Wings of Change – Change Your Life Articles

A healthy self-esteem is a starting point for a happy life. Unfortunately, when you lack self-esteem, you also lack the ability to reach your true potential. Why? Because your thoughts are truly powerful!

It All Starts With Your Beliefs

Most people have heard the statement, “If you can dream it, you can do it,” but few people actually take it to heart. For some reason big goals seem unattainable and an “I can’t” mentality takes over.

While everyone experiences negative thoughts from time to time, you may need to make an extra effort to get through these challenges. Positive thoughts must be victorious in the end!

Tips For Developing Self-Esteem

Developing a healthy self-esteem doesn’t need to be a difficult task. There are small changes you can make to get yourself on the right track.

Try following these strategies to help you develop a healthy self-esteem:

1. Ignore negativity from others. For some reason, many people get into the habit of putting others down. You know you shouldn’t listen to these people, but sometimes you take what they’re saying to heart. It’s especially hurtful when it’s coming from someone you love.
   • Some people will even steer you in the wrong direction because they think they’re doing the right thing. When it comes down to it, you’re the only one that knows yourself and your dreams. You simply can’t let anyone stand in the way!
2. Learn to accept compliments. You might toss off compliments as lies because some people may have ulterior motives. While this might be true, in most cases people are being genuine. After all, most people won’t go out of their way to give you a false compliment.
   • Accepting compliments will help you discover what you’re good at and strengthen your self-confidence.
3. Get a life coach. Life coaches are in the business of helping you live your life to its fullest potential. You don’t need to be scared or embarrassed to seek one out. If a life coach doesn’t seem feasible for you, you can look into getting some self-help guides.
   • Go online or to a local bookstore to find some relevant workbooks and resources.
4. Use affirmations. Affirmations are great self-esteem boosters because they show your brain what you already know you can achieve. They bring positive energy into the present moment.
   • You can read affirmations on the subjects of your choice or you can get into the habit of writing your own affirmations. Nothing can be more targeted to your true feelings than your own words!
5. Avoid comparing yourself to others. It’s easy to get into the habit of comparing yourself negatively to other people. Remind yourself that everyone is unique. You’re equipped with your own set of strengths and weaknesses, so the best thing you can do for yourself is concentrate on developing your own strengths.

Follow Your Dreams

Once you’ve worked on your initial feelings about self worth, it’s time to take a step in the right direction. A part of a healthy self-esteem is having the drive to take action toward your goals.

Have a plan and follow through. If you feel that you’ve improved your self-esteem but then fail to take action towards your dream, it will only be a matter of time before your self-esteem begins to wane again.

When you’re faced with challenges, actively seek solutions. When you do, you’ll soon notice what a positive role your healthy self-esteem plays in your life!

You may have been advised to spend more time in the “present moment,” but what does this really mean? Present moment thinking has been the concentration of eastern religions for thousands of years.

Religion And Philosophy

Some people are tempted to turn away immediately when Eastern philosophy is brought up just because they think it might threaten their core religious beliefs. There are no religious impositions though; the present moment is available to everyone in every moment no matter who you are. In fact, most religions, in one way or another, agree with the belief of living in the moment, not in the past or future.

Eastern Religions And The Present Moment

There are many different divisions of religion in the East, just like the West. Many of them differ with certain beliefs and philosophies, but many agree on the importance of the present moment.

In recent decades, the West has been picking up on these ancient philosophies and many people use these lessons to help cope with modern problems. It works and it proves that the human condition has always been the same.

The Present Moment Defined

The present moment can be defined as your attention being solely on what you’re doing right now. It’s when you’re not thinking of “other things.” If you’re washing the dishes, your mind is fully aware when you start the faucet, grip the sponge, and wipe the plates clean. There are no other thoughts in your mind other than what it is you’re doing in the moment.

While staying in the present moment may seem boring at times, you’ve probably already felt its true power without really knowing it.

Have you ever been outside enjoying nature and a feeling of peace flooded over you? Have you ever stared up at the sky and stars and contemplated the meaning behind them? The past and future wash away, and the only thing that’s important in that moment is the “now.”

Staying in the Present Moment

The process of staying in the present moment may take some practice. If you try for any length of time to stay fully present, your mind will likely try to bring you out of it. This is because thoughts about the past and future are constantly creeping up.

This can be a source of frustration, but you must fight the urge to judge yourself since that negative emotion would defeat the purpose.

Be aware that your mind will reach for the past and future; yet be ready to let go of those thoughts when they come up. The more you practice remaining present, the easier it’ll become.

Practicing Meditation

Meditation is an art that’s not only reserved for Eastern religions. It’s a method of bringing yourself into the present that’s available to you at all times.

Here are some tips to follow when beginning meditation:

• Choose a time of day when you can relax and be alone.
• Sit in a position that gives you good posture.
• Concentrate on your breathing.
• Take deep breaths in and out and focus only on your breath.
• Try to meditate for at least 30 minutes each day.
• Fight the urge to fall asleep.

You’ll find that you get better at meditation with practice. Don’t give up on yourself! Every session may not feel as good as the last, but it’s important to stick with it.

Meditation will enable you to get to know your mind and body better. You’ll maintain awareness for when your mind is in an agitated state, and you’ll be able to place better focus on fixing your problems and moving toward your goals.

All in all, developing a present moment mindset can bring you more peace and fulfillment in your life. Isn’t that worth a little practice?

You can achieve great things through meditation. But what exactly are these things? The truth is that you get to create the definition. If you’re after success, meditation can help get you there.

Meditation has been around for ages and it’s a great, relaxing activity to engage in everyday. Also, it’s available to everyone in every moment. Plus, it’s completely free!

Ultimately, there are no excuses for not being able to meditate. Some will say that they simply don’t have enough time. But are you not worth a few minutes a day? Of course you are! You should be able to allot yourself at least 15 minutes per day, just to focus on your own success.

How Meditation Can Help

Meditation is an art that has many opinions associated with it and there are also many ways to meditate. A consensus remains around the fact that it’s about clearing your mind and remaining in the present moment. With regular practice you’ll gain the necessary clarity and discover truths about your life.

Meditation is a great way for you to discover something you may already know deep down. You operate on many levels and you already know how to achieve the success you desire. Problems arise when you spend too much time dealing with day-to-day activities and too little time exploring your depth.

Feel Your Emotions

Getting in touch with your emotions is an important thing. It’s not only reserved for females, nor is it something that will make you vulnerable. It’s an important step on your way to discovering success.

When you meditate and really feel your emotions on any subject, you’ll begin to tap into the truth. What is it that you’re really after? What is your true definition of success?

You’ll often hear of the actor that achieves fame but still doesn’t feel fulfilled. You may have also heard about the successful business mogul who reaches career and financial success but still feels incomplete at the end of the day. These people haven’t truly determined their own definition of success and, instead, have chased someone else’s dreams.

Enjoy the Process

You must stay present and enjoy the process. An actor will remain happy with his or her success if they truly love the art of acting. If they were only after fame and later discovered that it wasn’t all it’s cracked up to be, then they may have followed the wrong path and should reevaluate their path to success.

If you spent too much time on your business plans, make sure you take a step back and remember where you’re going. In this case, you can practice “walking meditation,” which is when you go through the steps of your day-to-day life completely aware of what you’re doing in each moment. This may sound easy, but it can be difficult to master!

Your Focus Can Shift

Once you’ve decided where you’d truly like your life to go, you can take the steps to get yourself there. However, remember that you can’t get back lost time. There’s always a life lesson to be learned by the path you’ve chosen.

Remember that each moment brings incredible transformations. You need to allow this to happen and resist the urge to fight change. This also means that your life goals may change, as well. And that’s okay! It helps to go with the flow and be willing to adapt as you go.

Practice Affirmations

Affirmations are excellent statements to meditate on while you’re achieving your focus. If you remind yourself that you’ve already achieved success, you’ll get there.

Really spend some time envisioning your success. Think about what it feels like to achieve. In the same way that you would picture yourself in a safe place when you’re scared, picture yourself in a successful place when you have doubts.

When you believe in the power of meditation, you believe in your true self, and then success will be yours!

Sometimes you feel like you’ve got all the time in the world to accomplish your dreams. Yet there are reminders every day that our time on Earth is short. Unfortunately, there’s no way to predict how much time you’ve got left, which is exactly why there’s no time like the present to make your dreams come true!

Concentrate On The Positive

It’s vital to start with positive thoughts. When you think positively about yourself and your dreams, you’ll begin to believe that you can achieve anything. These initial positive emotions can lead to a dedicated drive and enthusiasm that’ll help build lasting momentum.

Remember that nearly everyone feels overwhelmed when you’re about to embark on a long journey. That’s exactly why it’s so easy to fall into negative patterns of thinking, but you must fight these thoughts. It can be hard to imagine that so much can be achieved simply by having positive thoughts, but it’s true!

The truth is, when you think about something as scary as “I could die tomorrow,” it’s hard not to be drawn into a panic. But instead of worrying about how much time you and your loved ones have left, concentrate on making the present moment as productive as it can be towards your true calling.

Careful Planning

Once you’ve decided to take action, and you’ve battled your negative thoughts, it’s time to make some feasible plans to get you where you want to be.

Keep these tips in mind as you go through your planning phase:

1. Set realistic goals. If your goal is going to take years, give yourself years. You can’t expect everything to happen overnight.
2. Be specific. Include all the details in your plans. If you stumble along the way, you’ll be comforted in knowing that you have your detailed plans to help you stay the course.
3. Reward yourself. When you’ve made progress towards your goal, give yourself a reward. Even if your ultimate goal is far off, it’s fun and motivating to enjoy rewards as you complete steps toward your goal.

Action In Small Steps

One of the biggest tips when it comes to following your dream is to break down your actions into small, manageable steps.

For example, your goal could be to become an airline pilot or you might want to start your own business. Both of these goals are hefty and have the potential to take years of work and training.

When you first think about these goals, it’s easy to be scared of how daunting they seem. Instead of resorting to fear, try breaking down these goals into dozens or even hundreds of small steps. Chances are that each small step is not nearly as overwhelming as the big picture.

At the same time, always keep the big picture in mind. When you visualize yourself reaching your end goal, it can be an image that gives you the drive to keep going during tough times.

Inspiring Others

Once you’ve achieved your goal, consider inspiring others to reach their goals, too. Perhaps you have some friends or family members who say things like, “I’ve always wanted to do that,” but they remain working at their dead end job.

Help them take action!

You’ll know from experience that, while it may be a risk, the reward is more than worth it.

Yes, following your dreams is even a reward in itself! It brings you joy in the present and hope for the future. So carpe diem – seize the day!

Worrying about what the future holds is one of the most common fears. Often times you’re anticipating the worst while, at the same time, realizing that a life in fear is not very pleasant at all.

Fortunately there are certain strategies you can use to conquer your fear of the unknown.

Try implementing some of these techniques to conquer your fears:

1. Think about the outcomes. When you’re approaching an unknown situation, it helps to make a list of all the possible outcomes. Some of the results may be good and some not so good, but feeling like you have just a little foreknowledge about the future will help to ease your fears.
2. Clear the mind. Make an active effort to clear your mind. One of the reasons you feel fear is that you’re worried that something bad is going to happen. This could be because of a situation from your past that you’ve projected into the future. You need to take these thoughts off the table and approach your fears with a clear head.
3. Take positive steps forward. It sounds easy, but it may be difficult to put into practice. Strive to visualize everything turning out positively. If you concentrate more on the positive aspect, you can actually turn your fear into excitement.
4. Study fear. Fear has a real purpose in appropriate situations. The experience of fear makes your heart rate rise and you’re better able to escape threatening situations. However, humans have built many unnecessary and non-life threatening fears. Once you realize that these types of fears serve no purpose, you’ll be stronger for it.
5. Talk it through. You might be feeling alone with your fears. It helps to talk through your problems with someone close to you. Perhaps it’ll help to discuss your fears with someone who has experienced a similar situation. Just knowing you’re not alone can ease your fear, even if the person doesn’t have any especially helpful advice to give.
6. Start small. If you’re afraid of the unknown in a general sense, starting small will help reduce your fear. Instead of tackling a seemingly huge insurmountable task, just try doing something small first. Break out of your comfort zone for a little bit and try something new you’ve never tried before.

Present Thinking

When your thoughts get caught up in the future, whether it’s the near future or the distant future, it clouds your current situation. If you’re especially fearful, take a step back and focus on what is going on in the present moment.

Your present thinking automatically allows you to take things one step at a time. If you’re currently doing the laundry, for example, the only thing you should focus on is getting stains out or putting clothes in the dryer – or positive things you look forward to. Brush other worries away and live in the here and now.

This isn’t to say you should never think about the future. When you think about the future, do it with a clear head and positive thoughts and without letting the fears bury you.

Following these strategies can alleviate your fear of the unknown and bring you a life full of enthusiasm for the future instead of fear. What a difference this can make! And there’s no better time to start than the present. Go for it!