Thinking Positively Gets you There

Someone defined 'positive thinking' as a mental attitude. An attitude that admits into the mind images, thoughts and/or words that encourage a positive worldview, that propels one towards the achievement of goals and success; it is, in sum; a 'never say die attitude'; and the ability to see the good part of every situation. Sure, that’s a lot of words to define one concept, but the fact is, it is well worth.

Optimism or positive thinking is one major trait that differentiates happy and successful people from timid, fearful and depressed failures. There would always be challenges in life, but the ability see through them and think positively determines ones success in life. A lot has been said and read about positive thinking, but am sure the topic is never oversaturated.

The following story I got from somewhere illustrates the power of positive thinking:

Allan applied for a new job, but as his self-esteem was low, and he considered himself a failure and unworthy of success, he was sure that he was not going to get the job. He had a negative attitude towards himself, and believed that the other applicants were better and more qualified than him. Allan manifested this attitude, due to his negative past experiences with job interviews.

His mind was filled with negative thoughts and fears concerning the job for the whole week before the job interview. He was sure he would be rejected. On the day of the interview he got up late, and to his horror he discovered that the shirt he had planned to wear was dirty, and the other one needed ironing. As it was already too late, he went out wearing a shirt full of wrinkles.

During the interview he was tense, displayed a negative attitude, worried about his shirt, and felt hungry because he did not have enough time to eat breakfast. All this distracted his mind and made it difficult for him to focus on the interview. His overall behavior made a bad impression, and consequently he materialized his fear and did not get the job.

Jim applied for the same job too, but approached the matter in a different way. He was sure that he was going to get the job. During the week preceding the interview he often visualized himself making a good impression and getting the job.

In the evening before the interview he prepared the clothes he was going to wear, and went to sleep a little earlier. On day of the interview he woke up earlier than usual, and had ample time to eat breakfast, and then to arrive to the interview before the scheduled time.

He got the job because he made a good impression. He had also of course, the proper qualifications for the job, but so had Allan.

What do we learn from these two stories? Is there any magic employed here? No, it is all natural. When the attitude is positive we entertain pleasant feelings and constructive images, and see in our mind's eye what we really want to happen. This brings brightness to the eyes, more energy and happiness. The whole being broadcasts good will, happiness and success. Even the health is affected in a beneficial way. We walk tall and the voice is more powerful. Our body language shows the way you feel inside.

Positive and negative thinking are both contagious. All of us affect, in one way or another, the people we meet. This happens instinctively and on a subconscious level, through thoughts and feelings transference and through body language. People sense our aura and are affected by our thoughts. Is it any wonder that we want to be around positive persons and shun negative ones? People are more disposed to help us if we are positive. They dislike and avoid anyone broadcasting negativity.

Negative thoughts, words and attitude bring up negative and unhappy moods and actions. When the mind is negative, poisons are released into the blood, which cause more unhappiness and negativity. This is the way to failure, frustration and disappointment.


Words For Today
People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in their true beauty is revealed only if there is light from within
Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday
regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day.
We cannot change our past...
We cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.
We cannot change the inevitable.
The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have,
and that is our attitude.
I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me
and 90% of how I react to it.
And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.
Chales R. Swindol

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Find Your Weaknesses

In his "The Law of success", Napoleon Hill rightly observed that most successful people only became successful after discovering and correcting the weakness in their person and character. I have often heard people argue that knowing your strengths and building on it guarantees success, but I think differently.

Knowing your weak points and striving to correct them, is as important, if not even more important, than knowing your strengths.

Your weaknesses - the most dangerous being selfishness, greed, jealousy, revenge, egoism, lust, conceit and wanting to reap where you did not sow; could destroy you faster than your strengths would uplift you.

In fact, whatever strengths you posses would only successfully uplift your body and mind if they are not counter-balanced by your weakness. The weakness in our traits often tend to hide our strengths; it is by correcting these weakness that anyone can fully tap into their strengths and make success out of it.

Make it a point of duty, from now on, to identify your weaknesses. Ask colleagues, friends, or classmates to assess you; it is often difficult for relatives to say the truth about our characters, but real friends and colleagues should be sincere about their opinions.

Once you identify your weaknesses, start doing everything you can to correct them. If people describe you as selfish, start forcing yourself to share everything you possibly can; if you are egocentric and/or greedy, learn to think about others and their emotions and you'll be moved to act along this line; if you're revengeful, strive to always let people know when they've hurt you and their apologies might soften your heart.

Always remember that your weaknesses are the major barrier between you and happiness/success. You would only be eternally successful, if you identify and correct them.



Words For Today
Nobody needs a smile so much as the one who has none to give.
So get used to smiling heart warming smiles,
and you will spread sunshine in a sometimes dreary world
Lawrence G. Lovasik

The most effective way to achieve right relations
with any living thing is to look for the best in it,
and then help that best into the fullest expression.
Unknown

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Habits of Highly Successful People

Success is really a profound individual perception. Not only is there the commercialized notion of success, bred by whatever culture you live in, but individually, success is different for everyone, and changes as you grow older.


But there are also certain habits and characteristics that more successful people display than others.

This is a great list created by LifeHack, of qualities that successful people have, which have been noted in many books on the subject:


1. They look for and find opportunities where others see nothing.

2. They find lessons while others only see problems.

3. They are solution focused.

4. They consciously and methodically create their own success.

5. They may be fearful, but they are not controlled or limited by fear.

6. They ask the right questions -- the ones which put them in a positive mindset and emotional state.

7. They rarely complain.

8. They don’t blame, and take complete responsibility for their actions and outcomes.

9. They always find a way to maximize their potential, and use what they have effectively.

10. They are busy, productive and proactive.

11. They align themselves with like-minded people.

12. They are ambitious.

13. They have clarity and certainty about what they want.

14. They innovate instead of imitate.

15. They don’t procrastinate.

16. They are life-long learners.

17. They are glass half full people, while still being practical and down-to-earth.

18. They consistently do what they need to do, regardless of how they are feeling on a given day.

19. They take calculated risks.

20. They deal with problems quickly and effectively.

21. They don’t believe in, or wait for, fate, destiny, chance or luck.

22. They take action before they have to.

23. They are more effective than most at managing their emotions.

24. They are good communicators.

25. They have a plan for their life and they work methodically to turn that plan into a reality.

26. They become exceptional by choice.

27. They work through the tough stuff that most would avoid.

28. They have identified what is important to them and they do their best to live a life which is reflective of those values.

29. They have balance. They know that money is a tool and ultimately, it’s just another resource.

30. They understand the importance of discipline and self-control.

31. They are secure in their sense of self-worth.

32. They are generous and kind.

33. They are happy to admit mistakes and apologize.

34. They are adaptable and embrace change.

35. They keep themselves in shape physically.

36. They work hard and are not lazy.

37. They are resilient.

38. They are open to, and more likely to act upon, feedback.

39. They don’t hang out with toxic people.

40. They don’t invest time or emotional energy into uncontrollable things.

41. They are happy to swim against the tide.

42. They comfortable with their own company.

43. They set high standards for themselves.

44. They don’t rationalize failure.

45. They know how to relax, enjoy what they have in their life and to have fun.

46. Their career is not their identity, it’s their job.

47. They are more interested in what is effective than in what is easy.

48. They finish what they start.

49. They realize that not only are they physical and psychological beings, but emotional and spiritual creatures as well.

50. They practice what they preach.
Sources:

* Lifehack May 12, 2008


Words For Today

A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person
with a certain set of attitudes.
Hugh Downs

Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do
something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn't have it in the beginning.
Mahatma Gandhi

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Paths to Happiness [2]

Positive Attitude
We started on the 'Paths to Happiness' yesterday, and I said building the foundation for enduring happiness requires a positive self esteem. If 'loving yourself' and building a positive image of yourself prepares the foundation for happiness, then maintaining a positive attitude, at all times, builds a lasting structure on that foundation.

We all know that it is easy to 'feel good' about yourself and what you doing when things are going as planned, but what about when things get real bad. The real test of your faith in the self comes when failure hits you hard on the face; when something you've devoted your best to, suddenly comes crashing. While positive attitude is vital in our everyday life, it becomes even more important in situations like this.

People who have a positive view of life, who are optimistic enough to take everything life serve them; good or bad, with a smile and still move on, are the real 'happy people'. Someone once said 'the ability to see the good in every situation is worth more than a million dollars'.

However, positive thinking is not a thing you achieve overnight; it's a habit you have to develop. It takes faith and strong will to remain positive when things aren't so good, but it helps. When you can see a glass of water as 'half full', instead of ‘half empty’ and that, it is 'darkest just before dawn', a deeper understanding of life dawns on you. You feel empowered to take control of your life, and whatever happens, you'll still find the strength to believe in your life.

People that have developed a positive attitude towards life don't spend their life crying over failures; they learn from it and move on. They don't expect people to show them the path to follow; they take their lives as their responsibility and whatever happens, they don't blame anybody. They live their life 'one day at a time’; they don't worry about tomorrow’s challenges and refuse to cry over yesterday's failures. And the result is, they are always happy, healthy and successful.

Words For Today

Nobody has things just as he would like them. The thing to do is to make a success with what material I have. It is a sheer waste of time and soulpower to imagine what I would do if things were different. They are not different.
Dr. Frank Crane

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'NOW' is All You Have

Life should be lived one day at a time. Our lives would be better and free of those debilitating worries, if only we learn to enjoy every passing moment of our life. There would always be challenges to face tomorrow, and there would always be yesterday's failure to brood about, but ask yourself, if you spend all your time dwelling on these fears, anxieties and failures, when are you going to live your life?

Learning to live in the present requires physical efforts, because, by nature, the mind will always worry, unless you train it not to. How do you train yourself to be conscious of 'now' and nothing else?

First, you must learn to take stock of your thinking. Concern yourself, always, with what is happening around you, NOW. Consciously monitor what you are thinking, for a start, every moment in time, each time you find yourself worrying [some would say thinking] of what 'could happen' or what 'has happened'; stop the thinking process and direct your attention to the present. With time, you will see that you can subconsciously control what you think.

Two, develop a positive outlook on life. Learn to see the bright side of things, even when everything looks so hopeless. Refuse to accept false/negative realities. And when things get 'real bad', continually remind yourself that 'worrying' about it, won't change any thing.

Three, refuse to dwell on the failures of yesterday, it's not just worth it. Everyday and in everything you do, put your very best, if it succeeds, learn from your success and move on; if it fails, learn from your mistakes and try again. Life's too short to be spent on yesterday's failures or tomorrow’s problems.

In everything you do, remember, always, that NOW is all you have; yesterday is gone, forever, and tomorrow might never come. Make the best of NOW.

Words for Today

The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat.
Theodore Roosevelt

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Living Life Positively

So much has been said about the benefits of developing a positive attitude, passing through life with hopes, aspirations and an unending happiness, and about the powers of motivations on our quality of life. But we all know it is quite easy to commit pen to paper and pour out hundreds of motivational words; it's a whole different ball game in the real world.

The realities of life are sometimes too harsh and daunting for the average human being. I can tell you a lot about the challenges of life. Growing up in Africa with all its challenges; poverty, corruption, civil wars, HIV/AIDS, just to name a few, definitely prepares you for just about anything. I used to tell my friends that 'if you can live in Africa, then you can survive successfully in any part of the world'. In my over two decades of existence, I have learnt enough to live a century. But the most important lesson life has taught me is that your life would only be meaningful and worth living, if you learn to live positively, with hopes and happiness, irrespective of the realities you face.

When I was younger, I often wonder why people in the wealthy nations of the West still suffer such high rates of depression and suicides. Now, I understand quite well that your life is not shaped by what you have around you, but what you are inside. No amount of wealth, luxury and comfort will give you a happy life if you can't find happiness within you. At the same time, no degree of poverty and other life challenges would dampen your spirit, if your soul finds happiness in itself. There will always be challenges in life, but within you lie the power to overcome everyone of them, if you would just reach deeper.

Within every one of us lies the power to live positively and happily. Life becomes richer when you can look forward to tomorrow without fears or worries. The first step towards living a positive life is to let go of your fears and anxieties; they are an unnecessary burden the heart is forced to carry. Someone once defined FEAR as 'False Expressions Appearing Real'. You must realize that there is nothing real about fear; it is a creation of the mind, a byproduct of worries.

Look at it this way; worrying about something won't change that thing. You won't get richer just by worrying about and fearing poverty; neither would worrying about a bad relationship make it better. Throw away your worries, and with it goes fear. Instead, look through your problems with happiness, decide what must be done to help the situation and get to work on it. That way, you would be directing energies you would have wasted on worries and fear onto a constructive course. While this can be easily said, it is much difficult to practice; we all need help building a positive life. The sole purpose of this blog is to provide that 'help'. I'll be posting daily inspirational messages, videos and audios here. With this, I hope to help a few people, make a few friends and in the end help myself build a better and more positive life. Life's richer and better when you pass happiness around.

Words for Today

The greatest revolution of our generation is the discovery that human beings, by changing the inner attitudes of their minds can change the outer aspects of their lives.
James William

A true man never frets about his place in the world, but just slides into it by the gravitation of his nature, and swings there as easily as a star.
Edward Chapin

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