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Happy New You

As we look ahead to the New Year, we look at setting goals for ourselves. It is important to choose goals that suit you and that are achievable with a little hard work and determination. Be realistic. The easiest way to fail at your resolution to a new you, is to make a goal unattainable. Strive for a goal that is attainable. For example, deciding to lose 30 pounds may be attainable for some, but choosing to take better care of you and get healthier may be a better resolution to choose.

Plan ahead. Think about what your resolution should be well before that stroke of midnight. Do not choose a resolution last minute – especially if you want to stick to it.

Outline your plan. Start thinking about how you will deal with those desires to skip out on your resolution or if you get temptations – what will you do when you want to skip that spin class or workout or indulge in an extra piece of cake.

Make a Pros and Cons list. It may help to see a list of items written down to keep your motivation strong. Develop the list while you go along and keep it with you and refer back to it when you need that extra push to keep your resolve.

Talk about your resolution. Don’t keep it a secret. Tell your friends and family who can help support you and your new you. You may also find someone who shares the same or similar resolution that can help keep you on track and motivate you all year long.

Reward yourself each time you have success. Treat yourself to something that will not contradict your resolution. Buy yourself that dress you wanted, or head to a movie with a friend.

Track your progress through the year. Having short-term goals are easier to keep, and each small accomplishment will help keep you motivated. Instead of focusing on losing 30 pounds, focus on losing five pounds at a time. At the end of the year, you will also see how far you have come.

Don’t beat yourself up if you slip off course of your goal. Just realize what has happened and get yourself back on track. Tomorrow is a new day. Just try to work hard on keeping your goals each day.

Keep trying. If you find you run out of steam when it comes to keeping your resolution by mid-February, don’t despair. Start again. Recommit yourself for 24 hours. You can do anything for 24 hours. All the24 hour increments will soon build up to something.

It’s a New Year and time to look towards the new you that you want to be. Forget about 2014 resolutions that may have been made and broken. This year, you have some tips to get you going on your path and keep you on it. Be patient, change will not happen overnight. Plus, you’ve got a whole year to get to the NEW YOU.

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Mix and Mingle

The holidays are a busy time of year when it comes to social events. It can also an intimidating time of the year if you lack a confidence and are shy. Whether it’s a casual neighborhood gathering or a formal office party, starting up conversations with people you either don’t know or don’t know well can be difficult and leave you feeling anxious and nervous.

Here are some ways to put the social butterflies at rest.

  1. Be open to conversation. Start by smiling and making eye contact and adding in hello. Being friendly and open will help get conversations started.
  2. Don’t spend too much time on your smartphone. If you’re looking at your smartphone too much you may miss a cue that someone may be interested in starting a conversation with you. People may assume that you are not interested in a conversation and may be less likely to approach you.
  3. Join an ongoing group conversation at the social event. At social gatherings people often walk around, moving in and out of different conversations. See if you can join a group that is discussing a topic that interests you.
  4. Ask questions. This is a great opportunity to catch up with coworkers, friends or family on what they have been up to. Be careful it doesn’t turn into an interview -like conversation, and try to share some experiences and stories of your own.
  5. Step out of your comfort zone. Once you start a conversation with someone and you feel comfortable talking with the, you may feel like sticking with them all night. Try to take a risk and strike up a conversation with someone else. You may find someone else that has similar interests as you and have some great conversations.
  6. Stay out of the kitchen. Don’t avoid the social get together by staying away. Get immersed in the event.
  7. Avoiding social situations will only worsen your anxiety. If you’re shy, talking to others will be difficult at first. Things may not go completely smooth, but it will get easier – just keep practicing.
  8. Don’t be too tempted to drink before the party to calm your nerves. Arrive at the party and settle in for a bit before going for a drink. You’ll find you have calmed a little even without alcohol.
  9. Trying to control or hide your anxiety at a party may make it worse. Accept the uncomfortable feelings, and try the tips above to keep calm.

‘Tis the season to enjoy friends, coworkers and family at social gatherings galore – you can enjoy them as well. Take a breather now and then by stepping outside or away from it all. Relax yourself, then go back in there and join in the fun. You may surprise yourself on how you have become a little less shy. Take things slow and follow the tips above.

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Gratitude – Positivity in Your Life

Gratitude, thankfulness, gratefulness or appreciation is a feeling or attitude in acknowledgment of a benefit that one has received or will receive. Gratitude is the feeling you have when you realize that you have so much in your life. No matter what is going wrong or what you still want in your life, be grateful for what you already have. Showing gratitude is one of the fastest ways to turn your life around.

Scientists have discovered that there is a link between gratitude and well being. Grateful people have more enthusiasm, are more satisfied with their life, have more vitality, are more optimistic and have lower levels of depression and stress. Gratitude is reciprocal. One act of gratitude encourages another. Your act of gratitude can trigger a chain reaction.

How do you create a life of gratitude?

  • Take pleasure in the small things of life.
  • Reach beyond yourself and do good to other people.
  • Give with no strings attached.
  • Be appreciative – tell people what you appreciate about them, you’ll make their day.
  • Remember to say thank you.
  • Give praise.
  • Focus on what you have and what’s going right in your life.
  • Start a gratitude journal – record small things that make you smile, add photos of people you are grateful for.
  • Write at least 5 things each day for which you are grateful.
  • Show your gratitude by giving a card or small gift.
  • Concentrate on solutions rather than problems.
  • Look for the good in people and situations.
  • Spend time helping people who are worse off than you.
  • Do small kindnesses and bring joy to someone’s heart.
  • Write a thank you letter for all the good things in your life.

Think of all the little things that cause joy in your life that you have to be grateful for. The more you focus on the good, the more joy you will experience.

Gratitude opens doors for you, enriches your life and overflows into other people’s lives. Create an atmosphere of gratitude and watch it change your life and maybe even those around you. Let’s make the whole world smile.

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Take Charge

It’s time to stop dreaming of what could be and take charge of your life. Success will not come to you automatically; you need to do something about it. When we take charge of our lives it frees us up to prosper. Take charge of your life and make the things that you want and your goals happen.

Taking charge is a mindset of positivity. It means that you believe in yourself and your vision and you are committed to taking the steps that will make your vision a reality. There are times when we may actually be unaware that we are not in charge or realize that we can do something about what is not okay with our life. It takes self-awareness to care for self. We have to learn to listen to what we are feeling and then think about how we want to handle the situation.

The ability to have a “can-do, positive attitude” stems from the construct that your thoughts determine your feelings and your behavior. For example, if you think that creating a successful career is hopeless, you probably feel apathetic and scared. Build up your confidence and attitude and you will see the positive flow through all the aspects of your life.

How do you take charge? Here is a strategy you could use.

Firstly, you need to identify what you want to accomplish in your future. Think and visualize your life in 5 to 10 years. You need to have a vision of what you want so that you can start planning and making the decision to move to the destination you desire. You need to have a clear target, know exactly what you want.

Secondly, you need to take actions to make your goals and dreams come true. This may require some extreme changes to your life. Set your sights on your goals and make the changes and take the actions that are required to get you there.

Finally, it is important that you review your goals and dreams constantly while making these changes. This will allow you to stay focused and remind you of the outcome you desire.

To be fully in charge of our life is the greatest gift we can give ourselves. It is worth the lifelong investment to put effort into making it happen. We have the ability to consciously grow so that we can be the person we are capable of being. The result for us will be that we can truly prosper.

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Positive Pets

A pet can bring many benefits to their owner. Being a pet owner will give you a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction, that is why having a pet around you at home can be a wonderful addition to one’s life. Pets are truly one of the most wonderful friends you will ever ask. They can instantly light up a room and turn a foul mood to a cheery one.

Pets can uplift a person’s mood. No matter how sad, angry, depressed or lonely you may be, spending some time with your pet will help you forget your problems. Studies show that having your favorite pet around you can reduce stress. You can count on your pets to be there for you in many ways that other people can’t. They can give you love and friendship, and can also enjoy comfortable silences. Animals can be the best antidote to loneliness. Pets can be the best companion one can ask for. They help in creating a positive environment and relieve stress. After a hard day’s work, a few moments with a pet can ease a lot of tension. Biologically, it has been shown that playing with a pet dog or cat can help in increasing levels of serotonin and dopamine in the body – two chemicals that have a calming and pleasure inducing properties. Studies have shown that people with pets are routinely less depressed than those that don’t.

Pet owners experience significant physical benefits from walking their dogs. Not only do these walks give owners daily physical activity, but the act of going outside and getting some fresh air can improve pet owners’ moods. For owners who spend a good deal of time alone, walks and trips to the dog park can provide great opportunities for social interaction.

How can pets help make healthy lifestyle changes:

  • Increasing exercise – Taking a dog for a walk, or simply chasing a kitten around are fun ways to fit healthy daily exercise into your schedule. Studies have shown that dog owners, for example, are far more likely to meet their daily exercise requirements than non-owners.
  • Providing companionship – isolation and loneliness can make disorders such as depression even worse. Caring for a living animal can help make you feel needed and wanted, and take the focus away from your problems, especially if you live alone. Most pet owners talk to their pets, some even use them to work through their troubles. Nothing beats loneliness like coming home to a wagging tail or purring cat.
  • Helping meet new people – pets can be a great social ice breaker for their owners. Dog owners frequently stop to talk to each other on walks or in a dog park. Pet owners also meet new people in pet stores, clubs, and training classes.
  • Reducing anxiety – the companionship of an animal such as a dog can offer comfort, help ease anxiety, and build self-confidence for people anxious about going out into the world.
  • Providing sensory stress relief – touch and movement are two healthy ways to quickly manage stress. This could involve petting a cat or taking a dog for a walk.

One of the reasons for these therapeutic effects is that most pets fulfill the basic human need to touch. Stroking, holding, cuddling, or otherwise touching a loving animal can rapidly calm and soothe us when we’re stressed. The companionship of a pet can also ease loneliness, and some pets are a great stimulus for healthy exercise, which can substantially boost mood. If you are thinking of adding a pet to your family, instead of heading to the local pet shop, visit the local SPCA or shelter and adopt an abandoned or homeless cat or dog.

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Coping with Workplace Disappointment

Disappointment is something we all deal with at different times in our lives. When your vision for the future doesn’t seem reachable, it is easy to be disillusioned. Nevertheless, there is a way to create your world and to get your internal reality to manifest outwardly. Be encouraged! Your present reality is not your destiny.

Secrets to Overcome Career Disappointment

  1. See the big picture. Hold to your inward vision despite that which you see going on around you. If you can see it, you can conceive it. Your vision is your ultimate mission. Though your job description may be minuscule and confining, your vision should be magnificent, liberating and invigorating.
  2. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Don’t let trivial irritants obscure your vision and thwart your progression toward your future. Sometimes it is the small stuff that can be most aggravating. It’s easier to dodge a rock than if someone were to come up and throw sand in your eyes. Avoid unnecessary conversations and complaining sessions among your coworkers. Be productive and avoid conversations that are corrosive. Focus on the future and stay on track in your journey to get there.
  3. Go where you are celebrated not merely tolerated. The majority of people will not acknowledge or see your gifts, talents and unique abilities. You must be planted in an environment and climate conducive to your personal growth and enrichment.
  4. See problems as opportunities. Contrary to popular belief, a problem is an opportunity. You wouldn’t think so by the way people murmur and complain. Consider problems as opportunities for you to shine. Rise above the mediocrity and manifest your creativity. Problems therefore are a pathway to your next promotion.
  5. Be a peacemaker and an encourager. Workplace strife fills and floods the lives of many. Have no part is such negative counterproductive energy. Be a peacemaker and bridge builder. By doing so you will make friends, feel better and find new ways to overcome organizational obstacles.
  6. Go the extra mile. Don’t be like everyone else. Break the mold. Arrive at work early and leave late. Manage your emotions and martial your energies. In doing so your productivity, creativity and resourcefulness will increase. By going the extra mile and exceeding your job description you will show yourself to be a true asset to the company and someone they can count on.
  7. Replace anxiety with creativity. Don’t be overly anxious. Anxiety drains you of your energy and immobilizes your resourcefulness.
  8. Be a lifelong learner. There are two types of growth, inward and outward. Most look for outward growth, profitability and expansion. Yet inward growth is equally if not more important. For without inner growth outward growth never occurs, neither can it be sustained. Commit to be a lifelong learner. Continually listen, learn and explore new bodies of knowledge.
  9. Serve selflessly. Everybody wants to lead but few want to serve. You can’t always be the top dog. People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. When you serve people you show them you care and that you recognize they are important. When you make people feel important, they pour gratitude back into you. Those you honour will assuredly honour you.
  10. Remember the future is in you, not the job. Contrary to popular belief, the future is not in the job. The future is in you. With or without the job you can excel and come into your dreams. Your inner world once acknowledged and embraced can be made to manifest in any place. So should your current employer and coworkers be clueless, you can still come into your destiny. When you are firm and solid in your identity, you can bring about your destiny.
  11. Set your intent and follow your instincts. You don’t always have to know how it is going to happen. Just set your intent as to that which you want to happen.

    Career success is not something that is given on a golden platter. It takes a lot of hard work, patience and determination to achieve success. Don’t let the disappointments get you down. Continue to be positive and work hard to reach your goals.

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Healthy Thoughts

Positive thinking can have a positive influence on your health. It is currently believed that one of the main advantages of positive thinking may be an increased life span. Other possible benefits may include: lower rates of depression, improved resistance to illness, increased overall physical well-being, and reduced risk of death from cardiovascular causes. Positive thinking can help improve self-esteem, raise confidence, suppress illogical fears, give the strength to face difficulties and not be overwhelmed by them – instead show an individual ways in which to tackle problems though positive action after visualizing being able to remove obstacles and emerging victorious.

For example, if one is keen on losing weight and needs to fit in a regular physical exercise regime in their daily plan, the power of positive thinking can be harnessed to motivate and help one to stick to the fitness program if one focuses on how energetic one will feel on shedding those extra pounds and probably even imagine how the new wardrobe will make one look.

The essential first step is to identify your negative thinking streams and reduce and remove this kind of head-talk from your repertoire. Once you are more aware of your habits, you can then consciously work to putting a positive spin on your thinking. If you allow the mind to sift out the negative thoughts and only hold on to the positive, it will help you move closer towards the happiness you deserve.

Use these tips to help stay positive:

  • Infuse your life with a sense of humor. Being able to laugh away the negativity is a great tactic.
  • Exercise regularly. Besides improving your physical and cardiac shape, this can bring up your endorphin levels to a better-feeling mood fairly instantaneously.
  • Follow a Healthy Eating Lifestyle.
  • Learn techniques to minimize stress in your everyday life.
  • Spend quality time with close, understanding, upbeat friends. Filling your life with positive people.
  • Volunteer for a charitable organization. Helping others will make you feel good about yourself.

Experts aren’t completely sure why individuals who practice positive thinking tips also encounter countless health benefits. One idea is those with a positive outlook often have better ways to cope. They can handle the stressful situation in a healthier manner, reducing the harmful effects on the body. An optimistic person also tends to live a better lifestyle, as they follow a healthy diet, get regular exercise, stay away from smoking and consume limited amounts of alcohol. When all of this comes together, those who are positive usually stay healthier and can manage the negative self-talk. Start today, use positive thinking to becoming a more healthier you.

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