Staying Positive

I have days when I feel down and sorry for myself. I learned that if I don’t give in to those feelings, my mood, and my attitude change. I do this by thinking positive thoughts and making the decision that I want to be happy. I decide to be happy.

I learned that from Pacific Bell. They told us to always put a smile on our face before we answered a call because the customer could tell, and we always wanted to be in a good mood when speaking to the customers. It worked every time.

In the beginning, it was for the job. When I left the phone company, I made the decision to smile in my everyday life and speak to people. I say that because I was very shy and extremely quiet around people if I didn’t know them.

I discovered that when I smiled at individuals, they smiled back, and it started a conversation. I didn’t have to come up with something to talk about. They would start the conversation for me.

It has made a tremendous difference in my life. I make the decision on how my day is going to be, and if the day is troubling because of some event, I have no control over, I tell myself, “It will pass, and a better day or time is ahead.” I stay positive, and soon my day would begin to get better, which would cause good things to start happening.

A good thing happening could be as simple as someone telling you you look good in the outfit you’re wearing and why it looks good on you.

If it is something that requires me to take care of, by staying positive, ideas start to flow my way, and I find a solution for my problem.

I am paraphrasing what Abraham Lincoln and Henry Ford, both said, good or bad, you make the choice of the kind of day you will have.

How do you handle your bad days? Share with us below. Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

Can Journaling Help You Achieve Your Goals?

Journaling is one of the great ways to achieve your goals. It helps you to dig deeper and examine the plan from all sides. Below are a few ways journaling can help you.

* It Forces You to Write Down Your Goals – When you start a journal, it is a way to force yourself to document your goals. Whether you write them down on paper or use technology to get it all down doesn’t matter. You are ready to tackle your goals.

* It Makes You Consider Why and How – When you enter data into your journal, it forces you to face the why and how of your goal. It is especially true if you write down a plan and focus on it in your journal.

* It Enables You to Examine the Opportunities and Threats – When you are focused on goal making with your journal, you’ll also explore opportunities and threats coming your way due to your goals. It helps you avoid roadblocks in advance.

* It Makes You Develop Steps for Success Based on Your Goals – When you see it written down, you’ll want to notice and pull out any steps you’ve developed in your journal and put them in your calendar for scheduling.

* It Helps You Improve Goal Setting and Achievement – Each time you intentionally set goals, define steps to achieve the goals, and perform them, you are setting yourself up for being able to improve your skills.

* It Provides Accountability – Even if no one else is reading your journal, a private journal can help you become accountable to yourself. If you develop the habit of looking at your journal each day and putting something else in there each day, it’ll work great for helping you become more accountable.

* It Provides a Permanent Record – Having a permanent record of the things you’ve done in your life, whether it’s personal or work, is a beautiful thing. Hardly anyone has a perfect memory, so you’ll maintain the lessons learned better with the record to look back over.

* It May Be Inspirational – Depending on the journal, you might even be able to take the information inside and compile it into an actual book for others to read to inspire them. You might also take steps for your success for a project and turn it into a course to inspire someone else.

Journaling is an excellent way to work toward achieving all your goals. It will even help you make better goals because entering facts in your journal will cause you to see them in a more logical, more helpful way.

You have a small portion of the many benefits of journaling. Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

5 Beliefs That Keep You from Attacking Your Goals

Everyone has dreams, but not everyone makes their dreams into goals. You may have a few of these too. What are the reasons you tell yourself late at night to put the shutdown on making them a reality? These reasons are beliefs that you have, but that doesn’t mean they are valid reasons.

1. Not Enough Time

Everyone is busy these days. When someone asks how you are doing, you probably respond with “Busy.” But that might not be the truth. Everyone has the same twenty-four hours in the day. For a week or maybe two, keep a time ladder of how you spent your time. It includes sleeping, preparing and eating meals, social media, getting ready for work, cleaning your house. Take a good look at how you spend your time, and you might realize you have more time than you realize.

• I Don’t Have ‘X’ Talent

It doesn’t matter if you want to write a book or paint a picture. You have as much talent as you are willing to work to earn. You may not have been born with the natural ability to paint. It doesn’t mean you can’t learn and practice.

• After ‘X’ I Will Do It

“Once I get through this (insert tough project at work), I will start training for that marathon.” “After I lose twenty pounds, I will take a salsa dancing class.” Why are you waiting? Maybe that marathon training will help you work through the stress of that project at work. Perhaps salsa dancing lessons will allow you to realize that your body is worthy of fun and sexy movement no matter your weight. If you have a goal, go for it now.

• I’m Not Good Enough

What ruler are you using to measure your “good enough”? You are always good enough to go after your dreams and goals. If this is an internal dialogue, you need to work on liking and loving yourself first. If this belief is coming from external sources, consider those sources and hold you back.

• ‘X’ Person Has it Easier

The grass is greener where you water it. Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes. Many sayings sum up that you don’t know what someone else is going through. Please don’t assume that someone has it easier to achieve their goals while you cannot. That person may think you have it easier or better.

Self-limiting beliefs can be a slippery slope. They can also keep you from even trying to reach your goals. Take time to examine your reasoning and develop better beliefs to counter the negative ones.

Until next, stay safe, and keep the faith.

What Is Happiness, Anyway?

Happiness is the feeling of being happy, joyful, content, or satisfied in life. Or at least, that’s the dictionary definition. It’s what everyone wants, and few people find it. Some people spend their whole lives searching for it and never find it. Far more common, however, are the people who spend their days trudging through a mediocre life trying not to be miserable and dreaming of a happy life that seems impossible.

Are you one of them? Do you want to be happy but have written it off as impossible? Have you settled for a life that isn’t what you want but is “good enough” or the “best you can do?”

Do you feel constrained by forces beyond your control that keep you from doing what you want with your life? Do you feel like nothing you could do would make a difference in your life?

You don’t have to do this to yourself. There’s no need to settle or give up on your dreams. The life you want isn’t impossible, and telling yourself it is will only lead you down the path to misery. You have the power to control your life. You have to seize it.

What is happiness? Happiness is living your best life. It’s working towards your dreams and goals. It’s taking control of your destiny and doing your best to make the things you want to happen come true. It’s having a positive outlook and not letting setbacks and obstacles stop you from reaching your goals.

Happiness is knowing what you want and going out to get it. Do you not see what you want from life? That can also be a problem holding you back. Set out to find it. You can figure it out.

The chances are good that you already know but aren’t ready to admit it yet. That could be for many reasons, usually because it makes you feel self-conscious, and you worry about how other people will react. You need to stop judging yourself and stop worrying about other people’s reactions if you want to find happiness.

It is possible to find happiness in life. No matter where you are or what your circumstances currently are, if you want to find joy in life, you can. First, you have to believe that it’s possible. Then you need to go out and get it.

That’s it. That’s the secret. Why are you waiting?

Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

Happy Valentine Day!

Today, I had mixed feelings. I wasn’t just because it was Valentine’s Day. February 9^th marked the third year of my husband’s return home to be with the Heavenly Father.

My husband was not the type of man who was sentimental. He used to say it was just another. His actions said more than a dozen roses or a box of candy. Although I got upset with his comment, I would love to hear him say it again if it meant he was still here with me.

He would often surprise me with some small item for no reason at all. Then play it off when I became emotional. I bet he regretted getting me my first cell phone. He made the mistake of telling me I could select what I wanted.

Of course, I got one with all the bells and whistles and I have never looked back. I feel better already sharing that information with you. My children and two layers of grandchildren always brighten my day.

I also met with my Journal & Creative Writing Group. That always lightens my spirits and I feel so much better afterward. You should join us. We meet Mondays, at 6 pm PDT on Zoom. You can register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApdO2rpjMvGNb7BI4c8LbaRu734dUNBE3L.

Alright, It’s late, until tomorrow, stay safe, keep the faith, and remember, all you need is love.

Abraham Lincoln

 
Like most people. I forgot today is Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. Lincoln was the 16^th President of the United States and was credited with helping to free the slaves. I believe his words were, “Either all the states would be free or all slaves. A house divided against itself cannot stand.” I was paraphrasing what I remember from my days in school. It is not an exact quote. It is late and I am too tired to go look it up.
Lincoln should be remembered, along with so many others who have done great things in history.

Because he did what he did, I should remember him as I do Dr. Martin Luther King and Jesus Christ.
I did take the time to find a few of President Lincoln’s quotes. E was a very down the earth man. His quotes are simple and easy to understand.

Abraham Lincoln > Quotes
“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” …
“Whatever you are, be a good one.” …
“Do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?” …
“America will never be destroyed from the outside. …
“My Best Friend is a person who will give me a book I have not read.”
You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time. …
You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow by evading it today.

Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

Doubt

“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will” – Suzy Kassem

It is incredible how a little thing. like “doubt” can destroy your dreams! You’re probably wondering how that could happen.

Doubt, on the other hand, stops you in your tracks. Doubt gets in your head and convinces you you should not even try. Doubt has caused us to miss out on some great opportunities because we decide doubt is right, and we shouldn’t even try.

When you give in to doubt, you lose out on life. You may be the next Steve Jobs. You know you have a better way to do . . ., but you do nothing about it because you doubt yourself.

You’re not alone. Others including myself, have fallen victim to the enemy called doubt. It is time to break free and show the world what we can do to help make it a better place to love.

Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

Happiness! A Lesson I Learned

Years ago, a very close friend taught me a precious lesson I have never forgotten. At the time, neither of us realized the lesson I was to learn. What happened, she said something that hurt me bad. I don’t remember what was said, only the lesson I learned.

All that day and evening, my feelings were hurt. I was not quick with a comeback. The result was I was unhappy and couldn’t get her comment out of my mind. How could a friend of mind care so little about my feelings? I felt terrible.

We had the same breaks the following day, so I approached her. I let her know how I felt and asked why she would say something to hurt my feelings.

She looked at me and gave me the up and down look (Those who are in my age bracket will remember when men would look you up and down before speaking to you); that was the look she gave me, put her hand on her hip, assume a pose, and said, “Honey, if you let something I said hurt your feelings, that is on you, not me,” and walked away.

I stood there, not knowing what to do! The nerve! She’s supposed to be my best friend! I huffed and puffed about it the rest of the day. But I was thinking about what she said.

At some point during the day, it hit me. She was right! I had given her control over me and my emotions! While I was upset, she was doing just fine. Nothing was bothering her. I wasn’t ready to let her know what I had discovered; however, when she asked me to be a speaker at the company dinner celebrating her twenty years with the company, I accepted.

At the dinner, I shared that story, and I thanked her for teaching me to never give control of myself over to someone else. Several people came over afterward shred similar incidents they had experienced with people and thanked me for sharing.

It would have been easy to stay angry over hurt feelings. Instead, I took her response and found the pearl of wisdom hidden inside, and it has been a saving grace for me.

The next time someone says something that hurts your feelings, remember, it’s their opinion. File it away and move on. Actual words have power, but only you can let them do irreparable damage. After all, happiness is an inside job!

Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

What is a Limiting Belief?

A limiting belief is something that your unconscious mind believes about yourself, other people, or the world. These beliefs hold you back from accomplishing your goals because you believe them, but guess what? They aren’t objectively true. That’s one of the hallmarks of a limiting belief.

Here’s an example. Let’s say you believe you’re bad at math, but you want to go to college and major in something that requires a lot of math. Are you bad at math? Probably not; most people can learn to do basic math well, and the majority can also know to do higher-order math if they apply themselves. But because you believe you’re bad at math, you have trouble mastering the math skills required for your program. This is a classic example of a limiting belief.

Other common examples abound. The fear of failure is a common limiting belief that leads people to avoid following their dreams because they don’t want to fail. Many people have the limiting idea that they’re unlikable. Others believe that they can’t succeed because there are too many obstacles or they can’t hold down a relationship or a job. All of these are limiting beliefs. They aren’t true, but the unconscious mind believes them.

Limiting beliefs are defense mechanisms. Your unconscious mind creates one to protect you from harm. These are almost always made during childhood when your mind isn’t developed enough to tell the difference between things that are undeniably harmful (like falling into a fire) and things that aren’t permanently hurtful (such as being rejected when you ask a classmate to the fifth-grade dance).

It’s not weird or unusual to have limiting beliefs. It’s perfectly normal, in fact; every person has some, even if they don’t realize it. No one reaches adulthood without developing some limiting beliefs. You can identify yours by searching your unconscious and examining your thoughts and past behavior.

What do you do once you identify your limiting beliefs? Do you accept them and find ways to work within them? You could, but that would deny you the personal growth you want and keep you from reaching your goals. Instead of accepting them, you can work to overcome them. It isn’t easy and takes a lot of work, but it can be done. You must want it badly enough to fight for your dream. How bad do you want to reach your goals?

Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.

Are Your Limiting Beliefs Holding You Back?

Reaching your goals is hard. It can be hard to figure out why when you fail. Sometimes the circumstances or the situation are to blame. Other times, it’s not so easy to find the cause. Have you ever wondered if it might, be YOU? Could you be holding yourself back from succeeding? It’s more common than you’d think for people to sabotage themselves in this way. What’s behind it? Something called limiting beliefs.

What’s a Limiting Belief?

The human brain thinks in stories. Your mind holds an almost infinite number of stories about the world around you and about the people that you know. It also has many stories or beliefs about yourself, some of which are healthy and some aren’t. A limiting belief is one of the latter. It’s a story about yourself that you believe, precisely one that isn’t (or shouldn’t be) true.

Examples of limiting beliefs you might hold include things such as “I’m too old for that,” “Nobody likes me,” “I can never succeed and am doomed to failure,” and “Why to bother when I can’t do it?” None of these limiting beliefs are objectively true, but the human brain isn’t rational, and if you hold one of these beliefs in your subconscious, your brain will try and make them accurate.

The result of that is self-sabotage. Your subconscious attempts to make the stories it believes about you accurate. So, you sabotage your relationship, miss the critical deadline, or fail the test, all in service to something your subconscious believes. It turns into a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Unless you overcome your limiting beliefs.

What Should You Do About Your Limiting Beliefs?

The first thing you must do to get over your limiting beliefs is recognized them. What stories are you telling yourself? Once you know the story, remember that it is just that-a story. One that isn’t true and doesn’t need to become true. Once you’ve reached this point, you need to create a new story. For example, if your limiting belief is “I can’t do this,” then you need to change it to “I can learn to do this” or something similar. Repeat it repeatedly to yourself until you start to believe it and whenever you feel the doubt creeping in.

Limiting beliefs are hard to overcome, but they can be done. Don’t let the negative stories your subconscious believes define you!

Until next time, stay safe, and keep the faith.