Trust Your Gut - It Will Make All the Difference

By Lisa Ryan  

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"You have to trust in something: your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." Steve Jobs
When I lost my job in October of 2010, I had a choice: I could pound the pavement, searching for a new sales job (and probably find one that was pretty decent), or I could pursue dreams that were on my goal list in May of 1989 - to become a professional speaker and published author. Even though it was very scary, I decided to trust my gut and go for it. Though the road was difficult and the challenges many, that single decision has profoundly impacted every area of my life for the good.
Think about what happened to Steve Jobs after a very public firing from Apple Computer. Instead of wallowing in despair and disappearing from the public eye, he went on to create several businesses including Pixar and NeXT. He produced innovative products and eventually was rehired at Apple where he revolutionized technology with the development of iTunes, the iPod, iPad, and the improvement of the Apple line of computers.
JK Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series was fired from her job as a secretary because she was taking too much time off to write her books. Her former boss was quoted as saying, "We made the right decision to sack her, and I wouldn't be surprised to see her come crawling back here for her old job once this Harry Potter thing blows over." JK Rowling trusted her instinct to pursue something that she loved, even though it cost her a job, she went for it anyway. Do you think her d changed her life, just a little?
If you got caught up in the economic downturn and are currently on the job market, are you searching to do the 'same old, same old' thing, or is it time to trust your gut and try something else? If the doors you are trying to enter keep closing on you, and you're not having success, you may want to step back and reconsider if you are on the right path to being with. This may end up being the ideal time to 'kick it up a notch' and make a dramatic change.
What would you like to do but "can't?" What excuses are you using? What's holding you back? Take a moment, right now, and imagine what life would be like if you achieved your dreams. What would it look like? How would it feel? Who would you share it with? Where would you live? Experience the emotion of your success. Do you believe it can happen now? If not, do you believe that I believe in you?
Trust my belief in you and take a baby step towards your dream. Every step gets easier and before you know it, you're there. Congratulations!
Have fun,
Lisa
If you're still making excuses for all the reasons you can't move forward, I only have two words for you - STOP IT!!!

Lisa Ryan is the Chief Appreciation Strategist with Grategy. She is the author of "The Upside of Down Times: Discovering the Power of Gratitude" and she is featured in the documentary, "The Keeper of the Keys" with Jack Canfield, Marci Shimoff, and John Gray.
Learn more about Lisa Ryan at http://www.grategy.com

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What's the Price of Success?

By Linda Binns  

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One energy principle for success that's not often talked about is the principle of sacrifice. That sounds terrible doesn't it? Just the word sacrifice can create resistance and it doesn't sound very positive does it? What this really means is that to receive what you want then you must be willing to put in the energy. In other words, you have to be willing to give up something in return for what you want. Let's take an Olympic athlete. If they want to win a medal and be the best what do they have to do? They have to train like an Olympic athlete. That means not just train when they feel like it, or train like anyone else. If they want to be the best in the world that's the effort they have to put in - more than anyone else, right?
They not only have to train extensively, but there are certain things they may have to give up. For example, to maintain the body of an Olympic athlete, I'm pretty sure they wouldn't be able to go out partying with friends every Friday night. They have to give up any idea of failure. They have to make their training and fitness regime their priority.
So how do you apply this? Well, let's take the example of being in debt again - just because it's something that comes up so frequently these days. If you are in debt, and you start changing how you see debt and how you feel about it, and you forgive yourself for getting into debt and for the struggles you've had and for not knowing what you didn't know, you'll open yourself up to solutions. You may be introduced to a financial planner or a financial book or something that can help you come up with a specific plan that will get you back on track. And in order to get back on track quickly, you must be willing to sacrifice something. Perhaps you have to give up your daily coffee at Starbucks, or the need to buy a new pair of shoes every month. Perhaps you decide to sell some items to help you generate some money to put towards the debt. Perhaps you take on an extra job.
In other words, the debt is not just going to miraculously vanish just because you've set the intention to be debt-free. You'll have to DO something or go without something for a while. And then, once the debt is clear and you feel you are back on track then you will want to maintain that, so you'll have to make sure that you sacrifice the way you have dealt with money in the past so that you can appreciate and grow and build your financial future now.
It's a necessary part of growth and a necessary part of success. To get what you want, you may have to release something. It's also important to know that if you are holding on too tightly to what you already have, you will never get what you want if you are holding on so tightly. You have to let go so that what you want can come to you.
This is the principle of sacrifice - what are you willing to put in or give up in order to have what you want?

Linda Binns is an Energy Coach and Mentor, helping professional women and women business owners achieve work-life balance and freedom by identifying and releasing whatever is holding them back.
For a FREE report on 3 Simple Things That Will Take You From Stuck to Unstoppable, and subscription to FREE ezine and energy tips, go to http://www.EnergeticEdgeExpert.com.

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Self Esteem Building Tips

 By Susan B Ward 

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If you are suffering with a distinct lack of self-esteem and confidence right now, you need to pull yourself out of the slump you have found yourself in. It is easier said than done, of course, but with these helpful tips, you will find that you will soon be feeling back to your normal self in no time at all.
1. Appreciate yourself! Come on now; give yourself a break! Think about all of those certificates that you have earned over the years! Who cares if it was just for the dancing school that you went to when you was 8 or the school swimming team that you was a part of in high school; you were good at things and you still are! You should be happy and proud of all of your achievements over the years and sometimes, you just need to get out that old photo album or certificate folder and remind yourself of how fabulous you were and still are!
2. Socialize! Sometimes all it takes for you to feel better is some time out with friends. This doesn't have to mean a particularly drunken Friday night or an expensive dinner somewhere. Why not just have a lazy night at yours and invite all of your friends over for a pizza and a bottle of wine or two. Being alone in your own company is one of the worst things that you can do when you are suffering with low self-esteem and confidence as you will have time and space to criticize everything about yourself. Hang out with people that you like and trust and you will soon remember how it feels to be good enough.
3. Acceptance. Sometimes you just have to remember that everyone makes mistakes every now and again. There is no need for you to berate yourself or lessen your self-worth! You may have weaknesses but at the same time, you have strengths too. There is an incredibly fine line between constructively criticizing yourself and then just being plain critical of everything you do. Who cares that you are no good with numbers? I'm sure you can make a great dinner party for six people without even batting an eyelid.
4. Have a positive mental attitude. If you think everything is going to go wrong, there is a good chance that it will do. There is nothing wrong with thinking on the bright side every once in a while and if that means getting your hopes up everyone now and then; do it!

Susan is a full-time freelance writer. She is an avid traveler and reader and enjoys writing on health & fitness, travel, parenting, relationships and personal development.

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6 Secrets To Combat Work Stress

By Jessie Malory  

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Work stress is something that many employees find themselves taking time off for. However, it is also something that is possible to avoid relatively easily. Here are just six ways to help combat and eliminate stress in the workplace.
Schedule Regular Massages
Massages are a great way to help the body relax and unwind. Professionals locate the areas of the body where the tension is held and remove the knots, eliminating the tension and the stress felt from that. They also help to reduce the blood pressure and reduce pain felt in various parts of the body. This is not just about someone pampering his or herself; there are certain massages that are better for this than others and it is possible to have them prescribed by a doctor and see a professional and licensed massage therapist - this way the cost is covered by medical insurance.
Exercise Regularly
Exercising is good for the body and something that the body needs every day. It not only helps to keep the muscle moving but also leads to the release of endorphins and serotonin in the brain; chemicals that help with promoting happiness and pain relief. Being happier will help with reducing the stress felt in the workplace. It is a great idea to start exercising on a lunch break, even just for 10 or 15 minutes. This will help to release the endorphins to combat the problems experienced during the morning and be ready for the afternoon.
Delegate Tasks
As people move up the career ladder, they are given more responsibilities. That does not mean that everything has to be done by them personally. Delegating tasks will help to reduce the workload and, in turn, the stress experienced in the workplace. Start the day by looking at the tasks that need to be done and give some of them to others who work on lower levels of the same department. There will be some have to be done by one specific person but not everything.
Get Enough Sleep
The body needs sleep to function and trying to get through a day on little sleep will mean that the productivity levels are much lower. Lower productivity then leads to feeling like the tasks are harder and there is more to get through, which leads to stress at work. Set up a relaxing bedtime routine and exercise during the day to help the body relax on a night. As the body unwinds and sleeps, the brain will have the chance to relax and be ready for the next day.
Work More Efficiently, Not Harder
There is no need to work hard to be efficient. Having an organized workplace will help to organize the working day more, leading to more work being done and a stress-free day. There are plenty of books available on time management and how to become more productive in the working day, which are worth looking into.
Take a Vacation
Finally, take some time off. There is no need to work five or six days a week, 52 weeks a year; in fact, it will not do the body any good. Have some time away from work - and away from emails and anything to do with work! - and relax. This could be on a vacation somewhere or just in the home.

Jessie Malory writes for Massage Envy Spa, Thousand Oaks, where you can get an hour long keyword for $49. Visit their website today at. http://expertmassagetherapy.com/thousandoaks/

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Solving Problems In Life

 By John B Coyle 

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Each one of us has a chance in life to make it what we want, the trouble is, recognizing the opportunity when it arrives----in life, if you go down a street one day you become impressed with nothing and, end up marrying it or something stupid like that. The trouble is we are not all blessed with the right amount or perception. Take an agent I once had who offered me a stand up gig in a war zone! "Look, Harry," I said "the other side has also got bombs that can see in the dark and read maps!" I thought I had made a good case for turning the gig down but Harry had other ideas. "Don't be ridiculous, John! Who the hell would want to waste an intelligent bomb on a comedian?" You see, people like Harry crop up all over the place in people's lives---in the end, the truth is, we're better off without them and making our own decisions as to what direction we want to go in. No how to books, no backwoods philosopher, no street smarts can do that for you----only ourselves can do it---so, believe in yourself and go for it and you will accomplish all that you have in your dream.
Of course, the smart guys say, you need our help, we're the professionals! Professionals in what? Crossing the street? Dozens of so called self help groups and individuals have cropped up over the years selling uis theories and books and DVD's about how we can be more 'assertive' etc!! What rubbish! We do not need anyone to tell us how to use a street crossing unless we are in another country and they they do it differently there, which I doubt. These so called experts are the new disease of the 21st century. They remind me of a story from a woman who visited a market and thought she might become a writer, she saw a typewriter on a stall for $1. she passed the stall but went back to it, when she did, the typewriter now had a ticket on it for $4.! "That was only a $1. a minute ago she said to the vendor.
"Inflation, credit crunch, recession," said the vendor.
"If I said Polka dots often enough would you repeat it" said the woman. He didn't reply and she then said, "It's broken, the letter 'A' is missing!"
"That's its uniqueness." said the vendor, "a missing letter gives budding writers an incentive."
"To do what, kill themselves?" said the woman. "Where the hell can you write something without using the letter 'A' so that it will be understood?"
The vendor scratched his head. Ehm, China?"
An this is the attitude we encounter in our lives daily and which holds us back, we ourselves can break these chains and achieve our goals without paying charlatans for canned soup advice!
Till the next time, TC, JBC

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Unknown Possibility - Exploring the Positive Side of Uncertainty

By Elaine Bailey  

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"Uncertainty is okay, as long as it exists in someone else's life or we don't have to do anything about it." ~ Jonathan Fields, Lawyer, Author and Business Consultant.

Let's face it, uncertainty can be scary. It makes us want to run away, the last thing we want to do is face it and own it.
After all, why would you want to own something that is terrifying, makes you feel scared and fills your head with doubt and voices of doom? You'd rather hide and just hope that is goes away or run away from it as fast as you can! RUN!
Not knowing is like a monster that is lurking in the shadows. You see it out of the corner of your eye, you can't quite focus on it, but you know it's there. The intensity of leaning in and moving towards something when you don't know the outcome fills you with anxiety, doubt and fear. This monster could strip you of everything and you'd be left to pick up the pieces of your life afterwards. It feeds your lizard brain with negative thoughts.
I remember being engulfed with the shroud of uncertainty while taking exams at school: Would I be able to answer the questions? What if I didn't get the grades I wanted? What if I forgot everything once I took my seat in the exam room? I hated the persistent pain of my anxiety of having to lean into the unknown and get through it all.
Life is a bit like reading a good book that you don't want to put down. You want to know how it ends before you've finished reading it! However, the reality is that if you knew the ending first, then you'd probably not enjoy reading the rest of the book or you might lose interest and not even finish reading it!
Humans always want to know the answer - we look for the facts and want to mitigate all the risks beforehand. For some of us the discomfort of not knowing is too much, instead we stay safe, stagnate and watch other people take the risks and get the results.
I've come to realize that uncertainty, risk of loss and discomfort are necessary if you want to fully experience and embrace life. In many ways, uncertainty makes you come alive, there's electricity to it (and a clenchy-ness at the same time!) It's like riding a rollercoaster!
The more you lean into uncertainty the more resilient you become. You become certain about uncertainty! It has a pattern and you can develop an internal process to work through it.
Allowing this experience opens space for new things to form and take shape. The feeling of uncertainty ebbs and flows, like a tide, as you keep moving forward. As you take each step towards your goal, the more certain things become.
After all, certainty has a level of boredom to it. If everything were certain, life would be pretty dull. Certainty is not a real concept; it deludes us into believing that it's the safer route and stifles innovation, creativity and the chance to create something quite brilliant and unique.
Scared IS the new black!
Look for pockets of uncertainty in your life and begin to walk towards them, rather than running away in fear. These little pockets are where you actually get to live your life and be the person you really came here to be. Embrace fear and doubt by leaning into uncertainty and working through it.
Start to look at uncertainty as a place of unknown possibilities.
Re-frame your doubt and hesitancy and chase those opportunities. Take a leap of faith and follow your dream!

Elaine is founder of Elaine Bailey International Ltd a company devoted to coaching busy and successful women and men into their best lives. Elaine spans the Atlantic from the UK to the USA in her life and business coaching. She is a sought after motivational speaker, whose topics include "Business or Busy-ness? Four Ways to Get Your Life Back on Purpose. Please visit http://ElaineBaileyInternational.com.

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Top 5 Tips to Earn Trust

By Ian D Lloyd  

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"Ginny!" said Mr. Weasley, flabbergasted. "Haven't I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps it's brain?"
J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
To have someone truly trust in you is an amazing and humbling feeling that comes with a large degree of responsibility. However, you have to bear in mind that it is not easy to earn, cannot be bought and can quickly be lost if you do something wrong.
There are many ways to gain trust and it would be possible to write a very long list of the do's and don'ts you should follow when trying to build trust with someone. I have tried to distil all my thoughts into the following 5 important tips which encapsulate the essential requirements:
Be Open
Let people into your 'world'. Don't be afraid to express yourself and let people know who you are and what makes you tick. Even if this means sharing some of your weaknesses; it is better to get them out in the open rather than they get discovered later when people have formed a different opinion of you. If you have a tendency to be stubborn or conceited then let people know, in this way they will not be surprised by some of your activities and they may be able to help you overcome some of your challenges. Being open will allow people to get close to you and really get to know you which is incredibly powerful in building trust. One word of caution though, whilst being open is necessary to build trust you do need to be careful who you open the door to. It would be naïve to believe that everyone has your interest at heart so you need to perform some initial screening to decide who to be open with.
Be Honest
At some point in time if you have not been completely honest with a person you will be found out and it could destroy, in minutes, the trust it has taken you so long to build. Avoid those little deviations from the truth as they can soon grow to be mountains of deceit that you will always be trying to protect. It is very true that honesty is the best policy.
Be Supportive
Building trust with someone is not just about you. You must be there for the person(s) you are building trust with... unconditionally. You need to be there when they are feeling low with words of support and encouragement and you need to be there when they face their challenges. All of this support needs to be given without thought to what's in it for you. Knowing that you will be there for someone in a time of need is a powerful aspect in building long term trust.
Be Consistent
People have to know what they can expect from you. If your mood, attitude, behaviour or views change on a frequent basis then they will not know how to approach you and it will be difficult to build any type of relationship. Think about how you would feel if you had no idea how someone was going to react when you met them. We are all allowed to have 'off' days where life just seems to be against us. Don't let this affect your behaviour and share how you are feeling with the people you trust.
Be Patient
It takes time to build trust. It needs a solid foundation of positive events before it can exist. It's a bit like a bank account; you have to keep depositing positive actions in order to build up a balance of goodwill. Don't try to rush the process, it will happen through the long term actions you display.
Ideally trust is not something that is ever discussed or mentioned; it just exists between people who have followed the points described previously. Unfortunately when trust is mentioned, as in 'don't you trust me', then it is often because someone has done something to damage or break that trust. Be true to yourself, your friends, your family and your colleagues and protect that trust that you have built. Be aware that simple, thoughtless actions could very easy damage what has taken you so long to build.

About the Author
Ian Lloyd is an coach and internet marketer looking to make a difference for his family and those he can help to be successful. Check out Ian's official internet home page at http://www.ianlloyd63.com

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