Personal Development and Self-Help – Page 2

August 8, 2019March 26, 2018

Becoming a Master of Self-Discipline

Self-discipline is a powerful attribute to have, yet challenging to obtain.

Self-discipline is the ability to do whatever it takes to overcome obstacles and reach your goals, even when it’s inconvenient or uncomfortable.

It may involve saying: “no” to things you want or saying: “yes” to things you hate, but with the power of self-discipline, it becomes easier to stand up for yourself.

Most individuals would love to be more self-disciplined, yet very few people actually take action to acquire it.

Perhaps you start your day with good intentions, but veer off as the day progresses due to challenging issues, stresses, or distractions.

Thankfully, there are some strategies you can incorporate into your daily life so you can become a master of self-discipline and stay on task.

Follow these techniques to strengthen your self-discipline:

1. Be committed to the cause. Are you truly unhappy being undisciplined?

Is this something that you’re committed to improving?

Many times people claim they want to be more self- disciplined, but the truth is, they honestly don’t mind being the way they are.

2. Be honest with yourself. If this is something that you definitely want to improve in your life, it may take a bit of time and effort, but it can be done.

The only way you’ll succeed is by staying committed to the cause.

3. Write it down. The process of writing your ideas and goals helps you clarify the thoughts in your mind so you can come up with an action plan that you can stick to.

Write down all the areas that you wish to improve – your finances, relationships, career, or anything in between.

Include what changes you would like to see and how you believe will be the best way to make it happen.

4. Enlist the help of others. It’s absolutely wonderful that you’ve committed to make a positive change in your life, but don’t keep it under wraps.

Tell others that you want to make a change and boost your self-discipline.

Don’t be ashamed that you weren’t more self-disciplined from the beginning. The important thing is that you’re now taking positive action!

Those who love you will be there to support you and help you celebrate your successes.

Your support group can also help you get through the bad days and put you back on track to achieve your goals.

5. Believe in yourself. Have faith in yourself and know that if you can master your self-discipline, you can do anything!

There will be both good and bad days, but as long as you remain focused and committed, you’ll be successful in strengthening your self-discipline.

Remember to focus on the big picture and concentrate on how your body, mind, and energy will change for the better when you stay committed.

Many people admire those who are self-disciplined. These people can stay on a schedule and never seem to lose focus on what they need to accomplish.

They make more wise decisions, take action when they need to, and achieve their goals with relative ease.

Implement these strategies into your daily life and they’ll soon become habits.

Self-discipline can become your way of life – if you want it!

In what areas do you need to practice self-discipline?

How do you feel when you’ve controlled yourself in a challenging situation?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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July 18, 2019March 25, 2018

I can use all the self-care tools in my toolbox to take me further.

I know that the better I take care of myself, the better I am prepared for life’s challenges.

When I take care of me, my friends, co-workers, and loved ones all benefit.

My self-care tools enable me to be the very best I can be!

Discipline is one of my most important self-care tools.

I can super-charge my discipline with a strong belief in my priorities.

When I am faced with a choice between fast junk food and a healthy nutritious meal, I know I can make the healthy choice.

My health and that of my family is my top priority.

Therefore, that priority gives me the strength and discipline to choose wisely.

Since health is a priority, discipline also enables me to choose to exercise regularly.

With exercise, I can strengthen my body, release tension, rejuvenate my energy, and keep my mind alert.

My exercise routine renews me and helps me be my best.

Another important self-care tool is taking the time to pray or meditate.

Prayer and meditation prepares me for meeting the challenges of the day and helps me find peace.

It helps me focus on my goals and be where I want to be.

Lastly, self-reflection is important to me.

In self-reflection, I feel thankful for my blessings and strive to find solutions for current challenges.

Today, I strive to make the best use of my self-care tools.

I know that discipline, prayer, meditation, and self-reflection enable me to meet challenges with confidence so I can enjoy my life journey.

How can you become more disciplined so you can make wiser choices?

When can you make time in your schedule for prayer and meditation?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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June 12, 2019March 23, 2018

10 Practical Time Saving Tips

Are you looking for practical ways to save time without cutting corners?

Then you’ve come to the right place.

Here are 10 practical time saving tips you can start using today.

1. Menu Planning: Planning meals in advance not only saves time, but it also saves you money.

When you plan your meals for the week, you won’t be running to the grocery store every day to get the things you need.

Another plus to meal planning is not being tempted to eat out as often.

Meal planning is simple and easy to do and, with a little research for recipes online, you can plan something different for every meal for a month or more.

2. Scheduling: By creating and sticking to a daily schedule, you’ll save enormous amounts of time because you can stay focused on the task at hand, instead of what’s next.

You’ll also want to add events to a family calendar on the fridge, that way you’ll know when and where each family member needs to be for their different activities.

Plus, you’ll avoid the last minute rush and forgotten appointments when your schedule is centralized.

3. Keep Lists: Having lists of all the things you need to do in a day will help you stay on task, while giving you a sense of accomplishment as you cross off each item.

Without a list, you tend to be more scatterbrained.

You’ll find yourself repeating unnecessary steps or thoughts in order to get things done.

4. Organization: Being organized is one of the biggest time savers there is. When you’re organized, it’s easy to find what you need and be on your way.

When you’re physically organized, you’ll feel mentally organized, too.

Also, once you get used to putting everything in its place, the stress of losing your keys or phone vanishes.

The key is that, once you’re organized, you’ve got to stay organized!

5. Complete Your Errands In One Trip: When you need to get some errands done, try to schedule them into one morning or afternoon.

The biggest waste of your time is the “in-between” time while you wait for the next task or appointment.

As you know, frequently stopping and starting tasks stifles your productivity and wastes precious time.

6. Delegate, Delegate, Delegate! Whenever possible, delegate the daily chores or appointments to other capable family members or colleagues.

We have the strength of communities, families, and teams for a reason. You don’t have to do everything yourself.

7. Get Rid of Distractions: If you spend most of your time on the computer, turn off the programs that easily tear you away from the task at hand.

Social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook can be a huge distraction that sucks up valuable time.

When you focus more intently on getting things done, you’ll find that you’ll have more time for social networking and fun.

8. Learn to Say No: Once in a while, you’ll be asked to do more than time allows.

In these moments, you must learn to say no politely, and then either delegate the task or re-schedule for a more appropriate time.

By respecting your time, others will respect you, too.

9. Utilize Idle Time: While sitting in a waiting room or during your daily commute, use your time wisely.

You can catch up on emails, work on that important report, or plan out your shopping list.

Whatever it is, when you use idle time, you’re giving yourself more quality time with your family when you’re home.

10. Group Similar Tasks: Learning to incorporate tasks together that you can do at the same time will save you lots of time in the long run.

Do the dishes or pick up around the house while chatting on the phone.

When you go to the restroom, spray some cleanser in the sink and quickly wipe it down when you’re finished.

When you de-clutter a table or countertop, dust it off at the same time.

When you go to turn off the TV the kids left on, take a dust cloth with you and give it a couple of quick swipes.

Saving time doesn’t have to cut into your lifestyle.

By adopting and incorporating just a few of these ideas, you’ll soon spend more time doing the things you want to do!

How much time do you save in a day?

What activities can you do more of if you had the time to do it?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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June 8, 2019March 23, 2018

Becoming Your Own Number 1 Fan

If you’re looking to lead a happier life, believing in yourself is an absolute necessity.

If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you expect others to believe in you?

You may have gone through some rough times in your life making it difficult to be the happy person you want to be.

Maybe you even suffer from a lack of self-confidence because of past conflicts and pains.

No matter what you’ve been through, you can choose to overcome these obstacles.

It’s time to be your own Number 1 fan and there’s no better time to start than right now!

1. Gain more confidence in yourself by facing your fears.

Fear of failure may have caused you to ignore your dreams, desires or goals.

Don’t let fear stop you from getting what you want and achieving your goals.

If Thomas Edison had been afraid of failure, we wouldn’t have the luxury of indoor lighting today.

He never gave up trying to find the right way to make a light bulb and he experienced over 10,000 ways of how not to make a light bulb.

Just because you don’t reach your goals or dreams the first time, don’t give up. Keep trying until you succeed.

Fear of being alone may stop you from going away to school or moving to a new city where you can pursue your dreams.

Realize that you will make new friends and that you’re current friends will always be there.

Now with the Internet, staying in touch with your friends and family is easier and more convenient than ever.

Once you begin facing your fears, you’ll discover that what you feared may not be such a big deal after all.

But, you’ll never know until you start.

2. Self-talk can also determine whether you believe in yourself or not.

Do you often say negative things like, “I’m an idiot,” or “That was a dumb thing to do,” or “I’m ugly?”

How you perceive yourself comes out in what you say.

However, what you say to yourself can also change how you see yourself.

Start speaking positively to yourself, about yourself.

When you’re getting ready for the day, while looking in the mirror, point out positive characteristics about yourself and say them out loud.

Phrases such as:

“I am an attractive person.”

“I am a good parent.”

“I am a hard worker.”

“I love myself.”

“I like how I look in these clothes.”

“I am brilliant.”

Even if you don’t believe it, say it! You’ll soon realize these things really are true.

You can also post positive quotes or scriptures where you would see them several times a day to keep your spirits high.

3. Insecurity can be a source of disbelief.

Learning to be more secure in certain areas of your life will help you believe in yourself more, plus others will begin to believe in you as well.

There may be certain areas in your life that you feel you need to work on, so work on them!

Are you bad at financial management?

Take a class to help you learn how to budget so you can be in control of your money, instead of your money controlling you.

Are you a slow reader?

Take a speed-reading class or get a tutor to help you build speed.

Do you find it challenging to speak in public?

Take a public speaking course or become an intern for an organization where you must speak in public.

Is your weight stopping you from believing yourself?

First of all, remember that today’s society has a skewed view of beauty.

Don’t allow the media to determine your worth!

However, if your weight is at an unhealthy level, learn how to eat healthy and get regular exercise to take some weight off.

No matter what’s stopping you from believing in yourself, there’s a way to overcome it.

You’ll first need to figure out what’s causing your self-doubt.

Is it fear, insecurity, mental attitudes, or something else?

Only then can you face the obstacle and overcome it.

When was the last time you appreciated yourself?

What skills do you need to develop to become better than what you are now?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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May 25, 2019March 16, 2018

By managing the easy tasks first, I can gain momentum and self-confidence.

Every goal can be divided into a list of tasks.

Each day, whether at home or work, includes a variety of missions to accomplish.

By starting with the easy tasks and completing them quickly, I am well on my way to achieving my goals.

Completing easy tasks first builds forward momentum that sustains me.

And with each success, I gain an even greater confidence in my ability.

I find I’m “on a roll” and strive to maintain it as long as possible with every project.

When I get stuck on a particular item on my to-do list, I simply rearrange the remaining tasks so I can tackle some easy ones again.

Once I complete a couple of the easier ones, I am off again toward success!

Momentum is an awesome force. It’s like a snowball rolling down a mountain.

Once it gets going, it rolls faster and faster, getting bigger and bigger as it catapults down the mountain.

Yet all it takes to get it started is one little push!

Scheduling the easy tasks first is like giving myself that one little push to get me started.

Then, once I get going, I gain extra energy from the momentum.

Each task I complete adds to the force that keeps me going.

Today, I choose to be like the snowball, gaining more energy and confidence as I roll through my day.

I am unstoppable!

Nothing can stop me from success because I know that, with my confidence and courage, I can overcome any obstacle that arises in my path.

How have you divided your goals into a list of tasks, scheduling the easy ones first?

What easy task can you accomplish to get you moving again?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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May 5, 2019March 15, 2018

I am raising the bar on self-education, self-talk, and self-development.

My inner motivation is leading me to self-improvement on a whole new level.

I actively seek out new sources of inspiration and positivity.

I devote time each day to learning new ways to ignite my passions and propel me toward success.

I find that the Internet is a literal cornucopia of resources that allow me to improve myself with every possible medium – and it is available to me right in my own home!

The inspirational audios, videos, eBooks, reports, published interviews with experts, seminars, affirmations, and even inspirational desktop wallpapers provide me with self-education, self-talk, and self-development at the click of a mouse.

I can find anything I want to learn about, taught by some of the best experts on the planet!

My self-talk is filled with an abundance of positive statements for every situation.

Negative thoughts and attitudes get dispelled the moment they try to show their ugly head!

Self-development is a priority in my schedule.

I am sure to reserve some time each day to learn new skills, develop new talents, and discover new challenges to expand my limits.

I strengthen my skills in stress reduction and joyful living.

I find new ways to enable fulfillment.

I keep up with the latest health news and I practice everything I learn. My self-improvement time is time well spent.

Today, I plan to start a new strategy of learning one new skill each day and developing them fully to receive their best benefits for my life.

When was the last time you did research simply to learn something for yourself?

How have you included time in your schedule for self-development?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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April 22, 2019March 13, 2018

How to Boost Your Teen’s Self-Esteem

Teens are stuck in an in-between world.

They’re neither children nor adults.

They’re adjusting to both physical and mental changes, including emotional extremes caused by additional activity in the part of the brain that regulates emotions.

Needless to say, for many teens, this is a confusing time!

Along with the normal confusion, teens often suffer from low self-esteem and peer pressure.

Females are more prone to self-esteem issues and often get more attention for the problem, but males are just as susceptible.

In fact, any teen is vulnerable to self-esteem challenges.

As parents and involved adults, it’s our responsibility to help teens foster a healthy self-esteem.

It’s an ongoing process and there are no shortcuts.

Teens need to be constantly reminded that they’re great kids and we’re proud of them.

Follow these strategies every day to boost your teen’s self-esteem:

1. Take the time to talk with your teen.

While your teen may not want to talk to you, make sure they know you’re available if they change their mind.

Sometimes just knowing you’re there for them makes a difference.

Part of talking with a teen is actively listening.

Teens with self-esteem issues often feel that no one listens to them or cares about what they have to say.

Show them you’re listening by letting them finish and then asking questions about what they said.

2. Encourage your teen to live a healthy lifestyle.

Many times problems can manifest when teens are couch potatoes or have unhealthy eating habits.

When a teen eats a well balanced diet and gets a regular amount of exercise, it’s easier for them to feel better about themselves.

Schedule your teen for a full check-up with your doctor.

Your primary health care provider can rule out any physical causes for your teen’s low self-esteem.

They may also recommend additional steps or counseling that can help.

3. Encourage your teen to get involved in an activity they enjoy.

It could be any activity, club, or organization.

Getting them involved in something will help them realize they’re more normal than they think!

Encourage their individuality and interests by letting them pick the activity.

Give them the freedom to express themselves by getting involved in their own interests and passions.

4. Set a positive example for your teen.

No matter how distant your teen may seem, they still model your behaviors closely.

If they see you have a self-esteem issue, they may mimic that. Set an example with a positive attitude towards yourself and others.

5. Help your teen set goals and celebrate when they reach them.

Start with small goals that they can achieve in a short period of time.

When they reach the goal, celebrate with them.

If it takes longer to reach their goal, keep encouraging them.

Show them that taking definitive action to achieve their goal is just as important as reaching the goal.

Let your teen know that it’s okay to change their goal along the way.

This is the way of life and an important skill teens need to learn.

When circumstances change, we may need to re-adjust our plans.

If your teen understands this, it will help build their confidence.

6. Let your teen know you’re proud of them.

When they score an A, tell them how great they did. If they got a C, it’s just as important that your teen knows you’re proud of that grade as well.

Encourage them to do their best and be proud of them when they do.

A teen’s self-esteem can be fragile.

All the time you spend building your teen’s self-esteem can be torn down in one afternoon.

7. Teach your teen that learning to deal with disappointment, criticism, and challenges is an important life skill.

Talk to your teen about how important it is to know they’re still a great person worthy of love and affection, no matter what life may throw their way.

As with anyone, teens will have good and bad days.

Never be discouraged or give up on them.

Follow these strategies and soon enough, you’ll know that you’re on the right path.

Your teen will go through mood swings, but with time and love, they’ll emerge as a strong and confident adult.

What activities can you and your teen do to help boost your teen’s self esteem?

How can sharing your own experiences help your teen think positively?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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April 19, 2019March 13, 2018

Boosting Your Self-Worth

What is self-worth, anyway?

To find out, answer this question: How much would you say you’re worth?

The answer is your self-worth, or the value you place on yourself.

Just like anything of value, the self can fluctuate up and down in worth for any number of reasons!

Even though you have your ups and downs, there are ways you can increase your self-worth each and every day.

We all have value, whether we believe it or not.

This value comes from our very existence, as well as our own set of skills, talents, ideas and strengths.

If we think of worth in terms of financial worth, we can get a good idea of how we can increase our own self-worth.

With money, the way to increase worth is to make more money.

We make more money by taking specific actions in our workplace or within our businesses.

Sounds obvious, right?

Well it is! Self-worth works the same way.

We increase our self-worth by focusing on the things that make up our worth.

Here are some things you can begin doing right now to increase your self-worth:

1. Enjoy a new hobby. Your skill set is a big determination of your self-worth.

The more you can do – and do well – the better you feel about yourself.

That’s why you’ll want to consider adding to your list of hobbies or recreational activities.

The more you enjoy what you do in your life, the more you’ll also enjoy who you are as a person.

2. Take a class. As with hobbies, learning something new is a great way to add to your self-worth.

It’s like a deposit into your knowledge bank.

There are plenty of options for this choice:

Take a class at a local community college.
Register for an online seminar.
Look in the local newspaper for free classes in your area.
Call your local school district. They offer inexpensive continuing education classes in almost every subject imaginable, including hobbies!

3. Read more. Reading is a wonderful way to stimulate the mind.

When you spark your imagination, new ideas emerge from the depths.

Nothing builds self-worth like learning more about the world you live in!

Maybe you’ve always wanted to be an inventor.

If so, you can generate some ideas by researching and reading information about your ideas.

4. Learn a language. There are a huge number of tools available that can assist you in mastering a new language.

Learning new languages builds self-worth because it allows you to communicate on a completely different level with others.

5. Do something out of the ordinary. Take a chance, conquer a challenge, and step out of your comfort zone.

These kinds of activities stretch you as an individual.

Doing something you never imagined gives you a glimpse of your true potential.

Anything that boosts your self-confidence will also increase your self-worth, since they’re directly related.

On the other hand, our self-worth becomes stagnant if we become arrogant and believe that we’ve accomplished all we can in life.

Start each day by making the commitment to your success.

After all, you are worthy of great things!

Even if you have a hard time believing this, take action anyway because where action is, emotions will follow.

Try something new, pick one of the topics from above, give it a shot and see for yourself how much of a difference it makes.

Just remember the great words of Henry Ford: “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.”

How often do you appreciate yourself?

When was the last time you took time off for yourself?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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March 11, 2019March 13, 2018

I like the way I am able to handle my anger. I am not afraid to feel angry.

I am able to handle my anger in a healthy manner.

Feeling anger is normal and I am able express it in appropriate ways.

Knowing that the way I express my anger is healthy and appropriate makes me happy and empowers me.

Using skills like deep breathing, looking at the situation from the point of view of others, and detaching myself from the situation allows me to handle my anger in a way I am proud of.

I am unafraid of feeling anger because I am aware that it is a normal reaction to something that upsets me.

Feeling anger is acceptable to me because my emotions are all important to me.

I am permitted to feel anger as well as every other emotion.

I know that I am able to deal with my anger in a way that I am comfortable with, and this builds my confidence.

Today, I will embrace my anger and remain confident in my ability to handle it effectively.

I will use my skills to make sure I act appropriately and keep my reactions focused and positive.

What are some skills you use to handle your anger?

How can you keep yourself from over-reacting to your anger?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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February 21, 2019March 11, 2018

Top Seven Ways to Boost Your Self-Esteem

Everyone needs to feel a sense of self-worth and healthy self-esteem in order to live a successful, contented life.

While some people look to others and their material success to gauge their own self-worth, the most important assessment is how you feel about yourself.

There are many things you can do to boost your own self-esteem.

By taking the steps to build your own self-worth and well-being, you’re practicing the best form of preventative medicine possible.

Here are the top seven ways to boost your self-esteem:

1. Do things you love.

The more time you spend doing things you love to do, the better it makes you feel.

Doing the things you enjoy causes your brain to produce higher levels of endorphins, which are chemical in the brain that increase your sense of joy and well-being.

Engaging in activities we love also helps us recall other times we’ve done them, and those memories increase our self-esteem.

Our favorite activities are often things we do well, which is a factor in increasing our self-esteem.

2. Strengthen your strengths.

When you exercise your strengths, they become stronger and your self-esteem rises as well.

We all like to feel proud of the things we excel at and those things cause us to feel better about ourselves.

Spend time working on, building, and renewing your strengths, and your inner approval rating will soar.

3. Surround yourself with positive people.

Positive energy is like an electrical charge as it spreads from one person to the next.

When you spend time in the company of positive people, your own attitude will lift to match theirs, and you’ll be charged from their energy.

4. Measure your worth based on yourself, not on others.

Everyone sees the world based on his or her own biases and circumstances.

When someone pours negative thoughts on another person, it’s a greater reflection on their own deficiencies than the person they’re attacking.

Basing your self-esteem on another person’s opinions is never a good idea.

Instead, take your value from what you know to be the truth about yourself from the inside out, not the other way around.

5. Believe in yourself. Trust in your ability to achieve whatever you set your mind to accomplish.

When you believe that you’re capable of attaining your goals, you unleash the ability to do so from deep within you, so trust in the process.

6. Set your thoughts on the things you want to attract.

Albert Einstein determined all things are made of energy and energy attracts more of the same energy.

Focusing your thoughts on the things you desire in your life keeps the energy of those things moving toward you.

7. Speak affirming thoughts to yourself.

We’ve all heard the phrase “act as if.” Affirmations work on that principle. Instead of saying, “I want to be happy,” say, “I am a happy person.”

Say it out loud everyday.

You’ll begin to reprogram your subconscious to believe it as the truth, and soon you’ll be feeling that truth every day.

These simple steps to boost your self-esteem are easy to put into practice in your day-to-day life.

Start today and build your self-worth and self-esteem into the foundation of your character. Your life will never be the same.

What do you like about yourself?

How do you show yourself that you are a worthy person?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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