Self Improvement For A Better Life…

If you live on this planet, you must have heard of the “soon to be released” movie “Inception”, which is an international heist caper. Inception follows Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio), an “extractor” whose form of corporate espionage is to invade the dreams of the rich and powerful and pluck their most tightly guarded secrets from the depths of their subconscious.

The dictionary cites “Inception” as “a beginning of something” and Dicaprio’s character “Cobb” says at one point “A single idea from the human mind can build cities. An idea can transform the world and rewrite all the rules”. An interesting observation or “truism” that many of us are unable to grasp easily…

But why is that? We have all read the history books, read the newspapers, and watch TV, and have seen that “ordinary” people break records and make headlines every day… So why not you (or me)?

Aside from it’s entertainment value, many people gain inspiration from books and movies, whether it be just the story line, how a particular character is portrayed, the soundtrack, or even a spectacular scene. There is also the “concept” or base idea of a book or movie that may inspire you… In this case recognition of the power of the brain’s subconscious abilities.

Yes, it’s only a movie, and the story is fiction… But the premise or idea behind it is true. Everybody possesses potentially tremendous power that they may never discover if they don’t allow themselves to release it, or are not prepared to learn how.

Is that a resource you can afford to ignore? Before you can achieve success in the world, you have to “know” and master your own self. Once you can harness the power of your own mind, you are only limited by your own ambitions…

Many people struggle when setting, and then achieving, their perceived goals… Most often because they go about it the wrong way.

For a start, you have to be honest with yourself, and realize what sort of person you are. That is, are you someone who thrives and performs better with big challenges and who puts their heart and soul into a certain project… Or, like most, less confident and prefer to tackle projects one step at a time?

Either way, the point is that before you start any new endeavor, you need to know what motivates YOU!

People set their goals differently, depending on their current situation, resources available, physical ability and other factors. You can, however, follow some guidelines to make sure that your goals are credible and possible. Too many individuals set their goals too high unknowingly, only to lose interest and get disappointed for life. So here are some tips on how to set goals and actually ACHIEVE them!

You Must Be Specific!

Goals need to be specific, so that you know which part of the process you’re currently in and the particular ways on how you will achieve them. Most people have goals to get promoted, get rich, improve relationships and the like, but these are very vague and your mind can become confused about what you truly mean. General descriptions usually do not have boundaries, so you always leave room for mistakes and compromise. If you want results that you can be proud of, be specific.

To be specific, you need to include the full details. Write down something like, “I want to get $10,000 by November of this year,” or “I need to become Team Leader of the sales department by next June,” or “I want my kids, Karen and Steve, to go on the school Ski trip this year.” Include the names, the position, the amount, the date and everything else needed to train your mind to start working towards that goal.

Your Goals Must Be Measurable!

Goals need to be measurable so that you can gauge how well you have done lately. To help measure your progress, you should include measurable details. For your job, you can include details such as the number of hours you’re working, the amount you’re earning, the staff you’re handling, etc. For the goal of money, you can include details such as the amount you want to have as a whole, the number of companies or businesses you own, your contact persons, etc. For losing weight, how many lbs lost per week etc. Always have things and items to be measured so you can understand how close you are to getting your goals. If your goal is to earn $10,000 a month, then you know you’re halfway there if you’re already earning $5,000 a month.

Your Goals Must Be Realistic and Attainable!

Only set goals that can possibly be accomplished (by YOU). Some people set goals that are too high to reach, so that they are almost setting up things that are impossible. Make sure you only set objectives that you can reach within a given amount of time, provided the current resources and capabilities you have. Some examples of impossible goals are doubling your salary overnight, getting a promotion higher than your boss’s position, etc. Some goals can be achieved faster compared to others if you have some strengths and strategies to back these up. Always include a strategic plan for big objectives.

Set A Time-Scale!

Set deadlines to achieve your goals, or else you’re never going to finish anything. Stay specific when setting time-lines and schedules. For example, indicate things like “To spend an hour with my wife every day starting tomorrow (indicate exact date and year)”. Setting the exact time and date will spur you to start working on your goals (and sticking to it), instead of putting it off for another available time. Some bigger goals can take years to accomplish, so it is wiser to break these down into smaller objectives, still complete with deadlines. You can then finish everything in a planned sequence to finally reach your biggest original goal.

Almost everyone must have heard the hit single “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin. The song has a very catchy way of conveying its message of being happy to everyone. Bobby Mcferrin’s simple message surely made a lot of people happy by telling them not to worry.

Living a happy, resilient and optimistic life is wonderful, and is also good for your health. Being happy actually protects you from the stresses of life.

Stress is linked to top causes of death such as heart disease, cancer and stroke.

One of the better things ever said is – “The only thing in life that will always remain the same is change”, and in our life we have the power to make the necessary changes if we want to. Even if we find ourselves in an unbearable situation we can always find solace in the knowledge that it too would change.

Social networks or relationships are essential to happiness. People are different, accept people for who or what they are, avoid clashes, constant arguments, and let go of all kinds of resentments. If arguments seem unavoidable still try and make an effort to understand the situation and you might just get along with well with anyone.

Happiness is actually found in everyone, increasing it is a way to make a life more wonderful and also more healthy.
To be happy is relatively easy, just decide to be a happy person. Abraham Lincoln observed that most people for most of the time can choose how happy or stressed, how relaxed or troubled, how bright or dull their outlook  to be. The choice is simple really, choose to be happy.

There are several ways by which you can do this… Being grateful is a great attitude.  We have so much to be thankful for.

Thank the taxi driver for bringing you home safely, thank the cook for a wonderful dinner and thank the guy who cleans your windows. Also thank the mailman for bringing you your mail, thank the policeman for making your place safe and thank God for being alive.

News is stressful. So get less of it. Some people just can’t start their day without their daily dose of news. Try and think about it, 99% of the news we hear or read is bad news. Starting the day with bad news does not seem to be a sensible thing to do.

A religious connection may also be beneficial. Being part of a religious group with its singing, sacraments, chanting, prayers and meditations foster inner peace.

Manage your time. Time is invaluable and too important to waste. Time management can be viewed  as a list of rules that involves scheduling, setting goals, planning, creating lists of things to do and prioritizing. These are the core basics of time management that should be understood to develop an efficient personal time management skill. These basic skills can be fine tuned further to include the finer points of each skill that can give you that extra reserve to make the results you desire.

Laugh, and laugh heartily everyday.  Heard a good joke? Tell your friends or family about it. As they also say – “Laughter is the best medicine”.

Express your feelings, affections, friendship and passion to people around you. They will most likely reciprocate your actions. Try not to keep pent up anger of frustrations, this is bad for your health. Instead find ways of expressing them in a way that will not cause more injury or hurt to anyone.

Working hard brings tremendous personal satisfaction. It gives a feeling of being competent in finishing our tasks. Accomplishments are necessary for all of us, they give us a sense of value. Work on things that you feel worthy of your time.

Learning is a joyful exercise. Try and learn something new everyday.

Learning also makes us expand and broaden our horizons. And could also give us more opportunities in the future.

Run, jog, walk and do other things that your body was made for. Feel alive.

Avoid exposure to negative elements like loud noises, toxins and hazardous places.

These are the few simple things you can do everyday to be happy.

And always remember the quote from Abraham Lincoln, he says that “Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be”.

Many people struggle in life because they lack confidence, and have low self esteem. If you are one of them, here are some top tips to help you…

1. Try to stop thinking negative thoughts about yourself. If you’re used to focusing on your shortcomings, start thinking about positive aspects of yourself that outweigh them. When you catch yourself being too critical, counter it by saying something positive about yourself. Each day, write down three things about yourself that make you happy.

2. Aim for accomplishments rather than perfection. Some people become paralyzed by perfection. Instead of holding yourself back with thoughts like, “I won’t audition for the play until I lose 10 pounds,” think about what you’re good at and what you enjoy, and go for it.

3. View mistakes as learning opportunities. Accept that you will make mistakes because everyone does. Mistakes are part of learning. Remind yourself that a person’s talents are constantly developing, and everyone excels at different things — it’s what makes people interesting.

4. Try new things. Try experimenting with different activities that will help you get in touch with your talents. Then take pride in new skills you develop.

5. Recognize what you can change and what you can’t. If you realize that you’re unhappy with something about yourself that you can change, and then start today. If it’s something you can’t change (like your height), then start to work toward loving yourself the way you are.

6. Set goals. Think about what you’d like to accomplish, and then make a plan for how to do it. Stick with your plan and keep track of your progress.

7. Exercise! You’ll relieve stress, and be healthier and happier.

8. Have fun. Ever found yourself thinking stuff like “I’d have more friends if I were thinner”? Enjoy spending time with the people you care about and doing the things you love. Relax and have a good time — and avoid putting your life on hold.

9. Use the 10 minute technique. People with poor self esteem often fail to give themselves enough time and space. So find 10 minutes every day to be alone and to just sit and do nothing. Some people find it helpful to close their eyes and imagine a country scene or the sight and sound of waves gently lapping against the seashore. During these 10 minutes, allow yourself to feel peaceful and happy. Enjoy this time. It is yours – and yours alone. And you deserve it. Finding 10 minutes for you is a caring thing to do and you will feel better for doing it.

10. Act confidently. People will sense your self confidence and respond positively to you, strengthening your image and self-image all at once.

Use these tips and you will soon see results… If you would like to learn how you can really turn your life around… Click Here!