Personal Growth Cafe

As you go through life, you’re constantly affirming your own thoughts and beliefs.

Throughout each day, you consciously and unconsciously tell yourself things based on your belief system.

The problem is, much of the time you may actually be re-affirming negative thoughts rather than positive ones.

This is bad news.

After all, if your affirmations are negative, you can expect only negative outcomes!

How many times in a day do you tell yourself how stupid you are for forgetting something or how fat you are when your favorite jeans feel tight?

Negative thinking reinforces an internal belief that we’ll never be able to change ourselves and that we’re destined to continue repeating our self-destructive behaviors.

When we re-affirm our negative thoughts, we enter into a vicious cycle that leads to even more negative thinking.

Imagine how different your life would be if you began using affirmations to reinforce the positive!

Affirmations work wonders if you use them properly.

By making a few simple adjustments in the way you phrase your inner dialog, you can begin using this powerful technique to change your thinking and change your life.

Your subconscious mind accepts things on a very literal basis, so for affirmations to work effectively, you need to follow a simple formula.

Follow these tips to create positive affirmations that can change your life for the better:

Your subconscious needs to know you’re doing something now, not in the future.

For example, if you state an affirmation as something you want to change, such as “I will quit smoking,” your subconscious cannot distinguish what you mean by “I will.”

It has no sense of planning for the future.

In fact, your subconscious mind will accept what you tell it, even if the behavior has not yet happened, that’s why you should state your affirmation as if it’s already a fact.

“I am free from the desire to smoke” is an effective affirmation and will begin to program your subconscious mind into thinking as a non-smoker, even before you put down the cigarettes.

An affirmation must be personal for your subconscious to accept it.

Saying, “You need to eat healthy” won’t help you change your diet.

When your subconscious hears the word “you,” it doesn’t interpret it as a statement directed at yourself.

Instead, phrase your affirmation in the first person.

Stick to “I” in your affirmations and you’ll soon notice a strong positive effect on your behaviors.

“I enjoy eating healthy foods” is a positive, first person affirmation that will help you begin making better choices when you reach for a meal or snack.

Your subconscious mind is very literal.

It can’t process the concept of “not.”

The statement, “I am not going to lie on the couch watching TV when I should be exercising” won’t do anything other than re-affirm how you should lay on the couch in front of the television.

Form your intention in a positive way, even if you haven’t made the behavior change yet.

“I enjoy exercising in my spare time” is more likely to motivate you to get up and go to the gym, instead of reaching for the remote control and a bag of chips.

Positive, personal, present tense affirmations are extremely powerful in changing how your subconscious affects your behavior.

Make an effort to stop reinforcing your old, negative thinking that keeps you caught in a rut.

Try using these three simple techniques today to create affirmations that can change your subconscious programming, your actions, and your life for the better.

How can you bring more joy into your life today?

What is in the way of your happiness today?

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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February 20, 2019March 11, 2018

Worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrow, it empties today of strength. – Corrie Ten Boom

February 19, 2019March 11, 2018

The Benefits of Meditation and Prayer in Everyday Life

Is your daily routine so busy and full of activities that it’s causing you stress and agitation?

We’ve all heard of the health risks associated with too much stress, but how can you reduce that stress and find peace in your life?

To achieve a sense of peace, you can turn to the gift of prayer and meditation.

There are many benefits to meditation and prayer:

1. Stress reduction.

Both meditation and prayer are wonderful for reducing stress.

You’ll find that it helps you learn how to get away from the worries of life to a more peaceful state of mind.

2. Just 15 minutes a day can make a huge difference by bringing peace and relaxation to your body and mind.

A few minutes each day isn’t much, considering that the positive effects will last hours.

3. Improved health. Many studies have proven that prayer and meditation foster vibrant health.

Usually these health benefits, such as lower blood pressure and decreased risk of heart disease, occur because of the lowered stress levels.

4. Physical problems are often a symptom of turmoil on the inside and prayer and meditation can help to overcome that turmoil.

5. Better control over your thoughts.

Having negative thoughts from time to time is part of being human.

Many people who are stressed don’t believe they’re able to control what they think.

The stress mounts, tempers flair, and before long arguments ensue.

However, by bringing prayer and meditation into your life, it’s possible to control your thoughts and stop negative thinking as soon as it happens.

This helps keep your mind at peace.

6. Happiness. Both peace of mind and happiness are true benefits of meditation and prayer.

Everyone is seeking happiness in their lives, and when you’re able to find peace of mind through prayer and meditation, you’re also welcoming happiness into your life.

By spending some time in personal reflection, you’ll gain a greater wisdom of your mission in this life, and you’ll be better able to appreciate all that you’ve been given, both good and bad.

Meditation and prayer help banish those negative thoughts that threaten your peace of mind.

7. Better concentration.

As you pray and meditate, you welcome peace and tranquility into your mind, which then affects how you live your life.

When you alleviate the stresses in your life, you’re better able to concentrate on the things that are important, such as family or work.

Continued prayer and meditation will help you expand your focus to multiple areas of your life.

Although prayer and meditation can provide peace in your life, it can be hard to make the time at first, but it’s easier than you think.

Simply find a quiet place in your home and allow yourself to relax and feel at peace for 10-15 minutes.

You deserve those 15 minutes of peace each day!

While there are plenty of positive benefits of prayer and meditation, it may take practice and perseverance to achieve them.

Over time you’ll begin to experience this wonderful gift in your own life and you’ll be thankful that you did!

How do you feel about yourself after a heartfelt prayer?

How can you feel calmness and peace through regular meditation?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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February 19, 2019March 11, 2018

The sound of life has divine silence. – Kedar Joshi

February 18, 2019March 11, 2018

Setting Goals for Success: Five Tips to Define Clear Goals

Whether you want to set goals for your business or your personal life, defining clear, concise goals is very important.

Without clear goals you can end up confused about what you want to achieve, and you may be putting yourself on the path to stagnation.

Clear goals can give you tremendous momentum and intense purpose in your life.

Here are five important tips to help you to define clear goals in your life:

1. Understand what you want to achieve.

In order to define clear goals, your first step is to determine exactly what you want to achieve.

If you don’t know where you’re going, you can’t figure out a route to get there.

Once you know where you want to be and what you want to achieve, you’ll be able to come up with the goals that will help you get there.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Take the time to sit down and brainstorm your long-term dreams and desires.

2. Determine a timeline.

Setting timelines will prevent procrastination and spur you on to action to meet your goals.

Having a timeline for your goals also helps to clarify them because now you know what you want and when you want it!

Come up with goals that you want to meet in a month, year, and even five or ten years from now.

Make a plan that will keep you on track; however, don’t etch your plan in stone! Allow for changes along the way, but keep your eye on the main goal.

3. Ensure your goals are realistic.

With realistic goals, you can almost guarantee that you’ll be able to achieve them, and you won’t stress yourself out trying to accomplish something that’s out of reach.

A clear goal is a realistic one.

Break your long-term goals into small, achievable action steps.

Reaching multiple goals along your journey will give you a feeling of accomplishment and motivate you to continue.

4. Be specific. Clarify your goals with the details of exactly what you want. Avoid vague generalities.

When you make a specific goal, you’ll be better able to accomplish it.

Specific goals allow you to form your timeline and define your action steps. There’s no guesswork involved when dealing with specifics.

For example, “make more money with your business” is a vague goal.

Come up with a specific goal, such as, “I will make $1,000 more per month, three months from today.” This goal is specific, measurable, and realistic.

5. Refine your goals. Your goals may change as your life changes.

During this process, you’ll be able to make them more specific, realistic, and achievable.

It’s okay to refine your goals several times in your life!

What’s important now, might not be important to you six months or six years from now.

Be willing to accept change. Revisit your goals from time to time and make new plans if necessary.

Some people flounder through life, unsure of their purpose or what they want to achieve.

Don’t let this be you!

Your life will have clear meaning if you put some thought into what’s important to you, what goals you want to achieve, and what actions to take to make your dreams a reality.

What are you doing to achieve your goals?

What are you focusing on today to help you move closer to reaching your goals?

Talk about that in the Personal Growth Cafe Community!

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February 18, 2019March 11, 2018

Mere goodness can achieve little against the power of nature. – George Wihelm

February 17, 2019March 11, 2018

Overcoming the Fear of the Unknown

Overcoming the fear of the unknown is a challenging endeavor, but it can be done.

If you suffer from a fear of uncertainty, understanding what fear is, and how it affects you, can start you on the road to conquering it.

Fear has been defined in several ways; however, the most basic definition of fear is an emotional response based on the fact that we’re faced with something unfamiliar or impending danger.

When we experience fear, several psychological and physiological responses take place all at the same time.

Psychological events include feeling emotionally overwhelmed, having high levels of anxiety, and even feeling terrified.

Physiological responses include a faster heart rate, shallow breathing, and similar effects.

Experiencing fear can greatly impact your view on life, your confidence levels, and even the potential that you have as an individual.

Here’s an example of a situation where a woman had the crippling fear that everything she did would result in failure:

Janice was very successful in her career and personal life.

It seemed that people were instantly drawn to her and her ideas, but on the inside, Janice was a mess.

Every time she worked on a project, she would throw herself into it.

In the end, she would ultimately succeed, but on the inside, she was always worried that she would fail or that her completed project wouldn’t be good enough.

For the most part, she recognized the fact that her fear was irrational.

However, Janice grew up in an abusive home.

She was physically beaten and consistently ridiculed by her father.

Regardless of what she did, it was never enough to meet his expectations.

The result was that she grew up to become a workaholic, often struggling to finish several things at once, and leaving very little time for herself.

The root of her fear of failure was grounded in her childhood.

Her father harbored unrealistically high expectations and would be mentally and physically abusive towards her when his expectations weren’t met.

Once she realized this about her past, Janice was able to ease her personal expectations and overcome her fear.

Here are some strategies you can use to help overcome your fear:

1. Recognize your fears. By realizing that you’re fearful, you’re more likely to get to the bottom of what the fear is.

You may also have a fear of facing your fears.

The best way to conquer this fear is to accept the truth behind what’s causing you to experience limited happiness in life.

You might come to understand that you’re afraid of failing or taking chances.

You may even be fearful because you simply don’t have confidence in yourself.

Regardless of the issue at hand, it’s important that you recognize your fear and attempt to define what it is that makes you terrified of the unknown.

The key here is not to dwell on your fear, but rather to understand precisely what it is you’re worried about.

2. Determine the underlying root of your fears.

How can you identify the cause of your fears? An insightful look at your life might reveal the answer.

By recognizing what causes your fears, it’s likely you can overcome them with great success!

3. Face your fears.

Once you’ve accepted your fear and identified the root cause, you’re ready to conquer it! The best method to do this is to face it head on.

Make a decision to purposely tackle your fears by indulging yourself in activities that push you outside of your comfort zone.

For example, put yourself in a place where you’re safe, yet uncomfortable, or respectfully confront someone from your past.

In the end, you’ll find that you can successfully overcome your fears, one by one!

Overcoming your fear of the unknown is a difficult undertaking.

However, if you take the time to engage in these three steps, you’ll discover a renewed peace and happiness within your heart!

As you work to unlock the chains that bind you to your fears, you’ll enjoy a freedom that you’ve never felt before.

How can your fear be turned into a good opportunity?

How can focusing on your goals rather than your fears help you become a better person?

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!

February 17, 2019March 11, 2018

Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well. – Josh Billings

February 16, 2019February 28, 2018

Posts

First thing every morning before you arise, say out loud, “I Believe”. – Norman Vincent Peale

The Bad News about Affirmations

Worry does not empty tomorrow of sorrow, it empties today of strength. – Corrie Ten Boom

The Benefits of Meditation and Prayer in Everyday Life

The sound of life has divine silence. – Kedar Joshi

Setting Goals for Success: Five Tips to Define Clear Goals

Mere goodness can achieve little against the power of nature. – George Wihelm

Overcoming the Fear of the Unknown

Life consists not in holding good cards but in playing those you hold well. – Josh Billings

People may doubt what you say, but they will believe what you do. – Lewis Cass