A Story of Parenting & Happiness

I’ve been feeling pretty scattered lately. I think it’s because it’s been 3 weeks since I had quality alone time, and somehow in that time, taking care of myself slipped to the bottom of my priority list, again.

Yes, I know it’s important. At least in theory: taking care of myself will benefit everyone around me, and not doing so will hurt the same people I love. But when things get busy, as they always do, something has to give.

I yelled at Ryan today. At the top of my lungs, I asked, “What do you need from me?? What do you want?”

No matter what I did, the boy just kept crying, at the top of his lungs. And by raising my voice I made it even worse. I just lost it. Lost in the noise of my own mind, blinded by frustration. Anger overcame my better judgment.

The look of horror on Ryan’s face is now imprinted on my memory, and I silently whispered a prayer that it isn’t imprinted on his.

When I picked him up, heavy tears rolled down his tiny face. And with the momentum of lifting him up, a few large drops landed on the edge of my mouth. They tasted salty, and at that instant, I felt a pang of sharp pain shooting through my body – pain from the sad realization that I had caused those tears.

I felt like a horrible parent. I felt like a horrible person. After Jeremy came home from work, I told him about it, and the look of disappointment on his face caused me to feel like I needed to be locked away in a dark room and have the keys be thrown away.

It was a pretty rough day. I felt defeated.

Jeremy said, – perhaps taking pity in me – that things like this happen all the time (to other people). I want to believe him, but I’m not sure. I think it’s me. I think I have anger/patience issues that I need to address and overcome.

From where I’m standing, every other parent seems to have it together. I see many new mothers who have the whole parenting thing together – they are not only patient, and make their own baby food, but also manage to take their babies to early education classes, bake for their family, and keep a perfectly organized household.

And then I look at myself: a baby-food-buying “horrible” parent who looses her temper. And our home is so messy that it looks like it’s been hit by a level 4 tornado.

It’s so easy to pick on ourselves when we are feeling bad.

Perhaps, Jeremy is right, that behind the closed door of every household, we aren’t as together as we let the world believe – an idealistic image of perfection and ever-flowing happiness. And only in the privacy of our own mind, do we silently hope that others won’t find out – that we’re not as perfect or happy as the pictures of our smiling faces portray.

I sighed, and thought, “motherhood is hard.”

And then I heard a voice in my heart say, “So what? That’s life! No one said it was gonna be an easy ride? You are creating the horrible experience by your thoughts and by your lack of awareness. You can change this!”

Yes! Yes, I can! I can’t change the situation, but I can change, through consistent practice, my reaction to things. You know how the saying goes: you can’t change the wind, but you can adjust the sail. I love that!
Through my own observation, I realized that no matter how beautiful you are, or how wealthy you are, or how successful you are, we all have one thing (of many) in common, and that is, we all have problems (relationship, stress and insecurities are the most common ones I’ve seen.).

My point is we should stop blaming our problems on a lack of something we think we should have (ie. beauty, money, smarts, etc.). Encountering problems is inherent to being human, and part of having the human experience.

The underlying story may be different, but we all have our unique challenges, and we either learn from them and move on, or get stuck and allow the pain to sting a little.

That’s what life is – a constant unfolding of events and challenges that defines our experiences. How we choose to perceive these experiences is up to us. How we choose to welcome or resist the challenges is also up to us.

We, essentially, shape our future, by the decisions we make right now. Regardless of what happened in the past moment, regardless of the ‘mistakes’ we’ve made, the future is always fresh, and the power lies in the Now – where we get to decide how we will direct the path of our future.

Regret and self-pity will only keep us stuck in the past. And only we have the power, to keep ourselves stuck in the unhappiness of our problems.

After Ryan went to bed for the night, Jeremy and I talked about our options, and drilled into why it happened. The results were fruitful and plenty.

And if you’re curious, my biggest take away from that conversation is that I am trying to do too much when watching my son. I am dividing my attention between trying to be productive with house chores and my businesses, and fulfilling the needs of a very active (and very curious) 10 month old.

It just doesn’t work, and it is a conflict. A young child is sensitive enough to pick up on the energy that he doesn’t have your full attention, and will do what it takes to get your attention. At this tender age, it is important that he feels engaged, talked to, played with, read to, and not ignored – because mommy is busy with something else.

Jeremy also reminded me of how lucky we are that I have the option to stay at home and witness our little baby grow into a boy. And that this period of demanding infancy is short lived, and once it’s over, we’ll look back regretting that we didn’t appreciate how beautiful and sacred this period was.

With tears welling up in my eyes, I agreed. We are so lucky to have such a healthy and happy baby boy. And yes, I do take things for granted, and I appreciate the reminder for giving gratitude for the countless blessings in my life.

Next time I feel anger, or find myself at the tip of frustration, before loosing my cool I will do 3 things:
Close my eyes and take a deep breath.

Give gratitude that I have such a healthy and precious baby boy.

Dwell on his innocence. Meditate on his cuteness and purity. Connect with him. In other words, being mindful around him, and appreciating the beautiful moments we have in the Now.

Most importantly, I vow to never yell at him again. I vow to change. I want to change. I want to be a better person… to be a better mom… to become a better role model for my little man.

If he is someone who I would easily give my life for, then I sure as heck can change to become a better person for him. My behavior and reactions to the external are a matter of habits, and a habit can be changed. It’s a matter of decision and commitment.

Today, I’ve decided to change. Today, I am committed to becoming a more patient and dedicated parent.
Along the way, I know I will make mistakes. And when I do, I will be kind to myself. I will accept myself for who I am right now, and know that I am on a pathway of awakening, riding through the challenges and overcoming emotional habits that are not conducive to the wellbeing of my family – who mean the world to me.

This morning (5 days later), while feeding Ryan his breakfast of yogurt and breast milk, in his playful mumbling, I vaguely heard “mama” snuggled in between the “baba” sounds. In that moment, time froze, and I felt as though my heart skipped a beat.

“Ahh, This is what happiness is all about. The simple moments where miracles happen that change you forever.”, I thought.

I wanted to laugh, I wanted to cry. I think I did both.

Article source : http://thinksimplenow.com/happiness/story-of-parenting/

What Kind of Yoga is Best?

There are different forms of yoga. This type of exercise can leave you toned and supple or you may even be spiritually enlightened according to some teachers. Yoga is the latest thing. It has reshaped some of the greatest stars all the way from Madonna to Sting.

Some forms of yoga are more physical and some are highly spiritual. Yoga is extremely good for fatigue, depression, arthritis, aging, stress-related illness, migraine, PMS, back pain and mobility problems.

You must first decide why you wish to start yoga and then go about choosing the appropriate form for you. The principles of yoga are quite simple - relax, tune out everything and stretch and you will feel better.

If you are looking to get fit these types of yoga are for you:

” Hatha yoga ”

This type of yoga is based on controlled stretching. An emphasis is placed on developing a flexible spine. This type of yoga is excellent for all levels of fitness.

” Vini yoga ”

This type of yoga is gentle and safe and is very good for older people. It is taught by a teacher called a Desikachar and is usually taught on an individual basis.

If you really want to get physical then you should choose these types of yoga:

” Lyenger yoga ”
This type of yoga focuses on correct postures. It often makes use of ropes and blocks to maintain these postures.

” Sivananda yoga ”

This type of yoga is suitable for every age and covers a wide range of poses which range from simple to complex. ” Ashtanga yoga ” This type of yoga is known as power yoga. It is very demanding and is only suitable for those people who are very fit.

For those of you who want to get spiritual, then you would want to choose from these types of yoga:

” Raja yoga ”

This is often referred to as royal yoga. It is concerned with the mind.

” Dru yoga ”

This is group yoga which concentrates very heavily on breath work.

” Jnana yoga ”

This concentrates on the philosophical aspects of youga and is very spiritual and meditative.

Check out this website for more information. 

10 Ways to Go from Good to Great

“No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.” — Voltaire

I see good people go from good to great all the time.  It’s not magic.  It’s passion, purpose, and action.

They find their path, they have a purpose, and if they get knocked down, they get up again.  They keep asking better and better questions that get them closer to their goals and they continue to find the people and resources that support them on their journey.  They turn resistance into growth and they fully immerse themselves in the experience.

I’ve boiled down the pattern I see into 10 keys.

10 Ways to Go from Good to Great
These are the 10 ways I see people go from good to great:

1. Find your compelling “why.” Find your one thing. Become a dream machine, turn your dreams loose, and envision the end in mind. Your “why” is your drive and you find your “why” by answering the question, “Why do you do what you do?”  To find your compelling, find the answer that connects with your passion and plucks at your heart strings.  That’s the power of purpose in action and it’s what crusades are made of.  Launch your own crusade.
2. Become a force of one.  Get out of your own way and stack yourself for success by channeling your thinking, feeling, and doing.  Think the thoughts that serve you, feel the feelings that empower you, and do what you know needs to be done.  Disciplined thinking combined with disciplined action is an unstoppable force, and it’s yours for the asking.
3. Model the best. The best do it with models.  They find the best examples of what they want to accomplish, and they learn from them.  You can find role models or success stories or case studies and work backwards from there.  Success always leaves clues and you can play detective.
4. Give your best where you have your best to give. This is you unleashed.  The best play to their strengths.  They spend more time doing the things that make them strong, and less time doing the things that make them weak.  This builds energy and momentum and instead of getting drained, you get charged and you grow where you can grow best.
5. Find your best arena.  Don’t be a fish out of water.  Find your element.  Going from good to great means finding where you can play your best game.  Maybe you’re a mediocre developer, but a great Program Manager.  Maybe you’re an OK doctor, but an incredible actor.  Take your skills to the job or place where they make the most impact.
6. Execute.  Taking action is how you make things happen.  Throw massive action at whatever you need to do.  Even if it seems like you’re only taking baby steps at a time, you’ll eventually hit your stride.  When you keep taking action, you learn faster.  Each result teaches you another way how to do something, or how not to do something.  Sometimes, the only way to get past some problems is to overwhelm them with action.  To paraphrase Voltaire, I would argue no problem can withstand the assault of sustained action.
7. Stick with it.  If you fall down six times, stand up seven.  Remember The Little Engine That Could?  Well, whenever you think you can’t, you’re working against yourself.  It starts with belief.  Think you can, then prove yourself right.   Find your eye of the tiger.
8. Learn and respond.  The best take action, learn, and respond.  They are always failing forward.  NLP teaches us that there is no failure, only feedback.  The great ones use the feedback to improve their approach.  They stay adaptable while they are finding their way forward.  Be your won best coach, not your own best critic.
9. Let it go.  The best let it go and move on.  They don’t carry baggage.  They focus on the objectives and they measure against effectiveness.  Either their approach is working or it’s not.  If it’s not working, they let it go, and find a new way forward.
10. Team up.  The best of the best team up with people that amplify their impact.  They also team up with people that provide more deliberate feedback and that help them find their blind spots and get unstuck.

Putting it all together, you can stack the deck in your favor by playing to your strengths, living your values, and finding the best arena for your greatest results.

Article source by : http://sourcesofinsight.com/articles/

How to use affirmations to boost confidence and self esteem

Anyone that knows me or has visited this blog before will know that although I am a huge believer in positive thinking, I’m not necessarily a believer of affirmations*. 

But affirmations can be useful; as long as you use them properly and stick to a few basic rules. 

Confidence and self esteem are linked with a positive mind, so those of you that are trying to overcome negative thoughts may find it useful to say some daily affirmations.  Here are some tips of how to use affirmations to their best potential.

1)     Make sure that you always say them in the present tense, not past and definitely not future.  “I am calm and in control” for example. 

2)     Sometimes, an affirmation such as “I am calm and in control” is a stretch too far, in other words your mind automatically rejects it.  The way to get around this is to say “I am calmer and more in control every day”.  Still in the present tense, but now you are easing yourself into the affirmation and it will not be automatically rejected as unbelievable.

3)     Make sure that you say the affirmations in a positive tone (either out loud or in your head).  This is a time to be bright and breezy not monotone or bored!  Sound confident and you will trick your subconscious into believing that you ARE confident.

4)     Do it a lot!  You can’t just say the affirmation once or twice and then give up.  Positive thinking is a habit, just like negative thoughts are.  So rinse and repeat many many times.

5)    Don’t give up.  Eventually if you stick to the above 4 simple rules, the affirmations will start to have an impact on the way that you think and your confidence and self esteem will grow.

You may not notice this improvement as it will be gradual and long term, but try keeping a journal to keep track of your thoughts and you will really notice an improvement. 

You can also use your journal for making notes of really good affirmations that you can use.

* When affirmations won’t work;  when you have a past trauma or negative event that is ‘stuck’ in your energy field which needs to be cleared. 

* * * * *

Please feel free to leave a comment, your favourite affirmation or tips of how you have increased confidence or self esteem.  Please use your real name and NO SPAM!

Article source : http://www.healingthatfeeling.com/how-to-use-affirmations-to-boost-confidence-and-self-esteem

5 Questions To Ask Yourself If You Want To Get UnStuck

If you are working on your emotional issues on your own (limiting beliefs or negative thoughts) and want to find an easy way to move forward, questions are great way to do it.

Asking yourself specific coaching style questions will help you to think outside of the box and see your inner blocks from different angles, rather than the blinkered view that we become accustomed to as we get ‘stuck’ in a rut.

Do you have a BIG goal?

If you want to achieve a specific goal, for example starting your own business or moving to a new city or country, asking these questions will also help you to get clarity on why you want to achieve the goal, what your life will be like after you achieve the goal and what are the hidden inner blocks that are stopping you from reaching the goal – your limiting beliefs and past emotional trauma.

Try these 5 questions for starters….

1)       What would have to change to make your life perfect?

To get you started, this question is the basis of everything that YOU feel is currently wrong with your life.  So everything that you list in this answer needs to be dealt with carefully.   Is it a limiting belief (I am not confident enough/I don’t have enough money) OR is it something that you want to change such as your job or a specific relationship?  

All of these things can be addressed by using EFT or Visualisation techniques to change how you feel about them – OR you can make it part of your goal to change it (for example get a new job or start your own business).  This is the time to decide what is a limiting belief and what is a true goal.

2)       What are you tolerating/putting up with?

Following on from question 1, this is an interesting question because it will bring up some of the areas in your life where you are ‘settling’.   Address anything that comes up with the usual techniques (journaling, EFT, Visualisations etc).

3)       What would you try now if you knew you could not fail?

This SHOULD bring up your true goals, your life’s purpose or the thing that is most important to you but that you are terrified to try in case you fail.   Once you have put a voice to your goal, it is easier to work on the hidden blocks that are standing in your way of achieving it.

4)       Who should you be hanging out with – so that achieving this goal becomes natural (ie. who’s already doing it?)

So now we have some clarity about your goals, and some ideas of the hidden blocks that are stopping you from achieving them, we are now moving on to the motivational questions, the things that will really move you forward towards them.  It should be obvious why this question has been included and yet this step is so often overlooked.  But lets get real here – you are never going to achieve a goal of becoming a world class surfer if the only people you ever hang out with are sitting on the sofa watching TV!   The same goes for ANY type of goal. 

Find the people who are already doing what you want to do and ‘hang out’ with them, either in real life, at events or even online.  You can get great insights from people just by being on their mailing list or on their Twitter/Facebook.   If they make videos, you can also subscribe to their YouTube account.

5)       What will happen (what is the cost) of you NOT doing anything about this?

Quite often when it comes to moving forward and taking a leap towards our goal we are worried what will happen when we act (we fear failure or just embarrassing ourselves) but this question is a great one for helping our subconscious mind to realise that there is a cost to NOT acting on our dreams.  If we do nothing, we achieve nothing so what is the real cost of you not taking action and moving towards your goal?

What do you think?  Do you use a journal?  Have you tried asking these type of questions when Journalling or even just asking yourself the question last thing at night before you go to bed. This can be a great way to get in touch with your subconscious mind and it will throw back an answer at you the next day or a couple of days later (usually when you have stopped thinking about it).

I would love to hear your comments or feedback on this.  Also, if you are struggling to erase your past emotional trauma and would like some help, please get in touch, I would love to help you.

Article source : http://www.healingthatfeeling.com/5-questions-to-ask-yourself-if-you-want-to-get-unstuck

Making Personal Development Changes To Make You Happy

Are you attempting to live a life of higher quality? Following is some advice that can get you on the way to self help.

You will miss many opportunities to develop personally if you put off making decisions. Do not fear decisions that need to be made, even if you do not have all of the information that you need to be sure of the decision. Great decisions encourage sharp instincts. You will make the wrong decision sometimes. Use those mistakes as a chance to learn something new. Making a bad decision helps you make a better decision next time.

Determine what obstacles are blocking your path to success. This has proven to be an obstacle for a large number of people. To be successful at personal development, start by pinpointing any areas of weakness and target these areas for improvement. If you are successful in moving obstacles out of your way, you may find that your life's path is easier to navigate.

By being a leader, you can help improve your personal development. While there are many different ways to describe leadership, the most popular definition centers on the ability to influence others. Take a good look at your journey toward leadership. Which events in your life have most impacted who you have become? What aspects of your life did those events bring about? How did your leadership skills come into play during those events? It is through these questions that you can best determine your role in a team environment.

Compose a pep talk for yourself. Make a self-empowering post-it note or note card. Put this list up on a wall, or carry it with you. Even better, read it aloud on video and watch the video often. Why should you do this?

Always have an emergency fund. Each time an unexpected expense crops up, it seems we wind up adding it to our credit cards. However, you can protect yourself from this happening by depositing a few dollars into a savings account each week. You will be surprised at how quickly your emergency fund will increase. This fund can take the stress out of unexpected situations and can likewise help you to avoid piling up any more credit card debt.

Strive to make each day a bit better than the previous one. Set a goal of continuous improvement through steady efforts. Whatever you did yesterday, do it that much better today.

You cannot provide care for others unless you care for yourself. Be sure to rest, relax, and restore your own mind and body.

If you notice yourself struggling with the blues, try increasing the amount of complex carbs in your diet. Serotonin can lower if you don't eat enough carbs. A good way to increase your intake is by adding whole grains, beans, brown rice, nuts, fresh fruits and raw veggies to your diet.

In conclusion, living a better life may not be as difficult as you might think. Just think of all of the benefits it has to your overall well-being and all of the happiness you can provide yourself by taking charge and changing your life for the better.

About Guest Author : Tattoos were used to be for bad people, but not having a tattoo is no longer a bad thing. But for some people, real tattoo is not an option that is why they chose Temporary Tattoos. Different type of tattoos you can put on your body are Henna Temporary Tattoos. I am working at temporary tattoo online store. Please let me know if you have any question. Check out this website.

Will Changing Careers Really Make You Happier?

Whenever things get bad at work, whenever your boss pisses you off or you have to sit through another pointless meeting, you allow yourself a little dream.

You dream about meaningful work and the autonomy to do it at your own pace.

You dream about working hard and playing hard and loving every moment of both.

You imagine disconnecting from your caffeine lifeline, because you’ll be so darn happy in your dream career (whatever it is), you’ll be bursting with energy and enthusiasm. The stress will be gone, along with the crankiness and fatigue.

Or will it?

You worry you’re just kidding yourself. Can the grass really be greener in a new career? Or are you destined to be unhappy and unfulfilled no matter where you go?

In my own career change, I found some things almost instantaneously became better. For example, as an introvert, working in a job that required me to attend meetings all day, every day was draining. When I switched to working from home, I instantly had the energy to reengage and enjoy my friends and family again. These days, I average a social get-together about once a week as opposed to once a month (or longer).

Other problems were maddeningly unchanged, or in some cases, got worse. My tendency to over-commit to projects, leading to suffocating feelings of being overwhelmed, were not aided by becoming my own boss. I was a lot less short-tempered than when I worked in a big bureaucracy, but I still experienced more stress than I wanted.

I realized that changing careers isn’t the fast track to outrunning your inner demons. But it can be just what you need to outsmart them. Let me explain …

How stress can set you free

One of my clients, who is studying to get her license as a new financial planner, told me she thought she’d made a terrible mistake.

She’s always been on the anxious side and changing careers had only made it worse. Could she really make it as a financial planner? The stress and worry were driving her crazy and she found herself longing for the easy predicability of her old job, the one she had been so desperate to leave.

And she wanted to know: was the stress a sign that she’d made the wrong choice?

I told her there was no way of knowing without doing. Studying for a licensing exam is in no way representative of the life of a financial planner.

Had she told me she was bored by the material I might have wondered. Had she told me she was shadowing a couple of financial planners and the process made her stomach turn, I would have been concerned.

But in fact, she was just experiencing anxiety while undergoing a major change in her life. I felt pretty comfortable saying that the stress she was experiencing was not only normal, it was exactly what she needed.

When you’re struggling to solve an inner conflict, the more pain you’re in, the closer you are to a solution.

Our instincts tell us to pull away from pain. If something’s hot, stop touching it. If something hurts, stop doing it.

But that doesn’t always work when we’re talking about “first world problems” like stress and a vague sense of unease. Sometimes what we need is a forcing function to figure out how to deal with the issue we’ve been avoiding.

I told my client that I can’t know if financial planning is right for her until she gets in there and gives it a shot.

But I know for certain that finding constructive ways to deal with stress and uncertainty will make her happier no matter what career she’s in.

Article Source : http://everydaybright.com/2013/01/is-it-you/

Stress Busters For Travel Operators And Travelers!

Busy schedules for work, family and even fun can really cause a lot of stress. And not only can you suffer from this added stress, your family, friends and clients can, too, as it almost addicting in nature.

Well, time to take 5! Sit back, relax and read through these Stress Busters and see which ones you can put to use.

1) Get your body feeling good, and then your mind will follow. So cool off with some ice cream – homemade or some from the local Dairy Queen or other store.

2) Relax your body with a wonderful message. Get books on message techniques and learn to give yourself messages with oils. Learn techniques with your significant other and message each other. Or hire a message therapist to step in and help out. With coupons from local vendors, messages can be surprisingly affordable today.

3) Another way to relax your body is with a nice warm (or hot) bubble bath. Substitute scented oils if that works better for you. Light candles, put on soothing music and unwind.

4) Relax with your favorite television show or movie / DVD / video rental. You can even rent old television shows to watch like series you may have missed and shows from other countries in any number of languages.

5) Grab a great book and relax with it in a comfy chair or couch. Or pick up a stack of magazine and check them out from the local library, relax outdoors in the shade with something cold to drink.

6) Book a trip just for yourself so that you can relax. This can be a mini-trip, maybe a half day to Amish country, for example, with a buggy lunch tour around the countryside that ends up at an Amish flea market for relaxed browsing and snacking.

7) Journaling is a great stress buster. Just by writing out your feelings and thoughts – even with incorrect spelling and bad grammar – you can release pent up frustrations and stress. Use colored pencils on the pages, magic markers, stickers, add photos, doodles or whatever. Put on some favorite music while you write and enjoy, unwind and de-stress.

8) Exercise can also help relieve stress. Take a nice bike trip or hike through a local park area. And carry along a sack lunch or snack.

So take time from your busy schedule. And not only can you benefit from these stress busters, your family, friends and clients can, too, as they’re almost addicting in nature, too!

About Guest Author : Tattoos were used to be for bad people, but not having a tattoo is no longer a bad thing. But for some people, real tattoo is not an option that is why they chose Temporary Tattoos. Different type of tattoos you can put on your body are Henna Temporary Tattoos. I am working at temporary tattoo online store. Please let me know if you have any question. Check out this website.

Elevate Your Level Of Happiness With These Self Help Ideas

We all have areas in our lives that we would like to improve. The most common areas for improvement are personal life or a career. This article will have you well on your way to self-betterment.

Seek out those with similar positive attitudes. The right people will help you stay motivated to pursue your goals. Avoid people who have no respect for what you are trying to achieve.

Take every available opportunity to improve yourself. Even if you don't have all of the information you would like to have, don't fear decision making. A proven track record of responsible, successful decision-making can grow into improved instincts. You will make the wrong decision sometimes. Use those mistakes as a chance to learn something new. A wrong decision will help you choose the right path next time.

Try and find what is in the way of you becoming a success. This is a difficult task for many people. Identifying and acknowledging your weakest points is a crucial element in transforming them. If you are able to overcome some hurdles, you might get a clearer picture of what your future holds.

Know what your core beliefs are and live by them. All people have beliefs that tell what they are about. If you stay on top of your morals you will have a boost in self esteem and you will have a good base to defend them. This will also help you develop consistency.

You should always have an idea as to what you personal values are before you develop a plan for personal growth. Working against these values will lead to frustration and failure. Instead, take your energy and time and focus them on things that are aligned with your values. This enables you to make lasting changes in your life, both in a personal and a professional capacity.

Stay in top physical condition to maximize your personal development success. Put yourself on the road to success with personal development by making sure your basic need are met, including adequate amounts of sleep, nutritious food and a regular fitness regimen. While it appears easy and simple, getting in shape can also be very challenging.

Exercise even if you are at your ideal weight. There are many different reasons to exercise. As you work out, your body will release chemicals necessary to relieving your stress.

Pick up a pen and paper, and write yourself a positive letter. Get a postcard and fill it with positives about yourself, your personality and your accomplishments. Keep this inspirational card with you at all times. Better yet, read the list out loud while recording yourself. The reason to watch the video or read the postcard as often as possible is to remind yourself of how wonderful you think you are.

Many people have a feeling that something is amiss in their lives, but they are not sure exactly what the problem is or where to begin to correct it. Although this article has many helpful tips, keep in mind that it is up to you to use them. When you find yourself a little lacking in motivation, simple revisit this article to rev up the engines and get going again.

About Guest Author : Tattoos were used to be for bad people, but not having a tattoo is no longer a bad thing. But for some people, real tattoo is not an option that is why they chose Temporary Tattoos. Different type of tattoos you can put on your body are Henna Temporary Tattoos. I am working at temporary tattoo online store. Please let me know if you have any question. Check out this website.

Get More Out Of Life Through Personal Development

Sometimes it is difficult to know where to start in personal development. We are each unique. One technique may work for another person, but not for you, and vice-versa. With that being discussed you should look for new ways to help yourself, like these suggestions, read on to see which ones you can use.

Take a notebook around with you to jot ideas in. Use a notepad app on your phone or even carry a real notepad with you. Just write what you think about and you can work on those ideas later.

Live according to your principles. Your personal beliefs create the foundation for who you are. Following these beliefs will help your sense of self-esteem. It gives your life meaning and a solid structure to build around. This practice will encourage consistency, a valuable character trait to keep.

Before you begin working on your personal development, you first need to understand your place in the universe. When you realize your place in the universe, you realize that you have a lot to learn. You will make dramatic progress in your self improvement once you accept that you still have a lot to learn and become eager to experience all the new things you can.

Try to make each day more excellent than the previous one. Strive for constant and unceasing improvement. Challenge yourself to improve on something that you did yesterday.

You cannot take care of other people unless you take care of yourself. Regardless of where you are on your path, whether you are thriving or failing, take the time to rest and restore yourself.

If failings don't respond to efforts at improvement, it may be wise to consult a therapist. While self-help books help to a certain degree, seeing a therapist has more personalized substance to it. Simply talking to someone might can assist you in finding motivation. A psychiatrist can have a discussion with you, where a book cannot.

Talking to a professional counselor or a pastor can be an extremely rewarding experience. These people have a lot of experience and expertise in helping people deal with personal issues, and are licensed to do so. They will help you figure out what things are bothering you and what you can do to sort them out. When you can talk out your issues with a licensed professional, you will find your life will be much happier.

Maintaining a positive attitude will get you through a lot of tough times while allowing you to grow and mature. A negative attitude will thwart your attempts at taking your life in a good direction. Stay positive and keep telling yourself that a pleasant, upbeat attitude is the way to reach your goals.

It is important to keep in mind that everyone is different, so look through the advice in this article, and choose the things that you think will work for you. The only way to gain any type of success is if you apply the material you just learned. Share the knowledge from this article with friends to help other with their own personal development.

About Guest Author : Tattoos were used to be for bad people, but not having a tattoo is no longer a bad thing. But for some people, real tattoo is not an option that is why they chose Temporary Tattoos. Different type of tattoos you can put on your body are Henna Temporary Tattoos. I am working at temporary tattoo online store. Please let me know if you have any question. Check out this website.

10 Life Changing Tips Inspired By Rumi

1. Challenge Fear

"Run from what’s comfortable. Forget safety. Live where you fear to live. Destroy your reputation. Be notorious."

2. Be Bold

"Do not be satisfied with the stories that come before you. Unfold your own myth."

3. Have Gratitude

"Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life."

4. Take Action

"Why should I stay at the bottom of a well, when a strong rope is in my hand?"

5. Have Faith

"As you start to walk out on the way, the way appears."

6. Embrace Setbacks

"If you are irritated by every rub, how will you be polished?"

7. Look Inside

"Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it."

8. Learn From Suffering

"The wound is the place where the Light enters you."

9. Don't Be Concerned With What Others Think Of You

"I want to sing like the birds sing, not worrying about who hears or what they think."

10. Do What You Love 

"Let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which you truly love."

Personal Development Advice That Can Help You Change Your Life

What more could someone desire than the absolute best personal development tips in existence. You want to change your life for the better and want to know how and where to get started. In this article, you will find some great pieces of advice to help you change for the better.

If you do not want to follow the herd, remember to ask questions. The fact is that many people accept the way the world is unquestionably, which can lead to a feeling of being unfulfilled. If you ask questions and take only the things of value that are offered to you, you'll be more likely to internalize only beneficial ideas.

With personal development make sure that you are not working harder to not do any work at all. This is important because many people try to avoid what seems hard, but in avoiding it they end up doing twice the amount of work or time than if they were to tackle the original problem head on.

Always make sure to stand and fight for what you believe in. If you do not take a stand and fight for your beliefs and values, then you have stood for nothing. Everyone must make their stand and it is important that you choose to make your stand for the right things.

In order to develop yourself in the best way, you must have insights with your understanding. Insight is the confidence that you have for the future. You can get insight by making sure that what you practice is consistent so that it becomes an essential part of your life for the present and future.

For a fresh perspective, try on another ideology for size. A Buddhist way of thinking often entails disposing of your ego and seeing the world as one thriving organism. In this sense, your impact on the world goes as far as your positive energy can take you. Try a new perspective to enhance your other personal development efforts. You might be surprised at how well it works!

Learn to tolerate other peoples' discomfort with the word no. Everyone needs to say no to somethings. Otherwise, the other people in our lives will take as much of our time and resources as we have to give them. When someone hears no and reacts negatively, it's more about them than you. If they persist, ask why they expect you to say no to your own family, health, goals, etc. just so you can say yes to them. Only say yes when it's something you truly want.

Learn how to breathe. It may seem like a natural thing to do, but if you take the time to learn different breathing techniques, you are surely going to be able to manage stressful situations better. Breathe in for a count of seven and breathe out for the count of eleven.

To summarize, you want to obtain reliable advice that will help you take a turn in your life and make improvements in multiple areas. As mentioned at the beginning, we have provided excellent advice that you should take and apply to as many aspects of your life as you can.

Yakuza Style Tattoos

The Japanese mafia also known as the Yakuza hold within their skin some of the most detailed, vibrantly colored tattoos known to this world! But because of the Yakuza tattooing tradition, prejudice towards people with tattoos has developed in Japan, Yakuza or not. Even though this prejudice is slowly subsiding due to western influence such as celebrities in the United States rocking tattoos, it can still be seen. Some public bath houses and stores do not allow tattooed persons inside.

Tattoos have also been banned in Japan more than once in it’s history, so the Yakuza always stop their tattoos at the ankle, wrist and neck as their ancestors did, so the tattoo can easily be hidden by their clothing, just in case they become banned again even though this is very unlikely.

The method the Yakuza use for their tattoos is not a modern one, they use a method called “horimono” it’s done manually by hand with a stick with needles at the end usually in a bundle. This method is very painful, time consuming, and expensive, since the Yakuza cover most of their body with the tattoo it can actually take years to finish using this method and can cost up to fifty thousand dollars!

Why do Yakuza get tattoos in the first place? They get it for more than reason, for one they get the tattoo to show their determination, strength and willpower. They also get it to show their loyalty to their Yakuza clan and it’s lifestyle, and sometimes get a black ring around their arm for every crime they have committed. You might think the Yakuza get tattoos for the intimidation factor, but they don’t they rarely show their tattoos in public unless absolutely necessary.

Here’s a small clip from a documentary about horimono and the Yakuza that you may find interesting it probably explains it a little better than I do.

Credit For This Video Goes To - echotoeternity and National Geographic if you would like to watch the rest of the documentary please either purchase it or find it on your National Geographic channel.
Popular designs for horimono can include, dragons, tigers, koi fish, plants, gods, geisha, samurai, and many more.

Read more about horimono/irezumi here - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irezumi

Here’s a second video quite a bit longer but it has lots of examples of horimono tattoos.

Credit For This Video Goes To – HeisW140

Thanks for reading if you would like to know more about the Yakuza check out the wiki page for them at - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakuza

Disclaimer: I do not own or claim to own the videos within this post and have added credit links to the posters on youtube under each video.

THE TOP 10 DUMBEST CELEBRITY TATTOOS

To ink or not to ink… that is the question these celebrities should've asked before making such permanent and questionable decisions.

10. Stephen Baldwin

Stephen Baldwin will seemingly do anything to nab an acting job and grab a moment in the spotlight. The lesser known Baldwin reportedly made a friendly bet with Hannah Montana star Miley Cyrus. The duo became friends in 2007 after meeting at the White House (I want to know how that went down!) and Cyrus reportedly dared Baldwin to get Hannah Montana’s initials inked on his body. If he got inked, Cyrus would give Baldwin a guest spot on the Disney TV show. Fast-forward a year later, Baldwin showed off his HM tatt and Cyrus begrudgingly agreed to let him appear on her show.

9. Andy Milonakis

Andy Milonakis deserves credit for the marvelous irony that is his table tattoo. The youthful-looking comedian says that the intention of his tattoo is to make fun of the elitists who get “deep, meaningful” tattoos. While Milonakis gets points for making fun of douchebags, the tattoo is still dumb…and permanent. He could have easily made the exact same statement with a temporary tattoo. Is his table tatt still going to be ironic in 50 years when he’s a senior citizen and it’s all droopy and saggy? Then again, this might not be an issue as this guy might not be able to age.

8. Miley Cyrus

Miley Cyrus has recently vamped up her image in an effort to cross over from the tweener to a more mainstream audience. This has meant dressing proactively, sexing up her dance moves, and getting inked. The 17-year-old recently had the word “love” tattooed on the inside of her right ear. Now the meaning of the tatt is not known, nor is it known why she had it inked on the inside of her ear (could it have something to do with listening to love??). What is known is that it’s illegal for anyone under 18 to get inked in the U.S. without the prior consent of their parents. So let’s blame her parents. They should know better!

7. Megan Fox

The so-called sexiest woman in the world would be so much hotter is she weren’t covered in stupid, self-indulgent tattoos. The worst being her tattoo of movie icon Marilyn Monroe. The tatt on her inner right forearm is well crafted. The problem with it is it immediately reminds everyone that Megan Fox is not as talented or as beautiful as Monroe.

Fox also has her boyfriend Brian Austin Green’s first name inked on her pelvis and a nonsensical quote from Shakespeare’s King Lear on her back. It seems it doesn’t take much to inspire Ms. Fox to get a new tattoo. The sexpot recently got inked in honor of Mickey Rourke, with whom she recently worked with on a film. The Rourke-ster inspired her to have the phrase "Those who danced were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music" across her rib cage. I’ll leave it you to work out how this is connected to Rourke.

6. Hayden Panettiere

Hayden’s back tattoo is a lesson to celebrities getting inked in a language foreign to their own. The Heroes hottie thought she was being fancy and cultural when she had a tattoo written in Italian. The phrase was meant to say “Vivere senza rimpianti” which translates "to live without regrets.” Well, Ms. Panettiere is probably living with some regrets now as the tattoo contains a typo. The tattoo artist, obviously suffering from a momentary case of dyslexia, added an extra “i” to “rimpianti” resulting in it being spelled “rimipianti."

5. Eve

Eve’s favorite tattoo is a set of dog paw prints that appear on her chest. The rapper and all around badass says she got the tatts on a dare. Why is it that people do such stupid things on a dare? Anyway, Eve has come to appreciate and even love her paw prints. She thinks they “look good” and has actually found a personal meaning in them. She tells MTV News, “It's just funny, 'cause I got with the Ruff Ryders and they call themselves dogs and I call myself the bitch of the litter. And it just stuck, like the paws were supposed to be there.” Yep, they were just supposed to be there.

4. Steve-O

Jackass star Steve-O has a body covered in stupid tattoos. Among his collection of dim-witted tattoos is a flying penis, which Steve-O describes as “the dumbest tattoo ever.” He also has the words “s**t” and “f**k” inked on his knuckles, a tattoo on his buttocks which says “Your name” and another tatt which says “I Have A Small Weiner.”

Steve-O’s dumbest (or greatest, depending on how you view things) would have to be the life-size portrait of himself on his back. Now you can look Steve-O in the face when he has his back to you! The tattoo is actually pretty incredible and life-like. Underneath it he has the words “yeah dude, I rock!” Interestingly, his back face is actually bigger than his real face.  Steve-O thinks it has a great chance of making it into the Guinness Book of Records for the “largest self-portrait tattoo,” if he ever gets around to notifying them.

3. Dean McDermott

Dean McDermott must really love his wife Tori Spelling. The sometime actor and reality television star has not one, but two portraits of his wife inked on his body. Dean says the tattoos are a sign of his deep and undying love to the woman of his dreams and mother of two of his children. While rumors of trouble in the relationship have bounced around since the two got together, nothing says forever like getting your wife’s face tattooed on your body multiple times. Getting inked like this is more of a sign of commitment than any ring or piece of paper.

2. Jon Gosselin

Just when you thought this excuse of a man couldn’t do anything dumber, he goes and gets a huge back tattoo of a dragon. Yes, a dragon. I thought Gosselin’s diamond stud was a major sign of douchebaggery and a clear signal of a man suffering from a sense of male inadequacy. This ridiculously large dragon takes the cake. What makes it worse is that it has a greater meaning for Gosselin. He tells RadarOnline, "I have planned this tattoo for years now. I wanted something that resembled a rebirth or a change in me.” Get a job, support your kids, and please go away!

1. Coolio

Gangster rapper Coolio decided to put the cool back into his name by getting a tattoo in honor of the musical group Insane Clown Posse, whose fans are known as Juggalos and Juggalettes.   Coolio decided to beef up his street cred by getting inked with the word "Juggalo." The problem is that the person who inked him didn’t now how to spell it. They misspelled the word, leaving out a "g" and leaving Coolio with a tattoo that reads “Jugalo Cool.”

Coolio told TMZ that the misspelling was intentional and that he does not plan on correcting the “mistake.” But seriously, what else would he say, right?

source : http://www.spike.com/articles/64a1d9/the-top-10-dumbest-celebrity-tattoos?page=2