Are You Getting Overwhelmed?

Are you overworked and your in-tray is always full? As a husband and a father, you are caught in endless demands at work and at home. How do you avoid anxiety and feeling overwhelmed? There are many ways to escape from getting overloaded with too many things to do.    

1.       It’s in your mind: The feeling of being overwhelmed starts with your thinking. You may be trying to deal with a lot of work, but do not think of being overwhelmed. Stay cool, calm, and collected to lessen the impact of having to do so much in so little time.  Your negative feelings will aggravate the situation. 

2.       Plan: The more you need to do the more you need to spend some time to do the planning. Assess the whole situation and decide what you can do and plan accordingly. Planning is half a battle won.  It’s a relief when you know from the outset what to expect and when to get things done.

3.       Do what is important: Do not bother with a small staff, simplify your life by concentrating on what is important to you. Activities about your goals, career, and family are important issues not to be ignored. You get peace of mind when you do the right thing at the right time.  

4.       To-do list: A daily to-do list is a wonderful tool to organize your day. With the list, you will feel at ease. The tasks are prioritized according to their importance. When the major tasks are done the rest of the things will take care of themselves. The other important psychological plus point is that you get the satisfaction of crossing out an item when It is done.

5.       One thing at a time: Just get into the process of getting the task at hand done without thinking of other work. Mindfulness is the key to get things done smoothly without feeling stressed.

6.       Tidy up your workplace: Too many things on your desk can get you overwhelmed. Tidy your workplace and place a pot of plants on your desk to brighten your mood and cheer you up. Feeling good about yourself is a wonderful way to get down to work.

7.       Delegate: You can’t manage your work all by yourself. Delegate and share responsibilities.  It is one great way to get things done within a limited time.

8.       Take breaks: Work smart by taking deserving breaks to reduce stress, renew your energy and clear the clutter in your mind. Have a cup of coffee and chat with your colleagues. When you resume work after a brief interval you are refreshed. 

9.       Breathe deeply: When you are busy at work, learn to relax, breathe slowly and deeply right down to your stomach. It is an effective way to relieve stress and promote mental health.

10.   Effective Habits: Develop the habit of doing it now. Do not allow things to accumulate, complete today’s tasks today. This is one great way to clear your work and get things done without feeling overwhelmed.

Next time you are feeling overwhelmed remember the quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, 'The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.’

Catherine Pulsifer

Are You Financially Successful?

Financial success is a measurement of your personal finance management skills and not a yardstick of your wealth. How you manage your wealth is more important than how wealthy you are. It is because your fortune can be wiped out by a single bad habit such as gambling. Find out how good you are at managing your money:

1.                  Habit for Savings: You have had this habit since young. You have got used to the habit of saving what is leftover instead of spending it all. Regular savings and compound interest work hand in hand to accumulate a substantial amount over time.

2.                  Control the urge to get more wants on credit: Live according to your means and not to compete with others. Who cares what you have got? The only thing is that you have a debt to worry about.   

3.                  Creditworthiness: When you need to get a personal loan, a guarantor is not required.  You can be trusted by financial institutions that you are unlikely to default on loan repayments. One indication of your creditworthiness is your prompt payment of credit card bills.

4.                  Debt-free: It is usually about your credit card debts. More often than not, you have incurred these extra expenses and the things you want and not what you need. You are debt-free because you are in control.

5.                  Effective budget: You plan your budget and you work your budget and there is a surplus fund every month to match what you have budgeted.

6.                  There is a fund for emergency purposes: There is no need to look for funds outside. You are ready to meet urgent medical expenses or unexpected outlays.  

7.                  You have started saving for your children’s tertiary education and your retirement: You have started early to save because you know only a small amount is required. 

8.                  When you retire you have fully settled your housing loan: You enjoy financial independence during your retirement because you are debt-free and you have built various passive income streams to support your living standard.

9.                   Your net worth is growing: Every year when you compile your net worth sheet you note that the amount is growing. It means you are richer than before.

10.      No bad habits: Gambling, smoking and excessive drinking are not what you like. You live a prudent and healthy lifestyle.

11.      Invest wisely: You do not believe in quick gain. You understand solid investment is for the long term. You investigate thoroughly before you part with your hard-earned money.

12.      Adequate insurance coverage: You do not leave things to chance. You take up insurance coverage to meet unexpected expenses due to accidents or critical illnesses. Your properties are also insured against perils such as fire and flood.

13.      Manage wisely when you are no longer around: You know it is not too early to draw a will for the proper distribution of your wealth to loved ones in a hassle- freeway. When you are not there, they will not encounter financial difficulties.

I came to realize that my money problems, worries, and shortages largely began and ended with the person in my mirror. I realized also that if I could learn to manage the character I shaved with every morning, I would win with money.
~ Dave Ramsey

Adopting the Ways of Successful People

Successful people share common traits even though they are unique and outstanding in their own ways. By reading books about successful people I have found that the following factors contribute to their success in life:

1.      Goals: Successful people have a purpose in their minds. They have a clear vision for their desired future. They are passionate and they live according to their core values. Having meaningful goals is to focus and direct your energy to worthwhile causes without wasting your effort and valuable time.

2.    Perseverance: The willpower to continue and do what they believe in is their hallmark of success. Despite setbacks and problems and nothing seems to happen, they carry on consistently and persistently until they meet their objectives. There is no overnight success.

3.      Good habits: Some of the good habits are that they are early risers, they write things down. They don’t waste and they are thrifty. At work, they are mindful and focus on what is important and they are willing to learn from others. Follow those who are successful, change and replace your bad habits with good ones.

4.      Change: They are also flexible people. They are fully aware that if you don’t change you will get the same result every time. They make changes to improve and be progressive. When something is not working remember to do it in a different way. 

5.      Do it now: Successful people are enthusiastic. They are self-disciplined and eager to get things done. Procrastination is not in their dictionary. You know what to do but to be successful you need to take action and do it now.

6.      Positive mental attitude: Successful people are confident, optimistic in their outlook and failures are no deterrent to them, they learn and move on. Think positive and feel good about yourself to achieve your aims.

7.      Healthy and fit: Successful people are energetic. They exercise their body and mind to stay in shape with an alert mind. To be fully charged move more often.

8.    Hard work: Success is about investing time and effort. You need to constantly motivate yourself to work diligently. According to Thomas Edison Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.

9.      Give: What they do is useful and is what others are looking for. In the blogosphere, you learn about simplicity from Leo Babauta. You can learn a lot from Darren Rowse to make money on the Net and get insight from Brian Clark for effective writing online. You give others what they need and you will get what you want. For me, I want to motivate others to take action and change their life for the better in every way.

10.  Creative: They imagine, they explore possibilities and they come up with bright ideas. They differentiate themselves because of their creativity and innovation in doing things in a unique and original style. In life, like writing articles, you cannot copy and get noticed and be successful. Do it your way is the best way to succeed.  

Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally.  ~David Frost

Are you prepared to be in debt?

Are you thinking of taking a loan to purchase your first house or to buy your dream car? The question is: Are you ready to obtain financial assistance from a financial institution and be committed? Let us examine several issues about getting into debt:

1.      Do you need a loan: The wise thing to do is to get a loan for what you need and not what you want. When you get a loan you are going to pay not just the amount borrowed but interest on the loan as well. The larger the loan, the longer it takes for you to repay the loan, the more you will have to pay for the interest. The other thing to consider is that the loan, for the purchase of a house or a car, is secured by the financial institution as collateral. In the event of a default, the house or the car will be disposed of off to settle the outstanding balance of the loan. So the house you live in or the car that you are driving around is not yours until you fully settle the loan. However, it is very common to get a loan to purchase a house or a car.

2.      Shop around: Do your homework and shop around because interest is an important factor. There are two types of interest rates: fixed and variable. Get a loan that suits your need.

3.      Part of a monthly budget:  The other more critical factor to consider is that the monthly loan repayments must be within your means. Be a responsible borrower and make sure to factor in the amount in your monthly budget. Perhaps it is even better to save for a bigger down payment so that the monthly amount to pay is even smaller.

4.      Commitment: When you have taken up a loan, it is your duty to honor it. You need to uphold your creditworthiness. It is also a moral obligation to return what you have borrowed. How do you feel when someone borrows some money from you and never sees you again? Fulfill your commitment.

5.      Car loan: A car loan is of special concern. The key is not to borrow too much for too long a time. A motor vehicle is a depreciating asset.  Its value decreases as years go by. In the event of a default, you may need to top up the difference despite the fact that the bank has already repossessed and sold your vehicle. It is because its value is very much less than the amount you owe the bank. Consider buying a small car with a small loan for a short duration.

Debt is beautiful only after it is repaid.  ~ Russian proverb

Be motivated Be Successful

You are motivated by something you want in life because you think it is attainable and achievable. How do you keep the fire burning inside you to stay motivated? Here are some suggestions.

1. Thoughts: Thoughts are powerful. Your beliefs, your attitude, and your feelings are what you think. When you think positively you direct your energy and effort to worthwhile causes.

2. Create a vision and live it up: It starts with an idea that you have conceived and you imagine what you will see in the future with a grand plan. You set goals and you have a direction in life. You are motivated when life is meaningful and hopeful

3. Plan: Put in writing your long-term goals and short-term goals. Plan your monthly, weekly, and daily tasks. When you can see clearly your action plan to reach your goals, you stay motivated.

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4. Take action:  Planning your work is good but working on your plan is even more important to realize your goals. Avoid procrastination and take immediate action. Just focus and get into the process of doing it one step at a time without thinking of the future. Taking action is motivation by itself. 

5. Focus: Be productive and avoid doing tasks that are not relating to your goals. In a way, this is to simplify your life to do less but getting more done. A to-do list is an effective way to prioritize your work for the day. You are not overwhelmed or under stress and you stay motivated.

6. Making progress: Monitor and assess your performance at regular intervals.  When you are making progress, you know what you have done is working. You will be happy to carry on because you are motivated by what you have achieved.

7        Energy:  Your energy is an important factor to fortify your willpower and the determination to keep going on despite setbacks and hardship along the way. Exercise regularly to keep fit, have your breakfast, and sleep sufficiently to renew your energy. Be wise to take breaks to relieve stress.

8        Stay positive: When you wake up, you get up with a positive frame of mind. Think of the .things to do for the day to bring you closer to your aims and objectives. Be upbeat and be confident to stay motivated

9        Keep your eye on the prize:  Have you got your goals in writing so that you can see and look at them conspicuously every day? Look at the big picture every now and then and be  motivated by the fruits of your success

10    Creative: While one of the components of vision is to plan intelligently for the future, creativity is the way to do it with a difference. Be motivated to get things done and get ahead of others with your unique and original ideas.

People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.

~ Andrew Carnegie

Effective Ways to Build a Successful Career

You have already started building your career long before you get your first job. Over the years you have mounded your belief system, core values, and interests. You are what you have done until now and you are more likely to continue to do what you feel is comfortable for you.  Here are the things that you can do to develop your career.

1. Know yourself: The thing that you usually do to occupy your time is what you are interested in, such as drawing or looking inside a CPU. Find out how you can expand your particular interest and develop it into a meaningful and challenging career.

2. Career decision-making: Before you embark on the long journey of a working career. You need to acquire knowledge and education. It should be in line with your aspiration, interests, and core values. The other thing is to make sure that there is a demand for the expertise that you are going to equip yourself with.

3. Career path: The objective of your career is to seek progress and growth which brings you satisfaction and happiness in life. It is not necessary or warranted that you stick with one establishment for many years. You need to change to widen your horizon and adopt new skills to deal with changing situations. 

4. Build energy: Along the career pathway, you need to build and sustain energy for the long haul. Taking care of your health and fitness is one effective way to stay alert and energetic. Be highly charged to cope with stress at the workplace.   

5. Build your brand: Your brand is what others perceive you. The most important thing is to build your reputation and the trust of others in you. Your brand is more than your job title, it is about how you get things done and also the way you carry yourself and interact with others,

6. Networking: Building a circle of influence is essential for your career growth and success.  It is good to learn from others and share what you know for mutual benefit.   These are the people that you can depend on when the need arises like looking for a new job.

7. Get noticed: Promote yourself and be opened to opportunities. Start a blog and broadcast your area of expertise and be noted by others. It is the best way to get connected with the right people.

8. Lifelong learning: An attitude of open-mindedness is the right way to sustain your career. Learning new knowledge and acquiring new skills is the way to be more productive at work. 

9. Family: Do not pursue your career goals at the expense of your family, the key is a balanced life. When you are at work, work hard and work smart. When it is time to be with your family, do not bring work home. You will vibrate your harmony and happiness at home to your workplace as well.

To find a career to which you are adapted by nature, and then to work hard at it, is about as near to a formula for success and happiness as the world provides. One of the fortunate aspects of this formula is that granted the right career has been found, the hard work takes care of itself. Then hard work is not hard work at all.  ~  Mark Sullivan

Be Successful Through Perseverance

According to the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, perseverance is the determination to keep trying to achieve something in spite of difficulties.

忍 (ren)is the word in Chinese. You will notice in this Chinese character there is a knife （刃 ren）on top pointing at the heart (心 xin) at the bottom. The meaning of the word is about patience and endurance. What is more important is that it fully illustrates the virtue of extreme perseverance. How do you effectively embrace the practice of patience and endurance?

1.                       No overnight success: Usually you will only see the glamorous aspect when someone is successful because he or she is in the spotlight. What you may not know is that the person has endured years of setbacks and hardship in order to achieve what he or she wants in life. It is the person’s persistence that pays off.

2.                      Purpose in life: You carry on because you clearly know what you want and you go all out to get it. You have a clear vision of your desired future.

3.                  Be resourceful: An inquisitive mind and attitude are important to learn new things and adopt better ways to get things done effectively. 

4.           Be creative: Solving problems and getting over setbacks requires creativity. The ability to overcome hurdles in life reduces the stress of going after your goals.   

5.         Belief: You are committed when you keep your goals clearly in sight. You believe yourself and you persist when nothing seems to happen. You exercise patience.

6.                   Change and improve: When things are not going as you have planned, it is important to make changes, try new ways of doing things. This is the only way to improve and make progress. 

7.             Hard work: You can work smart and be productive but you still have to put in a lot of time and effort to realize your dreams. Nothing comes easy.

8.                       Spiritual well-being: Meditate to get peace of mind and ward off negative thoughts from entering your mind.

9.                       A healthy lifestyle: To fortify your willpower to succeed in the long haul, be fit and energetic to withstand pressure and stress.

10.            Be upbeat: Be optimistic about the future and always be cheerful and happy to maintain high spirits in you.
11.                        Be Motivated: I started blogging and writing articles in 2007. For the first three years, there were very few visitors to my blog. I have persisted and now I can see more activities at my site. My Alexa Traffic Rank has gone up from 7 digits to 700,000 plus. I am truly thrilled and motivated. Rejoice and get excited when you make progress along the way.

With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable.  ~Thomas Foxwell Buxton

Be Tech Savvy Be Ahead with a Tablet

Technology evolves from tabletop PC to laptop, notebook, netbook and now tablet. According to Wikipedia, a tablet personal computer is a portable tablet-sized personal computer equipped with a touchscreen as a primary input device and designed to be operated and owned by an individual.  What are the advantages of owning a tablet such as iPad2, which is now the latest craze?

1. Productivity: It is more than just sending and receiving emails. Video mirroring makes it possible to share what’s on your iPad with an even bigger screen and an even bigger audience.  Just attach the Apple Digital AV Adapter to your iPad, and you can watch a movie in your living room on your HDTV or do a presentation in a conference room on an HD projection screen.  On iPad, you can review and edit common office documents such as Microsoft Office and iWork files. You can also create beautiful presentations from scratch, craft complex spreadsheets, annotate PDFs, and access important files on your corporate network.    

2. Internet: A tablet allows you to surf the net, connect online with people through its various social media applications and internet services.

3. Multimedia: It is a joy to listen to music and  watch movies with your tablet

4. E-reading and education: The best part of a tablet is that you can catch up with your reading like holding a book. With the iPad, the classroom is always at your fingertips.  Students can track their assignments, take notes, and study for finals. Teachers can give lessons, monitor progress, and stay organized.

5. Games:  Play Angry Birds is not just for the fun of it, but also to relieve your stress. This is what you can do with your tablet after a hard day’s work in the office

6. Cameras and video recording: According to Apple you’ll see two cameras on iPad — one on the front and one on the back. They’re designed for FaceTime video calling. The front camera puts you and your friend face-to-face. Switch to the back camera during your video call to share where you are, who you’re with, or what’s going on around you. When you’re not using FaceTime, let the back camera roll if you see something movie-worthy. It’s HD, so whatever you shoot is a mini-masterpiece. And you can take wacky snapshots in Photo Booth. It’s the most fun a face can have. Get connect face to face or take vivid images.

7. Wireless printing: You can print what you see on an iPad with a new generation of wireless printers from HP.

According to the Bible, the Ten Commandments were inscribed on two stone tablets that were given to Moses by God on top of Mount Sinai. You are now more than in command with your tablet. You connect, communicate, educate, inform, learn and are enlightened not just by the Ten Commandments but much, much more.

7 Effective Ways to Avoid Bankruptcy

According to the president of the Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations (Fomca), Datuk N. Marimuthu, half of those declared bankrupt because of credit card debts are below the age of 30. How do you avoid being declared bankrupt?

1.  Financial Education: it is essential to start young to learn about personal finance. Getting more information about savings, household budget, net worth, proper use of credit cards, good and bad debt, insurance, and estate planning are necessary to be more knowledgeable about managing money.

2.  Budget: The key is to plan your budget and work your budget diligently.  The main objective is to match your expenses including regular savings, housing, and hire-purchase loans within your take-home pay. The outcome is to avoid overspending and falling into the debt trap.

3.  Emergency Fund: The beauty of an emergency fund is like a first aid kit. It is to address unexpected happenings such as getting retrenched or incurring expenses due to an accident or an illness.  The money will tide you over the critical period to meet all your normal monthly expenses for a couple of months until the situation is back to normal.

4.  Avoid bad habits and more wants in life: Gambling is the fastest route to declare bankruptcy.  Avoid it at all costs. Do not spend more than what you have. Self-discipline and self-control are required to curb the urge to get more wants. If it is beyond your control, you will get into debt and are likely to be bankrupt.

5.  Avoid using credit cards: This is especially true for those young graduates who have just entered the job market. The smart way is to use a debit card to get the feel of using a plastic card. When you use a debit card, the amount that you charge to your card is directly deducted from your bank account. The amount that you can spend on your card is limited by the fund available in your account. There is no way to overspend and get into unmanageable debt.

6.  Pay in cash: Instead of getting a personal loan,   save for the amount to buy big-ticket items you need.

7.  Increase your earning power: When you want to spend more just earn more. Learn and equip yourself with more marketable skills. Utilize your expertise such as writing skills to create part-time earnings. Write articles for newspapers and magazines. Turn your hobby like photography into a source of income as a photographer. Invest wisely and create  passive income streams 

Before you speak, listen. Before you write, think. Before you spend, earn. Before you invest, investigate. Before you criticize, wait. Before you pray, forgive. Before you quit, try. Before you retire, save. Before you die, give.

Effective Ways to be a Successful Personal Brand

How do people remember you when your name is mentioned? You may be the finance director of a company but you are referred to as the whistleblower. That attribute is your brand. People remember you for what you do and it is more than your job title. How do you build a brand for yourself?  Here are the ways to do it:

1. Self-assessment: Who are you? What are your core values and passion? What are your talents and accomplishment? What do you want to stand for? What you are today is what you have done until now. Get to know more about yourself

2. Establish your brand: Express yourself clearly and distinctly what you want to stand for. Your brand should be in the area of your expertise and what you are interested in. Write an elevator pitch to identify yourself. This is my  example:

As a writer/blogger, I write and post daily on my blog articles about self-improvement relating to health, work, money, family, and relationships. Read my articles and get motivated to transform your life for the better.

You can even add a tagline. One good example I still can remember is the American Express Card –  Don't Leave Home Without It.

3. Target audience: Who are your customers or your audience? Here is my audience snapshot as taken from Alexa:  allaboutlivingwithlife.blogspot.com is visited more frequently by users who are in the age range 35-44, have children, are college-educated and browse this site from home. When I know my readers I am in a better position to write for their needs  

4. Develop your brand: One good way to develop your brand is to start a blog and write articles to enlighten your audience. Create a Facebook profile and a LinkedIn profile to project your brand. It is also important to work consistently to promote the image of your brand such as the way you dress and the way you talk. Your business cards should also reflect your brand identity.  Be sincere and respectful when you interact with people.

5. Sustain your brand: To keep your brand fresh it is important to innovate and come up with unique and original ideas. You need to monitor your performance and adjust accordingly so that you are going in line with your brand. Always be clear, consistent, and constant about your brand

Building a brand is about building reputation and trust. Gaining trust is about your promise to deliver and what others have experienced according to their expectation. Getting trust can only be earned. The most important thing is to know how others perceive you. A successful brand gets you fulfillment, satisfaction, and happiness.

Envisage Your Vision Create Your Future

According to the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, vision is the ability to think about or plan the future with great imagination and intelligence. How do you go about creating your vision for the desired future and be successful? Here are the things that you can do:

1. An idea: Your vision starts with an idea.  Conceive an idea and let your imagination run wild. Explore all the possibilities.  Your vision is your preferred future and also your goals. It is what you believe in and incorporating your core values. Create a vision statement to aspire and inspire you to achieve the desired results.

2. Foresight and insight: It is also important for you to foresee and prepare wisely for the future. A clear deep understanding of a situation or foresight is required

3. Preparation: As you have visualized your future, it is time to plan and chart your journey in life. Capitalize on your experience, expertise, and creativity to work out a workable plan and work hard on it.

4. Belief: Adopt a positive attitude. Be full of hope and be confident of the fulfilment of your vision. There will be setbacks and problems along the way but they will not dampen your spirits. The key is perseverance as there is no instant success. One effective way is to picture the end results clearly in your mind.

5. Learning: To learn is to gain understanding. Continue to explore new knowledge to be more resourceful and productive. Be flexible and adapt to constant changes. 

6. It is ongoing: The vision that you have created is not a one-off activity. Changing situations demand different ways of doing things. Look at it and do revisions from time to time. 

7. Review: Look at your plan and monitor your progress, make the necessary adjustment to stay on course. A clear vision directs your energy and motivates you. You focus your attention in the right direction. You will be happy  and successful when you truly know what you want in life

I think there is something, more important than believing: Action! The world is full of dreamers, there aren’t enough who will move ahead and begin to take concrete steps to actualize their vision. ~ W. Clement Stone

Be Successful with Positive Self-Awareness

One aspect of self–awareness is the ability to look at yourself critically to identify your strong points to grow and weak points to minimize. Getting to know yourself better is also to make changes and live a better life. 

Understand yourself: Do you understand your attitudes, thoughts, and feelings? Do you know your habits? What are your passion and interests? How do you respond to things and how do you treat others? What are your strengths and weaknesses? To know yourself is the starting point to transform your life.

Attitudes: Be aware of your attitudes, it is expressed outwardly by how you behave and how you do things. Positive thoughts will contribute to a positive mental attitude and act with an open mind.

Self-esteem: Knowing yourself and accepting yourself with all your strengths and weaknesses is a way to build your self-esteem. You learn to be happy as what you are.

Be prepared: According to Weisinger, by developing self-awareness through these five elements (understand what is important to you, understand how your experience things, know what you want, know how you feel, and know how other people see you) you will be more prepared to make decisions to your satisfaction and to those who interact with you.

Emotions: To understand your emotions and feeling is to gain better self-control.  Manage your emotions so that you can think clearly and act wisely. Experience more positive emotions and be joyful, confident, and hopeful.  The ability to handle stress is an effective way to manage negative emotions and avoid the outburst of anger or rage.

Benefits of goal setting: One big benefit of goal setting is to direct your energy and resources working on your goals to achieve your dreams. You think of what you want in life, what you like to do, and what you can do. The most important thing is that your goals are consistent with your beliefs and core values.

Accept and improve: Be responsible and be willing to accept setbacks and mistakes without putting blame on others. Learn from your shortcomings and be wiser the next time.

Self-awareness for effective changes: Knowing yourself better facilitates making effective changes. When you are aware that you always procrastinate, you are willing to change and find ways to motivate yourself to take prompt action.

Be happy: When you get to know yourself better, you are able to change and direct your thinking in a positive way. You express love, kindness, appreciation, and gratitude. You feel good inside out and you enjoy happiness ultimately.

You can't understand the world and how you respond to it until you first know yourself. You can't change the things you don't like about yourself until you search out the things that influence you and motivate you and hurt you.
Stedman Graham

Effective Ways to Personal Development

One of the advantages of personal development is to develop your talents and turn them into a roaring success. There are many things that you can do to improve yourself. The most important thing is to take action and do it now:

1. Personal growth: Develop a self-belief system to promote your self-respect, self-esteem, and self-confidence. Focus on your capabilities and build a personal brand in what you are good at.

2. Goals and action plan: What are your passion and interests?  Explore all possibilities to develop your potential. Set goals and make a plan to realize your dreams in life.

3. Change and good habits: Take responsibility for your life and make changes for the better. Changes are about getting rid of bad habits and replacing them with good ones. Getting up early, giving  up smoking and gambling, and controlling your weight are some of the positive changes  you can make

4. Communication: An important area for improvement is to polish your communication skills. Learn to speak clearly, precisely, and fully to get the messages across effectively. Listen attentively to understand the need of others.  Be assertive and ask for what you want. When you do not tell, nobody knows why you want.

5. Physical growth: Be more active physically. Have a balanced diet and don’t skip your breakfast. Have enough sleep to renew your energy.  Learn to unwind and relax to reduce stress.

6. Social growth: Getting interested in other people is the way to build effective relationships. Find out what you can do for others. Others will appreciate your attention and take notice of you.

7. Intellectual growth: Continuous learning is the way to get ahead and stay ahead. Be alert to changes that are taking place around you and be ready to adopt new ways of doing things.

8. Personal financial growth: Stay out of debt and build your wealth.  Live within your means according to your budget. Set aside an amount for an emergency fund and save for your children’s education and your retirement.

9. Spiritual and emotional growth:  Create good feelings in you. Meditate to improve your focus and concentration. Be kind, honest, charitable, grateful, respectful, and humble. Show gratitude and appreciation. All these will boost your inner peace and a calm mind.

10. Career growth: Decide and plan your career path. It is crucial to acquire more skills and be a more valuable employee in the workplace. Be more productive and willing to leave your comfort zone and make changes for the better.

11. Develop Creativity: When you are creative, you differentiate yourself and be ahead of others. Whatever you do, be original and unique to stand out among the crowd

12. Positive attitude:  Attitudes are thoughts and feelings that lead to action. You do not complain or swear but react to things with a cool calm and collected mind. You learn from the past setbacks and mistakes, live in the present by avoiding making the same mistakes, and plan wisely for the future.

13. Core values: Your values are what you think, how you feel, and the way you act.  When you think trust is important, you have the urge to deliver what you have promised and you act promptly to do so. What are your core values? Living a life in accordance with your core values is to live a fulfilling life.

14. Be happy: Happiness is a positive attitude. It is what you think and how you feel inside. Wake up and get early and tell the world that you are going to be happy throughout the whole day. Act cheerfully and smile at people you meet. Others will find you likable and approachable.

Change and growth take place when a person has risked himself and dares to become involved with experimenting with his own life.
Herbert Otto

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