Motivate yourself with positive self-talk

Let me tell you a quick story. When I was working in the Beer industry I was intrigued by our top ten successful Bar and Hotel owning customers. The majority of them, to put it tactfully, didn’t seem to be particularly sophisticated business people. In other words, they didn’t seem to have had any kind of business training or acquired any qualifications.

I was discussing with my boss one day how these people had become so successful and he said - “They don’t know they can’t do it. You and I Alan see the pitfalls, we know about business and we see all the ways we could fail. These people only see how they’ll succeed.

As you’ll gather, this was a pretty powerful message for me - these successful business owners were talking to themselves in a much more positive way than less successful people.

Your level of success in terms of your happiness, emotional wellbeing and anything else you desire is a direct result of how you talk to yourself. The most important relationship you’ll ever have is the one you have with yourself.

Listen to the self-talk that goes on in your head and ask yourself - “Is what I’m saying allowing me to be confident, on top and going for it?” If so - great! “Or is it holding me back and stopping me achieve my goals?” If this is the case - STOP IT, change the program!

By talking to yourself in a positive manner, you’ll start to feel physically better. Words have an enormous power to create change in the chemistry of your body. Your heart rate, blood pressure, muscles, nerves and breathing will all react to the words you say to yourself.

Take a moment to say some words to yourself such as -”Holidays, warm sunshine, sandy beaches, swimming, chilled beer, delicious food. Are you starting to get good feelings? I hope you are. Maybe words like home, family, children or Christmas give you some good feelings. Or how about the word “sex?” I bet that could change the chemistry of your body.

So think about the things you say to yourself and make every statement in the present tense. Don’t say, for example - “I’m going to make a success of this business” or “I’m going to get organised,” or “I’m going to be much more confident.”

Say - “I am totally in control of my life. I am totally confident and positive. I’m achieving my goals. I have determination and drive.” What you’re actually doing here is re-programming your subconscious. If you talk to yourself in a positive way, that’s what your subconscious will focus on.

Top sports people know all this stuff; they know that they need to talk to themselves in a positive way to be successful. Research has proved that the success of the world’s top golfers is determined by 20 per cent physical ability and 80 per cent mental ability. In the day-to-day tasks that we face in our life, we should be no different from sports people.

If you talk to yourself in a negative way - that’s what your subconscious will focus on. If you think illness, you’ll become ill. If you think doom and gloom - that’s what you’ll get. But if you think - health happiness and success -you’re already there.

Let me finish on another short story. In the city where I live, parking a car can be difficult. Say for example I need to visit a bookstore and I decide to take my car. I say to myself - “I’m going to park my car outside the bookstore.” If I have someone with me they’ll inevitably say - “You’re nuts Alan, you’ll never get parked there, far better to park several blocks away in a quieter area.” And guess what -most of the time I park outside the bookstore. It doesn’t happen all the time but talking to yourself in a positive way is much more likely to get you the results you want.

Put this to the test right away; for the next 7 days listen to what you say to yourself and if it’s negative, change it to something more positive and you’ll start to feel better, look better and have much more success.

Discover the “3″ Secrets of team motivaion. Alan Fairweather - “The Motivation Doctor” -is the author of “How to get More Sales by Motivating Your Team” To receive your free newsletter and free ebooks, visit: www.howtogetmoresales.com

INDIA: Looking Ahead

India, the emerging superpower. India, the resurgent economy.

Well, these are just a couple of headlines that India has made
during the recent past.

Questions have been asked about the validity of such optimism.
After all, those who have known India closely also know of its
vulnerabilities. Corruption, politics, insufficient
infrastructure are some of the concerns an average Indian faces.
Yet, we would like to believe that India is indeed the emerging
global power in reckoning.

India’s strength lies in its diversity of culture and thought.
While it is arguable whether the diversity and difference of
opinion might be due to ethnic and related genetic factors,
there is no doubt that it is difficult to find another place
with such variety of skill & intellect. Traditionally known as
an agrarian society, India has its presence felt in hi-tech
areas of nuclear science, biotechnology and space engineering.

While India’s population growth rate and thus the population is
among the highest in the world, it is also one of the largest
customer base for multinationals of all products, right from
cosmetics to heavy engineering to automobiles. A mere 2% of the
target Indian population makes for the entire market of other
countries. If you’d like to know more, sample this; the Indian
market size of cardio-vascular medicines is larger than the
entire pharmaceutical industry of Australia.

This sheer size of India makes it a favorite destination for
businesses of all types. This size also determines the available
of the best skills at the most reasonable rates. A highly
educated and technically qualified English speaking talent pool
serves as the heart of the world’s favorite outsourcing
destination.

Yes, we have a problem with the infrastructure because we simply
can’t cope with the rising pressure. The demand for growth in
infrastructure is higher than the rate at which we have managed
to grow. But then we also have global partners for
infrastructure growth.

Corruption and politics and often uttered in a single breath in
India. May be we need to rethink the way our Constitution allows
the multi-party politics and make way for amendments that will
make the numbers’ game of absolute majority simpler so that
regional political representatives do not adopt arm-twisting
ways in national policies. After all, if you as a political
party who do not have a national presence, which again is well
defined in the Constitution as to what makes a national party
and a regional party, then you shouldn’t be dictating terms for
people who haven’t heard of you.

There have been a few cases of where religious sentiments ruled
over reason. Didn’t politics have to do something with it?

I recently watched a movie where a character comments that no
country is perfect. For that matter, individuals, nation’s
smallest building blocks, even an individual is not perfect.
Well, that’s it. No one’s perfect. The key to succeed lies in
identifying the strengths and buildings on them in the process
negate the weaknesses.

India has a rich cultural heritage and is known for its
pluralism. India has emerged victorious after centuries of
aggression. We are the world’s destination for medical and
eco-tourism. Indian spiritualism and Yoga are the most sought
after healing techniques. The Indian democracy is the world’s
largest. The Indian railway network is one of the world’s
largest and no one else carries more passengers. The Indian
telecom industry is among the world’s fastest growing. India is
powerful destination for top multinationals with their
production units to cater to markets elsewhere. India has a
sizable urban populace with large spare income and high spending
potential making India the target for all consumer and personal
products of leading multinationals. The land of Gandhi,
Rabindranath Tagore, Amartya Sen and many more greats have shown
the world ways to peace, freedom and prosperity and continue to
bring ideas and concepts for a better world. Let us recognize
the strength of India and move ahead.

Please send your comments on this article to
pkdasgupta@connectinfomedia.com

February is for the Self-Valentine Treatment!

Aaah yes, the month of February is upon us. What comes to mind? Visions of red hearts, chocolate and flowers? Romance, love and a significant other? February is synonymous with Valentine’s Day. The day when another special someone treats you and you treat this special person, and remind each other of the romantic love you are fortunate to share together.

Although, Valentine’s Day seems sweet, it can also go sour when you feel pressed to long for love and romance especially when there may not be any significant other with whom to don your heart and receive your flowers. Uuggh, another year without that special treatment from a love! Look, all of us have been there at one time or another.

Whether you are celebrating Valentine’s Day with a special someone, or feeling like you are missing out, or are avoiding it altogether, learn to welcome the month of February in another light. February can be that month when you treat yourself as though you are your own lover. Sounds freaky, but it is not. Actually, make the 14th of this month special for you even if you do not have another to share it with. Consider turning all of February into that amazing month during the year when you focus on ways to honor yourself and not wait for another to make you feel special. You can feel special by your own doing and in the process of doing so, increase your self-esteem, build your self-worth, and interesting enough, set the stage for that “special someone” to walk into your life and treat you as you would treat yourself! (Hopefully, you are treating yourself well.)

Make February work for you and still receive your special Valentine treatment by banishing the blues and bringing in the red!

1.) Make a Date with Yourself - set special dates just for you this month, especially on the 14th and really treat yourself. This means make an appointment for a massage, go to a fancy dinner with friends or just cook a beautiful meal for you. Spend time with yourself soaking in a tub, with bath salts, essential oils and candles lit all around. The idea is to establish the date(s), mark them in your calendar and really do them.

2.) Nurture Your Heart - if you want flowers, treat yourself to them. Buy the chocolates you desire and have them with that special glass of wine. By the way, dark chocolate and red wine (in moderation) are healthy for the heart. Feed your heart by providing it with what you would want from a lover. The idea is to treat yourself as if you are the lover.

3.) Lavish Your Body - treat your body to special products. Purchase a new skin conditioner or premium body butter. Once you step out of the tub, immerse you senses and skin in a wonderful and healthy product for your body. Try that new facial mask you have been meaning to use. Sip your favorite tea while your face is being cleansed. The idea is to respect and care for your body to banish any blues. You cannot feel badly when you are caring for yourself.

4.) Open Your Mind - be positive with your inner talk. If you wish to be in a significant relationship and you currently are not, notice what your self talk is saying. Be aware of the messages you may be giving yourself and others! Just because this year, Valentine’s is not what you would like it to be, does not mean that this is a permanent experience. It just means that there is room to expand your relationship with yourself and with another. Everything is in a constant state of change, so align the inner messages and beliefs you tell yourself about love with what it is you wish to experience within your life, and things will change to match your beliefs.

Ultimately know that by treating yourself well, you send messages to yourself that you are worthy of such care and nurturance, that when others come into your life, they will pick up on this vibe and treat you the same. So, this February, whether you are celebrating Valentine’s Day with another or just getting through the day alone, remember to use this day as a reminder to love and care for yourself in order to create more heartfelt love within your life now and in the days to come.

Copyright (c) 2006 Karen A. Dahlman. All rights reserved.

Karen A. Dahlman, art therapist, licensed counselor and entrepreneurial business owner aspires to teach others to lead healthy, creative lives. She is founder and CEO of Creative Visions Consulting, Inc., a consulting & design firm for fortune 500 telecommunications companies. Developed from her work as a therapist, her well-being company, Gifts of the Goddess - All-Natural Body & Skin Care, inspires women to evoke their inner goddess through self-empowerment and self-care of their bodies, minds and spirits with the ultimate in luxurious and healthy choices in skin care.

For more information about Gifts of the Goddess - All-Natural Body & Skin Care, visit: http://www.giftsofthegoddess.com

———————————————————————–

Have a well-being question you would like to have answered? You can write Karen at wellbeing@giftsofthegoddess.com for answers.

How to Make it Big In Spite of Your Challenges

Imagine for a moment it’s five years from now and you are still making the same income (or just a little more), living in the same home or apartment. You are in debt. You are barely supporting yourself and your family. And you are frustrated with the way things are.

You say, “Wait a minute now. This is not positive thinking! I was expecting yourarticle to be motivational.” Well, it is. You see, most people often take action when they are desperate. Unfortunately, they sometimes take action when it is too late.

The good thing is, I can assure you that the above scenario will never happen to you. How do I know? Although I don’t know you, I am certain we have kindred spirits. You belong to a special category of winners. Or you wouldn’t be reading this.

For many years, I worked as a doorman at a hotel. I was carrying bags - sometimes in the extreme heat or cold. I mean intense manual labor. But although I was a doorman, I was not a dumb man. I was a researcher and an observer. One of the many insights I received came to me from merely observing something as simple as a revolving door. Just like the word suggests, it revolves.

Now, many of our lives are just like a revolving door - and how easy and comfortable it is to get caught in it. We spend years doing the same things over and over. We simply keep turning around and around. We prefer to operate within our comfort zone. It’s a natural instinct.

But if you take a good look at all of the successful people around the world, you will notice they all have one common denominator. They all became successful by going to the edge. And yes, my friend, the edge is no where near a revolving door. What’s the lesson here?

The lesson is if you want more than you have now, you have to be willing to step out and dance along the edge of life’s cliff. The big things that you and I are dreaming about are hanging along the edge. If they weren’t, every one of us would have plenty of them.

My assignment for you is to start strategizing your life NOW. Again, this is something most people would not be willing to do. Come to think of it, it is exactly why YOU should. So, you have been thinking about going back to school but just the thought of the sacrifice seems a little scary. Hey, if it is then DO IT. Success dwells on the edge!

What else have you been thinking about and are afraid of? Do you want a promotion? Do you want to start a new life? Is it time to reinvent your life? Then get a pen and a piece of paper, and quickly start writing down what you will have to do for that to happen. Perhaps you need to acquire new skills. Maybe you need to seek out some mentors for moral support. Maybe you need to start putting together a team of people who can help you make it happen.

We can never, ever make it on our own. We need highly creative people to help us. Most of us struggle because we try to do everything ourselves. Jesus had to first put a team together. Tom Watson, the founder of IBM, before his death asked his family to share part of his wealth with his employees. He said that they helped him make the money. He could not have done it alone.

So, during this month, each day try to do something that you are uncomfortable doing. Remember, if you are afraid then DO IT. But first, make sure you have great mentors and a good team to support you along the way. And remember, not only the big boys deserve to have the big toys. You deserve to have them, too.

Rene Godefroy is the Chief Executive Officer of Village Hero, Inc., an Atlanta-based company dedicated to upliting the human spirit in pursuit of personal growth. Rene is also the author of the Award-winning book No Condition is Permanent and amotivationalspeaker.

While I wasn’t sleeping again…

While I wasn’t sleeping again… August 2004 p.j.f

It’s 3 AM now. I am still wide awake. It has been a an hour now
since I laid in my bed. An hour with my eyes closed was not yet
enough to put me to sleep. Perhaps it is because my joy at this
very moment is overwhelming. And thus I decided to come up with
a follow-up of the piece I wrote last year entitled “While I
wasn’t sleeping”.

About a year ago. The piece ended with these lines.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Am I
still capable of falling in love? Do I have get to have a second
chance for true love? Or will I be bound by the saying that ” in
a lifetime, you only find one true love” ? Does that mean that
true love would be a lovely memory? Or will I be able to meet
someone again that I would be able to share true love with?

Questions, questions, questions… When will I find the
answers… I do not know…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After a year, those questions were answered in the person of a
very wonderful lady. Her name is Dinah Magdalene. She has
changed my life so much even though she has been a part of my
life only for a little while. She is the reason why I always
wake up in the morning with a smile. She has made me feel alive.
She is the person that keeps me awake at night because all I
could see is her face even with my eyes closed. She is the
reason why I am able to write inspiring pieces, why I could sing
songs of the heart, why I have suddenly become creative again.
She’s my reason why despite a difficult, stressful day I manage
to flash a smile. She makes me want to be a better man. Nobody
brings me happiness like she does. And I love her more than
words could say, more than the whole world could ever convey.

Now I know who’s the answer. She is the answer to the question
in my heart…

“Am I still capable of falling in love?” Because of her I found
my heart is beating once again. God made her as instrument to
enable me to be in love again. He has enabled my heart to long
for love again.

“Do I have get to have a second chance for true love?” God has
given me a second chance on love. And I am very much grateful to
Him for that chance. And I will not let go of the chance that
God has given me as this maybe the last chance that He would
give me on love.

“Or will I be able to meet someone again that I would be able to
share true love with?” I was able to meet someone that I would
want to share my love with. Someone that my heart longs for.
Someone that I truly care for. Someone that I hold dear. Someone
that I always want to be with. Someone that give me the vision
of the man I want to become.

“It’s amazing how one person can change your life forever.”

I found my anwers to my questions. Though it took about a year
to have those questions answered. Nevertheless they were still
answered.

I hope you find the answer to your questions too. God bless.