Blog for Self Improvement

It seems we all hear so often how important it is to become successful. It is what drives many people through their life journey. How do you define success? Does it relate to becoming wealthy? Gaining prestige? Building a business from nothing into something of great value? Feeling important? Creating a respectable image?

These are certainly noble aspirations. It's normal to desire prosperity and recognition, but is that what is really important for life to be successful? There are several ways to view the journey of life so let's examine these three ways: being motivated, being inspired, or being stagnant.

Motivation is an ego-driven process of making things happen in your life. We've been taught the principle of an indelible determination that makes you climb right over the obstacles, never giving up. With this drive, nothing gets in the way of your goal! We've been taught this is the road to success and it is vital that we envision what we want and go after it with all our gusto. There are thousands of motivational seminars, books, audios, and videos that share the secrets to getting motivated and accomplishing your dreams. With motivation a person grabs an idea and works and perseveres until they achieve their goal. Many individuals have been incredibly successful from this approach. It does take a lot of extra work to accomplish, but the end result is what counts in this approach.

An inspired journey is quite different. In this journey the individual is grabbed with an idea so that it takes hold of them and leads to an inspired end result. Inspiration is the reality of Spirit working through you. In other words, you are being led in the direction that Spirit knows is good for you and the benefit of others.

Inspiration always flows from the universal energy of love. It is not something that is forced or pushed in any way; it simply flows effortlessly. Most of the time, when moving from inspiration, the ultimate goal or outcome is unknown. It is a guidance that comes from within, spirit-driven, and simply asks for faith in the move into unknown territory. It always involves surrendering your will - something very difficult for most people to do.

All of my books come in this way. My second book, The Realness of a Woman, was not even in my thoughts, but one morning while I was showering I heard a voice that said I was to write that book. I simply said "okay" without having any idea what would be in the book. Every word on the 340 pages came through Divine guidance and it would often surprise me what I had written. This is inspiration. It also means simply agreeing, or surrendering, and waiting for the next step to unfold. Yes, it takes a lot of faith and trust, but every time I allow inspiration to flow, the end result is better than I could have ever imagined. It allows you to live in a state of total bliss and inner happiness, and it always requires that you get out of the way so Spirit can work!

Stagnation is another way people live their lives. Webster says that a stagnant life is one that is lacking in activity and interest, that it is sluggish and dull. This is the life many people live when they allow their job to control their life. There are bills to pay and commitments to others, so they work day after day in a job that doesn't fill them up. So this person drifts along, existing in their life similar to a robot, doing what they know to do.

A life of stagnation is not a happy life. You may find external things that make you feel happy for a while, but the novelty soon wears off and you're on to another pleasure, or at least wishing for one. In a stagnant life there is often a feeling that something is missing, or perhaps the feeling of not enough. The reason is that this person hasn't found their passion in life and therefore cannot feel fulfilled no matter what they do. This lifestyle is where most people live and eventually die. It is as if they are coasting through with life happening to them. This life is one of smallness.

Everything in life is about choice. If you don't consciously make a choice, a choice will be made for you. Many times an individual doesn't even realize they actually can make a choice, and so often I've heard the comment as someone is offering a defensive explanation, "I had no choice." My friends, you ALWAYS have a choice!

So I ask you to review the three ways you can live your life - through motivation, through inspiration, or through stagnation. The choice is yours and yours alone. Your greatest power is the power of choice. Which direction is the path you want to travel? One of these lifestyle choices is how you are living your life right at this moment. Maybe you like your life and maybe you don't, but if you want it to be lived differently, you have to make the choice to do it.

Right now, without doing another thing, think about these three ways to live. Which one do you think will bring you the greatest rewards, give you peace, and the most happiness as you show up for it?

I live my life through inspiration. I tried stagnation for many years but was miserable, restless, unfulfilled, and disenchanted with life. I made a choice to become motivated, and I did that too. I reaffirmed with positive affirmations every day and both read and listened to motivational information. I even worked with a motivated person, and I can tell you from my personal experience that it was a lot of hard work with little compensation during that time. In recent years I chose the inspired lifestyle, and my life became extraordinary. Things flowed into my consciousness that sometimes elated me and other times scared me, but I listened and followed the guidance that came. The end result? I am happier than I've ever been. I've written three books and more are on the way. I overcame my fear of speaking in public. Money has showed up in just the right timing to pay for whatever I was guided to do. I am at peace every day and know everything is working in Divine order. Amazing things keep showing up in my life that I could never have orchestrated. I work hard when I know I've been guided to do something, but there is always balance in my life now that didn't exist before. I have found that by focusing my thoughts on what flows to me with ease, I have time to complete everything that is important. My life has become extraordinary and every day is a joyous experience. I wish this for you!

Take a moment and decide what you want your life to be like: motivated, inspired, or stagnant. It's your choice!

Carolyn Porter, D.Div.

Empower Productions, Inc.

www.drcarolynporter.com
info@drcarolynporter.com

Carolyn Porter, D. Div., is an Inspirational Speaker, Author of multiple books, ebooks and audios, Spiritual Wholeness Coach, Energy Facilitator, Health Store Co-owner, whose passion is to help individuals move beyond their self-imposed limitations and become all they are meant to be. In this place they can create an extraordinary life with endless possibilities.

Self hypnosis is a great tool for goal setting and self improvement. Most people are surprised at how easy it is to learn self-hypnosis. And self-hypnosis, in turn, makes a lot of things much easier.

Self hypnosis is usually thought of as a person listening to an audio tape, mp3, or other mass-produced media, intended to induce a willingness to absorb suggestions centered around a specific topic such as weight loss, stop smoking, etc.

Unfortunately, this kind of hypnosis is generally prepared by someone who has never met the person being hypnotized, often presenting unwanted, even unpleasant imagery and suggestions.

For example, if you sunburn easily, that last thing you want to hear about is a slow walk on a sunny beach. In this case, the "self" in self hypnosis simply means that you listen to it by yourself.

How do you incorporate self improvement to hypnosis?

To be able to go about self improvement, there are certain aspects in you that should be addressed. Using hypnosis, the negative aspects that are serving as hindrances to improvement are eliminated.

A true self hypnosis would necessarily be designed and created by the very person who will ultimately use and benefit from it.

Unlike the mass-produced hypnosis, this hypnosis is made for the exact purpose the person wishes, including the precise words and phrases that mean the most to that particular person.

The true self hypnosis is thus crafted by the person to suit his or her own needs. The benefits derived could only be accomplished with such a personal, one-of-a-kind hypnosis. In this case, the "self" in self hypnosis really does mean that you are hypnotized by yourself!

Below is a short view of the self hypnotic process. Though lots of variations of this method have been used, these are the basic steps you have to go through in order to hypnotize yourself to accomplish self improvement.

1. Position your goals from the most important goal to the less important. If possible, your goals should be measurable.

2. For each goal, you should formulate fitting suggestions which means you have to convert your goals into specific instructions to your subconscious mind on how to achieve each goal.

3. Relaxation. Use the first minutes of your self hypnotic session to get as relaxed as possible. Try to forget all your worries and problems.

4. Start your hypnotic initiation phase by saying and repeating out loud the hypnotic words you have chosen, thinking of these words or listening to a hypnotic tape or CD customized for your hypnotic and goal fulfillment needs.

5. Apply the hypnotic suggestions you have made for reaching the specific goal you work with, say them out loud, think them or use a tailored hypnotic tape or CD.

Before you start up your self hypnotic exercises you should make a time schedule for it. Do your hypnotic sessions every day, five minutes a day is enough. Repeat your suggestions as often as possible during the day.

Measure your progress. Are you closer to your goal now than you were before you started? Ask yourself. If you answer negative to these questions, you have to rethink and reorganize your train of thoughts.

This is the only way you can find out if this method is really helping you in achieving your self improvement goals.

One reason many of us find it difficult to delegate is that we've been sorely disappointed in the past.  "No one can do it as well as I can" is simply not true.  Given the opportunity and proper motivation, others will raise to your expectations with more creative, productive approaches to any task at hand.

Supervisors and managers can easily delegate, repeating the patterns of being disillusioned.  However, there is a difference between simply being a supervisor or manager and being a highly effective leader.  The title doesn't make an individual a leader.  Actions--consistent, meaningful, well-thought-out actions make the leader.

A sign of a truly effective leader is that he can motivate an individual or group of individuals in wanting to accomplishing a task.  This means that they involve all of their capabilities (imagination, insight, curiosity, enthusiasm) to not only accomplish the job, but they exceed expectations.

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea." ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Leadership mastery comes in continually challenging yourself to come up with new ways to motivate.  Clients tell me "I just don't know what's wrong with this individual. I've told them precisely what to do over and over again and they still can't get one simple job done the way I want it done in a timely manner!"

You've heard it said that the definition of insanity is 'doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.'  If your team is not living up to your expectations where is the disconnect?  Is it with them?  More likely it is with you and the manner in which you are communicating your wishes.

Do they have responsibility in asking for clarification and doing their job to the highest level imaginable?

Absolutely, yet the buck stops with you.  There is no shortage of books on motivation, yet I believe the simplest technique is to know the individuals within your team.  Who are they?  What do they value?  What motivates them as individuals and as a team?

Many leaders make the mistake of thinking all individuals are motivated by what their leader is motivated by, be it money, competition, excellence or accomplishment.  In taking the time to observe, ask questions and really getting to know the individual, you can save hours, weeks, years of disappointment on both sides.

This week take a deeper look at all individuals you lead (including your children.)  What do they really want?  Have you simply delegated tasks to them, or have you stirred up their own internal motivation?  How can you motivate them in a manner that has more to do with them than you?  In doing so, you'll create win/win scenarios, a much more exciting environment in which to work, socialize or play, and you'll have set the bar for them to exceed your expectations.. Have an outstanding week and enjoy your discoveries.

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For the sake of keeping your career fresh and on track, would you like to enjoy a weekly shot-in-the-arm from Master Certified Coach Ann Golden Eglé?  You can sign up for her Success Thought of the Week at http://www.gvsuccess.com .

Have you ever had a conversation with someone and noticed midway that your mind is somewhere else and you have no idea what they just said? Or sat at your desk, hands on the computer keyboard and realized you've done nothing for the last ten minutes?

So often we allow our minds to be taken over by "unauthorized" thoughts, like a territory under foreign occupation. We live on auto-pilot, going through the motions of the day without fully enjoying or at least focusing on activities. Then, because our attention is so loosely tethered, we immediately react to external stimuli rather than making a conscious decision – responding reflexively to an email instead of concentrating on an important report. In reactive mode, we're less grounded and more vulnerable to stress.

To achieve flow, peak performance and productivity, I work with my clients to develop and train the "attention muscle:" the ability to be keenly aware and in control of what they're thinking, feeling and doing. Here are a few exercises, the mental equivalents of bicep curls, to beef up your focus and concentration.

DO A SPOT CHECK. Develop the habit of checking in on your mind and what it's thinking. Is it producing useful ideas for the presentation you're preparing, or preoccupied with your friend's snide comment last night? Probe around a bit to uncover any running commentary that might be creating anxiety - they may be so ingrained in your mental landscape that you don't notice they're there.

MAKE A 'WHAT'S ON MY MIND' LIST. The best way to get things off your mind is to put them down on paper. Sometimes this alone is enough to quiet the chatter. If you still can't stop ruminating, give yourself five minutes to scribble down all your stream-of-consciousness thoughts about a particular topic - why that snide comment annoyed you, what prompted it, how you could have responded, etc. Then tell your mind, "Okay, that's enough for now," and put it aside.

DETERMINE YOUR FOCUS. Now that you've got your full attention, decide where you want to direct it by setting mini-goals. Before making a phone call or writing an email, ask yourself: "What am I trying to achieve?" or create some urgency by seeing how many slides of your presentation you can do in 30 minutes. Train your attention to stay put. Okay, so that worked for five minutes but you keep getting distracted. First, notice when your mind wanders off and see if you can gently coax it back to the task at hand, without making a big deal of it - getting angry or critical usually doesn't work. (Just like it didn't when I was a child and my mother used to walk by the living room where I was (silently) practicing the piano and yell out, "Concentrate!")

Then, narrow even further your point of focus. Make a bullet point list of what you need to say in that company-wide email. In an endless conference call or meeting? Home in on each person when they speak and see if you can, without judgment, rate the qualities in their voice such as "warmth," "irritation," or "interest" on a scale of one to ten.

Developing your attention muscle is an iterative process not a one-time fix. The reward is that by devoting your full attention to the moment at hand, you will be able to delve deeper and gain greater satisfaction in everything you do.
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Peak performance specialist Renita T. Kalhorn is a Juilliard-trained pianist with a top-tier MBA and a first-degree martial arts black belt. Leveraging the power of "flow," she helps entrepreneurs and corporate professionals to achieve extreme focus and reach the top of their game at work. Claim your complimentary copy of "Find Your Flow! 21 Simple Strategies to Banish Tedium, Reduce Stress and Inspire Action" at

http://www.intheflowcoaching.com

Do you want to improve something about yourself? There are many people that do. This is where self improvement will help you.

It doesn't matter what you want to improve, what matters is that you recognize the fact that no one is perfect and can always benefit from self improvement of any kind.

There is one thing that you have to do before you start any self improvement. You need to sit down and figure out the things that need improvement.

When you know these it will make it a lot easier for you find the self improvement program you need. Here are some examples of things that a lot of people may want to improve on.

One: Your ability to create motivation or punctuality.

Two: The ability to grasp new information.

Three: Being better able to communicate with others.

Four: Knowing how to dress properly for a function that is special.

These are just a few of the things that some people want to see improvement on. You are the only one that needs to know what you need the self improvement for.

You do not have to let anyone else know if you are uncomfortable with it. That information is only important for you.

So how do you start self improvement? You need to take the time to find a self improvement program that is right for you. It is not hard to find them and you don't even have to pay to get them.

You just need to get online and do a quick search to find them. You don't even have to use a whole program for self improvement if you don't want to. You can find free articles and other resources that you can use to put together your own program.

One thing that you need to know that is important is that when you start yourself improvement you will want to set goals. For example, do you want to lose 10 pounds?

Then write that down and be sure to write a time line for yourself. This will give you a goal to reach for and a certain time limit to do it in. If you want to have success with your self improvement program then this step is very important.

One other important thing that you need to know is that not all of the techniques for self improvement will work for everyone. You want to pick the techniques that you believe will work the best for you. This is why it is a good idea to put together your own self improvement program.

These are all very important things that you need to know about self improvement if you want to be successful with it. A self improvement program can definitely help you improve yourself but only if you take the time to actually do it.

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When we look at a certain object, a painting for example – we won’t be able to appreciate what’s in it, what is painted and what else goes with it  if the painting is just an inch away from our face. But if we try to take it a little further, we’ll have a clearer vision of the whole art work.

We reach a point in our life when we are ready for change and a whole bunch of information that will help us unlock our self improvement power. Until then, something can be staring us right under our nose but we don’t see it.  The only time we think of unlocking our self improvement power is when everything got worst. Take the frog principle for example –

Try placing Frog A in a pot of boiling water. What happens? He twerps! He jumps off! Why? Because he is not able to tolerate sudden change in his environment – the water’s temperature. Then try Frog B: place him in a luke warm water, then turn the gas stove on. Wait til the water reaches a certain boiling point. Frog B then thinks “Ooh… it’s a bit warm in here”.

People are like Frog B in general. Today, Anna thinks Carl hates her. Tomorrow, Patrick walks up to her and told her he hates her. Anna stays the same and doesn’t mind her what her friends says. The next day, she learned that Kim and John also abhors her. Anna doesn’t realize at once the importance and the need for self improvement until the entire community hates her.

We learn our lessons when we experience pain. We finally see the warning signs and signals when things get rough and tough. When do we realize that we need to change diets? When none of our jeans and shirts would fit us. When do we stop eating candies and chocolates? When all of our teeth has fallen off. When do we realize that we need to stop smoking? When our lungs have gone bad. When do we pray and ask for help? When we realize that we’re gonna die tomorrow.

The only time most of us ever learn about unlocking our self improvement power is when the whole world is crashing and falling apart. We think and feel this way because it is not easy to change. But change becomes more painful when we ignore it.

Change will happen, like it or hate it. At one point or another, we are all going to experience different turning points in our life – and we are all going to eventually unlock our self improvement power not because the world says so, not because our friends are nagging us, but because we realized its for our own good.

Happy people don’t just accept change, they embrace it. Now, you don’t have to feel a tremendous heat before realizing the need for self improvement.  Unlocking your self improvement power means unlocking yourself up in the cage of thought that “its just the way I am”. It is such a poor excuse for people who fear and resist change. Most of us program our minds like computers.

Jen repeatedly tells everyone that she doesn’t have the guts to be around groups of people. She heard her mom, her dad, her sister, her teacher tell the same things about her to other people. Over the years, that is what Jen believes. She believes its her story. And what happens? Every time a great crowd would troop over their house, in school, and in the community – she tends to step back, shy away and lock herself up in a room. Jen didn’t only believed in her story, she lived it.

Jen has to realize that she is not what she is in her story. Instead of having her story post around her face for everyone to remember, she has to have the spirit and show people “I am an important person and I should be treated accordingly!”

Self improvement may not be everybody’s favorite word, but if we look at things in a different point of view, we might have greater chances of enjoying the whole process instead of counting the days until we are fully improved. Three sessions in a week at the gym would result to a healthier life, reading books instead of looking at porns will shape up a more profound knowledge, going out with friends and peers will help you take a step back from work and unwind.  And just when you are enjoying the whole process of unlocking your self improvement power, you’ll realize that you’re beginning to take things light and become happy.

Success is more than economic gains, titles, and degrees. Planning for success is about mapping out all the aspects of your life. Similar to a map, you need to define the following details: origin, destination, vehicle, backpack, landmarks, and route.

Origin:  Who you are

A map has a starting point. Your origin is who you are right now. Most people when asked to introduce themselves would say, “Hi, I’m Jean and I am a 17-year old, senior highschool student.” It does not tell you about who Jean is; it only tells you her present preoccupation. To gain insights about yourself, you need to look closely at your beliefs, values, and principles aside from your economic, professional, cultural, and civil status. Moreover, you can also reflect on your experiences to give you insights on your good and not-so-good traits, skills, knowledge, strengths, and weaknesses. Upon introspection, Jean realized that she was highly motivated, generous, service-oriented, but impatient. Her inclination was in the biological-medical field. Furthermore, she believed that life must serve a purpose, and that wars were destructive to human dignity.

Destination: A vision of who you want to be

“Who do want to be?” this is your vision. Now it is important that you know yourself so that you would have a clearer idea of who you want to be; and the things you want to change whether they are attitudes, habits, or points of view. If you hardly know yourself, then your vision and targets for the future would also be unclear. Your destination should cover all the aspects of your being: the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. Continuing Jean’s story, after she defined her beliefs, values, and principles in life, she decided that she wanted to have a life dedicated in serving her fellowmen.

Vehicle: Your Mission

A vehicle is the means by which you can reach your destination. It can be analogized to your mission or vocation in life. To a great extent, your mission would depend on what you know about yourself. Bases on Jean’s self-assessment, she decided that she was suited to become a doctor, and that she wanted to become one. Her chosen vocation was a medical doctor. Describing her vision-mission fully: it was to live a life dedicated to serving her fellowmen as a doctor in conflict-areas.

Travel Bag: Your knowledge, skills, and attitude

Food, drinks, medicines, and other travelling necessities are contained in a bag. Applying this concept to your life map, you also bring with you certain knowledge, skills, and attitudes. These determine your competence and help you in attaining your vision. Given such, there is a need for you to assess what knowledge, skills, and attitudes you have at present and what you need to gain along the way. This two-fold assessment will give you insights on your landmarks or measures of success. Jean realized that she needed to gain professional knowledge and skills on medicine so that she could become a doctor. She knew that she was a bit impatient with people so she realized that this was something she wanted to change.

Landmarks and Route: S.M.A.R.T. objectives

Landmarks confirm if you are on the right track while the route determines the travel time. Thus, in planning out your life, you also need to have landmarks and a route. These landmarks are your measures of success. These measures must be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time bound. Thus you cannot set two major landmarks such as earning a master’s degree and a doctorate degree within a period of three years, since the minimum number of years to complete a master’s degree is two years. Going back to Jean as an example, she identified the following landmarks in her life map: completing a bachelor’s degree in biology by the age of 21; completing medicine by the age of 27; earning her specialization in infectious diseases by the age of 30; getting deployed in local public hospitals of their town by the age of 32; and serving as doctor in war-torn areas by the age of 35.

Anticipate Turns, Detours, and Potholes

The purpose of your life map is to minimize hasty and spur-of-the-moment decisions that can make you lose your way. But oftentimes our plans are modified along the way due to some inconveniences, delays, and other situations beyond our control. Like in any path, there are turns, detours, and potholes thus; we must anticipate them and adjust accordingly.

Time management is basically about being focused. The Pareto Principle also known as the '80:20 Rule' states that 80% of efforts that are not time managed or unfocused generates only 20% of the desired output. However,  80% of the desired output can be generated using only 20% of a well time managed effort. Although  the ratio '80:20' is only arbitrary, it is used to put emphasis on how much is lost or how much can be gained with time management.

Some people view time management as a list of rules that involves scheduling of appointments, goal settings, thorough planning, creating things to do lists 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.

But there is more skills involved in time management than the core basics. Skills such as decision making, inherent abilities such as emotional intelligence and critical thinking are also essential to your personal growth.

Personal time management involves everything you do. No matter how big and no matter how small, everything counts. Each new knowledge you acquire, each new advice you consider, each new skill you develop should be taken into consideration.

Having a balanced life-style should be the key result in having personal time management. This is the main aspect that many practitioners of personal time management fail to grasp.

Time management is about getting results, not about being busy.

The six areas that personal time management seeks to improve in anyone's life are physical, intellectual, social, career, emotional and spiritual.

The physical aspect involves having a healthy body, less stress and fatigue.

The intellectual aspect involves learning and other mental growth activities.

The social aspect involves developing personal or intimate relations and being an active contributor to society.

The career aspect involves school and work.

The emotional aspect involves appropriate feelings and desires and manifesting them.

The spiritual aspect involves a personal quest for meaning.

Thoroughly planning and having a set of things to do list for each of the key areas may not be very practical, but determining which area in your life is not being giving enough attention is part of time management. Each area creates the whole you, if you are ignoring one area then you are ignoring an important part of yourself.

Personal time management should not be so daunting a task. It is a very sensible and reasonable approach in solving problems big or small.

A great way of learning time management and improving your personal life is to follow several basic activities.

One of them is to review your goals whether it be immediate or long-term goals often.

A way to do this is to keep a list that is always accessible to you.

Always determine which task is necessary or not necessary in achieving your goals and which activities are helping you maintain a balanced life style.

Each and everyone of us has a peek time and a time when we slow down, these are our natural cycles. We should be able to tell when to do the difficult tasks when we are the sharpest.

Learning to say "No". You actually see this advice often. Heed it even if it involves saying the word to family or friends.

Pat yourself at the back or just reward yourself in any manner for an effective time management result.

Try and get the cooperation from people around you who are actually benefiting from your efforts of time management.

Don't procrastinate. Attend to necessary things immediately.

Have a positive attitude and set yourself up for success. But be realistic in your approach in achieving your goals.

Have a record or journal of all your activities. This will help you get things in their proper perspective.

These are the few steps you initially take in becoming a well rounded individual.

As the say personal time management is the art and science of building a better life.

From the moment you integrate into your life time management skills, you have opened several options that can provide a broad spectrum of solutions to your personal growth. It also creates more doors for opportunities to knock on.

We are often told that success requires motivation, desire and ambition, but there is another important ingredient, and this is inner detachment.

I hear you now saying, "What has inner detachment to do with success? Isn't detachment a state of indifference? How can one attain success with such a state of mind?"

These are erroneous assumptions! Inner detachment is not indifference! I am not speaking here about asceticism or abstinence. One can lead a normal, ordinary life, and yet display inner emotional and mental detachment.

I want to make it clear. True emotional and mental detachment is not a state of indifference, apathy or lack of energy. One can be loving, happy, helpful and energetic, and yet possess and display inner detachment.

True inner detachment manifests as the ability to think clearly and to be immune to what people think or say about you. It enables you to have more control over your moods and states of mind, and therefore enjoy inner balance, harmony and peace. It also helps you handle more efficiently your daily affairs of life, as well difficult situations or emergencies.

This is a state that comes from inner strength and inner peace, and not from apathy and indifference. It coexists with self-control, self-discipline and a focused mind. It brings inner calmness and tranquility that external circumstances cannot disturb or upset.

You will surely agree that all the above-mentioned qualities and abilities are important for the attainment of success!

Not everything always turns out as planned or expected. Plans sometimes do not work out, people don't behave as expected and unforeseen obstacles might stand in the way. All this can dampen one's spirit and weaken the motivation, ambition and faith, but a state of emotional and mental detachment will prevent all that. A person possessing detachment will not be affected or daunted by obstacles or failures and will try again and again.

While others become immersed in self-pity or in thoughts about failure and missed opportunities, the person who possesses detachment will be working on a new venture or trying a different approach. A state of inner detachment helps to forget failure and focus on the future and on success.

Lack of detachment is attachment, which means, among other things, clinging to old or outdated behavior and ways of thinking. Attachment manifests as fear to make changes, to progress or try doing things in a different way.

Lack of attachment is detachment, which equals to inner freedom and the ability to make and accept changes, take advantage of opportunities and adopt new habits.

Detachment goes with the ability to weigh the pros and cons of situations, circumstances and actions in an impartial way, and to make rational decisions, which are not based on moods. It helps to keep a clear and focused mind, and to recognize opportunities that others might not see.

Now you might be wondering whether it is possible at all to acquire this ability. Yes, it is possible, but this requires training and inner work. You will find below a few suggestions to help you start. Don't underestimate these suggestions. Follow them, and you will gain inner detachment, inner strength and inner peace.

1. Pay more attention to your thoughts, feelings and state of mind. A heightened awareness of your thoughts and feelings shows you where you need to develop and progress.

2. Remind yourself every now and then how important it is to be calm, relaxed and in control of yourself, your mind and moods, especially when you feel agitated or unfocused.

3. When you desire to say or do something that is not really important, wait a few seconds before talking or acting.

4. When aware of anger arising in you, delay your reaction for a few seconds.

5. Learn not to take everything said or done too personally.

6. Here is another thing you can do. It is very simple, but in most cases real hard. Try sometimes, not always, to switch off your TV in the middle of your favorite program. Though a very simple act, it requires real inner strength. If you can do so once in a while, you will be able to manifest more and more emotional and mental detachment, which will help you on your road to success and achieving your goals and ambitions.

© Copyright Remez Sasson

Remez Sasson teaches and writes on positive thinking, creative visualization, motivation, self-improvement, peace of mind, spiritual growth and meditation. He is the author of several books, among which are "Peace of mind in Daily Life", "Will Power and Self Discipline", "Visualize and Achieve" and "Affirmations - Words of Power".

Visit his website and find articles and books filled with inspiration, motivation and practical advice and guidance.
Website: http://www.SuccessConsciousness.com

Books: http://www.successconsciousness.com/ebooks_and_books.htm

It is the natural right of every human being to be happy to escape all the miseries of life. Happiness is the normal condition, as natural as the landscapes and the seasons. It is unnatural to suffer and it is only because of our ignorance that we do suffer. Happiness is the product of wisdom. To attain perfect wisdom, to comprehend fully the purpose of life, to realize completely the relationship of human beings to each other, is to put an end to all suffering, to escape every ill and evil that afflicts us. Perfect wisdom is unshadowed joy.

Why do we suffer in life? Because in the scheme of nature we are being forced forward in evolution and we lack the spiritual illumination that alone can light the way and enable us to move safely among the obstacles that lie before us. Usually we do not even see or suspect the presence of trouble until it suddenly leaps upon us like a concealed tiger. One day our family circle is complete and happy. A week later death has come and gone and joy is replaced with agony. Today we have a friend. Tomorrow he will be an enemy and we do not know why. A little while ago we had wealth and all material luxuries. There was a sudden change and now we have only poverty and misery and yet we seek in vain for a reason why this should be. There was a time when we had health and strength; but they have both departed and no trace of a reason appears. Aside from these greater tragedies of life innumerable things of lesser consequence continually bring to us little miseries and minor heartaches. We most earnestly desire to avoid them but we never see them until they strike us, until in the darkness of our ignorance we blunder upon them. The thing we lack is the spiritual illumination that will enable us to look far and wide, finding the hidden causes of human suffering and revealing the method by which they may be avoided; and if we can but reach illumination the evolutionary journey can be made both comfortably and swiftly. It is as though we must pass through a long, dark room filled with furniture promiscuously scattered about. In the darkness our progress would be slow and painful and our bruises many. But if we could press a button that would turn on the electric light we could then make the same journey quickly and with perfect safety and comfort.

The old method of education was to store the mind with as many facts, or supposed facts, as could be accumulated and to give a certain exterior polish to the personality. The theory was that when a man was born he was a completed human being and that all that could be done for him was to load him up with information that would be used with more or less skill, according to the native ability he happened to be born with. The theosophical idea is that the physical man, and all that constitutes his life in the physical world, is but a very partial expression of the self; that in the ego of each there is practically unlimited power and wisdom; that these may be brought through into expression in the physical world as the physical body and its invisible counterparts, which together constitute the complex vehicle of the ego's manifestation, are evolved and adapted to the purpose; and that in exact proportion that conscious effort is given to such self-development will spiritual illumination be achieved and wisdom attained. Thus the light that leads to happiness is kindled from within and the evolutionary journey that all are making may be robbed of its suffering.

Why does death bring misery? Chiefly because it separates us from those we love. The only other reason why death brings grief or fear is  because we do not understand it and comprehend the part it plays in human evolution.  But the moment our ignorance gives way to comprehension such fear vanishes and a serene happiness takes its place.

Why do we have enemies from whose words or acts we suffer? Because in our limited physical consciousness we do not perceive the unity of all life and realize that our wrong thinking and doing must react upon us through other people a situation from which there is no possible escape except through ceasing to think evil and then patiently awaiting the time when the causes we have already generated are fully exhausted. When spiritual illumination comes, and we no longer stumble in the night of ignorance, the last enemy will disappear and we shall make no more forever.

Why do people suffer from poverty and disease? Only because of our blundering ignorance that makes their existence possible for us, and because we do not comprehend their meaning and their lessons, nor know the attitude to assume toward them. Had we but the wisdom to understand why they come to people, why they are necessary factors in their evolution, they would trouble us no longer. When nature's lesson is fully learned these mute teachers will vanish.

And so it is with all forms of suffering we experience. They are at once reactions from our ignorant blunderings and instructors that point out the better way. When we have comprehended the lessons they teach they are no longer necessary and disappear. It is not by the outward  acquirement of facts that men become wise and great. It is by developing the soul from within until it illuminates the brain with that flood of light called genius.

People who have self-confidence believe in themselves and feel that they are capable of achieving what they want in life, or dealing with any situation that they may have to face. They have an aura of self-confidence and self-assurance, which is apparent to others. People like to spend time with them; they feel comfortable and secure in their presence.

In contrast, there are many people who are reasonably talented, but who lack self-confidence. These people are victims of the several myths that surround self-confidence.

1. One of the foremost myths about self-confidence is that people are born with self-confidence. It is a quality that cannot be acquired. Nothing can be farther from truth. Self-confidence, like other skills, can be built. All that you need is right guidance and a belief in yourself.

2. There are others who blame their low self-confidence to their lack of good looks and poor upbringing. They don't realize that self-confidence has nothing to do with their looks. It is a reflection of one's confidence. The only way they can overcome this myth is by learning to believe in themselves. In fact, talent and self-confidence are not inter-related.

There are scores of talented actors and actresses who do very well in their professions but whose personal lives are torn by lack of self-confidence. It may sound contradictory, but this is how life is.

Talent can be an important component of self-confidence, but it is certainly not a substitute for self-confidence. So, don't worry about lack of talent. Harness the skills that you possess.

3. Another myth is that self-confidence is directly proportional to the recognition and praise that an individual gets in his or her life; the ones who are not so lucky wallow in self-pity. Once again, there is little doubt that recognition and praise make you feel good about yourself, and boost your self-confidence.

But you can't simply depend on the praise lavished by others. You have to work hard to earn that praise, and you can do this only if you are self-confident. The same applies to those who are not successful. They, too, can earn praise if they work hard and win people's respect.

Such people should look at children. Children believe in themselves, and this gives them the self-confidence to try to do things they have never done before, be it learning how to cycle or how to swim.

In fact, no child comes into the world knowing all the skills. But it does not take long to teach children most of the basic skills. Then, why should it be difficult for adults to learn new skills or brave new challenges?

4. Another myth is that only self-confident people can afford to take risks. This again is not true. In fact, self-confident people are more realistic about their capabilities. They know what they can do, and what they can't do. More importantly, they know how to deal with failures.

In contrast, people who lack self-confidence are afraid of failure. This fear prevents them from taking on new tasks. They constantly pine for the approval of others, and when they don't get it they end up losing their self-confidence.

What is apparent is the lack of understanding. People must realize that self-confidence is a state of mind. It is not dependent upon a person's beauty or looks. It flows from a person's self-belief, and this belief can be built.

All that a person needs to do is to debunk myths that self- confidence cannot be acquired or that self-confidence is a byproduct of exceptional knowledge, skills and luck. Once they do so, they will find it easier to acquire the same magnetic powers that self-confident people have.

Source: http://www.articlecube.com

To discover how to overcome the #1 obstacle that will keep you from success and to get a fr'e mini-course that reveals how to change your limiting thinking and how to increase the level of your self-esteem to set yourself free, go to www.vision-to-action.com

Affirmations are great tools that can help you overcome fear, build your confidence, develop an abundance mind-set and more.  The problem is that many people aren't sure exactly how to write effective affirmations.  Do they always have to be in present tense?  Can they contain "negative" words like can't, won't, not, and so on?

There are plenty of differing opinions on the right and wrong ways to write effective affirmations, but the bottom line is that an affirmation can be considered effective if it works for YOU!  The whole point of affirmations is to shift your thoughts and emotions to a more positive place so you feel more confident, happy, secure, abundant, or anything else you're trying to accomplish.

Take a look at the sample affirmations below for starters and feel free to use them if they resonate with you.  If not, try altering them slightly until they trigger the mind-set and emotional state you're trying to attain.

Affirmations for Healthy Weight and Body Image:

- Today I love my body fully, deeply and joyfully.

- My body has its own wisdom and I trust that wisdom completely.

- My body is simply a projection of my beliefs about myself.

- I am growing more beautiful and luminous day by day.

- I choose to see the divine perfection in every cell of my body.

- As I love myself, I allow others to love me too.

- Flaws are transformed by love and acceptance.

- Today I choose to honor my beauty, my strength and my uniqueness.

- I love the way I feel when I take good care of myself.

- Today my own well-being is my top priority.

Affirmations for Self-Confidence and Self-Belief:

- 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.

Affirmations for Abundance and Prosperity:

- I open to the flow of great abundance in all areas of my life.

- I always have more than enough of everything I need.

- Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

- Today I expand my awareness of the abundance all around me.

- I allow the universe to bless me in surprising and joyful ways.

- My grateful heart is a magnet that attracts more of everything I desire.

- Prosperity surrounds me, prosperity fills me, prosperity flows to me and through me.

- I exude passion, purpose and prosperity.

- I am always led to the people who need what I have to offer.

- As my commitment to help others grows, so does my wealth.

- My day is filled with limitless potential in joy, abundance and love.

Affirmations for Life Purpose:

- The better I know myself, the clearer my purpose becomes.

- My unique skills and talents can make a profound difference in the world.

- Today I follow my heart and discover my destiny.

- I am meant to do great things.

- I am limited only by my vision of what is possible.

- My purpose is to develop and share the best parts of myself with others.

- Today I present my love, passion, talent and joy as a gift to the world.

- I need not know the entire journey in order to take one step.

- I fulfill my life purpose by starting here, right now.

- My life purpose can be whatever I decide to make it.

Affirmations for Inner Peace:

- All is well, right here, right now.

- Peace begins with a conscious choice.

- Today I embrace simplicity, peace and solace.

- A peaceful heart makes for a peaceful life.

- I trust the universe to deliver my highest good in every situation.

- By becoming peace, I create peace in every experience.

- I am filled with the light of love, peace and joy.

- Peace comes when I let go of trying to control every tiny detail.

- Where peace dwells, fear cannot.

- Today my mission is to surrender and release.

Affirmations for Opportunity:

- Today I open my mind to the endless opportunities surrounding me.

- Opportunities are everywhere, if I choose to see them.

- I boldly act on great opportunities when I see them.

- My intuition leads me to the most lucrative opportunities.

- An opportunity is simply a possibility until I act on it.

- Some of the best opportunities are made, not found.

- Today I see each moment as a new opportunity to express my greatness.

- I expand my awareness of the hidden potential in each experience.

- Let each of my experiences today be a gateway to something even better.

- Each decision I make creates new opportunities.

Affirmations for Love:

- I am ready for a healthy, loving relationship.

- All of my relationships are meaningful and fulfilling.

- As I share my love with others the universe mirrors love back to me.

- I see everyone I meet as a soul mate.

- I trust the universe to know the type of partner who is perfect for me.

- Today I release fear and open my heart to true love.

- I am grateful for the people in my life.

- I am the perfect partner for my perfect partner.

- I deserve a loving, healthy relationship.

- I deserve to be loved and I allow myself to be loved.

Affirmations for Healing:

- I am strong and healthy.

- My energy and vitality are increasing every day.

- I open to the natural flow of wellness now.

- My inner guidance leads me to the right healing modalities for me.

- Abundant health and wellness are my birthright.

- Thank you for my strength, my health and my vitality.

- I am feeling stronger and better now.

- I love taking good care of myself.

- Today nurturing myself is my highest priority.

- Thank you for the opportunity to balance my mind, body and spirit.

Affirmations for Inner Clarity:

- Today I awaken to my higher wisdom.

- My inner voice guides me in every moment.

- I am centered, calm and clear.

- I always know the right actions to achieve my goals.

- When I know where I'm going, getting there is a cinch!

- Today I am completely tuned in to my inner wisdom.

- Harmony is always a sign that I am balanced from within.

- Thank you for showing me the way to my dreams.

- I trust my feelings and insights.

- I am detached and open to divine guidance.

Affirmations for Self-Love:

- I am filled with light, love and peace.

- I treat myself with kindness and respect.

- I don't have to be perfect; I just have to be me.

- I give myself permission to shine.

- I honor the best parts of myself and share them with others.

- I'm proud of all I have accomplished.

- Today I give myself permission to be greater than my fears.

- I love myself no matter what.

- I am my own best friend and cheerleader.

- Thank you for the qualities, traits and talents that make me so unique.

Sometimes, when all our doubts, fears and insecurities wrap ourselves up, we always come up with the idea of “I wish I was somebody else.”  More often than not, we think and believe that someone or rather, most people are better than us.- when in reality, the fact is, most people are more scared than us.

You spot a totally eye-catching girl sitting by herself at a party, casually sipping on a glass of Asti Spumanti. You think to yourself, “she looks so perfectly calm and confident.” But if you could read thru her transparent mind, you would see a bunch of clouds of thoughts and you might just be amazed that she’s thinking “are people talking about why I am seated here alone?... Why don’t guys find me attractive? …I don’t like my ankles, they look too skinny… I wish I was as intelligent as my best friend.”

We look at a young business entrepreneur and say “Wooh… what else could he ask for?” He stares at himself at the mirror and murmur to himself, “I hate my big eyes… I wonder why my friends won’t talk to me… I hope mom and dad would still work things out.”

Isn’t it funny? We look at other people, envy them for looking so outrageously perfect and wish we could trade places with them, while they look at us and thinks of the same thing. We are insecure of other people who themselves are insecure of us. We suffer from low self-esteem, lack of self-confidence and lose hope in self improvement because we are enveloped in quiet desperation.

Sometimes, you notice that you have an irritating habit like biting off your finger nails, having a foul mouth, and you – of all people, is the last to know.

I have a friend who never gets tired of talking. And in most conversations, she is the only one who seems to be interested in the things she has to say. So all of our other friends tend to avoid the circles whenever she’s  around, and she doesn’t notices how badly she became socially handicapped – gradually affecting the people in her environment.

One key to self improvement is to LISTEN and TALK to a trusted friend. Find someone who you find comfort in opening up with even the most gentle topics you want to discuss. Ask questions like “do you think I am ill-mannered?”,  “Do I always sound so argumentative?”,  “Do I talk too loud?”,  “Does my breath smell?”,  “Do I ever bore you when were together?”.  In this way, the other person will obviously know that you are interested in the process of self improvement. Lend her your ears for comments and criticisms and don’t give her answers like “Don’t exaggerate! That’s just the way I am!”  Open up your mind and heart as well. And in return, you may want to help your friend with constructive criticism that will also help her improve her self.

One of Whitney Houston’s songs says “Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.” True enough. In order to love others, you must love yourself too. Remember, you cannot give what you do not have.

Before telling other people some ways on how to improve themselves, let them see that you yourself is a representation and a product of self improvement. Self improvement makes us better people, we then inspire other people, and then the rest of the world will follow.

Stop thinking of yourselves as second-rate beings. Forget the repetitive thought of “If only I was richer… if only I was thinner” and so on.  Accepting your true self is the first step to self improvement. We need to stop comparing ourselves to others only to find out at the end that we’ve got  10 more reasons to envy them.

We all have our insecurities. Nobody is perfect. We always wish we had better things, better features, better body parts, etc. But life need not to be perfect for people to be happy about themselves.Self improvement and loving yourself is not a matter of shouting to the whole world that you are perfect and you are the best. It’s the virtue of acceptance and contentment. When we begin to improve ourselves, we then begin to feel contented and happy.

Be all you can be, but it's not always in the Army. I often see myself as somewhat contented with my life the way things are, but of course it's hard to think of anything else when where are real issues to be discussed.

Still I aspire for something deeper and more meaningful.

So we're all pelted with problems. Honestly it shouldn't even bother or even hinder us to becoming all we ought to be. Aspirations as kids should continue to live within us, even though it would be short-lived or as long as we could hold on to the dream. They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks… or can they?

1. What do I really want?

The question of the ages. So many things you want to do with your life and so little time to even go about during the day.

Find something that you are good at can help realize that small step towards improvement. Diligence is the key to know that it is worth it.

2. Should I really change?

Today's generation has taken another level of redefining 'self', or at least that's what the kids are saying. Having an army of teenage nieces and nephews has taught me that there are far worse things that they could have had than acne or maybe even promiscuity. So how does that fit into your lifestyle?

If history has taught us one thing, it's the life that we have gone through. Try to see if partying Seventies style wouldn't appeal to the younger generation, but dancing is part of partying. Watch them applaud after showing them how to really dance than break their bones in break-dancing.

3. What's the bright side in all of this?

With so much is happening around us there seem to be no room for even considering that light at the end of the tunnel. We can still see it as something positive without undergoing so much scrutiny. And if it's a train at the end of the tunnel, take it for a ride and see what makes the world go round!

4. Am I comfortable with what I'm doing?

There's always the easy way and the right way when it comes to deciding what goes with which shoes, or purse, shirt and whatnot. It doesn't take a genius to see yourself as someone unique, or else we'll all be equally the same in everything we do. Variety brings in very interesting and exciting questions to be experimented.

5. Have I done enough for myself?

Have you, or is there something more you want to do? Discontentment in every aspect can be dangerous in large doses, but in small amounts you'll be able to see and do stuff you could never imagine doing.

6. Am I happy at where I am today?

It's an unfair question so let it be an answer! You love being a good and loving mom or dad to your kids, then take it up a notch! Your kids will love you forever. The same goes with everyday life!

7. Am I appealing to the opposite sex?

So maybe I don't have an answer to that, but that doesn't mean I can't try it, though. Whether you shape-up, change the way you wear your clothes or hair, or even your attitude towards people, you should always remember it will always be for your own benefit.

8. How much could I have?

I suppose in this case there is no such things on having things too much or too little, but it's more on how badly you really need it. I'd like to have lots of money, no denying that, but the question is that how much are you willing to work for it?

9. What motivates me?

What motivates you? It's an answer you have to find out for yourself. There are so many things that can make everyone happy, but to choose one of the may be the hardest part. It's not like you can't have one serving of your favorite food in a buffet and that's it. Just try it piece by piece.

10. What Really Makes You Tick?

So? What really makes you tick? You can be just about anything you always wanted to be, but to realize that attaining something that may seem very difficult is already giving up before you even start that journey. Always remember, that self-improvement is not just about the physical or philosophical change you have to undergo, but it's something that you really want.

Here are practical, easy to apply techniques that will help. Once the initial, analytical stage is completed, the techniques outlined here are simple ones that can be applied on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis, as a matter of routine.

Preparation Week: the first step is the most time consuming one: analysing your current situation. To establish in what condition your management of time is at this moment, you will need to complete at least a week, perhaps two, of preparation. You will also need to make note of any activities that fall on a monthly basis, such as team meetings, or budget performance reviews.

Recording Your Activity: for one week at least, on a daily basis, you will need to keep a detailed record, diary, or log, of what activities you are involved in, and how long you spend on each of these. Be as detailed as you can, so that you can analyse your activities in depth. The experts in the time management field recommend that you split your day into at least 15 minute periods, and for very busy periods even smaller time periods of 5 or 10 minutes. For example, for that first 30 minutes after starting work in the morning, don’t just write down 8.30 to 9.00 Started work, opened emails, talked to colleagues, you need to break this down into at least three x 10 minute periods. If you have chosen an unusual week, for example when you are absent from the usual routine, on a training course, complete the log for the missing days, the following week. Be disciplined about this. Use a notebook, or diary, or prepare a paper or pc based time-sheet for each day. Take this with you everywhere, or at the very least, complete it every time that you return to your personal work area. If it will help you, get the support of your colleagues, and ask them to remind you that you should be recording your activities diligently.

Analysing Your Activity: at the end of this period you will need to carefully analyse these records. The primary aim is to identify negative activities and events. These will include activities that you shouldn’t be involved in, or could delegate, activities that you are spending too long on, activities that are unproductive, and events which are disruptive or unproductive. Some of the activities that you identify here will be unique to your situation, but some will be common to most professionals, such as being inappropriately interrupted by colleagues, by telephone calls aimed at others, by attending meetings which are not relevant to you, by surfing on the internet, by focusing on low-priority tasks instead of more important, but more difficult, ones. However, it is also important to identify the positive activities and events, so that you can consider how appropriate is the time that you are currently allocating to these. Examples could be how much time you are spending in supporting, or coaching, your team members, or how much time you are giving to the building and maintaining of relationships with others, or how much time you are spending on addressing quality management issues. With a clear picture of how you are spending your time, you can then move on to the next step.

Talk With Stakeholders: these are the colleagues, the teams, the managers, perhaps suppliers, perhaps customers, who have a legitimate interest in how you perform at work and who will be affected by the changes that you will be making. You may also need to arrange discussion with key individuals, before you take the next few steps that follow.

Listing Your Responsibilities: separately from the recording activity, you should make time to review your job description, yourself if it is current and up to date, with your line manager if it is in need of a formal review. The purpose of this is to clarify what your role is and what are your formal responsibilities. It is often the case that, because of poor time management and the problems that this creates, role and responsibilities are allowed to drift, to the point where the individual is not carrying out the activities that they are meant to. A clear picture of what the role and responsibilities actually is an essential part of building a strong foundation on which to plan your new approach to managing your time.

Listing Your Goals: this is another essential part of building that foundation as a professional, a manager or specialist, you will have corporate level and operational level goals which your activity is meant to contribute to and help achieve. In parallel, you will have personal work performance and personal development goals that you should be working towards. Identifying and reviewing these will enable you to clarify them and take them into consideration when you plan the changes that you will be making.

Eliminating Or Reducing Unnecessary Activities: with the information that you have collected and considered, it is now time to take some action. In simple terms this means identifying those activities, events, and periods of time, that are not contributing to you fulfilling your role and your responsibilities, and not helping you to contribute to the achievement of the corporate and operational goals nor your own personal goals. In your action plans, and your daily, weekly, monthly, lists (that we discuss below) you can then ensure that you do not continue wasting time and effort on any of these negative, unproductive, activities.

Prioritising Activities: you may need to talk with your team, and-or with your line manager, possibly with internal or external suppliers and customers, to clarify and confirm what your priorities should be. This could be an opportunity to discuss how you could delegate some tasks to others, perhaps simply because you should not be doing them in the first place, perhaps as a developmental activity to help a team member learn new skills. The aim is to have a clear picture of which are the high, medium, and low priority tasks and events. You can then allocate an appropriate time of day, week, or month, to work on these, and an appropriate time period that ensures that you will be able to complete these successfully.

Preparing Action Lists: sometimes called To Do lists. This is a relatively simple activity, where you look at the tasks and events of the coming day, week, and month, and list the activities that you intend to carry out, and when and for how long you will work on them. You will, of course, need to continually check that these activities match up with your role, responsibilities, and goals.

Starting Each New Day: in reality, this can mean taking action at the end of the previous day, your last task of the day being to plan your specific activities, perhaps as a simple actions or to-do list, with times, perhaps as a list of priorities, that you intend to complete on the following day. Then, on starting work the next day you will have an action plan waiting for you. As the day proceeds, you should review your progress at intervals, and make adjustments where necessary. Then, at the end of the day, draw up the action plan, the list, for the next day.

Building In Break Times: don’t fall into the trap of trying to work continuously, all day without stopping, working through all your breaks, and worse, not taking a lunch break. Overwhelming evidence shows that we need to have breaks, and that without them our performance deteriorates dramatically the longer we go without. You should take at least one short break mid morning, a minimum of 30 minutes at lunchtime, and a short break in the afternoon. Your organisation should encourage you to take these breaks, as it is required by health and safety at work legislation.

Starting Each New Week: try to adopt the same approach as with daily planning. At the end of the last day of your working week, draw up an action plan for the next week, or at least for the first day in detail and the rest of the week in outline. Starting Each New Month: again, adopt the same approach as with weekly planning. During the last week of the calendar of budgetary month, prepare your action plan for the following month.

Strategic Planning: in parallel with the daily, weekly, and monthly planning, you should also have background plan that focuses on medium term and long term objectives. These can be workplace performance targets, such as end of year financial results, but should also include softer, but equally important targets, such as the development of individuals and teams (not forgetting your own, personal, development objectives). They can also include targets such as the improvement of working conditions, or relationships, for example between departments or with suppliers. These longer term plans should be referred to and progress reviewed, on at least a monthly basis.

In summary: without a structured approach to managing your time it is inevitable that you will run into difficulties, miss important deadlines, not give enough attention to your career and personal development, not deal fully with the needs of your team members, allow others to dictate how you spend your time at work.The result is that work will become a burden, and your performance will deteriorate. In addition, others will notice and your performance will be judged negatively. By following the simple, practical, steps outlined here, you will take control of the time you spend at work, and take control of the activities that you carry out. Once you have consistently applied these techniques for a month or two, they will become habit, absorbed seamlessly into your daily work life. You will find that you have less conflict, fewer problems, and you will meet most of your deadlines and targets. You will be managing your time effectively.

Source: http://www.articlecube.com

CJ Williams is a tutor and management consultant currently working with Brighton School of Business and Management in the UK, specialising in Business and Management courses taught via distance learning. The writer, CJ Williams, can be contacted via www.brightonsbm.com

Nowadays the terms self-improvement, self-growth and self-help have become popular. We find many books about these subjects and many websites too. It seems that people are turning inside to find the solution to their problems. They seek knowledge, techniques, workshops, lectures and teachers who can show them the way. People begin to understand that self improvement and self growth improve the quality of life.

The subconscious mind is one of the major keys to self-improvement and self-growth. By changing the contents of the subconscious mind you change your habits, behavior and attitudes. This is brought about by thinking, meditation, visualization and affirmations.

The process of inner change requires inner work. It is not enough to read, you have to practice what you read, and this needs time and effort. There is no such thing as instant self improvement. Any inner change takes time, and there must be motivation, desire, ambition, perseverance and dedication. Outer and inner resistance and opposition must be taken into account too. Upon starting any self improvement program, most people usually encounter inner resistance that come from their old habits and their subconscious mind, and also resistance and opposition from the people around them.

The desire to change, build new habits and improve must be strong enough to resist any laziness, desire to give up and the ridicule or opposition from family, friends or colleagues.

Let me tell you something about myself. I have been drawn to self-improvement techniques from an early age, and have regarded them as a source for inner strength, happiness and a way to a better life. One of the most useful techniques that I have discovered was a simple, but very effective technique. It consisted of watching how people behaved and acted in various situations, and then looking inside myself, to find out if I behaved in the same way under the same conditions.

When I saw people with some traits of character, or a certain kind of behavior that I did not like, I examined myself to see if I possessed them too. If I did, I visualized and rehearsed in my mind a different sort of behavior. In my mind's eye I saw myself with the opposite traits of character. I visualized myself in situations, where I manifested the new behavior.

When I encountered traits of character or behavior, which I liked, I used to think about their advantages and benefits and their importance in my life. Here too, I used visualization and affirmations and endeavored to act in this way in daily life.

In this way I have learned and benefited a lot from the behavior and actions of the people around me, at work, at home, in the street and everywhere else, from people in real life, and from watching people on the screen. It was never for the purpose of judging them or taking advantage of them, but for learning how to act, react and behave in a better way. This process had another benefit. It increased the knowledge about how the mind and thoughts influence the behavior and actions of people.

How can you too take advantage of this technique for self improvement and growth?

1. Look around you and watch how people behave in various circumstances. Watch the people you meet at home, work, at the supermarket, on the bus, train and on the street. Watch and learn also from people interviewed on TV, and also from movies.

2. Watch how people talk, walk, and react, and how they are treated by others.

3. Pay attention to the way people use their voice and how they react to others' voices. Watch how you feel and act when people shout or speak softly. Watch what happens when people get angry, restless and upset and what happens if they are calm and relaxed.

4. If you do not like what you see, analyze what and why you do not like it, and then analyze your own behavior to find out whether you behave in the same way. Be honest and impartial in your analysis.

5. If you find that you possess some traits that you do not like, affirm to yourself frequently that every time this happens you are going to become conscious of this behavior, actions or reactions, and endeavor to avoid behaving in that way.