Calming your mind

Each one has to find his peace from within.
And peace to be real must be unaffected
by outside circumstances.
Mahatma Gandhi

Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night with frantic thoughts about all the stuff you need to get done the next day? Do you ever feel unsure about where to start because you have so many things to do and not nearly enough time to get it all done?

Everyone has these feelings occasionally, but you can begin to overcome them by learning to calm your mind. A calm mind is a more alert, attentive and proactive mind, and in learning to remove your anxious thinking, you can learn to enjoy your life more.

Gaining peace within

When your mind is racing non-stop, you will be hard-pressed to find inner peace. The faster your mind races, the more anxious and frustrated you will become, and this causes you to be unproductive. You really don’t have to go on living this way. There are many ways to calm your overactive mind that you can easily learn and will help you lead a more calm and peaceful life.

Stop-Breathe-Say

If your mind starts running a million miles a second, and you are not sure which way to turn next, try to stop, take a breath and repeat a positive affirmation. When you use the power of positive self-talk (rather than negative self-talk), you will begin to reprogram your mind to work in newer and different ways.

When things feel like they are getting completely out of hand, you can use an affirmation like, “I trust in my ability to relax. I am calm and peaceful.” Although this may not be the case at this exact moment, if you repeat this a few times, and actually listen to yourself saying it, you will begin to believe it. This will help you change your internal dialog in those precious few moments when you are tempted to give in to the craziness that is surrounding you.

Positive affirmations are important because they give you permission to turn off the negative dialog racing through your mind and replace it with positive thoughts. The negative dialog feeds the feelings of fear, doubt and turmoil, and when you replace them with peaceful affirmations, you change your life and your outlook, one positive statement and one positive step at a time.

If you have a hard time believing that this strategy will work for you, give it a try. But you must approach this with both an open heart and mind. It really does work! In a very short time you will begin to feel more at peace and you can reap the benefits in every area of your life.

Sidestep the craziness

Many People think and feel that they cannot do anything about the crazy lives they lead, the inner discontent they feel and the crazy people they work and socialize with. I can assure you that this is not the case. When you use positive affirmations, you can reprogram your brain so that there is only room for positive thinking. You will be surprised to find how quickly a positive affirmation like,  “I trust that there is a plan for my life, even if it has yet to be revealed to me” can work for you.

If you feel as though your life has gotten knocked off course and you do not feel that it is possible to get back to leading a calmer life, why not give a peaceful affirmation a try?  If you repeat the positive affirmations often enough, you will soon begin to believe them, and you will be able to turn a seemingly simple statement into your desired reality.

Thoughts?

- Article source : http://basicsmatter.com/calming-your-mind/#sthash.67Ss6qOE.dpuf

How You Can Grow Through Personal Development

There are many Americans who wish to better in their lives.For some, this may mean personal needs, they prefer to concentrate on improving their professional careers. The article is ideal for anyone looking to work on some form of all ages who have ever thought about becoming a better person.

Avoiding decisions means missing out on an opportunity when engaging in the arena of personal development. You shouldn't fear making a decision, even if you feel that you do not have all the information. Even decisions are useful because they allow the decision-maker to learn from the mistake. A bad choice will help you choose the right path next time.

Read good books about personal development. A good personal development book on the subject may set you on a course that will change your life. Try choosing a volume that has several positive reviews because poorly done books in the genre are fairly common.

Identify what is standing in between you from being successful. This is very hard to do for a lot of people. If you are successful in moving obstacles out of your way, you can find the way to clear your path.

Everyone has beliefs that is integral to their identity. This practice also promotes consistency, a valuable character trait to keep.

Create a personal development plan that is centered around personal values are. It makes no sense to concentrate on things that might contradict your values.

You need to care of other people unless you take care of yourself. No matter where you are in life, always make resting and restoring yourself a top priority.

You may find that meeting and talking with a spiritual or secular counselor a minister. These people are experienced and experience with this sort of thing. They are able to look into your life from the outside and give sound advice that you can't see.

You should always treat everyone with respect, regardless of their relationship to you or your goals. The way you behave toward others is highly indicative of your own character.

Make it a habit to constantly ask yourself what's important in your life the focus of how you are still focused on it.

Remove the disorganization from your life.When you are organized you have much more of a feeling of being in control, you will improve your confidence and feel accomplished in many different areas of your life.This will also lead to less stress caused by disorganization. Having everything in its own place instills a sense of calm and ease.

Being a selfless is an important part of personal development. Knowing how to care for others, by making the sacrifices within yourself, can greatly benefit your inner character. If you are able to sacrifice for others, then you are already well on your way to becoming a person you can be proud of.

For many, there is a vague feeling of discontentment and an urge to facilitate change, but they lack the knowledge needed to begin. This article will give you many ideas to get going, though keep in mind that only you can make a change. If you lose motivation and need a nudge in the future, refer back to this article for some uplifting ideas.

Visit this website for more information.

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/

Positive Affirmations - Over 500 Powerful Affirmations

Positive Affirmations - Over 500 Powerful Affirmations For Your Success

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/

Great Personal Development Tips That Are Easy To Follow

Make sure you know how to use personal development to your advantage. This article contains tips on how you can reach your personal development goals.

If you avoid making decisions, then you are denying yourself opportunities. You should not avoid decision making, even if you feel that you do not have all the information. Good instincts are the result of successful decisions. Even mistakes are valuable as they are instructive learning decisions. A wrong choice only ensures that your next choice will be better.

Remember to practice your core principles. Every person has beliefs that serve their core sense of self. Having a good foundation based on your core principles will benefit your sense of self esteem. Another bonus is the fact that doing so will encourage you to be steadfast in how you conduct your life, and that is something that will garner great respect.

Declaring lowliness is a crucial step in advancing in personal development. Understanding that you are a minute portion of the world will help you think about your level of knowledge. Once you see the bigger picture, you will be able to embrace everything that the world has to offer you.

Stay in top physical condition to maximize your personal development success. Make sure you are getting enough sleep, eating a healthy diet, and exercising on a regular schedule so that you have enough energy during the day, and you will find it will be a little easier to reach success. While it may sound simple, this is sometimes one of the most difficult things to do.

Instead of boasting about trophies, awards, and medals, try asking others about their achievements. You'll be able to find out about the wonderful things the people you know have accomplished, bringing about a new-found respect and admiration for them.

You must take care of yourself if you expect to do a good job caring for others. Whether you're just starting your personal development plan or are well down the road and regardless of whether you're succeeding or failing, you have to set aside time for yourself to rest, relax, and regroup.

Many people are unaware that diet can affect feelings of depression, as an increase in consumption of complex carbohydrates can help. If your complex carb intake is lower than recommended, your body won't produce enough serotonin. Increase your consumption of fresh fruits, raw vegetables, nuts, brown rice, assorted beans and whole grains to have a diet that is enriched in complex carbohydrates.

You only need to remember one key to live and lead a successful life. You need to make the choice to stay active in life, and not sit on the sidelines. If you act only as a spectator, no one will really pay attention to you, so be active!

Educating yourself is an important part of personal development. It is also important that you apply what you know. There are many different facets to self-improvement. You will be more self-assured once you implement the suggestions in this article.

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.

How to Reduce Stress – Take Charge of Your Life

There is a school of thought that believes that we live in concentric circles, going round and round.

The circle at the centre represents our goals.

When an individual makes a decision they step from one circle onto another, advancing toward the centre. There are many circles to traverse. Some may take longer than others.

By reading this article you have just taken a very important step toward your goal, simply – How to Reduce Stress

How to Reduce Stress Under Pressure?

You have hormones in your body that are released to enable you to deal with pressurized situations, sometimes referred to as fight or flight response .

Once the threat has passed, your hormones will usually return to normal.

Do you feel you are constantly in fight or fight mode? Do you feel anxious; have issues, or problems balancing your self-esteem?

Is everyday life an obstacle course of challenges?

So, What’s wrong with me? How do I tackle it?

It’s called stress. It’s not an illness, but this invisible affliction can cause some damage, especially at work.

With a few simple techniques you can break the cycle, recognize the signs and step away from the triggers of stress.

If every journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, you have just taken that step.

To Reduce Stress, Bring on the ZZZ’s

Let’s face it; if we don’t get enough sleep, then we won’t be in performance mode for work the next day.

You prepare for a good day by getting a well-earned rest, so why not do it properly. Pamper yourself. Give your body a treat.

A warming drink or a glass of milk and already you are informing your body to wind down.

Comfortable PJ’s, maybe even a bathrobe. Lower the lights. Get snugly with a book, but make it a note book and write all the stuff that’s bothering you. Don’t write a novel, but get most of your concerns down on one page.

This gets the unconscious to work way before you do. And as you prepare for sleep your physical self relaxes knowing everything is in hand.

Had Enough Sleep? Your body knows how to reduce stress

Note to self: if your alarm clock wakes you up, take a tip, you’re not getting enough sleep. When a person has enough sleep, they wake up before the alarm. Tomorrow night, go to bed earlier.

Smile and the whole world is a happy place

This may take some practice but it’s easy and free: Smile when you wake up. Greet your loved ones with a smile in the morning.

Such a small facial expression can change everything.

Smile at people on the train to work. Smile when someone opens the door for you. Do not be perturbed if people don’t return your smile, but have another little smile when they do.

Have a Sumptuous Breakfast to Reduce Stress

Breakfast means just that: breaking your fast of several hours without food. It is strange how many people skip breakfast.

Sustenance is crucial to your body in the morning. By eating well at breakfast performance is improved and energy levels are higher.

A good breakfast will power you through to lunch.

A bad breakfast will leave you feeling distracted, irritable and craving poor quality substitutes.

Note to self: There is a reason why people eat porridge. Foods rich in carbohydrates like oats maintain levels of serotonin, the chemical that has stress-relief properties.

Good, Now let’s go to work!

Now you are at work and as usual you have people clawing you for answers. Take a moment to yourself and identify what it is at work you do well.

Recognize the input you have and give yourself a pat on the back. Then, the next time someone asks you do a task you don’t have time for, politely say no. It won’t hurt as much as you think.

There are several ways to say no:

1. Sorry, I can’t schedule this for today  (I’m just too busy)
2. Please come back and discuss this in the morning. (It’s no now, but yes tomorrow)
3. I don’t have time, but I can show you how. (It’s your job. You should do it.)

Say it loud, say it proud

Note to self: Saying no may make you unpopular in the short term, but in the long term it will become a valuable asset.

At lunch time pick up the phone. Arrange some physical exercise. Mountain biking is a lot of fun; but not necessarily in terms of aerobic exercise.

Firstly you get a lot of sunshine (vitamin D), fresh air is obligatory and usually you will be amongst nature with friends.

These are all big stress release tools. If that does not suit, try picking up the tennis racket again. Testosterone keeps you motivated.

Don’t Forget to Breathe

Breathing is the simplest tool in your kit for relieving stress. Shut the office door, close your eyes for five minutes and focus on your breath. Do not think of this as meditation, just oxygenating your body.

Bullets:

• Eat and drink sensibly. Diet plays an important part in relieving stress.
• Maintain friendships: Just listening and talking to friends can make a huge difference, so make sure you devote time to nurturing your friendships.
• Exercise. The effects are immediate and uplifting. Exercise should be fun and sociable.
• Sleep works both physically and mentally, renewing energy both physically and mentally.
• A problem shared is a problem aired and is a top stress-buster. Don’t be afraid to ask for help from a friend, family member or from a professional.
• Take time out to do something for you and only for you, whatever your hobbies and interests, invest in some you-time.
• Your life does not have to revolve around work. Really. Nothing is more important than your health so take it easy.

Note to self: Time management involves setting your priorities in accordance to your goals. That includes allotting time for the things that matter.

Physical conditioning means preparing your body to cope with your daily schedule. Have the right amount of sleep, take the right kind of exercise and eat the right foods. Once every so often learn to say the word NO and don’t forget to smile.

How do you reduce stress?

Reducing stress basically starts with taking charge of your life. But is it easy? No, certainly but starting small and trying to incorporate every step into your lifestyle will put you on the right path. Do you agree? Do you follow any other methods?

Let me know in the comments section below!

Article source : http://beingchirpy.com/how-to-reduce-stress/

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.

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.

Self-Motivation - Six keys

Here are six keys to help you with self-motivation - see what you think ....

"Don't let what you can't do stop you from doing what you can do"

Self-Motivation Key #1 – Remember your “why” .
It’s easy to stay motivated when your reasons for wanting to improve your life are fresh in your mind - but motivation can all too readily dissipate as time goes on. So write down your reasons for wanting to make positive changes or pursue greater goals. Read them to yourself to keep them fresh in your mind, and review them when you need a mental or emotional boost. Having a sense of purpose will help keep you energised.

Self-Motivation Key #2 – Eliminate distractions.
If you’re feeling scattered and unfocused, try working in a secluded spot, closing the door for some quiet, or even wearing earplugs to shut out excessive noise. Once the distractions are gone, you might find your motivation increasing and your determination returning.

Self-Motivation Key #3 – Read something inspirational.
Nowadays there is no shortage of inspiring reading material available for purchase. Visit your local bookstore and get a few books with motivational themes and make a point of reading a few pages before you start your day. When you feel unmotivated, open one of these books randomly and let your finger fall blindly onto a passage from the book. Read that passage and let it speak to you. Does it hold a message that relates to your situation and helps to inspire you to move into action.

Self-Motivation Key #4 - Surround yourself with inspiration.
Do you have some favourite plaques, prints or paintings that make you feel inspired? Fill up your blank walls with them! Visit a flea market or home décor store for visuals that lift your spirits. Go to a stock photo site and download a few beautiful images and have them blown up into a larger size at your local photo place. Take some of your favourite motivational quotes, enlarge the type, print and hang them up to read whenever you need a little boost. Hanging inspiring words and images in your home and workplace can create a continuous flow of inspiration that will keep you feeling motivated no matter what you’re working on.

And speaking of inspiration, I think you'll find the message in this video clip an uplifting one (just click the cross in the top right hand corner of the ad to get rid of the annoying ad)...

Self-Motivation Key #5 – Call a friend for support.

If you’ve got a friend or two who support you in your goals, give them a call! Tell them you’re having trouble getting started (or keeping momentum) and you need a kick in the rear. Tell them to remind you what you are working so hard for, and how excited you sounded the last time you spoke to them. This will only work with friends who do support you – not dream stealers.

Self-Motivation Key #6 – Re-assess your vision.

If you find yourself constantly needing to get motivated to work on your dream or goal, you might question whether it’s right for you any longer. Have you outgrown the original vision you had? If you conceived your dream or set your goal years ago, you might need to rethink what you want and see if you can expand on your original dream. You can even start from scratch if your original plans no longer inspire passion; you are a different person than you were even a year ago! Come up with something that you won’t have to work so hard to get motivated to do, and you solve not only your immediate need, but long-term needs also.

Article source : http://performancedevelopment.com.au/Self-Motivation-Tips.htm

Improve Your Life With These Easy Steps

Remember that everyone is different, so what may work for one person's development, may not work with yours. Having said all that, keep learning and trying new things. The following article gets you started by providing you with advice that is beneficial to you and your personal growth.

Do you consume too much alcohol? Do you smoke or do other activities that may be harmful to your health? The human body is sacred and it is important that you treat yours right. You can improve your life by replacing bad habits with good ones. Take a hard look at your daily life and find things that could benefit from a positive restructuring.

Determine what kinds of things are getting in the way of you being successful. This is hard to do for a lot of people. To be successful at personal development, start by pinpointing any areas of weakness and target these areas for improvement. Once you have removed the obstacles to your success, you can enjoy smooth sailing to your goals.

In order to be properly motivated toward personal development goals, it is important to admit how much you do not know. If you understand that there is a lot you can learn and that you have room to grow, you can gain proper perspective. Once you realize this, you will be able to understand and improve upon yourself.

Compliment other people. If you are kind to other people, you will be kind to yourself.

Pick up a pen and paper, and write yourself a positive letter. Keep a list of your good qualities in your wallet. Keep this inspirational card with you at all times. Another great idea is to recite the list while filming yourself, so that you can view the footage regularly. This might sound silly but it really helps.

Therapy is the answer for many with serious problems. Sometimes it takes a professional, outside perspective to identify the real source of a problem and this cannot be found in self-help books. Sometimes, the drive to succeed can be stimulated by something as simple as a frank, honest discussion and some helpful advice. Books can't interact with people the way a trained psychiatrist is able to.

You should always be respectful towards people, no matter what power they hold or what they could do for you. Your treatment of others is a direct reflection of you character.

If your personal development plan calls for overcoming social anxieties, going to the movies with a friend is a great first step. This activity will force you to be around others, but you do not have to talk to them very much, which will minimize your discomfort. In addition, this can give you the opportunity to become comfortable in crowded rooms.

This information is only valuable if you use it. The only way anyone can be successful is if you try. After you have applied this information, reevaluate your development and pay attention to any differences that may arise.

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."

How to Roll a Mylar Henna Cone

How to Roll Henna Cones

• Place the cellophane triangle printed side down and long edge facing you.
• Place a finger on the edge of the long side of the triangle in the middle.
• With your free hand pick up a corner (right or left) and twist it towards the finger that you have placed in the middle of the long side of the triangle.
• Continue to twist creating a cone.
• Once you have the cone, hold it with two fingers inside the cone.
• You can twist the cone to adjust its shape.
• The key to a good cone is a super pointy tip.
• Take a small piece of tape and carefully tape the loose cellophane edge about an inch or so from the pointy tip.  Use the Scotch brand red plaid transparent tape.  The frosted-style tape (green plaid) will not hold up to freezing or the essential oils used in henna.

Enjoy!

Temporary Tattoo Application : Quick Steps to Commitment-Free Body Ink!

There are many reasons that temporary tattoos are becoming more popular, not the least of which is that they are temporary!

For parents, it means indulging kids in their fascination with the latest popular character, whether it’s a Marvel Superhero, a Disney Princess, Woody from Toy Story or Hello Kitty.  For adults, it can mean a commitment-free flirtation on the edge with an arty design that would never fly at work, or an experiment to find the perfect image and placement before opting for something more permanent.

Whatever the motivation, applying and removing temporary tattoos is a simple process that takes just a few seconds in either direction.

Temporary Tattoo Application:
1.    Select your temporary tattoo.  If it is on a sheet of tattoos, clip the art carefully, making sure the protective covering stays attached.

2.    Ensure your skin is clean and free of sunscreen or lotion before you begin. Dry the area thoroughly.

3.    Choose a spot to place your tattoo, preferably an area that is free of hair.  If placing on a  shin, thigh or arm, shaving is recommended.

4.    Peel off the clear plastic protective covering.

5.    Position the tattoo face down — check to be certain it will be “upright” and the way you want it to appear to other people when you are done.  Remember, your tattoo cannot be repositioned once you proceed with the next step.

6.    Once your tattoo is placed, dampen the back covering with a wet cloth, making sure you saturate the entire tattoo with water.

7.    Press down and hold for at least 30 seconds.

8.    Gently lift one corner of the back covering. If the image looks odd or isn’t sticking to your skin, put the cloth/sponge back on and wait for another 30 seconds, then continue to slowly peel off the backing and reveal your temporary tattoo!

9.    Take your wet cloth and gently wipe off the tattoo.

source : http://blog.tattoosales.com

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.

Improve The Quality Of Your Life With These Great Tips!

Are you working on improving your skills to improve your life? The following article will help you develop your personal attributes.

Instead of focusing on your own achievements, ask others about theirs. Placing your focus on others will help you recognize the potential of those around you.

Respect your body's boundaries in pursuit of any goal you might have. Take your best shot, but know when you have reached your limit. Even when you are working towards your goals, your body should come first. Trying to achieve a goal at the expense of your body's well being is hurting your personal development.

The emphasis from employers is did you graduate with a degree in a field that is relative to the job and can you actually do it. They are not so concerned with what school you attended. There are only a few places where this is not the case, like the higher end of the financial service sector. Just get a college degree so that doors will open to you.

While it is essential that you have people in your life, you should not depend on others for your happiness. Focus on making yourself happy. This doesn't mean that you should only think of yourself, but in some cases, you really need to put yourself first. When you live your life always staying true to your beliefs, morals and ethics, happiness should naturally follow you down the path of personal development.

The way that you feel mentally has a large effect on how you feel physically. Workout regularly and try to consume a healthy diet packed with nutrient-rich foods. Always keep in mind that a sound mental state and a vigorous physical condition should work in tandem.

Sexual capitol is a new trait drawing the attention of researchers, and it's a critical trait to develop. This involves using your wit and charm to help you get the things that you need. Good social skills, including a command of sexual capital, are not absolutely required, but they can take you further than you would get without them.

Getting and staying healthy is one of the most important parts of personal development. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle not only includes watching what you eat and working out but also being able to stay motivated to do so. Make sure you try your best to improve yourself in all areas in life, when you do this improving your health becomes easier.

Look to your internal beauty, rather than your external appearance. Wearing the latest styles or looking like a movie star does not make a real difference. The personality that you have is what will ultimately show through in your life. Instead of making cosmetic changes, put more effort into improving your inner self.

It is possible to teach yourself the best ways to deal with hard situations. If you learn to stay calm during stressful times, you will have the confidence you need to face almost anything in your life. Above all, remember to take a second and breathe deeply before confronting any stressful situation.

It should be clear now that bettering yourself is not a scary thing. Personal development can bring you happiness and well-being, all through simply taking initiative for your own life.