Life Strategies For Living

Please look over this list and see if there is at least one strategy out of the several listed which could be beneficial for either yourself or help someone you know.

WATCH YOUR THOUGHTS---With all of the negativity flying around today, no matter where we tend to be, let's agree that we will not participate by adding our two cents. Our self talk is busy all day long telling our subconscious what to think. If we are going to be focusing in on just negatives guess what we end up thinking and feeling? We end up "reacting" to not only our thoughts but everyone who crosses our path during the day. The fact that we have close to 50,000+ thoughts a day, how many of those are positively charged and helping us in a constructive way? We are the gatekeepers to our mind so let us be more proactive in the moment so we do not have to go back and undo damage not otherwise focused on.
HOW DO YOU COPE?---What coping strategies do you utilize? Are they effective? Are they worn out? Whichever ones we have been using up to this point will be reflective of the amount of stress you are under and can endure. Nothing torpedoes us more than to have a new situation arise, needing to be dealt with and a worn out coping skill is used to expect different results. We all see the insanity here. Identify if you are "reacting" or "responding to this dilemma. When we react we tend to be more emotional and "start acting things out" rather than "working things out." We need to discover a language and add it to this experience. Start asking for what you want, need expect or what you will tolerate from others. Be specific. Do not rely on others to hopefully get your message through some divine intervention.
BE A GOAL SETTER---What goals have you set for yourself for this new year?? Have you? And if you have what is your completion percentage rate of accomplishing them? We all start out with these good intentions however we fall short of the mark sometimes for one reason or another. May I offer some tips? Keep your goals the size of your ability to complete them. Losing weight? Lose just a few pounds at a time. Going to be more productive? Break them down into small areas of accomplishments to set yourself up for success. With any goal you are going to set, make sure you are setting a realistic time line for completion. Define what you want to achieve and then take small measureable steps toward your goal. Also- --have an accountability partner that you trust, respect and can depend on to hold your feet to the fire as far as meeting these short term goals. This will assure you of obtaining your desired results while receiving some very accurate and responsible feedback. The more you receive the more informed you will become as you are developing your plan for success. Do what is needed t0 move forward into the direction you want to go, without letting anyone or anything derail you.
Maintain an Attitude of Gratitude--Do you consciously decide to have a grateful attitude? This is and can be done by design. We create the way we will regard ourselves not leaving that job to anyone else. Having a healthy, positive, truly grateful approach to life and people is more important than all the money, cars, houses, planes etc. that one can possibly gather. Decide what you are truly grateful for each day as you suit up to go out into the world engaging others. It will make a tremendous difference in the life you will sart living instead of just existing in.
Forgiving Self and Others---Have you taken the time to stop long enough to give yourself a shower of forgiveness in regards to past circumstances? As hard as it is to forgive yourself goes to show you how adept we get at holding grudges. Please note that holding a grudge is the heaviest thing you will ever carry all of your life. Anger, resentment and a lack of forgiving are some of the major things in life which can destroy a person. We need to find the peace within to be able to extend it out to others. This is not about forgetting. Absolutely not, however the longer you carry this around the old Chinese proverb says it very clearly that, "A man who cannot forgive and seeks revenge must dig two graves--one for himself and one for the other person." Let the peace begin with you as the old hymm says. I believe the Beatles were very clear and succinct when they said, "The love you take is equal to the love you make!"
Want Happiness? Build Solid Relationships--Relationships start with ourself first. Work to undertand who you are, what you stand for, what you need, want, deserve, enjoy, expect or are willing to tolerate. Once learned then you can healthily go out and share that with the world. To have true empathy for others is a sure sense of accomplishment. It does remain though the hardest thing to teach, the hardest thing to learn yet is the easiest thing to forget. A happy person will know about and have an unending supply of empathy to constantly share with everyone they meet. You will gravitate towards happiness and will have a healthy relationships by developing commitment, sincerity, and hardwork to achieve your desired results.
Develop A Generous Spirit---This one sounds easier said than done. People who have been hurt, disrespected, lied to, abused in some way, has had mistrust, and dishonest people in and out of their lives may say, "sure Bob-of course I will be more generous in giving away even more of myself--right!" No matter the hurts, pain, anger, resentments and discomfort felt or experienced, by harboring these you will only give more of your own personal power away to those who will use it against you. Let's strategize a method and plan of success by realizing that it takes an inside effort to make an outside difference. Start releasing all the negativity held inside to make room for this generous spirit you will be working on to fill yourself up with. The sooner you begin to become bold and courageous in this area of your life-when you look back on this time frame you travel through (and you will)--we do not want you to end up regretting the things you didn't do more than the ones you did. Now is the time to get started--get busy!!!!!!!