Personal Growth Cafe

January 14, 2018January 5, 2018

The Art of Decision Making: Tips on Making Decisions You Can Live With

Making decisions in our lives – whether it’s what to eat for lunch or where to find your next job – can seem overwhelming.

Each decision carries with it a result and a chain of events that may dictate the course of our lives.

For those of us who consider every decision as life or death, day-to-day decisions can seem impossible!

To help you discover the finer points of decision-making, here are some valuable tips on how you can make decisions that you can live with every day:

Map out your decision. Start by evaluating the decision to be made.

What are the details?

By mapping out exactly what your decision will entail as far as consequences and results, you’ll be on your way to making an informed decision that you can live with.

Weigh pros and cons. This process is tried and true.

Make a list and evaluate the pros in one column against the cons in another.

Include short and long term consequences as well as positives and negatives.

Seeing the pros and cons before you on paper will make the matter at hand seem all the more evident as far as how you should make your decision.

In your evaluation, give more weight to the pros and cons that carry more weight in your life.

The quantity of pros or cons does not equal the quality.

For example, if one of your main priorities in life is to make more money, listing “make more money” on your pros column should count for more than one of the cons in the other column.

Become informed. Find out all of the related information you need to make your decision.

Being better informed through research or talking to others will help you make a decision you can live with.

Consider your motives.

While evaluating your list of pros and cons, consider what motives may be contributing to the points you added in both columns.

Revise or weigh accordingly.

For example, can the con on your list be attributed to your lifelong fear or is it merely situational?

In the case of fears, perhaps facing your fears should be part of the decision.

Facing the fear may be a pro as opposed to the fear being a con.

Give yourself a deadline.

When faced with an important decision, we tend to delay making the ultimate choice.

By giving yourself a deadline, you will have no other choice than to decide one way or another.

Look at the decision as part of the bigger picture.

Is this a small or large decision in the course of your life?

Decide which and evaluate accordingly.

If it’s small, perhaps you’re spending too much time and consideration on it.

If it’s larger, how will it fit in with the rest of your life goals?

By examining the decision for what it is in the short and long-term, you will better understand how the decision affects the bigger picture.

Recognize the relativity.

Many tough decisions can carry with them irrevocable consequences, but more often than not, there is always more time and more opportunity to make the decision again.

Worrying needlessly about one decision is futile.

Most decisions only determine your short-term circumstances in the relative present.

In most cases your decision can be altered in the future when circumstances are different or you’re in a different stage of your life.

Following these tips can transform decision-making from a stressful process into a process that gives you more confidence and control in your life.

Embrace decisions as the good thing that it is, and the result will be a happier, more confident you!

How could you take a more proactive approach to reach your goals?

How can you keep organized so you can eliminate procrastination in your life?

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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January 13, 2018January 5, 2018

The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings. – Ralph Blum

January 13, 2018January 5, 2018

How to Jump Start Your Day During Your Commute

Whether you drive to work, take the subway, or hop on a bus, there are many different things you can do to get things moving in your day.

Commutes often take up quite a bit of time, especially during rush hour.

You may as well take full advantage of the time you have in order to ensure that your day is optimized for success.

There are many ways to jump-start your day while commuting to work.

Here are some activities you can do while you travel to get a great start to your day:

1. Listen to self-improvement audios.

If you’re traveling to work in your car, invest in some good self-improvement CDs, audio books, or MP3 downloads.

As you travel, listen to these CDs and learn how to unlock your potential, organize your day, prioritize, increase your self-esteem, or other key personal growth strategies.

iPods or MP3 players are perfect for those who carpool or ride a bus or subway to work.

Indulge yourself by listening to your favorite podcasts with your iPod, either entertainment, self-improvement or business-oriented.

2. Plan your day. If you commute by way of a bus or subway, or even in a car pool, you can take advantage of the time by planning your day or detailing project plans.

Write down notes about your various projects, prioritize your daily tasks by creating a to-do list, or schedule meetings by using your laptop or phone.

Be wary of talking on your cell phone while commuting.

Loud conversations can annoy other travelers and your reception might be spotty at times.

3. Take care of emails.

Email is a common time trap during the day.

If you have access to the internet during your commute, it may be an ideal time to check your email for any important information or to reply to those emails that have long been awaiting your response.

Taking care of administrative or simple email tasks on the way to work can help ease the load when you get to the office.

Organizing your inbox with filters and folders can make checking email a quick task.

Set limits about checking email once you reach the office to assure you’re working most efficiently.

4. Relax with hobbies or learn new things.

Use your commuting time to do something fun for yourself, such as studying a new language or learning about a topic that draws your interest.

You can keep your mind sharp and discover new things by taking the time you have during your commute to experience something different.

What have you always wanted to do but never find the time for?

Sit down with your favorite crossword puzzle or magazine, or watch a favorite television show on your laptop or phone.

Enjoy your time before work begins!

5. Eat breakfast.

If you’re running out of the house to catch a train or bus, take a minute to grab a healthy breakfast to eat on your way to work.

Many commuter stations have breakfast carts available so grab something to eat alongside your morning tea or coffee.

Not only will breakfast jump start your metabolism but you’ll also have increased energy by the time you reach the office.

These are just a few different ways to jump-start your day during your morning commute.

While you may only have a limited amount of time in the morning, you can really make the best of it!

What need have you been neglecting lately?

What will you do, today, to fulfill this need?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Before you leave…

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January 12, 2018January 5, 2018

Because of my realistic expectations, there is no such thing as disappointment in my life.

January 12, 2018January 5, 2018

How To Deal With Disappointment

Everyone faces disappointments in life, both big and small.

Unfortunately, many of us choose to complain and whine about our problems to the immense irritation of others.

It’s important to acknowledge our disappointments and not just ignore them, but how do we do it effectively without being a nag to others?

The answer lies in learning constructive ways to acknowledge disappointments.

Disappointment can build character and patience if you allow it to.

Learning to deal with your disappointments constructively can make you a stronger person in the end.

Coping with Disappointment

The first thing you need to do in learning to deal with disappointment is recognize your old coping strategies.

Everybody has them.

Do you reach for the pint of ice cream or withdraw into a room all alone?

Do you get drunk and try to forget?

Once you recognize that your old strategy isn’t working, it’s time to create a new one.

Here are 5 tips for effectively dealing with your disappointments:

1. Acknowledge what you’re feeling.

You can honestly express the emotions you’re feeling without blaming or punishing others.

This is about how you feel about the situation, not others.

Articulate your feelings without attacking others.

Always be respectful, but don’t be afraid to let them know how you feel.

There isn’t a right or wrong way to feel.

Your feelings are valid and if you don’t voice your opinion then you’ll harbor resentment and stress yourself out.

Be honest with yourself about how you really feel about the situation.

2. Put things in perspective.

Even small disappointments can seem monumental at first.

But once you’ve expressed your hurt, frustration, or anger, take a step back and look at the bigger picture.

How much of an effect is this disappointment going to have on you tomorrow, next week, or next year?

Take a deep breath and go for a walk to put your disappointment into perspective.

Taking time to reflect and step away from the situation will help calm your nerves so you’ll be better able to handle the disappointment.

3. Refuse to doubt yourself.

Sometimes disappointment can make you feel like a failure.

You may wonder why these things happen to you or you may think you were stupid to get your hopes up in the first place.

But none of that is the truth.

Don’t allow yourself to give in to these negative thoughts!

Disappointment is not unique to you.

Everyone has been disappointed at some time in their life.

Instead of getting down on yourself, think about what could have been done differently and learn from the experience.

4. Look for a solution or compromise.

You can’t have your way all the time but sometimes there may be a second option that’s agreeable to each party.

Take a few deep breaths, relax, and look for the “silver lining.”

It’s possible to find something positive in almost every situation.

5. Reevaluate and make changes if necessary.

Sometimes when we experience disappointment, it may be a sign that we need to re-examine our priorities.

Depending on the degree of disappointment you’re facing, you may need to make minor or major changes to your life.

Learn to be flexible. Refocusing your attention on your new goals will help you forget about your disappointment.

Don’t Give Up

Any person who has had even a small degree of success in life has faced disappointments.

Winners simply don’t quit.

They learn from their failures and disappointments and go on to achieve their goals.

You can become your own biggest motivator!

Don’t underestimate the power of encouraging yourself by saying, “I can do this. I can make it.

I will get through this and become a better person!”

You don’t need to allow disappointment to lower your self-confidence.

That’s not to say that you need to gloss over your feeling, but you can simply learn how to deal with your disappointments effectively, then move on to bigger and better things.

What do you need to do to sustain yourself on your life journey?

How do you surround yourself with people who help you become your best self?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

Before you leave…

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January 11, 2018January 5, 2018

How to End Your Friendship with the Snooze Button

For most people, mornings are the most productive part of their day.

However, many of us waste these precious morning hours just trying to wake up!

Then by the afternoon and evening, we get hungry, tired, or even bored.

Why?

Well, our brain has already begun to slow down for the day and we don’t tend to be as sharp as we’d like.

Advantages to Rising Early

Besides being more productive, there are a number of advantages to waking up earlier.

Here are 4 of the biggest advantages to rising early:

1. You have time for breakfast.

If you’ve been hitting the snooze alarm for 20 minutes, you’ve effectively cut out the time you would normally spend fixing a healthy breakfast.

Now you only have time to grab a donut and coffee on your way to work.

You’ve heard it before, but breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.

This meal jumpstarts your metabolism and gives you energy that will last throughout the most productive portion of your day.

You’ll also be less likely to eat unhealthy snacks all day long.

2. You have an early start to work.

Many people deal with rush hour every morning during their commute to work.

This ends up creating a frustrating start to your day.

You may be able to avoid this headache by simply waking up a few minutes earlier.

Have you ever noticed that leaving even 10-15 minutes earlier can make a difference in how much traffic you encounter on your commute?

Getting an early start can help eliminate stress.

3. You have time to exercise.

Many of us say that we’re going to start an exercise regimen but after a long day of work, the last thing you feel like doing is working out.

Mornings are the perfect time to get your blood flowing and adrenaline pumping.

You’ll work up a hearty appetite for a healthy breakfast by exercising in the mornings and you’ll be less stressed during your commute.

Plus, once you get to work, you’ll notice that you’ll have more energy to tackle any problems that arise.

4. You can enjoy peace and quiet.

We have so much noise and chaos in our lives.

You could have such a peaceful start to your day by enjoying a little quiet solitude before the rest of the world is awake and demanding your attention.

When was the last time you had “me” time?

Spend some time enjoying your breakfast while reading the newspaper or your favorite book each morning.

How to Become an Early Bird

Now that we know that getting up early has its advantages, how do we go about making this a regular habit?

It’s certainly easier said than done, but it’s not impossible!

Here are some ways to make the transition a little easier so you, too, can become an early bird:

1. Start waking up at the same time every day.

Decide how much time you need to accomplish what you want when you get up, then set your wake-up time accordingly.

Experts say we should even follow this schedule on the weekends or days off so we don’t wreak havoc on our internal sleeping pattern.

2. Do not hit the Snooze button.

If your alarm clock is too convenient to your bed, put it clear across the room so you have to get out of bed to shut it off.

From there, force yourself to leave your bedroom.

If you let yourself even think about sleeping in, you probably will.

So just get up and start your day.

Go to the bathroom and splash some water on your face and you’ll be less tempted to get back in bed.

3. Go to bed earlier.

The last thing you want to feel is sleep-deprived, so this may mean that you need to give up your night-owl.

There will be a few days of adjustment since your body won’t be used to going to bed early.

However, after a few mornings of getting up early, you’ll feel tired early enough in the evening that you should have no problem going right to sleep.

If you’re tempted to stay up late watching television, record your favorite shows and watch them in the morning during your peaceful “me” time.

By nature, we are creatures of habit.

When you develop a bad habit (like continually hitting the snooze), you’ll likely continue to fall into that trap.

Breaking this routine will force you to start fresh, and you’ll be happy that you did!

How have you remained open to change so you can continually learn and grow?

How can you best reward and nurture yourself today?

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!

January 11, 2018January 5, 2018

My expectations come with its own eraser, so I can always make changes at will.

January 10, 2018January 5, 2018

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

January 10, 2018January 5, 2018

Self-Care for Women: Making Sure Your Needs Are Met

Self-care can be very difficult for women because times have changed significantly.

Nowadays, most women have many of the same responsibilities as they had fifty years ago, plus they work to make ends meet or because they enjoy pursuing a career.

These intense responsibilities make it more difficult than ever for a woman to take care of her body, mind, and spirit the way that she needs to.

What is Self-Care?

Self-care is what women need to do to take care of themselves holistically on a physical, emotional, and spiritual level.

Self-care for women means getting in touch with her inner self and pampering it.

After all, you deserve to be pampered!

Without taking care of your entire body, mind and spirit, you can literally drive yourself to exhaustion.

Plus, if you lose touch with yourself, then you’re more likely to lose touch with your family, friends, and career.

It’s Time to Make Time

Although it may seem as if time isn’t available, it’s time to make time.

Start with a few minutes of me-time before bed to reflect, pray, or meditate.

First, determine your preferred way to care for yourself before bed.

Maybe you enjoy writing in a journal to write your feelings out and reflect upon those things.

Maybe you feel that listening to music while taking a bubble bath is exactly what you need.

Maybe prayer or meditation helps re-center your soul.

Be sure to give priority to your me-time so you can meet your emotional and spiritual needs.

You want to make sure your own needs are met before trying to meet the needs of others.

After all, how can you effectively meet the needs of others if you can’t even meet your own?

Being a woman, people turn to you for answers.

They turn to you with questions about life, family, career, and just about anything under the sun.

You have to be mentally prepared to take on anything, which is why self-care is very important in your life.

You must be a trustworthy source for yourself before anyone else.

Manage the Stress in your Life

There are numerous demands and responsibilities placed on your shoulders, which can cause crippling stress.

Reducing your stress is crucial for your physical and mental well being.

Managing stress includes doing things such as exercising and enjoying hobbies and other activities.

If you like to work crossword puzzles, work a crossword puzzle!

If you like to play computer games, play computer games!

If you need a girls’ night out, call up your friends and go out! It’s crucial to eliminate as much stress as possible by taking some time to relax and enjoy yourself.

If you’re frustrated at work, work through those frustrations by analyzing the situation and listing the things you can do to make it better.

Just letting the situation sit and simmer is not going to make it any better because it may eventually come to a boil.

If there are situations in your life that need attention, give them attention.

This is another aspect of self-care because you’re making sure you eliminate as much conflict as possible in your life before they consume you.

This is especially important to women because women deal with conflict on a different level than men.

Where some men duke it out on a physical level, women do it more on an emotional level.

You can stand your ground by keeping your body, mind, and spirit healthy.

Paying attention to your own physical, emotional and spiritual needs is paramount to a healthy well-being in today’s world.

When you make self-care a priority, you’re able to fully enjoy your life on all levels.

Be sure to follow these self-care tips in your life. You’ll be glad you did!

How often do you take time to care for yourself?

What do you do to relax?

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!

January 9, 2018January 5, 2018

Posts

The Art of Decision Making: Tips on Making Decisions You Can Live With

The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings. – Ralph Blum

How to Jump Start Your Day During Your Commute

Because of my realistic expectations, there is no such thing as disappointment in my life.

How To Deal With Disappointment

How to End Your Friendship with the Snooze Button

My expectations come with its own eraser, so I can always make changes at will.

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

Self-Care for Women: Making Sure Your Needs Are Met

I minimize time wasting.