Change Your Mindset - Change Your Life

Do you ever find yourself wishing you were further ahead than where you are right now? Do you have unfulfilled aspirations and goals? I have found that just wishing and hoping things will change is not enough... you must make a commitment to make things change.

CHANGE is not always welcomed with open arms because it requires effort. Many of us grow tired and weary because life has a way of heaping more on us than we can bear at times. But still, if our dreams don't die on the vine, we still have the chance to make them happen. It can happen when we change our "minds" regarding "growth". Contemplating "change" for some, may also be a little scarry. While we might not be totally happy with our current circumstances, at least they are what is familiar to us. As human beings, we tend to want to stick with the "known", what's comfortable. But that is not always the best place for us to be. So I offer you a challenge.

Stretch your mind today. Decide in your mind that you will move from this present place and move forward to your desired place. Speak what you want out loud. Write down on paper what you want. Read it out loud. Let yourself hear you speak your aspirations. 

Once your mind grabs it and accepts it, it will not go backward. You will move forward. Make a commitment to yourself to grow away from yesterday. Today is new and fresh and filled with possibilities. Do one thing different today than you have ever done before. Make sure that it is in keeping with where you are trying to go in your life. For example, if you don't like to read, make a commitment to find a subject that you are interested in and dedicate yourself to reading one paragraph or article a day about that subject for 30 consecutive days. It won't be easy at first but it will get better as each day passes. Reward yourself at the end of each day that you stick with the commitment. You decide the reward, after all you do know for the most part what motivates you. Keep in mind that... Tomorrow is just out of sight but it is within reach. And if by God's grace we reach tomorrow, with "growing" as part of our decision today, we will be further along than we are now, when tomorrow comes. Commit to growth. It is the best way out of a stagnant place!

Today is a great day to began your journey toward change. Meet the challenge. 

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marci_Bryant

Only 8% of People Achieve New Year's Resolutions: You Can Be One Of The Few

January 1st. It's that time of year again. You want to lose weight, get into shape, fit back into the jeans sitting in the bottom of your drawer, or maybe just eat healthier. Or perhaps you want to spend more time with your friends and family, or spend less money.

Half of all Americans make New Year's Resolutions. But, according to statistical research at the University of Scranton, only 8% of resolution-makers achieve their goals. That's about 156 million failed resolutions. Ouch! Why do resolutions overwhelmingly fail? After all, we have the loftiest of goals, the highest intentions. "This year, I am going to stick to it." But, no matter how committed, the very nature of resolutions set us up for failure. In fact, I stopped making resolutions years ago because I felt so badly about failing year after year. Not one time was I able to uphold a resolution that surely was going to make my life better.

Here's the thing: Every resolution can succeed... with a plan.

Just like we learn to write reports, proposals, business letters and research papers there's a formula to creating resolutions that stick. Just like we become adept at technology, sports or playing an instrument, there is learning involved in making resolutions that succeed. For instance, you don't pick up a violin and instantly know how to play. It takes baby steps, building on each mastered skill until you play your first piece all the way through. It's the same with resolutions.

As you start to think about what you want in 2014, here are seven tips to help you make them work:

1. Focus on ONE resolution, rather than several. Make it something that matters to you. Be ready to commit.
2. Set SPECIFIC goals. "Managing stress" is not a specific goal. "I will meditate for 5 minutes every morning when I wake up" is a specific and realistic goal.
3. Make a PLAN with baby steps. Break down your resolution down as far as you can, to the simplest task possible. Just like you make an outline for a large project, make an outline that includes steps and dates.
4. Make your plan PUBLIC. That is, tell friends and family. Write it down. Your more likely to commit to a plan once you've put it out into the universe.
5. Have an accountability BUDDY. Someone close to you to whom you share your goal and report back to weekly. Best to have a dedicated day and time. Even 10 minutes will do.
6. Celebrate each SUCCESS between milestones. Have rewards in your plan along the way.
7. Focus on the PRESENT. What are you committing to today. Each morning, "Today I choose to continue banning sugar from my diet."

Slowly and steadily you will see progress, and you will set into motion a new skill set that can be applied to all goals, not just the ones you define at New Year's.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melissa_Rapoport

7 Principles of Living a Passionate Life

How do you live a passionate life? Today, we will learn the 7 principles that begin to arise naturally when you begin to align with your passions. For most of us, it's our limiting or false beliefs that keep us from living these principles fully and that's why we recommend The Work of Byron Katie. These 7 Principles are like a measuring stick. When you notice that you are easily living them then it's a sign that you are living your passions. The 7 Principles of Living a Passionate Life are:

1. Commitment
2. Clarity
3. Attention
4. Staying Open
5. Integrity
6. Persistence
7. Follow Your Heart

Principle #1: Commitment - As you get more aligned with your passions, you don't have to try to be committed. This is because you are doing what's most important to you and choosing in favour of your passions.

Principle #2: Clarity - Many of the exercises you've done already are designed to help you gain greater clarity about the things you choose to have in your life. Why? "When you are clear, what you choose to show up in your life will, and only to the extent that you are clear."

Principle #3 Attention - The Power of Attention is one of the three keys to creating anything you choose to have in your life: Intention - Attention - No Tension
"What you put your attention on grows stronger in your life"

Principle #4 Staying open - This principle is such an important part of living a passionate life. This is the "no tension" part of Intention - Attention - No Tension

Principle #5 Integrity - builds trust and trust, in turn, allows things to happen quickly. Integrity means being as true to yourself as you are to others and as true to others as you are to yourself.

Principle #6 Persistence - As you follow the path of passion, challenges arise that you didn't predict or foresee. That's why Nature's Guidance System is so important. When you are challenged, this is the time to reaffirm your passions and take The Passion Test again.

Principle #7 Follow Your Heart Passion - arises from the heart, not the mind. The seventh principle says, "When in doubt, follow your heart." When you are connected with your feelings, rather than your thoughts you'll make choices that are aligned with your passions. Beware that there is a difference between following your heart and being impulsive. Following your passions is a balance between following your mind and your heart. What we are saying here is than when you find a decision is difficult to make, follow your heart. Go with the things that draw you forward. Sometimes the mind helps us to justify our decisions but when it comes to making decisions to follow your passions, follow your heart.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tina_Kadish