Personal Growth Cafe

If you find that you spend too much of your time working, your life will soon be much less satisfying than it once was.

It’s easy to get caught up in your work.

Sometimes you don’t even realize it until it seems too late, but it’s never too late to break out of the bad habit!

The Underlying Problem

Often times you get swept up with becoming a workaholic because of an underlying problem.

It’s true that sometimes you’re just getting too much pressure at work to get things done on time, but more often than not, you’ll find that you’re using your work to hide from other problems.

Ask yourself these questions:

Are you working too much because of financial strain?

Are you trying to avoid your home life?

Are you using work to avoid some other issue you’re facing?

If you’re overworking yourself because of financial reasons, you can only do it for so long.

Sooner or later your mental and physical health will begin to suffer.

You need to work hard with an end date in mind.

If this doesn’t work for you, perhaps it’s time to find a better paying job.

If you’re avoiding problems at home, you absolutely must concentrate on solving these problems.

They aren’t going to go away just because you’ve been escaping the situation.

The only way things will improve is if you take action to resolve what’s plaguing you.

Balance Out Your Life

Once you’ve solved any underlying problems, you’ll want to bring balance back to your life.

In order to wean yourself from your work, there are certain tips you can utilize to change your working habits.

Try some of these techniques:

1. Make time for yourself. Realize that you and your health are ultimately more important than your work.

Schedule time for yourself and treat that time as more important than any of your other deadlines.

2. Unwind at the end of the day. Decide on a firm bedtime and unwind before going to bed.

Decide when you’re going to sleep and, approximately 30 minutes beforehand, engage in a relaxing activity that has nothing to do with your work.

3. Exercise. Incorporate a moderate exercise routine into your schedule a few times each week.

Exercise will help you relax and release some of your stress from work.

It’s great for both your physical and mental health and is one more good way to wean yourself from overworking.

4. Take days off. You need days off from your work from time to time.

It’s just a fact.

If you have a traditional job where you have weekends free, you must spend them away from work.

On your days off, avoid even thinking or talking about work. Let your mind be free!

Start Slow

Remember that these changes don’t have to happen all at once, but you can start incorporating them into your life one at a time.

Your life simply can’t be all about work.

Remember to spend time doing activities that you enjoy besides work.

Take some time today to implement just one or two of these strategies and you’ll soon realize that there is life outside of work!

How important is personal time for you?

What activities do you enjoy doing outside of work?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Also, as your gift for taking this to heart – and this is profoundly important… to us ALL – go to UnitingPlanetEarth.com/ignition/ and do the Uniting Planet Earth 7-Day Quick-Start Ignition Program… and Allow it to Transform Your Life.

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October 2, 2019March 27, 2018

The secret of success is making your vocation your vacation. – Mark Twain

October 1, 2019March 27, 2018

How to Write Your Own Affirmations

Affirmations are everywhere, and they have the strong ability to lift your spirits to get through hard times.

This is because we’re all highly suggestible, even if we think we’re not!

Affirmations help us to keep a positive attitude about life.

It’s only natural that we’ll get more out of these positive sayings if we formulate them ourselves.

Writing our own affirmations makes them personal to us, which can then help us to get through our own individual situations.

When you start writing your own affirmations, keep these tips in mind:

1. Make them personal.

When you write affirmations, it’s important to remember to use “I” in them. They are personal to you after all.

Example: “I am having an exceptional day today!”

2. Use the present tense.

Affirmations are built in order to change our feelings now, which is why you want to stay positive and strong in this moment.

When you use the past tense, you get nostalgic.

When you use the future tense, you get hopeful.

The present tense helps you feel the difference right now.

Example: “I am feeling relaxed.”

3. Be down to earth. This just means to use your own style and try not to make your affirmations too formal or wishy-washy.

You want to capture your own voice.

Bad Example: “Presently I feel the urge to enjoy my existence.”

Good Example: “I enjoy my life.”

4. Be short. Affirmations are meant to be short, simple and sweet.

Stay on target and make your affirmation a one-liner. If it’s too wordy, try breaking it up into a few affirmations.

The trick is to stick with one simple idea at a time.

Example: “I am in perfect health.”

5. Make it positive. Affirmations are positive statements, so avoid negative words like “not.”

You’re using affirmations to make a life improvement and positive statements motivate you to make this improvement.

Example: “I am at peace with my mind.”

6. Make it believable. You don’t want your affirmation to sound like something out of this world.

If it’s not believable, you won’t take it seriously and your subconscious will just dismiss it.

Example: “I am choosing to be happy today.”

Believe in the Power of Affirmations

When you say your affirmations, believe them to be true.

Affirmations are truly powerful sets of words as long as you believe what you’re telling yourself.

Affirmations alone have been known to help people cure addictions.

Women even use them during childbirth to help them stay calm and collected during natural delivery.

First, set your eyes on your goal and then write your affirmations to get yourself there.

Write Them Down

Practice always makes perfect.

Write down the affirmations you’re feeling.

Then go over the list above and make sure that your affirmations follow the rules.

Once they do, start using your affirmations and feel the difference.

Say your affirmations to yourself daily.

Take deep breaths and keep your eyes on your goal.

Also if need be, tweak your affirmations.

These positive sayings aren’t written in stone, so as you change, your affirmations can change, too.

It’s best to keep your affirmations in a place where you can see them.

You can simply keep a list in your pocket or you can post them around the house.

Paste them on the bathroom mirror, on your computer, or wherever you know you’ll see them each day.

Affirmations can make all the difference in reaching your goals.

Give them a try and enjoy the benefits these positive statements can make in your life.

How has your life changed because of positive affirmations?

How can you continue to spread happiness in your life?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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October 1, 2019March 27, 2018

You are educated when you have the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or self-confidence. – Robert Frost

September 30, 2019March 27, 2018

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

September 30, 2019March 27, 2018

How Your Support Group Can Ensure Your Success

It’s natural to strive for solving your problems on your own.

Sometimes pride holds you back from asking for help, or it could be embarrassment or fear.

Either way, you’ll soon realize that you can solve your problems quicker and more efficiently by joining or developing a support group.

The Benefits Of Support Groups

Support groups have many benefits.

Just the venting factor alone can be enough to make support groups worth it.

Even if a solution may not exist, just knowing there are others enduring your situation can help you feel at ease.

A support group can provide many other added benefits:

1. Confidence. Support groups can restore your confidence.

With confidence and drive, there will be nothing in between you and your ultimate goals.

2. Emotional Release. You may often forget the true importance of an emotional release.

When everything is all bottled up inside of you, you can get agitated and your emotions will manifest themselves in unhealthy ways.

Support groups give you the important emotional releases that can open you up to a breakthrough.

3. Information. Knowledge is power.

Support groups give you an amazingly concentrated way of sharing a wealth of knowledge.

When you listen to a speaker or counselor, you’re only getting one perspective.

When you listen to the members of a support group, you can share real experiences through many different perspectives.

4. Relationships.

Being a member of a support group will not only help you find success in the topic of the group, but with general relationships as well.

Support groups can be thought of as little samplings of the world at large.

When you frequently listen and relate to others, you’ll become a better communicator.

How To Develop A Strong Support Group

Developing your own support group is always an option.

In fact, all you need is a couple of other people that would like to be a part of the same type of group as yourself.

You simply need to determine what methods of communication will work best for the group.

If it’s best to meet face to face, inquire about times and potential venues to hold your discussion sessions.

Nowadays, online support groups and forums are also an option.

This is helpful because you’ll always be able to refer back to the helpful advice and personal reflections from others in the forum.

There is also no set time that everyone has to meet.

You can simply post or chat with the group when it’s convenient for you.

How To Find A Good Support Group

Nowadays with all the social networks, it’s getting easier to get involved with others going through similar experiences.

You can search Google for relevant forums or websites, and you can also take a look at Facebook groups and MeetUp.com, too.

If you’re involved with any type of one-on-one counseling, you can also inquire if there are any group sessions in your local area.

Often times your insurance company will cover support group sessions – at least partially.

If this is the case, get on the phone with someone from your insurance company and see if they can match you up with a good group.

A good support group will strengthen you and help you build your confidence.

Find a group that you can identify with and get active, today!

How do you feel when you know there are a lot of people willing to support you?

How can their helping hand allow you to grow into a better person?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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September 29, 2019March 27, 2018

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

September 29, 2019March 27, 2018

Is Negativity Holding You Back?

Negativity always finds a way to creep up in your life from time to time.

It’s when negativity builds up too much or shows up too often that you have an obstacle to overcome.

A negative attitude can hold you back from truly living your life.

However, you don’t need to feel stuck because you can bring positive thoughts back into your life!

How Negativity Can Hold You Back

Negativity can hold you back in a number of ways.

Have you heard the saying: “If you think you can’t, you’re right”?

It’s true!

Negative thoughts like this really do sabotage your efforts.

The good news is that you can gain control over how you think.

When you’re expressing complaints and negativity all the time, it not only affects you, but it also affects the people around you.

Negativity, itself, can be the reason why you create roadblocks that don’t really exist!

So it’s time to choose the positive (and, yes, it is a choice!).

Manifesting A Positive Attitude

When you adopt a positive attitude, you open yourself up to the wonderful world of possibilities.

When positive energy is in the air, you’ll be able to transform your negative feelings and maybe even bring others out of their negativity clouds.

Believe it or not, positive thinking is very powerful.

It’s the driving force that steers your life into the direction of your dreams.

Remember, your thoughts affect how you feel, and how you feel affects what you do, so if you can change your thoughts, you can change your outcome.

How To Develop A Positive Attitude

How can you change your attitude? It’s easier than you think.

Follow these tips to develop a positive attitude:

1. Visualize. When the negative thoughts come crawling into your mind, transform them with positive images.

Visualize something that you find pleasing, peaceful, or exciting.

Remember what your ultimate goals are and imagine what it feels like to achieve them.

2. Write it down. Keeping a journal has many positive effects.

It helps you vent your frustrations, organize your life, and reflect on your innermost thoughts and feelings.

Instead of focusing on the bad, use your journal to chronicle the things that have gone well in your life lately.

3. Relax. Negative feelings are bound to arise when you’re in a stressful state.

It’s important to take time out of each day for yourself.

This means that you need to adopt a relaxation method that works for you.

Perhaps you can take a bath, go to church, attend a yoga class, or meditate. When you’re relaxed, a peaceful and positive mindset will likely overtake you.

4. Read and write affirmations. Grab a book with positive affirmations in it, or better yet, write your own.

Affirmations are a powerful way to bring positive thoughts into your present state of well being.

Affirmations are short statements in the present tense that remind you of positive attributes and goals in your life.

Here’s an example: “I am strong and competent.”

5. Live for the moment. Live your life for the moment and let go of everything else going on in your life.

Negative feelings can easily overwhelm you if you’re consumed by past failures or the fear of the future.

When you concentrate on the present, your life becomes more peaceful and positive.

In the end, go easy on yourself. You don’t need to be your own worst critic,

instead, try being your biggest advocate!

Just concentrate on your well being and you will develop a more positive attitude.

What fears do you have?

What negative emotions are you holding on to?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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September 28, 2019March 27, 2018

Keeping Your Self-Esteem after a Job Loss

If you’ve lost your job, there’s no denying that it can be a devastating ordeal.

It can be a real burden, especially when your whole family depended on that job and the income it provided.

However, you can find the strength to recover from a tragic job loss.

Sometimes it’s difficult to find the silver lining, but it’s always there waiting to be discovered.

Focusing On Your Self-Esteem

Your thoughts are very powerful. Sometimes you may think that you don’t have control over your thoughts, but you always do.

Of course you should give yourself time to recover from the initial shock of a job loss, but it’s how you choose to react afterwards that makes all the difference.

When you focus on developing positive self-esteem, you’ll be able to think clearly and confidently so you can figure out what your next steps are going to be.

You may even use this new opportunity to finally follow your dream job.

Have these tips in mind to keep your self-esteem intact:

1. Give yourself time to grieve.

Sometimes you don’t think of job loss as being the same as other types of loss, but the shock can be the same and you should allow yourself some time to go through the standard stages of grief.

You’ll eventually recover from the shock, but give yourself an appropriate amount of time to absorb the situation.

2. Look for a support system. You might feel especially alone after losing your job.

Your initial reaction might be to run and hide and keep your emotions inside.

Be sure to fight this feeling and, instead, rely on your support system.

Remember: it’s okay to ask for help, that’s what your support network is for!

3. Keep up your motivation. After the shock has worn off, it’s important to strive for a certain level of enthusiasm and motivation to find another job.

You need to believe in yourself and trust that things will turn out for the best.

Remember that your new job might be even better than your last one!

4. Looking for a new job. When you’re ready to start the search, consider all of your options.

You may want to consider whether or not you really enjoyed the field you were in before.

Consider your job loss as a new opportunity.

Maybe you’d like to try bringing your life into a different direction.

5. Keep an eye on your finances. When you deal with job loss, you must also deal with the financial realities.

Determine your current financial situation and how long you have until you must return to work.

Maybe you have to find a job right away, or perhaps you have enough savings to consider other career options.

Whatever the case may be, you should know what the financial implications mean to you and your family.

New Life: New Opportunities

After dealing with job loss, the best thing you can do is to think of it as a new opportunity in life.

Sure, you didn’t choose to embark on this path at this particular time, but it’s important to roll with the punches.

Don’t be afraid to take risks.

Also, don’t be afraid to adopt the attitude that everything happens for a reason.

Bad things happen in life, but good things happen too.

Stay strong for yourself and your family and your self-esteem will prevail.

How do you remain strong in spite of conflicts in life?

How can you push yourself to move forward and just learn from everything that happens?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Before you leave…

Please share the link to this post on your Facebook, Twitter, etc., and like it, and comment right here – THANKS!

Posts

Management is doing things right. Leadership is doing the right things. – Peter Drucker

How to Wean Yourself from Being a Workaholic

The secret of success is making your vocation your vacation. – Mark Twain

How to Write Your Own Affirmations

You are educated when you have the ability to listen to almost anything without losing your temper or self-confidence. – Robert Frost

To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

How Your Support Group Can Ensure Your Success

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Is Negativity Holding You Back?

Keeping Your Self-Esteem after a Job Loss