I am Proud of My Growth It is wonderful to say that today I am a different person than the version of me from in the past. I am proud of my changes. I love what drives me in life today. I recognize the importance of celebrating who I am now. I embrace my values and my self-love. They give me confidence even when making tough decisions. I know what I deserve and am unafraid to declare that to others. It is freeing to finally commit to accepting only what serves me positively. Standing up for myself gives me courage. Each time I do it, I am further empowered to make myself a priority. I embrace the idea of living for others, but my first order of business is to strengthen my inner foundation. Shifting perspectives means representing myself as soft-spoken rather than shy. There is power in silence and I choose to represent it as a strength. My life choices today are fulfilling because living to make others happy is now a secondary focus. That is a big step for me because of my history of putting myself second. Building myself up makes it possible to share more love with others. Today, I smile in the mirror because I believe in myself. I evolve from day to day, molded by experience into a person of strength and confidence. Self-Reflection Questions: 1. Which aspect of my growth is I most proud of?2. What impact do my friendships have on my confidence to go after my goals?3. Which areas of my life give me the greatest opportunity to challenge myself?
Who Else Wants to Feel More Inspired?
Who Else Wants to Feel More Inspired? Studies confirm that some people feel inspired more often than the rest of us. While those moments of revelation may seem elusive, the impact is powerful. In addition to the initial exhilaration, inspiration can make you more productive and successful. You perform better and enjoy your work more. The good news is that these same studies suggest habits that you can cultivate that will bring more enthusiasm into your activities. Try these tips to awaken your muse. How to Feel Inspired More Often Take action: There are better strategies than sitting around waiting for inspiration to strike. You’re more likely to gain insights while you’re working on a project rather than putting it off until you feel more motivated. Start writing your first novel or contact acquaintances who might want to invest in your start-up business. Focus on intrinsic motivation: Inspiration is more abundant when you’re engaged in activities that you value for their own sake. Put aside thoughts about competing with others or earning money. Contemplate how much you enjoy singing in the church choir or riding your bike. Head outdoors: Sunlight and natural beauty make your mind more receptive. Pack a picnic lunch and take a hike. Appreciate art: Visit an art museum to learn from old masters or browse through an auction catalogue. Examining the work of others can prepare you for your own breakthroughs. Learn about science. Science is another field that offers opportunities to unleash your own genius. Scan the latest headlines about progress in medical research or renewable energy. Express gratitude: However we describe inspiration, it usually has something to do with transcending our ordinary experiences. Pick something you tend to take for granted and look at it more closely. Feel thankful for rain and squirrels. Meditate and pray: Many adults associate inspiration with their spiritual practices. Schedule time each day to read something that touches your heart. Talk with others about how you connect with the divine. Develop a daily meditation practice or attend worship services. How to Sustain Your Inspiration Set goals: Inspiration tends to reinforce itself. Translate your visions into challenging goals. Once you reach them, use that motivation to create new goals that aim even higher. Go public: You’re more likely to implement your inspiration when you share it with others. If you tell your boss that you have a plan for cutting travel costs, she’s probably going to expect a status report soon. When your kids know that you figured out a way to afford a family ski vacation, they’ll remind you to pack your suitcases. Think positive: Inspiration and optimism go hand in hand. When you’re cheerful and upbeat, you’re more receptive to fresh ideas and making changes. Study role models: Of course, bringing your eureka moments to life still requires courage and effort. Imagine how your mentor or a historical figure you admire would rise to the challenge. Develop patience: Inspiration can be a sudden flash of lightening, but it may also be a long process. You’ll need to persevere if you want to realize the full benefits of a promising opportunity. Stay fit: Considering the close connection between body and mind, it’s natural that staying healthy invites more inspirational moments into your days and nights. Exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet full of natural foods, and enjoy plenty of good quality sleep and rest. Prepare yourself to experience more brainstorms and apply them to your daily life. Drawing on inspiration nourishes creativity and hope. You’ll achieve more and find the journey more pleasant.
Your Beliefs Shape Your Life
Your Beliefs Shape Your Life Your Beliefs Shape Your Life So You Better Choose Them Properly A lot of people think that their beliefs are like clothes. They really don’t have much choice in the matter. They just walk up to their closet, pick out what’s there, wear it, and move on to the next set of clothes the next day. If that’s your attitude, regarding your beliefs, it’s no surprise that you are not living your life to your fullest potential. Whether this means enjoying the best job, making the most money in your field, enjoying the best relationships, or looking physically fit, beliefs play a major role in your life. No matter how clueless you are about its role, beliefs will continue to remain important in your life. Where Do Beliefs Draw Their Power? Beliefs are like glasses. Depending on the grade of your glasses, the world may look crystal clear or it may look very fuzzy and you might even have a nasty headache when using glasses that have the wrong grade. Beliefs work the same way. When you perceive reality, and I’m talking about the things that you can see, hear, touch, taste, and smell, they have to be filtered by something in your head. This is called your belief system. When you filter this information, you give it meaning. You give it color. You give it a certain slant or angle. What do you think happens next? Your analysis of the things that you choose to perceive impacts the things you say, the things you do, and the things you feel about yourself and the rest of the world. In other words, this is important stuff but the problem is a lot of people think that since they think a certain way that this is reality. They confuse objective reality, which everyone could agree with, with their own subjective take on the things that they perceive. Also, other people excuse their own warped way of perceiving reality by saying that that’s just who they are or it’s part of their personality. How dare people question them! Beliefs are chosen. Just as you can choose your clothes, you can choose your beliefs. I’m not saying that it’s easy. After all, beliefs do become habitual after a while. You don’t hang onto a belief system because it is just flat-out wrong and harms you. There’s something about the belief system that you have chosen that gives you enough benefits for it to be worth hanging onto. It’s like wearing really raggedy shoes. You probably have really old shoes in your home. They look nasty and they could even smell like a rat died in them but, for whatever reason, you like wearing those shoes because they’re comfortable. You know that they don’t look the best; they don’t perform all that well but you prefer their comfort. They do well enough and serve you well enough so you keep them around and you use them day to day. The same applies to your beliefs. There are many belief systems that have simply outlived their purpose or usefulness. It’s important for us to take a long, hard look at our beliefs and ask ourselves some hard questions. Otherwise, we will be living far below our potential. We would continue to look at reality with tools that really don’t serve us. That’s a tragedy.
