Top 15 Ways to Being Kind to Yourself

Top 15 Ways to Being Kind to Yourself

by | Jun 22, 2020 | Blog, Life Tips and Skills

Top 15 Ways to Protect Your Wellbeing by Being Kind to Yourself

How do you react when you’re faced with circumstances beyond your control or you fall short of your own expectations? Kind to Yourself

You might be tempted to become harsh with yourself. You try to whip yourself into shape, thinking that will help you to overcome the obstacles in your way.

In reality, treating yourself with kindness and compassion is more likely to build your resilience and clarify your thinking. Kind to Yourself

Make a list of things you can do to show yourself a little love today, starting with these ideas.

Kind Habits That Protect Your Physical Wellbeing: Kind to Yourself

1. Stay active. Exercise lowers your risk for heart conditions, diabetes, stroke, and many other serious health issues. Design a program you can do at home to train for cardio fitness, strength, flexibility, and balance.

2. Eat whole foods. Fill up on vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats. Minimize your consumption of ultra-processed foods.

3. Drink water. In addition to its other health benefits, water helps keep your eyes, mouth, and nose moist so you may be less tempted to scratch your face. Quench your thirst with plain water or unsweetened tea.

4. Sleep well. Lack of sleep can make you more vulnerable to infection and illness. Aim for 7 to 8 hours of slumber each night

5. Manage stress. Deal with tension constructively. Find relaxation practices that work for you. Talk with your doctor if you find yourself using alcohol or other substances to manage your moods.

Kind Habits That Protect Your Psychological Wellbeing: Kind to Yourself

1. Think positive. Look on the bright side. Savor small daily pleasures. Read inspirational texts and keep a smile on your face. Remember that hardships are temporary.

2. Set goals. Add more purpose to your life by working towards realistic and challenging goals. Use specific language and put them in writing.

3. Express gratitude. Cultivate a spirit of thankfulness. Let others know how much you appreciate them and what a difference they make in your life.

4. Give generously. Focusing on others makes your own troubles seem less grim. Share your time, money, and talents. Volunteer online for a worthy cause. Ask an elderly neighbor if they need groceries. Kind to Yourself

5. Seek support. Surround yourself with family and friends who lift you up. Share your feelings. Ask for help when you need it.

6. Repeat affirmations. Use positive statements to retrain your brain and let go of doubts that hold you back. Say your affirmations out loud several times a day. Post written copies on your bathroom mirror and other places around your home.

7. Connect with nature. Green spaces have a positive effect on our emotions. Go outside for a walk as long as you’re careful about social distancing. Open a window to let in natural light and fresh air.

8. Laugh out loud. Use humor to help you through difficult situations. Watch cat videos and email funny jokes to your friends. Play with your children or fake a chuckle until it turns into the real thing.

9. Meditate daily. Develop a regular meditation practice. Create a quiet space in your home where you can sit down each day. Start out with a few minutes at a time. You can extend your sessions gradually as your power of concentration grows.

10. Live mindfully. Remain intentional and aware in between your meditation sessions. Practice healthy posture and deep breathing. Slow down and give your full attention to one task at a time.

Your relationship with yourself serves as the foundation for a happy and meaningful life. Treat yourself with kindness and compassion, the same way you would behave toward a dear friend.

Kind to Yourself

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Affirmation: Authenticity defines my character.

Affirmation: Authenticity defines my character.

by | Jun 19, 2020 | Affirmation Reflections, Blog

Check out this week’s affirmation on being Authentic Affirmation: Authenticity defines my character.

Being your authentic self can feel risky now in our screen-obsessed world. We’re just trying to fit in, be liked, and be accepted by other human beings.

And as a result, the image we present (on our social media profiles and IRL) have become mere presentations of who we think we should be and not reflections of who we really are.

So how do we take off the mask we’ve been wearing and start to live a life of authenticity?

Affirmation: Authenticity defines my character.

In a world full of masks and imitation, I celebrate my true identity. I am proud to share it with others. It is the formula for constantly being at peace with my reality.

My life today represents my unique journey. I embrace each part of my story with pride. I am ready to tell the truth about my life to anyone who asks. There is always a part of my story that has the potential to positively influence someone else.

Being a people pleaser brings more sadness than joy. Whenever my actions or words are inauthentic, I feel unsettled in my soul. Affirmation: Authenticity defines my character.

My sense of purpose is important to me. It comes from my own mission as opposed to the motive of others. I refuse to let anyone tell me how to be. My worth is based on how I view myself and the depth of my potential.

When someone meets me for the first time, I show them who I really am. It makes little difference whether they like what they see or hear.

The sound of my voice and the face of my actions represent what I hold firm. Popularity holds little value to me. I prefer to be popular for being true to myself. When I base my actions on positive virtues, I automatically attract positive energy.

Today, when I look in the mirror, I see someone who is proud of their reflection. It is my view of myself that matters most. I dwell at peace in my identity because it is what makes me uniquely me.

Self-Reflection Questions: Affirmation: Authenticity defines my character.

  1. Where do the greatest pressures to impress usually come from?
  2. How do I ensure that I stay true to myself?
  3. What three things best define my authentic character?

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9 Building Blocks for Personal Empowerment

9 Building Blocks for Personal Empowerment

by | Jun 17, 2020 | Blog, Life Lessons

9 Building Blocks of Personal Empowerment

Are you pleased with your life journey? How do you spend your days? Do you engage in projects that bring fulfillment to you?

When you’re living a life of personal empowerment, your passion will overflow onto those around you. And as the passion permeates the very air you breathe, you’ll feel confident and in control of your life because you can produce all the things you want for yourself and your loved ones. 9 Building Blocks Personal Empowerment

This guide will help you live an empowered life. If you follow through with these suggestions and obtain the support you require, your personal power will flourish. Start living the life of your dreams!

Resolve to Succeed

When you decide to succeed, a life filled with adventure, love, and personal empowerment is yours.

Try these strategies to ensure you’re consistently working toward success:

1. Assess your self-confidence. Do you believe in yourself and know that you can do anything you put your mind to? What are your strengths?

>. When you know your strong points, you can capitalize on them and get ahead in life. 9 Building Blocks Personal Empowerment

>. Playing to your strengths will ensure you stay on the road to success and boost your personal power a few notches.

2. Ask yourself what success means to you. Will you consider yourself a success when you make a certain yearly salary, have a specific type of lifestyle, or live in a particular place?

9 BUILDING BLOCKS OF PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT

> If you were to finish this sentence, “Success for me would be…,” what would you say?

> Establish your own meaning of success and then live in a way that helps you achieve it.

Making a conscious decision to be successful is an effective way of opening up yourself to the possibilities of achieving your dreams. When you decide that something will happen, you’re more likely to take the necessary steps to ensure that it does. Resolving to succeed is a hallmark of personal empowerment. 9 Building Blocks Personal Empowerment

Believe Positive Things Will Happen

Sometimes in life, difficult things occur that might discourage you from pursuing the path you desire. An important aspect of becoming personally empowered is to believe that bright and beautiful things are coming your way, regardless of the rough waters you may have recently encountered.

When you’re sure that positive things will happen to you, your empowerment level rises.

Putting these strategies into action will pump up your belief in the positive:

1. Train yourself to notice the positive. Some days, events in your life can present great challenges. However, if you can teach yourself to consistently focus on the positive aspects of people, places, and things, you’ll open your eyes and start taking advantage of life’s many possibilities.

>. For example, maybe your co-worker received the promotion you’ve dreamed of getting. If you look at the positive aspects of your current position, you’ll be inspired to continue your quest for a job you love and deserve.

> You could say, “I’m already good at this job, so now I’ll have time to be great” or “I’m going to make this next year my personal best in terms of work performance.”

2. Hang out with people who achieve their goals. It’s usually pretty simple to spot successful people. They pay their bills on time and take good care of their families. They excel at work and are always offering a helping hand to someone who needs it. Their positivity is practically contagious. Building Blocks Personal Empowerment

>. Your confidence will be buoyed when you see the progress others make to accomplish their life goals. Spending time with high-achievers will allow you to observe firsthand how to become goal-oriented and remain positive.

3. Give yourself the benefit of the doubt. Even though you’ll likely make a mistake or two on the road to personal empowerment, learn to see those errors as necessary detours from your path. When you elect to be positive about your missteps, you’ll be less inclined to get held back by negativity.

>. Saying something as simple as, “Everyone makes mistakes and that was one of mine” reminds you of your fallibility as a human being and allows you to move on with a renewed spirit.

A positive mind breeds positive results. Approaching all aspects of life with positivity is one of the most empowering actions you can take.

Keep Your Dreams Fresh

9 BUILDING BLOCKS OF PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT

Even if you haven’t thought about it for quite some time, you probably have something you’ve always wanted to do in life. Do you still have those yearnings for the future? How do you react when you’re thinking about your dreams? Do you try to push those thoughts out of your mind?

Never abandon your dreams! Our dreams for the future can keep us moving forward in life, looking, reaching, and achieving. View your dreams as great motivators. Your dreams help empower you to seek out the life you truly want.

Put these strategies into action today to keep your dreams fresh and alive: Building Blocks Personal Empowerment

1. Think about your dreams each day. It sounds simple, but how often do you really reflect on your dreams? Each morning as you’re brushing your teeth, look yourself in the eyes and think about what you’ll specifically do that day to move toward accomplishing your dreams.

>. For example, if someday you want to move to New York City, spend an hour after work exploring the streets and neighborhoods of The Big Apple on your computer.

2. Create a vision board. Fill your board with symbols that represent your dreams. The key ingredients of a vision board are photos and printed words that signify the things you want most in life.

>. For example, in keeping with the dream of moving to New York City, you could find some photos in magazines of buildings in New York and signs of the places you’d love to frequent there, like the Met, Broadway, and Long Island.

>. Cut out those photos and put them on your vision board. Write down some words to show your excitement about your dream like, “I want to see all the shows on Broadway” or “I’m moving to New York” and include them on your board.

>. lace your board where you can see it daily.

>. When you look at your vision board, you can mentally see it happening. This will empower you to live your desired life.

3. Talk about your dreams. When your dreams are alive in your thoughts and words, you’re closer to making them happen. Building Blocks Personal Empowerment

>. Have coffee with a friend and share what you discovered when exploring the aspects of one of your dreams or tell your parents what you want to do. It helps a great deal when others are talking about you and your dreams as well.

4. Take a trip and explore your dream location or devote time to your life goals. Keeping your dream in the forefront means you’ll have tangible bits of it always with you until you can actually make it happen. So, if you yearn to move to a particular locale, visit the area occasionally to soak in the sights and sounds of it.

>. When you set aside time for activities related to your dreams, it empowers you by letting you see that you can one day bring those dreams to fruition.

Holding on to your dreams throughout your life will provide you with steady reinforcement to perform, excel, and achieve. As your dreams stay alive, so do your possibilities to live an empowered life.

Change Your Mind to Change Your Life

You might find yourself in a particular place in life that’s not satisfying to you. When you consider your living situation, you may feel unsure about how or why you ended up this way.

When you find yourself in a position or heading in a direction different from what you’d like, remind yourself you have the power to change your path. Upon reaching this point, knowing how to change your mind and your life are incredibly empowering forces.

When you’re ready, take advantage of these tips to alter your existence: Building Blocks Personal Empowerment

1. Acknowledge where you are. Take note of what you’d like to change about your life. Realize that whatever you’re currently doing is preventing you from reaching your ultimate goal.

>. Bringing the facts into your awareness will help tremendously in terms of determining that you need to alter your course.

2. Weigh the pros and cons. After discovering you want to alter something in your life, consider completing a pro and con list regarding your changes.

>. When you review the pluses and minuses before you make a decision, you’re informed about the impact the change will have on your life. Then, you’ll be ready for the challenges that change may bring.

3. Institute the changes immediately. As soon as you’ve determined the direction you want to go and why, begin making at least one alteration as soon as possible. Building Blocks Personal Empowerment

>. If you thoroughly thought things through and arrived at the conclusion to change, there’s no time like the present to begin turning the life you have into the life you seek.

4. Tweak things if necessary. After you shift gears and institute some of the changes, you may notice some other minor things you could do to be headed more directly toward your goal. Go ahead and make the adjustments without holding back.

Allow yourself the time and space to change the things about your life that are leading you astray. When you’re fully following your dreams, you’ll feel empowered and ignited with the passion to create the life you seek.

Take Action: Go After What You Want

Have you ever felt like you wanted to live life differently than how you’re currently living, yet you’re unsure where to begin? Your dreams have always been in the back of your mind, tantalizing you to do something. However, you feel uncertain about how your life will go when you do begin the path toward the good life.

Follow these steps for how to begin to live the very life you’ve always wanted:

1. Know that you deserve to have the life you want. Rather than saying, “My partner wouldn’t want me to do this” or “My life will be harder if I give up the salary I make now to pursue my dreams,” consider the idea that you deserve the life you long for, regardless of what it takes to do it.

>. When you truly connect with the fact that you’re entitled to have everything you want, those feelings will push you forward toward empowerment. Building Blocks Personal Empowerment

2. Think it through and problem-solve. Refuse to let discouraging thoughts stop you. Talk to your partner if you fear they may not support you. Listen to their position and then share your hopes and dreams with them.

>. Ponder together how you could live on less money, if that’s what it will take to get what you yearn for.

3. Complete the first step toward your dream now. If you want to become an actor, take an acting class in the evenings at a local college or university. Test the waters and incorporate your ultimate goal into your current life. Fit in parts of your dream whenever you can.

>. Satisfy your craving to do what you want by taking baby steps toward it.

>. Becoming empowered is all about pursuing what you want, even if it’s an inch at a time.

4. Do your homework. When you research what you want to accomplish, it will push you into action. Plus, doing your homework is taking action.

5. Ask for support. If you require childcare twice a week to pursue your interests, ask your parents, brother, sister, or friends to help you.

6. Offer a trade. When you require some type of assistance to pursue your dreams, mention that you’d be happy to help out your neighbor, friend, or family member with a task they want done if they’re willing to assist you too.

> For example, you could say, “I’ll feed and walk your dog while you go on that get-away weekend if you can do something for me.”

> Using the barter system to complete tasks is a valuable tool of empowerment. You’ll recognize that you can practically accomplish whatever you want with the assistance of others as long as you can barter your own skills and energies.

7. Create a step-by-step process for how to reach your desired life. If you think concretely about what you’re required to accomplish on the road to the end result, it will lead you toward your goal. Check off the steps as you achieve them.

> Keeping with the example of wanting to move to New York City, what must you do first to eventually get there? Maybe your step one is researching the industry available there to determine if your job skills will transfer. Find out what they have to offer.

Taking action to achieve your dreams will bring feelings of strength and incredible anticipation. Imagine how it will feel to know that you’ve taken the bull by the horns and are heading toward the greatest adventure of your life. Living the life you want is the ultimate objective of self-empowerment. Building Blocks Personal Empowerment

Be Willing to Work Hard

We’ve all encountered the person at work who goes so far above and beyond that they make everyone else look bad in comparison. Some of us may even admit that we wouldn’t mind being that co-worker that everyone else is praising and admiring.

Begin working harder by:

1. Showing up a few minutes early to work. Your workday may go better if you’re there ahead of time and ready to get started. Coming in early will help if you have a long walk from the parking lot to your office or you like to make the coffee and check your inbox first thing in the morning.

2. Getting adequate rest each night. If you want to put your heart and soul into your work, it’s important to be well-rested. The more energy you have, the more effort you can expend to get your job done well.

3. Developing real interest in your work. If today you’re catching up on the filing, ensure your mind is on putting all the records in order. Rather than seeing the job as an unimportant task that takes you from your “real work,” view filing as a necessary key to doing your job.

9 BUILDING BLOCKS OF PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT

> It’s no secret that it’s much easier to locate information and data when it’s alphabetized and neatly filed rather than in stacks of papers on a desk. Building Blocks Personal Empowerment

> Put all your effort into each project you work on. When you show interest in something, the end product reflects it.

4. Competing with yourself. What if you were to look at tasks as a way of showing what you can do?

> For example, when both the filing bins are filled with files to be put away, how long will it take you to do it? Two hours? Forty-five minutes?

> Jot down your times in your calendar to see if you can beat your filing time today.

5. Nixing the complaints. Many of us may have complaints about what we do in a day. But it’s wise to recognize that while we’re complaining, we’re losing our momentum with work. During the time we’re complaining we could, instead, be accomplishing something.

> Reflect on what you can accomplish if you abolish voicing your disappointment with everything you’re not pleased about. Building Blocks Personal Empowerment

6. Establishing set times for unsavory tasks. If filing is a task you typically find less-than-satisfying, perhaps setting up regular time blocks to do the job will help you keep up with it and get it done efficiently.

> For example, you could set up Tuesday mornings from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. and Friday afternoons, from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. as filing time.

> Scheduling a task and accomplishing it regularly is the sign of a hard worker.

> Although the work may take some time to get done, you’ll complete it and do so consistently.

7. Pushing yourself. Just how efficient of a worker can you be? You have the personal power to become the type of employee you want to be. Pushing yourself to excel at work will boost your self-confidence and make you feel empowered.

When you’re willing to work hard, many positive things will happen for you. Your end results will be greater and others will come to see you as a model employee. Empower yourself with the abundance that comes with being a hard worker.

Do Something: Starting Small is Better Than Not Starting at All

If you’ve ever felt bogged down with everyday life, you’ll appreciate the beauty of starting small. Rather than not starting at all, beginning little-by-little seems like a much better option.

Start small on your journey to personal empowerment by:

1. Doing something even if you’re unsure. There once was a guy who said, “Let’s do something, even if it’s wrong.”

> The idea behind this statement is empowering because it implies that, even though you’re unsure about how to go about putting your dreams into action, you can try something that could eventually lead you toward your goal.

2. Pushing through the feelings of fear. It’s natural to feel afraid when you want to embark on a new adventure. You might be unnerved at the idea of moving in the direction of the life you’ve always dreamed about. Avoid letting fear hold you back.

3. Keeping promises you make to yourself. Even the smallest step forward can be a powerful indicator that what you promise yourself matters and that you believe in what you’re doing.

> Following through on your promises brings you one step closer to your goals. Building Blocks Personal Empowerment

True empowerment begins with thought, effort, and follow- through. Only you can refresh your existence and begin living a more empowered life.

Keep Moving Forward

As you start putting these suggestions into place, you’ll begin to gain the momentum to continue moving ahead. Momentum begets more momentum.

Keep moving forward in your efforts to build your personal empowerment by:

1. Maintaining your list and keeping it close. When you use paper-and-pen accountability to keep track of your goals for the day, week, and month, you’ll move ahead rapidly. Become the true designer of your life!

2. Planning blocks of time to focus on yourself. Whether it’s doing some research on the internet, reading a book on some aspect of your future, or devoting an hour writing a proposal for funding to start a non-profit organization, give yourself those moments.

> Spend time working on your initiative and you’ll travel towards a brighter future.

3. Showing consistent effort. Sometimes, we’re charged with simply putting one foot in front of the other in order to build up our strength. When we’re consistent, the direction we’re heading is more apparent to us. Our spirits soar when we see the progress we’re making.

You’ll encounter all kinds of individuals, situations, and stumbling blocks on your journey toward empowerment. At times, you may feel like you’ve taken two steps forward and three steps back. By continuing to move forward, you’ll make overall progress that can’t be denied.

Avoid Giving Away Your Power

Because we live our lives surrounded by others and dealing with complex events, there will be times when you’re inclined to give up your power. What does this mean? Some behaviors or attitudes you adopt can reduce your strength and momentum.

Ponder these points to intensify your personal power:

1. Refuse to pay attention to what others say about you. Being overly sensitive to the comments of others can steal your passion and stall your progress on the way to building personal empowerment.

2. Make your own decisions. It makes sense to listen to the opinions of those you trust and respect when you’re at a crossroads in life. However, you’ll ultimately be living with the choices you make. Therefore, it’s best for you to select whatever you want to do.

3. If you experience a personal crisis, stay in tune with yourself. For example, if you go through a break-up, acknowledge how you feel and then shift gears to refocus on what’s really important to you.

> When you take the stance, “I can’t have a happy life ever because this happened,” you’re giving up your power. Instead, pay attention to what occurred and make an effort to discover the lesson provided by the experience.

> When you learn something during a crisis, you gain knowledge, power, and personal resolve.

As you build your own power, be aware of how you can keep hold of your personal strength. In the end, you’ll come out on the other side feeling healthier, happier, and more empowered.

Conclusion

Although everyday life can be overwhelming, you have the resolve and tools to live an empowered life. An empowered existence allows you to make progress and eventually achieve all your goals and dreams.

Define who you are. As you empower yourself in ways that build your self-confidence, you’ll discover all the sources of your life’s greatest passions.

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How to Fight Negative Thoughts and Feelings

8 Methods to Overcome a Fear of Being Judged

8 Methods to Overcome a Fear of Being Judged

by | Jun 15, 2020 | Blog, Life Tips and Skills

8 Methods to Overcome a Fear of Being Judged

The words that people say to us can have a lasting effect, leaving us feeling powerless and vulnerable.

Over time, the things that people say to us can shape our own opinion of ourselves. This can lead to a fear of being judged, which if we are not careful, can negatively impact our relationships, jobs, social situations, and self-esteem

Try these 8 Methods to Overcome a Fear of Being Judged and get your self-esteem back on track:

1. Learn your strengths and limitations. Once you know your own strengths and limitations, you’ll be less likely to be affected by what others say. Their opinions on your abilities become irrelevant, since you know what you are capable of.

Have confidence in your own ability but be aware of what you cannot do.

2. Acknowledge that things do not need to be perfect. Human perfection is a myth. You can excel at your tasks without them being perfect.

Rather than focusing on any imperfections, know that you are doing the best that you can – and that your best is good enough.

3. Understand that people will always have an opinion. Some opinions will please you and others won’t. What matters most, though, is your own opinion.

4. Be aware of your inner critic. That little voice in your own head can become deafening at times, so it’s important to recognize when negative thoughts start to creep in.

Once you start to recognize what triggers these negative thoughts, you can take the necessary steps to change them into positive ones.

5. Make yourself a priority. When you allow someone else’s judgement to cloud your own perceptions, you actually give that person power and priority over your life. You can take back control of your life by recognizing that you are your priority, not them.

6. Invest in yourself. Enhance your personal growth and well-being by doing more of what you enjoy doing. Take time for self-care.

The better you treat yourself, the better others will treat you as well, thus lessening your fear of their judgement.

7. Know that your memories fade. Even though hearing someone criticize you hurts at the time, if you purposely put it to the back of your mind by thinking of something else, then the memory of this event will fade.

There is only so much room in your memory banks, so you want to ensure that you aren’t giving these negative thoughts priority over more positive thoughts.

8. Tell yourself that you are good enough. Looking squarely at yourself in a mirror and telling yourself that you are good enough can help. Practice this exercise several times each day – whenever you’re in front of a mirror.

Repeat the affirmation that you are good enough off and on throughout the day, especially when you feel doubt creeping in.

Soon, you will automatically think about how you are good enough every time you see yourself. Your self-talk will automatically start to gravitate to the positive.

Consistent, positive reassurance such as this can help overcome the fear of failure and being judged.

Before you let fear of judgement affect your life in a negative manner, try these 8 Methods to Overcome a Fear of Being Judged. You’ll be glad you did!

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Affirmation: Every day I am getting better at what I do.

Affirmation: Every day I am getting better at what I do.

by | Jun 12, 2020 | Affirmation Reflections, Blog

Check out this week’s affirmation: I am getting better

We all want to be our best, but many people wonder if it’s actually possible to become a better person once you’re an adult. The answer is a resounding yes. There are always ways to improve yourself. Affirmation: Every day I am getting better at what I do.

Affirmation: Every day I am getting better at what I do.

I approach each day with the objective of improvement. I like to improve at everything I do. I figure if I am going to spend the time anyway, I am going to make the effort to become better.

If I constantly improve each aspect of my life, my life can only improve overall.

I avoid being obsessive when it comes to improvement. I simply pay attention to what I am doing at any moment and do it as well as I can. This is easy for me to do.

I feel more relaxed and at ease when I put my full attention on the task in front of me. Using my full attention maximizes my results.

I enjoy my life more, because I am making progress each day. I am literally getting better at everything I do each and every day.

I am happy and satisfied when I make progress each day. The more progress I make, the better I feel. The better I feel, the more I want to improve.

Today, I am looking forward to making several small improvements. These improvements are happening in my work, relationships, hobbies, diet and exercise program, and everything else I do.

Self-Reflection Questions: I am getting better

  1. In what areas of my life have I failed to make progress? Why? What can I do to begin making small improvements in those areas?
  2. In what areas of my life do I seem to continue to make progress? Why am I improving?
  3. What would my life look like in six months if I improved each day in all the relevant areas of my life?

I am getting better

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How To Create Powerful Goals

How To Create Powerful Goals

by | Jun 10, 2020 | Blog, Life Lessons

How To Create Powerful Goals

Introduction

We often daydream about what we want to accomplish in life, but how often do we actually put together a plan for making these daydreams a reality?
Why are celebrities the only ones who appear to be living extraordinary lives? Each one of us is capable of creating a roadmap with mini- goals, which can help us achieve the greatness we deserve.
Those daydreams of ours are really life goals, and our dreams will differ from person to person. However, beware of simply setting goals without any real serious thought as to how you can achieve them!
Setting goals improperly can be disappointing. Why? Well, if you’re not clear and realistic about your goals, there’s little likelihood of you achieving them. Then your goals simply remain dreams.

How can you set goals that will lead to success? How To Create Powerful Goals

There’s a powerful formula that you should keep in mind when setting goals for career, business and personal aspirations.
Creating power goals

The formula is called S.M.A.R.T. and it stands for:

S: Specific

M: Measurable

A: Attainable

R: Realistic

T: Timely

The more specific you make your goal, the more likely you’ll identify with it – and the more likely you’ll achieve it!
The more measurable your goal is, the more likely you’ll be able to measure your progress along the way. Measurements like the amount of weight lost, revenue earned, number of clients gained, or any specific number that you can tangibly count or assess with objective figures is a measurable goal.
Setting unattainable goals is an exercise in futility. When you set attainable goals you ensure that you have adequate resources and knowledge to achieve those goals.
Goals need to be set within specific timeframes. Without timeframes, there’s no sense of urgency, which can lead to procrastination and failure.
Realistic goals are harder to articulate than you might think. Sometimes the process of goal setting supports unrealistic goals, which can lead to disappointment, failure, and the loss of your time and resources. So be sure your goals are realistic for you, not someone else!

In the next few pages we’ll examine different kinds of goal setting that utilize the S.M.A.R.T. principles and support successful outcomes. How To Create Powerful Goals

Short Term Goals

Goals can be either short term or long term. A good life plan has both.
Short term goals serve as stepping stones that help to achieve long term goals.

These kinds of goals are “enabling” and here’s why: How To Create Powerful Goals

> Short term goals move your plan closer to your final, long term goals. They are like preliminary steps along the way to realizing an outcome.

For example, securing a down payment would be an important short term goal for someone with a long term plan of purchasing a home.

> You’ll be inspired to make further progress. Once a short term goal is realized, that success can help to inspire further efforts along the journey to your overall goals.

> For example, if you create a new product that is met with praise, you’ll be inspired to create another product, which will create additional revenue for your business.

Creating power goals

> Short term goals help to keep your efforts focused by serving as stepping stones across a stream of competing and distracting activities, occurrences and events.

For example, college course curricula are designed to keep students focused on working toward their major. Each course completion is a short term goal leading up to the ultimate goal of graduation

A long term goal becomes more realistic when you break it down into smaller parts, or a series of short term goals.
For instance, if you’re facing a large debt, you may be paralyzed by fear at the idea of paying off thousands of dollars in a single day. However, breaking it down into smaller monthly payments lets you see a light at the end of the tunnel with a final payoff date in the future.
Short term goals help ensure that you stick to the S.M.A.R.T. principle of having measurable goals.
If long term goals are truly measurable, the degree of success of short term goals can help to determine the success of long term goals. Short term goals can help you make adjustments and realign your objectives along the way if you need to.
Think of these short term goals as your life’s to do list. The more small goals you can check off your list, the harder you’ll want to work to check off the rest of your list. Some goals may be fun, others may be tedious, but they will all lead to your ultimate long term goal of improving your life.

Long Term Goals

Long term goals tend to be the major goals of any plan and are, as the name suggests, set out into the future or for the long term, typically 5-10 years in advance. How To Create Powerful Goals

It’s important to have long term goals because these are the ambitions that reflect the ultimate outcome you desire. Long term goals should articulate your purpose and passion, as well as the motivation for your plan.
For that reason, long term aspirations should follow the S.M.A.R.T. principles and be specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.
Some people have a difficult time making long term goals realistic and timely. Given that a long term goal is set to be realized in the future, there can be tendency to make it lofty and unrealistic without any specific actionable steps to get you there.
That’s why it’s important to put a significant amount of time into setting long term goals. Oftentimes the process of setting short term goals can help clarify your long term objectives.
For example, earlier we used the process of securing the funds for a down payment as a short term goal toward realizing the overall goal of purchasing a home.
If your short term goal is not achieved by your specified date, that would obviously change the timeline of your overall objective.

So let’s say your short term goal is to save $3,500 a month for 12 months in order to have enough for a down payment and buy a house in a year’s time. If that short term goals ends up being too aggressive, your overall goal may shift from 12 months away to 18 months away.

But without having short term, monthly goals to guide you, you’d never know if your long term objective is realistic and attainable. How To Create Powerful Goals

This example illustrates how important it is to have measurable goals. If you don’t have a specific date or number to work toward, then you can’t possibly know what actions you need to take to reach your goal!
When measurable indicators are used, you can look upon them as early warning signs to help keep you on target and give you room to make changes as necessary without abandoning your desired goal.
The same holds true for the example of earning a college degree. Sometimes there are setbacks in our short term goals – for example failing a course – but one setback should not derail your dreams.
Rather than drop out of school because of one failed class, simply revisit why you failed or ask if there’s an alternative course you can take. If you don’t want to adjust the date of your graduation, consider retaking the class during a summer break or an extra class during the regular semester.
Experiencing setbacks is inevitable because we’re human. But we have the knowledge and capability to adjust our timelines and continue on our path.
There’s no harm in changing the path you’re on, but there is harm in quitting altogether!
Creating power goals

Setting Dates

One of the most important S.M.A.R.T. principles used with setting goals is the principle of making goals “timely.”
Without deadlines, it’s easy to let other priorities steer you away from your goal. A current crisis, potential opportunities, and other everyday occurrences can contribute to something called “oversight.”

Oversight is when you forget about your goals and necessary tasks associated with them because you’re focused on other issues.

Short term and long term goals, along with their accompanying deadlines, help to keep your overall plan in view so you can stay on task.

Children have a favorite response when asked to do a task: “I’ll do it tomorrow.” As parents, we need to teach children how to do things in a timely manner so these unfinished tasks don’t add up to a mountain of a mess.

As adults with long term goals, we should know better than to put things off until tomorrow because sometimes “tomorrow” never comes.

Life gets in the way with kids activities, work responsibilities, unexpected bills… the list of life’s distractions could go on and on. These distractions cause us to lose sight of our goals and desires. How To Create Powerful Goals

Setting dates and deadlines for reaching your goals will thwart this oversight and will help prevent future regrets.

So as not to be overwhelmed, follow these simple steps:

1. Plan. Prepare a chronological list of all short term goals you need to reach in order to accomplish your long term objective.

2. Schedule. Grab a calendar and set dates for each short term goal.

3. Assess. Pick a day once each month to review your progress and to assess whether your dates are accurate.

4. Now get to work!

Creating power goals
Be realistic with your timelines to ensure that the short term or long term goals are attainable. On your assessment days, be honest with yourself about how much you’ve accomplished.
If you’ve fallen behind, allow yourself some extra time to accomplish each goal moving forward. If you’ve gotten ahead of the game, then pat yourself on the back and celebrate, just don’t allow yourself to get too complacent. You must keep your momentum strong and the internal fire roaring!

The key to this exercise is to move ahead with your plan instead of moving in the other direction. If your goals were neither attainable nor realistic, readjust and move on.

Schedule Time to Work on Goals

The process of setting goals takes time and self-reflection. Be sure you’re as informed as you can be about an issue or opportunity included in your goals. How To Create Powerful Goals

For example, if your goal is to increase your client base, find out things like:

> The competition – Who are your competitors? What size client base do your closest competitors have? How healthy is your industry at this time?

> How long did it take you to develop your current client base? How long do you estimate it would take you to increase your client base by 10%? 15%? 25%?

> Is your level of revenue meeting expectations according to your existing business plan? Are you meeting or exceeding your goals?

> How much would you like to increase your revenue by and how much would you need to increase your client base to achieve that revenue goal?

The questions listed above are the kinds of questions a business owner might ask as she sets goals for building up her client base.
Depending on your goals, your questions may differ, but the objective is the same – to provide you with the most comprehensive understanding of the issues and realities you want to address when setting new goals.
If necessary, schedule time in your calendar to ensure you have a chance to work on these goals. Whether it’s a little everyday or just one day a week, make this appointment with yourself and keep the appointment firm!

So often we get carried away with caring for others – our families or our clients – that we forget to allow time to care for ourselves and our life goals.

If you need to delegate some tasks in order to make time in your schedule, then do so. Hire an intern to help with business tasks or outsource some of your household chores so you can find the time to make your goals a reality.

Hire the kid next door to cut your grass or hire a cleaning person to clean for you every week or two. Hire a babysitter once a week to keep the kids occupied or be creative and barter babysitting time with another mother.

Don’t use lack of time as an excuse for not achieving your goals! How To Create Powerful Goals

Not every goal has to be about work or career either. If you want to give your home a facelift, that’s a valid goal towards improving your quality of life.
Follow the same steps for setting short term goals and dates. Make another list of any equipment or supplies you need for the home improvement project and schedule your work time on the calendar.
Reaching your goals takes time, and one of the greatest injustices you can do to your goal planning is to do it in a rush. Not only should your end dates be realistic, but allow yourself enough time to create your power goals and do whatever research is necessary so your to-do list is accurate and up to date.

Equip yourself with enough information and time to develop S.M.A.R.T. goals. How To Create Powerful Goals

Share Your Goals To Maintain Accountability

One of the best ways to ensure you follow through with your objective is to share your goals with your family, friends, or life coach, who is committed to helping you stay accountable to your goals.

Determine what you need from a support group – constant reminding, daily emails, weekly check-ins – and share your ideas with those who you think would support you the best. Be clear with what you need and want for support and ask if they would be willing to keep you accountable.

Here are some great ideas for getting help to maintain accountability:

1. Family and friends can be a tremendous support group who share a genuine interest in your success.

2. Joining an association in your field or profession is a great way to meet others who may be willing to help you be accountable to your goals. They may even ask you to do the same for them.

3. Hiring a professional life or business coach is another popular way to get the support necessary to stay on track and on target with your goals. These personal coaches work one-on-one with clients. You may have conversations once a week, once a day, or at any other intervals you determine.

A coach may be an added investment, but for many it’s an investment that can help you achieve tangible results that you never would have attained otherwise.

4. Blogging. Some people even start blogs to keep themselves accountable. For some, it’s easier to announce your goals to the internet world than to your family and friends.

This is not recommended for business planning, because you don’t want your competitors knowing what your plans are, but if journaling online helps keep you on track with personal goals, then do whatever will motivate you to reach those goals.

Watch Your Progress

The only way you’ll be able to achieve your short term or long term goals is if you’re keeping an eye on your progress.

It’s not enough to just set your goals. It’s also important to refer to your plan, do the work necessary, and assess your progress towards your goals every step of the way.

Keep your business or life plan close at hand on your desk or on a bulletin board and look at it regularly. Too many plans spend their lives hidden in files or piles, if they’re even written down at all!

Remember that your plan isn’t set in stone. Plans are meant to be fluid and change with time or as your interests change. These plans will help keep you on your chosen path to success.
When you reach a milestone, celebrate! Tell your family, friends, and accountability coach. Blog about it. Take special note of how good you feel knowing that your hard work is paying off and you’re one step closer to reaching your long term goal.

Refer to your goals regularly to mark your progress. Create a chart for each month that highlights the progress you’ve made on your goals and keep that chart visible at all times.

Goals don’t just happen by themselves; they need your attention and active participation as you follow your plan.

Summary

Goals are the beacons that remind us of our dreams and aspirations. If your goals aren’t specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely, your goals will have no meaning and you’ll have a difficult time achieving what you’re called to do!

Checklist for Creating and Realizing Your Goals:

> Remember to give yourself the time necessary to create goals according to the S.M.A.R.T. principles. Make sure you have all the information necessary before creating your goals so it’ll be realistic and attainable

> Incorporate short term goals into your long term goal-setting. Short term goals are like stepping stones along the way to your success. Short term tasks also encourage you to assess your plan along the way and adjust as needed.

> Keeping yourself accountable to your goals is critical. Share your goals with someone you trust, like a peer or coach.

> Actively monitor your progress towards your goals. Don’t keep your goals filed away. Keep them front and center so your actions and tasks will always be aligned with your goals.

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