How Positive Affirmations Will Help You Achieve a Healthy, Happy Life - Brian Tracy

Jim Rohn How to Get Whatever You Want

A Commitment to Laughter Article

by: Earl Nightingale

One of the enriching blessings of growing older all the time is that it has a way of improving one’s commitment to laughter  or at least it should. The person without a good sense of humor is a person to avoid as though he were a known carrier of the plague.

Horace Walpole once said, “I have never yet seen or heard anything serious that was not ridiculous.” And Samuel Butler said, “The one serious conviction that a man should have is that nothing is to be taken seriously.” It has been said that seriousness is the only refuge of the shallow. Oscar Wilde said, “It is a curious fact that the worst work is always done with the best intentions, and that people are never so trivial as when they take themselves very seriously.”

I remember that when I was in the service, one of the toughest jobs I had was to keep from laughing at the wrong times during an admiral’s inspection, for example. There is nothing funnier than the seriousness of the military, especially high-ranking military. The fancy costumes, the panoply, the shining sabers, the serious faces  it was all, to me, hilariously funny.

We can be serious about situations. When a youngster is ill or hurt, or someone insults your spouse, you can get very serious about the situation in a hurry. But that’s not taking ourselves seriously.  That’s different.

The thing that bothered me about Hemingway, as much as I admired his work, was that I thought he tended to take himself too seriously. He didn’t seem to be able to laugh at himself. And I think he suffered from this flaw in his character.

I have found it a good rule of thumb to be slightly suspicious of anyone who takes himself too seriously. There’s usually something fishy there someplace. I think this is why we love children so much: Life is a game to them. They will do their best at whatever work is given them, but they never seem to lose their ebullient sense of humor; there is always a sparkle of humor in their eyes. When a child lacks this, he is usually in need of help.

Dictators are famous for their lack of humor. The mark of a cruel person is that he doesn’t seem to be able to see anything funny in the world. And, a sense of humor was what was so great about Mark Twain. No matter how serious the subject, he could find the humor in it and bring it out. All the great comedians have this ability to see what’s funny in the so-called serious situation. They can poke fun at themselves. There are those who believe that a sense of humor is the only thing that has kept the human race from totally extinguishing itself.

People who are emotionally healthy, with a sense of proportion, are cheerful people. They tend to look upon the bright side of things and see a lot of humor in their daily lives. They’re not Pollyannas  they know what’s going on and that a lot of it’s not at all funny but they don’t permit the dark side of things to dominate their lives.

To my mind, when a person lacks a sense of humor, there’s something pretty seriously wrong with him.

Samuel Butler said, “A sense of humor keen enough to show a man his own absurdities as well as those of other people will keep a man from the commission of all sins, or nearly all, save those that are worth committing.”

It took a sense of humor to write that, and only people with blank spaces where their senses of humor should be will find it offensive. There’s something so healthy about laughter, especially when it’s directed at ourselves.

There are times for all of us when all the laughter seems to be gone, but we should not permit these periods to last too long. When we’ve lost our sense of humor, there isn’t very much left. We become ridiculous. We must then go to war against the whole world, and that’s a war we cannot win.

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How to Become Extraordinary by Brendan Berchard

What Is Personal Development?

by Inspired Personal Development 

What is personal development all about, and what can you expect as an outcome of cultivating it?

Obviously, personal development is about your own growth... personal growth regarding your knowledge, your perspectives, or abilities. And, the term development is used in a positive sense. For example, learning to be peaceful rather than learning to be angry!

Basically, it is about moving beyond the person you were yesterday, and stretching to new heights... above what you have previously experienced.

Personal development is entirely natural, and as such it is ongoing in your life.

Even if unsolicited, self improvement opportunities come our way every day. If you focus on looking for them, you'll bound to see them.

They might be as inconspicuous as the opportunity you have to cultivate your understanding when dealing with an unpleasant sales person at the grocery store, or; the physical benefit gained by having to carry the heavy groceries to your car.

Intentionally pursuing self development has become a popular interest for millions. This seems to be testament to the fact that we are hungry for evolution. We are made for learning new things, and so we seek out methods that promote our growth.

What is Personal Development to You?

There are a multitude of different life areas you can focus on to gain new knowledge and capabilities.

What is important in personal development to you may be very different to the type of self improvement that is important to someone else.

Although the broadest definition of personal development encompasses improvement in every area of your life, you may be more interested and focused on just some of these areas:

1. Intellectual life - mental processes, and education
2. Emotional life � happiness, peacefulness and other emotions tied in with your thoughts and understandings 
   
   
   
3.  Spiritual life � experience of life transcending the physical
4. Social life - relationships and community
5. Career � expressing yourself through your work and contributing to society
6. Health and fitness � physical well-being
7. Financial life � monetary management
   

What is Personal Development Going to Reward You With?

People pursue self development as a means to what is considered becoming 'better' in their lives, in some regard.

The 7 categories above are vast, and just a few things you might achieve by cultivating your personal growth are: being more organised, or kinder, happier, more peaceful, understanding, more mindful, more confident, more loving, more effective at work, healthier, or more successful financially.
Really, it's all about what you want! And that is another likely reason personal development is so popular... there are a multitude of things that you have an excellent chance of achieving through a bit of research and application.

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Reinforcement: Positive and Negative Thoughts

How to Build Self-Confidence With 10 Helpful Tips

By Z. Hereford

When I was in my late teens a friend of mine, an elite athlete, gave me the most profound, yet simple advice that changed the way I would view myself forever. He told me:

"If you don't think very highly of yourself, you can't expect anyone else to think it of you."
Translation - It means that we alone are responsible for building self-confidence.

We cannot depend upon, or wait for anyone else's approval. We must see ourselves as worthy and capable of achieving anything we choose to achieve.

Ultimately, how we see ourselves is more important than how anyone else sees us. If we don't work at loving and accepting ourselves, nothing anyone else thinks matters.

In a similar vein, have you ever felt that you don't measure up to others overall? In that case, think about how many times you may have met a gorgeous man or woman and then afterwards forgot how good looking they were because they had nothing interesting to say or could add nothing of value to your perspective. I would think it happens more often than not!

Consider that in an opinion poll done by Men's Health Magazine (1,000 American women ages 21 to 54 in two online polls) women rated traits relating to character and personality much higher than they scored those reflecting physical attractiveness.

In other online questionnaires filled out by both men and women the number one quality found desirable in someone was 'self-confidence'. Physical attractiveness didn't even make the top 10!

The bottom line is that what you think of, and how you project yourself, is more important than merely having good looks. Building self-confidence is not only a great way to attract others, but a great way to feel good about yourself!

Tips For Building Self-Confidence

• Acknowledge Your Uniqueness. Believe in yourself and know that you are one of a kind. In the words of Walt Whitman know:
  
  "That you are here--that life exists, and identity;
  That the powerful play goes on, and you will contribute a verse."
  There is no one else like you on this planet. No one looks like you, has the same talents, experiences, or perspective as you do. You are unique and are therefore here to make your unique contribution. If we each focus on what we bring into the world to share, there can be no comparisons, envy or regret. We are here to "contribute a verse".
  
• Give it Your Best. When you do the best you can, with the best of what you've got, you can't help but feel good about yourself and that confidence comes through in everything that you do. Giving it your best makes you unafraid to take risks or step out of your comfort zone - both great confidence-builders.
• Persevere. Everybody has setbacks and obstacles to contend with. Don't let them undermine your confidence. Treat them as opportunities to strengthen your resolve and then persevere. See Article: The Power of Persistence
• Overcome adversity. Overcoming adversity builds and strengthens self-confidence. The greatest songs, works of art and literary pieces have been written by those who have experienced the depths of despair, loss, and emptiness, and then overcame them. Experiencing sadness and loss, and then rising above them, gives rise to hope and triumph. It makes you stretch and become more than you were.
• Accomplish something. Set goals for yourself and then push yourself to reach them. Self-confidence soars when you know you can do what you put your mind to. It makes you feel unstoppable. Likewise, achieve mastery. Mastery experiences are those for which you know you have worked hard and sustained great effort in order to achieve success. 
  
  
  
  
  
• Separate Yourself From the Event. You are not what happens to you, nor how you believe others see you. In other words, you are not defined by what happens to you, nor are you defined by how others see you. You are who you choose to be - a person of character, dignity and self-confidence.
• Confront your fears. There's nothing that destroys self-confidence more than succumbing to fear. Everyone feels fear at various times; we're human, however facing circumstances with courage and poise strengthens character and builds self-confidence. Put yourself out there! If you're afraid to meet new people, attend social events, etc. - don't stay home and fret. Doing builds confidence. Of course, you'll feel, and probably be awkward the first few times in new situations, however, the more you do it, the better you'll get, and therefore the better you'll feel about yourself. 
  
  
  
  
  
• Good looks do not equal self-confidence.  Some of the most attractive people in the world are insecure and lack self-confidence. Marilyn Monroe was considered to be one of the sexiest, most beautiful people in the world, yet she lacked a positive self-image. She misguidedly allowed external factors, such as the approval of others, to determine her self worth. Good looks may help you feel good about yourself temporarily, but are by no means enough.
• Take good care of yourself. When you are in fit, in good health, and make a point of looking your best, you can't help but feel confident. This is different, of course, from comparing your looks to others. It's about being comfortable with you. Everyone looks good when they're in good shape, well groomed, and healthy. You can't help but have a glow about you when you take good care of yourself
• Learn how to give yourself a pep talk.  We all have our down moments, moments of doubt, confusion and uncertainty. When that happens, we must learn how to restore self-confidence. One way is to understand that everyone goes through such moments. Another is to remember past successes, visualize the desired outcome, and keep at it! Practice makes perfect.
  

Self-confidence is absolutely essential to achieving success in any endeavor. You acquire it by doing, learning, accomplishing, and persisting.

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Having Goals & Goal Cards - Bob Proctor

The Power of Positive Thinking

By Remez Sasson

 


Positive thinking is a mental and emotional attitude that focuses on the bright side of life and expects positive results.

A positive person anticipates happiness, health and success, and believes he or she can overcome any obstacle and difficulty.

Positive thinking is not a concept that everyone believes and follows. Some, consider it as nonsense, and scoff at people who follow it. However, there is a growing number of people, who accept positive thinking as a fact, and believe in its effectiveness.

It seems that this subject is gaining popularity, as evidenced by the many books, lectures and courses about it.

To use it in your life, you need more than just to be aware of its existence. You need to adopt the attitude of positive thinking in everything you do.

How Positive Thinking Works 

The following story illustrates how this power works:

 

Allan applied for a new job, but he didn't believe he will get it, since his self-esteem was low, and he considered himself as a failure and unworthy of success.

He had a negative attitude toward himself, and therefore, believed that the other applicants were better and more qualified than him.

Allan's mind was occupied with negative thoughts and fears concerning the job, for the whole week preceding the job interview. He actually, anticipated failure.

On the day of the interview, he got up late, and to his horror he discovered that the shirt he planned to wear was dirty, and the other one needed ironing. As it was already too late, he went out wearing a wrinkled shirt and without eating breakfast.

During the interview, he was tense, negative, hungry and worried about his shirt. All this, distracted his mind and made it difficult for him to focus on the interview. His overall behavior made a bad impression, and consequently, he materialized his fear and did not get the job.

Jim applied for the same job too, but approached the matter in a different way. He was sure that he was going to get the job. During the week preceding the interview, he often visualized himself making a good impression and getting the job.

In the evening before the interview, he prepared the clothes he was going to wear, and went to sleep a little earlier. On day of the interview, he woke up earlier than usual, and had ample time to eat breakfast, and then to arrive to the interview before the scheduled time.

Jim made a good impression and got the job.

What do we learn from these two stories? Was there any magic used? No, everything happened in a natural way.

Positive Thinking Is a Way of Life

With a positive attitude we experience pleasant and happy feelings. This brings brightness to the eyes, more energy, and happiness. Our whole being broadcasts good will, happiness and success. Even our health is affected in a beneficial way. We walk tall, our voice is more powerful, and our body language shows the way we feel.

Positive and negative thinking are contagious.

We affect, and are affected by the people we meet, in one way or another. This happens instinctively and on a subconscious level, through words, thoughts and feelings, and through body language.
Is it any wonder that we want to be around positive people, and prefer to avoid negative ones?
People are more disposed to help us, if we are positive, and they dislike and avoid anyone broadcasting negativity.

Negative thoughts, words and attitude, create negative and unhappy feelings, moods and behavior. When the mind is negative, poisons are released into the blood, which cause more unhappiness and negativity. This is the way to failure, frustration and disappointment.

Positive Thinking Instructions and Advice

In order to turn the mind toward the positive, some inner work is required, since attitude and thoughts do not change overnight.

1. Read about this subject, think about its benefits, and persuade yourself to try it. The power of your thoughts is a mighty power that is always shaping your life. This shaping is usually done subconsciously, but it is possible to make the process a conscious one. Even if the idea seems strange, give it a try. You have nothing to lose, but only to gain.
2. Ignore what other people say or think about you, if they discover that you are changing the way you think.
3. Use your imagination to visualize only favorable and beneficial situations.
4. Use positive words in your inner dialogues, or when talking with others.
5. Smile a little more, as this helps to think positively.
6. Once a negative thought enters your mind, you have to be aware of it, and endeavor to replace it with a constructive one. If the negative thought returns, replace it again with a positive one. It is as if there are two pictures in front of you, and you have to choose to look at one of them, and disregard the other. Persistence will eventually teach your mind to think positively, and to ignore negative thoughts.
7. In case you experience inner resistance and difficulties when replacing negative thoughts with positive ones, do not give up, but keep looking only at the beneficial, good and happy thoughts in your mind.
8. It doesn't matter what your circumstances are at the present moment. Think positively, expect only favorable results and situations, and circumstances will change accordingly. If you persevere, you will transform the way your mind thinks. It might take some time for the changes to take place, but eventually they will.
9. Another useful technique is the repetition of affirmations. This technique is similar to creative visualization, and can be used together with it.
   

The other articles at this website, about the power of concentration, willpower, self-discipline and peace of mind, also contribute to the development of a positive mind, and are recommended for reading and practising.

About the Author:-

Remez Sasson is the founder of Success Consciousness website. He is the author of articles and books, teaching how to develop and use the skills, mental tools and inner powers one needs for creating a life of happiness, success, fulfilment and inner peace.

Click here to see Remez’s fabulous books on changing your mindset to positive and other great subjects!

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