Dear All,

Please find below a good article for your reading:

Questions Successful People Always Ask Themselves

According to Leon Ho, founder of Lifehack and Steply, there are three types of people, those who do not ask enough questions, those who have a lot of questions but no intention to answer them and those who ask good questions and seek ways to answer them.

We live in a world that is plagued with going with the conventional way and settling for the ordinary. But that is not the approach of the successful. Successful people are restless and nothing is good enough until it becomes better. That is why they ask the right questions and discover ways to answer them.

1. Is this what I really want to do?

Many people do not know how much passion and desire connects to bring forth success. They settle for what is below par because they are okay with the status quo. But successful people are concerned about giving something extra and making a difference. Whatever they are committed to has to borne out of a desire and an unquenchable passion to excel in.

2. Will this provide an avenue for growth?

In the book Rich Dad, Poor Dad, by Robert Kiyiosaki, Rich Dad says:

“The most successful people in life are the ones who ask questions. They’re always learning. They’re always growing. They’re always pushing.”

Successful people are not okay with being boxed up in a comfort zone. Beyond getting an experience in a venture they want to be certain that they will learn and grow from it.

3. What strategies will define my success at this?

Successful people are not only concerned about the beauty or the splendor of getting what they want. With a dream, they build a design. They want to have a road map on how their project, task or mission can be accomplished.

4. Do I have the belief to accomplish this?

They want to be able to determine their success with the resilience and conviction it requires. They are not just eager but they have a calm feeling of assurance that within there is the knowledge and strength to see them through it.

5. What are my greatest strengths?

Successful people know their flaws and their weaknesses, having knowledge on these two things help them know where and how to channel their energy. They focus on their greatest strengths because they know what competitive advantage they have over every other person in the race for success.

6. Can I improve the lives of others with this?

Successful people know that their happiness is not independent but rather also dependent on the satisfaction and happiness of others. They are concerned about adding value and making a contribution to the lives of their clients, family and their communities.

7. What rules have to be broken to get this done?

Successful people cherish character and reputation. And if the journey to a successful venture doesn’t align with their values it is not worth it. They want to have a satisfactory feeling of accomplishment rather than a self destructive one of misery.

8. Am I learning from my mistakes?

As much as successful people look ahead at a gladdening horizon, they also look back at their worst hours. They know that those periods of low results can provide knowledge on how to approach the future. Nothing should be ignored; rather they take a cue from the past and try not to repeat mistakes.

9. Will the people around me be supportive or destructive?

There is relevance in surrounding yourself with the right team to see you through success. Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg and Richard Branson, CEO of Virgin Group have not only built a strong company culture but also the right team to help them actualize their goals of success. It will always be important to find like minded people who will help you strengthen your goals.

10. What bad habits do I need to stop that can alter my success?

Successful people know that they are not good enough. They want to be more productive and resourceful. And destructive habits can be a roadblock to achieving the success faster. If they are waking up late and need to wake up earlier, they do that. If they have to stay healthier by visiting the gym, they do that. Success is a non-stop cycle and it means making progress ahead of challenges.

Dear All,

Please find below a good article on how to be successful for your reading:

Lists To Keep If You Want To Be Successful

Successful people keep lists so that they do not forget certain things or simply to track their progress. Most of the time, such lists have a way of contributing positively to their success, since they offer balance and direction. Also a list helps you to be organized and focused. I keep a list in my phone and my tablet so that I always have it handy. Wherever you keep your lists, here are some things you should keep written down to help you attain success.

1. Creative ideas

Ideas can be very volatile. They are important to your success, as one idea could change the direction and course of your whole life. This is why it is essential to have a list of ideas written down. These ideas should be the ones you want to act upon or that excite you just as you receive their spark. Many successful minds have a way of carrying a journal or notebook at all times. This way, when an idea pops up, they write it down so they won’t forget them for future use.

2. Books to be read

Every successful person reads. Reading books boost your chances for success, as they are one item that could challenge you intellectually and inspire smart decisions. Whether it is a non-fiction or a fictional work, always have a list of the books that will satisfy your career or success interests. Sometimes such books are recommended by others, while other times we simply stumble upon them.

3. Thoughts to share with others

Just like creative ideas that could trigger your success, it is important to write something that could inspire and educate others. Success is not just about you, but also offering others a hand in achieving their own success. You could be offering thoughts or knowledge in the form of blog posts, an article in a famous magazine, or a book. This could also propel your career and make you an authority in your field.

4. The interesting people you have met

I once met an important and knowledgeable person at a conference. Even after a very interesting discussion, I did not take down his contact information. This is something I still regret, because who knows what and when I would have needed his expert advice again? It is always important to keep a list of interesting people you have met and how you can once again reach out to them. Their knowledge and expertise could add to the talent pool of a business you are building or working for.

5. Media persons

From TV hosts to journalists, media persons can be pivotal to offering you the recognition you need to be successful. Reaching out and keeping a list of such persons can be rewarding and offer the needed boost in publicity you need. Don’t be shy to connect with a media person or to engage them on social media. Make sure you are noticed by them.

6. Progress journal

Success requires that you keep track of your progress. Many successful persons like Oprah, Eminem, and J.K Rowling have a journal which they use in tracking their progress. Progress may not mean initial and momentary success, but rather a holistic view of what you define as success. With such a journal, you can identify your areas of strength and flaws and see how you can navigate your terrain for the future.

7. To do lists

This is a list of things that you intend to accomplishing in the future. For some, it is a “bucket list,” yet this helps you identify what is important and what is not. It also helps you ascertain what direction you want to take. Each item on this list should help to make you a more fulfilled person.

8. Things to see list

Many may not consider this essential, but just as books engage and develop the mind, certain movies, documentaries, and TV shows have a way of making a considerable impact on our success. Try checking out reviews and listening or reading critics to know what shows would align with your goals.

regards

Dear All,

Please find below a good article for your reading:

Things You Should Spend More Time On And Things You Shouldn’t

What should we actually spend our time on? It is interesting to consider that we have more time than ever before. Although many spend their time on providing food, clothing and shelter for themselves and their families, according to the U.S Department of Labor, the average American over the age of 15 still has more than five hours of free time each day. So how do we make our time count? What do we have to eliminate, delegate, and minimize?

“Dost thou love life?  Then do not squander time,
for that’s the stuff life is made of.”
―Benjamin Franklin

1. We should spend more time with ourselves rather than with the needless dramas around us

There are many benefits to spending time with ourselves. It relieves stress, gives us a rounder perspective of life, and helps us to be more independent. It also offers us clarity, purpose, and definition. By spending more time with ourselves, we can avoid the needless dramas that surround us. Nonsense like hurtful relationships and negative talk will only make us unhappy.

2. We should spend more time reading instead of watching TV

Watching TV is becoming not just a leisure activity, but an addiction. In the United States, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American watched TV for 2.8 hours per day. This could amount to 9 years of TV for an average person. All that time could be spent on something more productive or enjoyable, like reading. Reading will help you to know and understand people around you, the world, and yourself.

3. We should spend time with our families rather than compulsive busyness

Our family should remain a priority in our lives. They are the reason we do so many things in life. However, it is easy to start neglecting the people that motivate our hard work. Spending time with your family affords you the opportunity to appreciate the fundamental things of life.

4. We should spend time giving to others rather than pursuing those things we cannot have

Giving makes us happier and more productive. It also means that we make a contribution to life’s unending cycle. We shouldn’t be a reservoir, but a river aiding to the flow of life. It is easy to conclude that we do not have enough, so why should we give? But you should appreciate what you already have and share some of it.

5. We need to take care of ourselves instead of worrying about failures and mistakes

There are a lot of seemingly successful people who make great money, but whose mental and physical well-being is terrible. Slowly, they are consumed in stress and failures and cannot find a direction in which to go. It is better to take care of ourselves first by exercising and taking breaks before worrying about those things that are not within our control.

6. We need to take action instead of procrastinating

There is never a perfect time. Procrastination is the thief of time. But we can make the best use of our time by going after our true desires. Chase your dreams, because there is never a better time to start than now.

7. We need to learn and educate ourselves rather than staying in wrong relationships

Time should be spent on learning something new. Education is endless and limitless. We are not on this planet to stagnate, but to continue searching and rediscovering ourselves. Wrong relationships may try to bruise our self-esteem and make us feel less acceptable, but we know that we can use our time in a better way instead.

8. We need to build good habits instead of spending money on wrong choices

Building good habits save us time and resources. It also helps us to feel more accomplished and worthy. Spending our money on useless things can affect our future and the genuine plans we intend to commit to

regards

Dear All,

Please find below a good article for your reading:

Things To Do Every Day To Ensure You Stick To Your Goals

Sticking to goals can be challenging. We all want better health, better careers, better jobs and to cast an impression on everyone that we are living fulfilled lives. Yet to reach our goals and make every minute of our time count requires commitment, consistency and hard work. Certain daily practices have to be observed to get the best out of us. Here are some things you have to ensure daily to reach your goals.

1. Involve others

You have to be accountable for the actions you are committing yourself to. Involve everyone around you, get them engaged and talk to them on how they can help you accomplish your goals. When you involve others you feel you have a responsibility towards them as well as yourself. Every day, make sure you are accountable to sticking to your goals. By joining groups or engaging others you have more motivation to reach your goals. For example if you want to read more, try joining a book club, if you want to be a better entrepreneur, join an entrepreneurial organization.

2. Visualize the rewards

Reaching a goal can be challenging, sometimes it can be overwhelming. When the journey becomes tough and difficult, try to stick to visualizing your successes every day. Wake up to visualize what rewards you will get from sticking to meeting your goals. If you want to lose some pounds, visualize yourself already underweight and benefiting from being underweight. The mind has a way of channeling your body and intentions to sticking to your goals and reaching them.

3. Break down your goals

Try to break down your goals into tiny chunks. The smaller the size of the goals, the more willing and prepared you are to meet them. For example, if you find it difficult getting out of the house and taking a workout at the gym, why not try to break the goal into making sure you are always dressed for the gym daily? By doing this you demonstrate you are moving in the right direction and you can keep the momentum to meet with the larger goal.

4. Reward yourself

For every progress you make daily towards reaching your goals, try to vindicate yourself and reward yourself. By doing this you appreciate yourself and the hard work you have put in for the day. When you reward yourself you program yourself to benefiting from a larger reward in the future. You also propel yourself to gaining daily rewards which can be enticing and motivating.

5. Measure your progress

It is easy to become frustrated when you are not getting instant results. Change can be slow and rewards are not always immediate. Still, progress can be measured even in tiny bits so take time to look back at where you are coming from. You don’t have to feel depressed about not making that major progress in an instant, but when you journal or snap pictures to document your progress, no matter how small, you will feel grateful and elated to see what difference you have made from where you are coming from up till now.

6. Believe in the possibilities

According to researchers, by believing in the possibilities of accomplishing a goal or a task you increase your chance of reaching it and eradicating whatever roadblocks or challenges you may face. Believe in what you can achieve. What self belief has over self control is that while self control can be depleted, self belief cannot. We all have an enormous reservoir of how much we can believe in ourselves. With believing in ourselves comes perseverance, determination and desire to meeting with our goals. Every day understand that what you need to keep on going is how you think of achieving your goals. Your goals are reachable if you think you can reach them!

regards

Management and Business Skills Everyone Should Learn To Be More Productive

Dear All,

Please find below a good article for your reading:

Management and Business Skills Everyone Should Learn To Be More Productive

Business leaders measure productivity by the quality and quantity of output over input. Management seems to have a big part in a business. They decide, implement actions, and take the control. The professional skills and roles of managers are important to be adapted and put into practice not only by business people but all people who want to do and be more everyday.

1. Prioritize tasks

Lining up your daily tasks can be one of the effective ways to be productive.Focus on what is important by asking what are the things needed to be done first or by measuring the value of each task needed to be accomplished. It is essential to assess the things needed first to finish the right job at the right time.

2. Manage time properly

Get an early start. Doing things now instead of later is the ultimate secret that business people use to get more done, providing a schedule and record to help them track their activities and progress during the day. They reward themselves with a break that is short enough to avoid wasting time but long enough to refresh and clear their minds.

3. Know when to say ‘yes’ and when to say ‘no’

“I nourish myself by saying “no” when I mean no, and “yes” when I mean yes. I know what I want.”

What keeps people from saying ‘yes’ instead of ‘no’ (when they mean ‘no’) is the fear of losing opportunities. In some cases, there are people that don’t want to be rude to others and make others feel rejected, so they take the responsibility. But, it is all up to you. Come to think of it, everyone has their own desires and priorities in life. There is nothing wrong with saying ‘no’ to the things you don’t want and you are no longer interested in doing, as long as saying it will do no harm to others.

4. Begin with the end in mind

Business people have a clear picture of the goals they desire to achieve or to have at the end of the day, week, month or even year. It helps them focus more on important concerns. It also involves the idea of “believing in yourself” that you can do it. Efficient and timely strategies can lead to successfully achieving the goal. Nothing happens in waiting for things to come your way, so the most important step is to make it happen.

5. Keep on learning and finding new ways

Knowledge can be found everywhere. It is not only something people can get in school, but is also acquired through their personal experiences. Productive business people look for hobbies that will encourage their learning everyday. They explore. They are open to new great things that could help them grow mentally, physically, and emotionally.

6. Allocate resources efficiently

In business terms, resource allocation is the proper assignment and management of scarce resources to effectively support an organization’s goals. Management knows how to maximize their time (to get duties done before the deadline) and power (to create and accomplish more productive things everyday). They learn to value what they have today and create wise actions out of it, because not all things will be present at all times.

7. Use the right tools to stay productive

Productive tools can improve the level of productivity and maximize efficiency while working. Mobile phones, although not objectively stated, are obviously essential when dealing with your team, for example, in group projects, since it can bridge the gaps of communication with the members. With the rise of technology, productivity applications on mobile devices are highly useful and powerful and helps business people keep track of daily agendas and increase their productivity level.

8. Live for today

“Work smarter, not harder.”

Productive business people normally dwell on things they have yet to achieve, but they always have breaks intended to appreciate life and to focus in the ‘now.’ They avoid worrying about things regarding the future that can ruin the day.

9. Deal with the unexpected

Unexpected events can come anywhere, at any time, to anyone. Business people prepare for the worst. They learn to keep everything in mind to deliver a quick and meaningful response.

10. Get organized

Like beauty, organization comes from within. It has to start within oneself before other people can actually see it. Organized people know how to keep everything in its proper place. They carry a journal and love to make lists. They are busy categorizing so everything will fall into place.

regards

Dear All,

Please find below a good article for your reading:

Key Differences Between Successful People And Unsuccessful People

There is always a clear cut difference between the successful and the unsuccessful. The difference in habits and decisions give birth to what is either being talked about or what is not. Adjusting and aligning your thoughts with successful people will start to have a profound effect on how people see you. It will also help in understanding the daily habits that successful people use to fine tune their values and standards.

To define the actions of successful people, John Paul DeJoria, the billionaire behind brand names such as Paul Michell hair products and Patron tequila, explains what a ‘successful’ person is: “Successful people do all the things that unsuccessful people don’t want to do.”

Success has elements attached to it from hard work, determination and perseverance. It goes beyond the desire to be successful and reaches in to taking action to make a difference. This infographic offers more by explaining what extra factors the successful have over the unsuccessful.

Their success is dependent on the success of others

They understand that change is constant and they move with the trends rather than get stuck at a spot.

They are focused on getting their creativity juices going.

They are in charge of their success

Their desire for knowledge is unending

They are grateful and show genuine appreciation

They never burn bridges

regards

Questions To Ask Yourself To Stay Positive When Facing Difficulties

Everyone faces difficulties from time to time.  It’s a natural part of the cycle of life.  Just like we can’t really know hot without knowing cold, we can’t really know the good times if we don’t know bad times.  Sometimes the difficulties we face in life come from situations out of our control, and other times our difficulties are a direct consequence of the decisions we make.

In life, we cannot change events or their outcome.  We can, however, choose the emotion and meaning we attach to them.  It’s like the saying goes “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react”.  Our brains are designed to store information and then, at every single second of every day, when new information is received, our brains search for a reference memory to lay the foundation for our response.  Think about it, this is why if you have a bad experience on a roller coaster or eating a certain food, for the rest of your life you have an automatic impulse reaction whenever you come across them.

We have to retrain ourselves to see the positive in even the most challenging times.

Am I Still Breathing?

Sometimes the best we can do is breathe.  During overwhelmingly difficult times, our stress levels rise, our breathing gets shallow, and our body’s natural rhythm gets all out of whack.  At these times it’s essential to stop and ask yourself, ‘am I breathing?’.  If you are then, hey, you live to fight another day.  If you find yourself highly stressed out, take 10 minutes, find a quiet space, and just breathe deeply.  Diaphragmayic breathing has been shown to lower stress levels and helps relax your automatic nervous system.  One of the keys to staying positive is to be relaxed, and making sure you’re breathing correctly is the best way to start.

What Is My Part In This?

Notice this said your ‘part’, not your ‘fault’.  There’s a huge distinction in these two words.  One is acknowledging and accepting your responsibility for your current situation, the other is self-defeating and simply assigns blame.  Focusing on your part instead of just casting blame reduces the challenge you’re facing to a more manageable size.

What Is In My Control?

When life feels completely overwhelming, we often lose sight of those things we can change.  Assess your situation honestly, and look for those things you can control.  This will help you to feel more centered, more focused, and assist you in being able to tackle the challenge.

What Is Out Of My Control?

Sometimes there’s things we just cannot control.  Whether it’s other people, mother nature, or just plain bad timing, no matter how much we want to, we cannot control everything.  Take time to look at your difficulty, identify the things that are out of your control, and then let them go.  Too often we view the totality of our difficulties and it is overwhelming.  Being able to segregate what you can and cannot control makes the problem smaller, your stress levels lower, and often the path to the solution much clearer.

What Is My Emotional State?

Making decisions when we’re overcome with the emotions that are inherent in difficult times is about the worst thing we can do.  We’re more likely to make poor choices when we’re in the wrong emotional state.  Being able to recognize that we’re not ‘of our right mind’ in the middle of our trials allows us to stop, breathe, and get ourselves in a better emotional state, allowing us to make better decisions.  When we make better decisions, we’re more likely to feel better about our circumstances because it gives us a sense of empowerment.

What Is The Most Important Thing I Can Do Right Now?

Sometimes the best thing we can do is nothing.  Sometimes the best thing we can do is make a phone call.  Focusing on and doing the best thing you can do right now when in the midst of difficult times helps center you and relax your nervous system.  It also increases our confidence in ourselves that yes, we can weather this storm.  Progress is progress, no matter how small, and progress towards resolving a difficult situation will boost your self-esteem.

What Can I Learn From This?

With every difficulty comes a lesson.  As crazy as it sounds, if we can see even the smallest lesson, the smallest purpose in the trial we’re facing, it gives it positive value.  It also gives us an outcome to move towards, whether it’s improved health, more stability in finances, or fixing a broken relationship.  Suffering without purpose leads to a feeling of helplessness.  Shift your belief from “Why me?” to “What can I learn from this?” turns the challenge from just a random happenstance of bad luck into a problem to be solved.

Am I Taking Care Of Myself?

There’s an abundance of evidence that stress wreaks havoc on our physical health.  There’s also abundant evidence that our physical health directly impacts our mental health.  When challenges arise, the most common things we do are eat less, sleep less, and get less physical activity.  Overwhelming challenges have a tendency to cause us to completely shut down.  Don’t.  Sacrificing your physical health isn’t going to make the challenge go away any faster and may actually make the challenge worse because now you’re a physical wreck.  Maintain a normal sleep schedule.  Eat healthy.  Stay hydrated.  Get some physical activity.  Maintaining your physical state is a key to maintaining your mental and emotional states.

What Are My Choices?

Make a list.  Write them down.  Weigh the pros and cons.  Creating a list of choices brings clarity to the path we need to take to overcome the difficulty.  It also helps us realize that we actually have choices, which is a big thing when we feel powerless.

Will This Matter 5 Years From Now?

Don’t sweat the small stuff… and really, 95% of our difficulties are all small stuff.  Looking into the future and thinking about whether or not the current difficulty will matter 5 years from now often brings it into perspective.  We’re naturally oriented to turn molehills into mountains and imagine the worst possible outcome to every challenge.  If you’re having difficulty with this, try to think of a difficult time you faced 5 years ago that you thought was the ‘end of the world’.  Very few difficulties have the kind of impact that resonates through time.  Take heart and have faith that what you are facing now isn’t as bad as you’re imagining it to be.

Challenges and difficulties are a natural part of life.  We can stop from feeling overwhelmed by finding and focusing on the positive in our lives.

regards

Questions To Ask Yourself To Stay Positive When Facing Difficulties

Everyone faces difficulties from time to time.  It’s a natural part of the cycle of life.  Just like we can’t really know hot without knowing cold, we can’t really know the good times if we don’t know bad times.  Sometimes the difficulties we face in life come from situations out of our control, and other times our difficulties are a direct consequence of the decisions we make.

In life, we cannot change events or their outcome.  We can, however, choose the emotion and meaning we attach to them.  It’s like the saying goes “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react”.  Our brains are designed to store information and then, at every single second of every day, when new information is received, our brains search for a reference memory to lay the foundation for our response.  Think about it, this is why if you have a bad experience on a roller coaster or eating a certain food, for the rest of your life you have an automatic impulse reaction whenever you come across them.

We have to retrain ourselves to see the positive in even the most challenging times.

Am I Still Breathing?

Sometimes the best we can do is breathe.  During overwhelmingly difficult times, our stress levels rise, our breathing gets shallow, and our body’s natural rhythm gets all out of whack.  At these times it’s essential to stop and ask yourself, ‘am I breathing?’.  If you are then, hey, you live to fight another day.  If you find yourself highly stressed out, take 10 minutes, find a quiet space, and just breathe deeply.  Diaphragmayic breathing has been shown to lower stress levels and helps relax your automatic nervous system.  One of the keys to staying positive is to be relaxed, and making sure you’re breathing correctly is the best way to start.

What Is My Part In This?

Notice this said your ‘part’, not your ‘fault’.  There’s a huge distinction in these two words.  One is acknowledging and accepting your responsibility for your current situation, the other is self-defeating and simply assigns blame.  Focusing on your part instead of just casting blame reduces the challenge you’re facing to a more manageable size.

What Is In My Control?

When life feels completely overwhelming, we often lose sight of those things we can change.  Assess your situation honestly, and look for those things you can control.  This will help you to feel more centered, more focused, and assist you in being able to tackle the challenge.

What Is Out Of My Control?

Sometimes there’s things we just cannot control.  Whether it’s other people, mother nature, or just plain bad timing, no matter how much we want to, we cannot control everything.  Take time to look at your difficulty, identify the things that are out of your control, and then let them go.  Too often we view the totality of our difficulties and it is overwhelming.  Being able to segregate what you can and cannot control makes the problem smaller, your stress levels lower, and often the path to the solution much clearer.

What Is My Emotional State?

Making decisions when we’re overcome with the emotions that are inherent in difficult times is about the worst thing we can do.  We’re more likely to make poor choices when we’re in the wrong emotional state.  Being able to recognize that we’re not ‘of our right mind’ in the middle of our trials allows us to stop, breathe, and get ourselves in a better emotional state, allowing us to make better decisions.  When we make better decisions, we’re more likely to feel better about our circumstances because it gives us a sense of empowerment.

What Is The Most Important Thing I Can Do Right Now?

Sometimes the best thing we can do is nothing.  Sometimes the best thing we can do is make a phone call.  Focusing on and doing the best thing you can do right now when in the midst of difficult times helps center you and relax your nervous system.  It also increases our confidence in ourselves that yes, we can weather this storm.  Progress is progress, no matter how small, and progress towards resolving a difficult situation will boost your self-esteem.

What Can I Learn From This?

With every difficulty comes a lesson.  As crazy as it sounds, if we can see even the smallest lesson, the smallest purpose in the trial we’re facing, it gives it positive value.  It also gives us an outcome to move towards, whether it’s improved health, more stability in finances, or fixing a broken relationship.  Suffering without purpose leads to a feeling of helplessness.  Shift your belief from “Why me?” to “What can I learn from this?” turns the challenge from just a random happenstance of bad luck into a problem to be solved.

Am I Taking Care Of Myself?

There’s an abundance of evidence that stress wreaks havoc on our physical health.  There’s also abundant evidence that our physical health directly impacts our mental health.  When challenges arise, the most common things we do are eat less, sleep less, and get less physical activity.  Overwhelming challenges have a tendency to cause us to completely shut down.  Don’t.  Sacrificing your physical health isn’t going to make the challenge go away any faster and may actually make the challenge worse because now you’re a physical wreck.  Maintain a normal sleep schedule.  Eat healthy.  Stay hydrated.  Get some physical activity.  Maintaining your physical state is a key to maintaining your mental and emotional states.

What Are My Choices?

Make a list.  Write them down.  Weigh the pros and cons.  Creating a list of choices brings clarity to the path we need to take to overcome the difficulty.  It also helps us realize that we actually have choices, which is a big thing when we feel powerless.

Will This Matter 5 Years From Now?

Don’t sweat the small stuff… and really, 95% of our difficulties are all small stuff.  Looking into the future and thinking about whether or not the current difficulty will matter 5 years from now often brings it into perspective.  We’re naturally oriented to turn molehills into mountains and imagine the worst possible outcome to every challenge.  If you’re having difficulty with this, try to think of a difficult time you faced 5 years ago that you thought was the ‘end of the world’.  Very few difficulties have the kind of impact that resonates through time.  Take heart and have faith that what you are facing now isn’t as bad as you’re imagining it to be.

Challenges and difficulties are a natural part of life.  We can stop from feeling overwhelmed by finding and focusing on the positive in our lives.

Reasons Why People Who Read A Lot Are More Likely To Be Successful

We’re taught from a very young age that reading as much as possible is the pathway to success and fulfillment. Picture the smartest, hardest-working person you know, and chances are you picture them in a library poring over a variety of texts for hours on end. While simply being an avid reader does not ensure success, successful people are assuredly avid readers. And all of them have the following traits in common.

1. They have increased focus

Successful people are able to focus on one task for an elongated period of time. Anyone who’s read Atlas Shrugged can tell you reading isn’t a quick process. It’s also not a singular process. Readers take breaks, naturally, but the most avid reader simply cannot put a book down for longer than a day after they’ve dove into it. Successful people feel the same way about any task they set out to do.

2. They set goals

Along with focus, readers set goals for themselves whenever they sit down with a good book. Whether setting out to read a specific amount of pages before moving on to another activity, or deciding to read until a certain concept is solidified in their mind, readers actively try to accomplish something whenever they open a text. Successful people set goals for just about every moment of their life, and continue working toward the goal until they surpass it.

3.They spend time wisely

They might only have 20 minutes before they have to be somewhere, but instead of seeing “only 20 minutes” as not enough time to get anything done, they see it as 20 minutes that can be spent reading. Successful people view their time as incredibly valuable, and seize every opportunity they have to learn something new, or accomplish a goal. Readers realize that 5 wasted minutes every day over the course of a year is more than an entire 24 hours wasted that could have been spent reading.

4. They have perspective

Successful people are able to see all angles of an issue, because they have read a variety of literature from various perspectives. Two of Bill Clinton’s favorite novels are Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man and Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. The insight gained from reading these novels undoubtedly shaped his perspective in dealing with race relations as a politician. Being an avid reader allows you to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, if only for a moment; but once that moment’s over, you remember the experience for the rest of your life.

5. They are reflective

In addition to gaining perspective, readers are reflective about what they have read. While gaining perspective allows a person to see from the other side of the fence, being reflective allows them the opportunity to understand how they can be productive with their new-found perspective. Successful people see reading not as the simple act of staring at words on a page. They understand the profound effect that consuming a text can have on the mind, and how books can change a person’s life.

6. They have incredible writing and speaking skills

It’s no surprise that the greatest orators in human history have all been enthusiastic about reading. Successful people draw inspiration from their role models, and utilize this inspiration to further their cause. FromDemosthenes, to Lincoln, to Nelson Mandela, people who remain cemented in history became such passionate and well-spoken lecturers by studying the great minds before them.

7. They have increased memory

Readers understand just how powerful the brain really is. It can hold almost an unlimited capacity of information. The more you read and learn, the easier it becomes to retain information. Successful people don’t prescribe to Homer Simpson’s belief that learning something new pushes something old out. They simply continue to learn, and commit an incredible expanse of knowledge to memory, sometimes without even realising it.

8. They stay fresh

Great readers also see the brain as a muscle that needs to be worked. Just like going to the gym every day keeps your arms and legs in shape, reading keeps your mind sharp and able to easily retain knowledge. Successful people exercise their mind on a daily basis through reading and other methods such as crossword puzzles and brain teasers. Successful people habitually create challenges to overcome, which in turn improves their minds’ capability to solve increasingly larger problems every day.

9. They are educated and informed

Successful people rise to the top because they have spent their time on earth learning. When they pick up a book, they don’t do so just to finish it, but to take something away from it. Reading textbooks was never just a school assignment to be completed, but was a chance to expand their knowledge even further. Even while reading fictional novels, successful people take with them life lessons that they carry with them forever.

10. They read to relax

Even the most successful people need to tune out the world every once in a while. But this doesn't mean they turn their minds off completely. There is nothing wrong with reading a “trashy magazine” or graphic novel to unwind. Reading just about anything is more beneficial than watching television or wasting a Friday night at a bar. Again, successful people value every minute of their time, and even in their most idle moments they still strive to improve. And there’s no better way to chill out while keeping yourself fresh than with a good book.

Dear All,

Kindly find below a good article for your reading:

Ways To De-clutter Your life

One of the most important aspects of trying to organize your life is making sure that you have the space and time to actually live in the first place. Usually, a hectic lifestyle that is built around fighting fires and dealing with things one-by-one comes from having to de-clutter your lifestyle and remove some of the tedious tasks that many of us can get involved in from time to time.

If you want to start making plans to reduce your clutter, then these 5 ways to de-clutter your life should help massively.

1. Reduce your clutter at home

You might think that you do quite well to define what is useful, useless and anything in-between at home. The reality, though, might shock you. We all have a bit of a hoarder in us, and for homeowners this is extremely apparent – you need to start going through your home, thinking “Do I really need this item? Could this help someone else?”

When you start to cut through the nonsense that fills up your home you can make a genuine difference to your chances of long-term success. Your home is where you relax and take your mind off of clutter and mess, not bring it straight back on!

2. Find out which of your activities are not productive

We all find ourselves wasting a little time every now and then, on the basis that we have too much going on in our lives. If this sums you up to a T, then you need to start considering the various ways that you can de-clutter your life quickly and easily. Find out what activities you carry out on a regular basis, that aren’t really productive – or enjoyable – and stop it from being a regular habit. The amount of time and money that you can save just by cutting back on silly habits can be quite incredible.

3. Spend time only with people who make you happy

One of the easiest ways to waste your time and your patience is to hang around with people who aren’t positive individuals. It’s very easy to get yourself in a negative spiral and to think about all the bad things that might happen in the future – purely on the basis that the company you hang around with will influence your mood. Do you find that most of your friends are negative people who look at the “Don’t”s in this world, rather than the “Do”s?

If so, you need to change who you spend your time with. Being happy and feeling productive is a by-product of getting involved with the right kinds of individuals and hanging around with people who are likeminded. De-clutter by spending time with people who promote love, not guilt and shame.

4. Reduce your to-do list and get things done

If you can find that your “To-Do” list has at least ten things on it every day, this can be a problem as finding the time to do each of them efficiently and in the right manner can be a bit of a process on its own, never mind actually making a difference in the long-term.

So, instead of fighting fires and trying to get all of your tasks done as fast as you can why not consider the importance of de-cluttering your to-do list and making sure that you are working on a smaller set of tasks that you can truly concentrate on.

5. Set clear goals and follow them without beating around the bush

A lack of definition will kill anyone’s chances of being productive so if you want to make sure that you hit the right notes and that you are being productive, you should make sure that you set clearly defined goals which you can look back on with fondness in the future. Don’t let a lack of clarity hold you back forever.

regards