionally vulnerable, weak, lacking in self confidence, self esteem, self worth, the awareness that they have within everything they need to feel whole, complete, capable, competent, strong, confident, resilient, mature, valid, lovable, and so on.

All of the above characteristics are actually sourced from what I have called one's Life Force Energy (or energy of life) or LFE. LFE is the source of all of one's positive resources, the core of the true self and the energy that, when fully integrated with the mind/body yields the (uncommon) experience of being truly alive.

Uncommon, you ask? Yes!
The reason it is uncommon is because the majority of individuals on the planet are walking around in an LFE "deficient" state. In other words they are only partly occupying their mind/body or said differently in a "dying" state.

You see what many refer to as aging (i.e. dying) is actually the process in which one's LFE is progressively leaving or being drained from the mind/body. You know that because when one is actually dead there is no LFE left in their mind/body.

You see, and you can feel how true this is when I say it, it is not natural or desirable to have any of one's LFE drained from the mind/body i.e. no one likes dying, if they are truly honest with themselves.

The dying process, in my view, begins the moment an individual, often in early childhood, experiences some form of emotional trauma that fails to allow the true expression or existence of that individual. Examples include things like abandonment, abuse, neglect, humiliation, bullying, and so on. All such events are disrespectful of that individual and effectively against life itself.

Each such event behaves like a "shock" to the individual and incrementally "knocks" part (and sometimes all) of their LFE out of their mind/body. This leaves them depleted, drained and deficient in those necessary life supporting resources I mentioned earlier thus rendering them feeling empty, needy, weak, vulnerable, dependent and hence easily exploitable.

Now before you despair let me add that there now is a way out of this dilemma. It turns out that a new process discovered recently which has the capacity to permanently erase/delete old emotional baggage in the form of negative memories, beliefs, behaviors, needs, etc. can simultaneously and spontaneously cause one's LFE to return to and permanently reintegrate with the mind/body. This helps to re-establish a feeling of wholeness, completeness, centeredness, resilience, strength, self confidence, emotional independence, self worth, self respect, and most importantly the freedom to live one's life in a fulfilling and self directed way.

This is how one takes their power back once and for all!

So are you inspired to learn more about or experience this kind of personal freedom and empowerment?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nick_Arrizza_

How Do You Improve Your Confidence?

Years ago I watched a program about a very special school for girls in one of the poorest areas of New York. The principle who was also one of the teachers said one of the biggest challenges facing the girls at this school was a lack of self esteem and self confidence.

She really wanted to do something about this debilitating issue so when she would catch the girls walking down the hall shoulders and the head down not making eye contact or not speaking up in class and she would gently tap them on the chin and remind them: "Head up, shoulders back, now look me in the eye, Your Beautiful."
She said that learning how special they were as people was one of the most important things she could teach them and would serve them more than almost any other lesson. I completely agree and what she said touched me so that I say those words to myself all the time.

Her message runs in sharp contrast to what many of us grew up hearing "Children are to be seen and not heard." Our parents often socialize us believe that our true value in the world is what we can do for others. "Be a doctor, lawyer, nurse so you can make good money" or "You are going to be a great mother someday". With these messages no wonder so many people tell me "I am a great lawyer, doctor but I have no confidence and very little self esteem". The SELF part is what's missing and that's the part we as a society most need to work on.

So how do we fix self esteem issues?

Unfortunately to fix this takes more than getting your hair done and losing some weight. It takes years of retraining yourself to make your needs important to you. Start with little things like buying yourself flowers just because and booking time on your schedule for "doing nothing". Then start moving into more difficult things like saying "no" to someone's request for your time and doing something with yourself instead and asking for a raise if you think you deserve one. You may not get a raise but asking tells yourself and the world that you know you deserve the best.

So next time you catch yourself looking down and not feeling like the equal of those around you think to yourself:

"Chin up, shoulders back, now look them in the eye, you are beautiful!"

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jill_K_Thomasexpert