Here’s why it really pays to be more positive:  Medical research has shown that enjoying simple pleasures and a positive outlook cause a measurable increase in your body's capability to fight disease.  An optimists’ health is unusually good, mentally and physically, allowing them to age quite well.  

Typically, they maintain higher levels of subjective well-being during times of stress than do folks who are more negative.  Pessimists will often respond to stressful events by denying that they exist or by avoid dealing with problems.  They will often quit trying when difficulties arise. 

Positive individuals tend to focus on the lesson and re-interpret a negative experience in a way that helps them learn and grow.  These individuals are unfazed by a bad situation, they perceive it as a challenge and will try harder.

Positive expectancies of optimists also predict better reactions during transitions to new environments, sudden tragedies and unlikely turn of events.  Should they fall, they will stand up.  They see opportunities instead of obstacles.  They persevere. They just don’t give up easily, they are also known for their patience.  

The defining characteristic of pessimists is that they tend to believe bad events will last a long time, are their very own fault and undermine everything they set out to do.

Optimists are met with exactly the same hard knocks of this world.  What differs may be the way they explain their misfortune.  They tend to believe defeat is a temporary setback, that its causes are confined to the one particular circumstance only.

They won’t say “things won't progress,”  “If I failed, it'll happen again” and “If I experience misfortune in one episode of my life, then it's going to affect my whole life.”

Optimists are proactive and less dependent on others for their happiness.  They find you don't need to control or manipulate others.  They often draw people towards them, since their positive view of the world is often contagious and influences those they are with.

Why not be an optimist today?  Why not anticipate success?   Why not feel and look your best in the years to come?

Everyone experiences failures, but there is no reason for you to stay down.  Lift yourself up and improve your chances of getting back on the right course, inspiring others to glimpse a brighter, more positive side of life too.

The reason the answer to this question is so important to you is this:  Numerous studies indicate that happy people are more confident and therefore are more successful in all aspect of their lives, specifically in their careers and relationships.

What may be even more important to know is that confidence and happiness have a direct link to positive mental and physical health.

Confidence is an odd thing.  We feel the most confident about the things that we do on auto-pilot. We feel confident about the tasks we know how to perform, are familiar with and can predict the outcome of.

We all need to build up our confidence from time to time.  How we feel about ourselves has a lot to do with feeling confident. To feel confident, we should have this feeling that we can achieve the goals we have set for ourselves.

How can you get this feeling of confidence?

Prepare a “to-do” list for yourself.  Always make a list that is fun and easy.  In case you have forgotten to make a list at the beginning of the day, no problem- at the end of the day- make a list of the things you have done that day and then, mark them off. 

As you are just beginning, don’t add too many tasks. Disguise your real tasks that you want to achieve with the easy ones. Feeling good is important in building up your confidence so even these smaller more fun accomplishments will help immensely.

When you feel hesitant or lacking confidence- play out or envision your completed achievement list in your mind briefly. You will be amazed at the boost to your self-confidence and will find yourself confident enough to try. This allows you to step out of your normal comfort zone and realize that you can achieve more.

How to maintain confidence?

Familiarity from knowing gives you confidence. You gain that familiarity by creating a habit of doing.  To effectively maintain confidence you will have to step up and repeatedly apply yourself.  You will find that your confidence will continue to grow and a task becomes easier and easier to accomplish with repetition. 

Now, you know what confidence is, how you can get more and how you can maintain it.  I am confident that you will have more fun achieving the goals you set for yourself and enjoy your life more confidently.

Many studies have shown that stress releases the adrenaline response of fight or flight. Whether the stressful situation is positive or negative, your body’s chemicals kick it into high gear. You instantly react to the stimulus, heart racing, sweaty palms, and feeling that emotion that ‘I need to do something, NOW!’ Fight or Flight?  How about neither?

Becoming more aware and identifying your own stress factors will create the habit of responding with insight. This allows you to be in control of a stressful situation and you will be able to handle it with calm, deliberate focused attention.  

Even with positive stress events, like preparing for a party, wedding, or anniversary celebration; you may naturally jump into fight mode. Rushing about, making instant decisions, erratically double-checking details, and for many they will find themselves adding unnecessary steps into the process of their planning. This makes it more stressful for themselves and others.  Possibly making it become a negative stress event that makes you and others consider the ‘flight’ response!

Some individuals enjoy the adrenaline rush of these experiences.  They believe they actually get more accomplished when they are being pushed to the max.  They are addicted to the challenge. Unfortunately, in cases like noted above, they may not be the only individuals involved with the stressful situation. Also, without being fully aware of their stress limits, they can find themselves vulnerable too.  

The third and best response to any stressful situation is ‘insight’. You can easily overcome the first two responses by becoming more aware of your own triggers. For instance, when my daughter began learning to drive, it was an extremely stressful event for me.  I realized from day one, my stress reactions of gripping the arm rest and stomping a non-existent brake, was creating a very negative stressful situation for both of us!  I obviously was stressing her out and vice-versa! Neither of us could focus on anything but the stress effects which made the situation more stressful.

I knew I could take control of my own response. It was time to create a response habit of insight by understanding my own perception of my stressful triggers.  I thought about the recent driving experience and what actually had triggered my anxiety. I became aware that my stress and anxiety experience was like a game of dominoes…there was just the initial small jolt and I allowed it to tumble out of control!

This is where becoming aware brings insight to taking control over your stressful situations. The next driving experience was extremely less stressful for both of us. I still felt like my daughter should start braking sooner at that first stop sign…but this time…I began inhaling through my nose and slowly breathing out my mouth. I kept both of my feet flat on the floorboard. I did this until she made her complete stop.

My heart was not racing, my palms were not sweaty, and I didn’t feel like she was going to kill us. I smiled and she smiled as she continued on our drive; both of us more calm and focused on enjoying the learning experience. Sometimes, others can benefit from your insightful response to stress too.

There are many techniques and tips on how to relax, calm and maintain control of your stress and anxiety naturally. You can find them in books, online, and even on my website. There is a wide variety of options available, find what you feel the most comfortable with, that is what will work the best for you.  Some are so simple like my breathing I did in my example above, you will wonder why you waited so long.

Make INSIGHT your response, instead of FIGHT or FLIGHT. You will find that you will make more focused decisions, be healthier, happier, and enjoy each new day with a renewed vigor.

Here are some examples of secondhand negative word phrases:

• "I can't do it"
• "It’s impossible"
• "I am not ‘good’ enough"
• "I’m broke"
• "Life just sucks"

Many of you may experience this negative exposure daily through your social media networking.  Some may see many negative variations of the above stream across their screen and not think twice. Yet, it is an unfortunate fact, your subconscious mind does take it all in and files all of it within your mind. 

Do you hang out with people who don't really believe in their possibilities? You know the type. They get together to talk about how bad their job is, bad relationships and how pointless life is, etc.  I certainly understand having compassion for others, but make sure you don't get dragged down into their pit of despair.  

The best way to help someone out of a pit of despair is to make sure both of your feet are firmly planted on the ground and then you can pull them out safely. If you get down in the pit with them, who is going to help YOU?

It's your responsibility to help yourself, so take this seriously. You may consciously make decisions in your life, but part of that process draws on your subconscious mind to finalize your determination.  Keep your "subconscious mind" clean, positive, healthy, and fully functioning.   

So, how do you do this? Avoid over-exposing yourself to people who dwell on the negative. Fill your mind with positive phrases. Expose yourself to those who will provide you a more positive supportive dialogue.  Seek associations with those who believe in themselves and their possibilities. 

My mission in life is to remind you of the passion and determination you naturally have to move forward with your goals quickly and easily. I want you to move in a straight line directly toward your goals, without the limiting barriers of negative thoughts.  You have all the tools and resources within yourself to take control of your life today and realize a more positive tomorrow. Want more tips and hints? You will find an abundance of resourceful and helpful information throughout my Creative Conscious Concepts website and blog.  

Appreciate failure - Many people find failure a bit too daunting. Failing on something – whether it’s a simple goal or a grand task – has a paralyzing effect upon them.  For successful people, failure is a teacher. It was difficult and demoralizing while they were at it. But in retrospect, there is always something that can be gained from failing.

Don’t get used to failing, though. Bounce back every time you fail and refrain from doing the same things that had caused you to fail before. Build a string of success out of the many failures you've had.

Always finish what you have started - Whether it’s a goal, a project, a book, a movie, a song, or a sentence…always finish what you have started. Never quit on anything, no matter how insignificant that thing is. Quitting is a bad habit that supports procrastination and by extension, the extinguishment of motivation.

Give yourself some incentives - Accomplishments should always be rewarded. Reward could be anything from a 30-minute break from work or a one-week vacation in a tropical island. No matter how small or big your accomplishments are, always try to give yourself some reward. Having something to work for or to look forward to will always ignite the drive that is often dormant inside you.

Write down your ideas - No matter how stupid or nonsensical your ideas may seem, they are still ideas and they can inspire you to think further. When lacking in motivation, the simple act of scribbling can trigger a part in your brain to be creative, driven, and imaginative.

Be attuned with your emotions - Don’t be overwhelmed by negative emotions such as the feeling of hopelessness, defeat or struggle. Try to channel your emotions to something more positive such as getting ahead with your work or finishing the task at hand.

Define your motivation - What motivates you? A better life? An accomplished task? A sense of achievement? People have different definitions for motivation. Define yours. Then, begin working for it.

Kick that avoidance attitude - A small percentage of people are allergic to doing something productive. They prefer to lie idle on the couch while killing their time over a movie marathon. That kind of existence is miserable. It lacks direction and definitely lacks that something that can make life a bit more exciting. Not that they have nothing better to do, but because they lack the drive not to avoid the things they need and must do. If you feel that you are leaning towards the avoidance attitude, immediately move yourself out of that rut.

Connect with people - Living in isolation? It is becoming more common nowadays to lose connection with the rest of the world because work is shifting from office setting to home setting. Even while social networking sites are doing their best to make you feel connected, nothing still beats the good old fashioned face-to-face interaction. So go out, talk to your pals, connect with people and be inspired.

1.)   Build a dream and fuel it.

Big or small, it really doesn’t matter. So long as you have a dream, a goal, an objective, something you can hold on to, something to work for…that's good enough to get you started. Once you have identified that something you want to achieve; hook yourself into it. Believe in it. Fuel it and keep the fire inside you burning for it. Give all you can for that dream to be achieved. Oftentimes, it is easy to bargain that dream for something less, like things that can immediately provide us with passing gratification. Don’t fall easily into that trap. If possible, don’t buy it at all.

2.)   Just get on with it.  Act!

Don’t feel like getting out of bed? Don’t think this is the best time to start a new project? Don’t feel ready yet? Shut these negative ideas out. Feel like you truly are ready for something. Realize that every day is just as good to start new things as any other day. Always make yourself feel ready about everything, even when it is tempting to have a few minutes more of nap.      

The most critical part is always the beginning. It is where hesitation, self-doubt and all those nasty ideas that hold you back come in. But, refuse to listen to these. Instead, gain the momentum and get on with it. Start with simple things. Take the baby steps. It is easier to be continuously motivated when you know that you are achieving something every time you try. Afterwards, it is much easier to push yourself to finish the task or goal you are trying to pursue. Only then you can start to shoot for far larger stars.

3.)   Keep on believing.

Life knows how to deal with us. It can sense whether we are hot or cold towards our dreams. When we are on fire, it throws at us experiences that will shake our beliefs in ourselves, in the dreams we are trying to pursue. When we are damp, it tries to mellow us down to lessen the doubts we are feeling. It is when you are already near the achievement of your goal that you should be careful. Because it is during times like this that you will have to prove to life that you truly are serious about pursuing your dreams. In this critical moment, don’t back down; no matter how strong the urge may be to forget about everything you have worked for. Keep a positive outlook. 

4.)   Reward yourself.

Motivation can be rewarded in many ways, on many occasions. Throughout your journey, you will have many little successes. In the end, you will have that one huge success. Whenever you overcome each of these little successes, reward yourself. It is easy to keep on moving when you know that you are getting one step closer to realizing your dream.

Make a ‘To Do’ List – Then put these items in order, starting with the most critical. If you could only get one thing done today, what would be the most important? Cross the items off the list as you complete them, and don’t be distracted. Stay focused! Since we all have interruptions, be sure that, if you don’t accomplish the items toward the bottom of your list on that day, you add them to your list the next day so you don’t drop them. Use a daily planner if that makes things easier.

Don’t Waste Time – Use your spare minutes well.  If you are going to take a break during the day and there is someone you have to see, stop by their office and grab them to go for coffee, then talk about the issue and resolve it while you are walking out in the sunshine and enjoying your java. You’ll feel like you took a break AND got something accomplished at the same time.

Just Say ‘No’ - If your boss wants you to work late and you have a family engagement; but you could work late the next night or come early in the morning, suggest alternatives and see if those will work. Don’t be so quick to accept the command without probing to find out if there is another way to handle it. If a co-worker asks you to lunch and you MUST finish a project or task by 3:00, politely decline the invitation and suggest dinner or coffee later instead. That way you don’t have to give up the pleasurable experience, but you won’t be stressed out and working until 9:00 p.m. Just speak up! You will find that others will understand, if you explain and then follow-up as promised.

Know Your Brain – Do you know what the Circadian Clock is? It’s that little clock in your brain that controls when you feel the most wide awake and when you want to go to sleep. If you are a morning person, attack the most difficult problems in the morning when your brain is the sharpest. That way you won’t have to rework the problem the next day when you discover that ‘afternoon you’ made the wrong decision.  Also, get enough sleep! Your brain can operate on a short nap for a day, but if you are not sleeping enough, you will not think well or process information and you’ll make mistakes and end up staying late to fix them.

Advertise Your Schedule - If you hate getting phone calls first thing in the morning before you get your day organized and have your first cup of coffee, then let your calls go to voicemail until you feel ready to take the calls. You will be more focused and get more accomplished, instead of having to say, “I’ll have to get back to you on that” after hearing a ten minute explanation of the latest crisis.  Let others know when you will be available to respond to their calls.

Be Your Own Boss – Sit down with a pencil and paper or a calendar and figure out how much free time you have. Schedule and plan your work activities, personal and family obligations on the calendar. Treat these personal obligations with the same respect you would treat a business meeting. Don’t cancel personal appointments unless it is a real work emergency and in the case where you MUST cancel, reschedule immediately and apologize to your friend or family member. Explain what is happening so they don’t think they are unimportant to you. Be sure to keep the appointment you make with them the next time!

Don’t Procrastinate or Worry – Don’t spend time during a family dinner worrying about tomorrow. Put your mind back where it belongs. Worrying never helped anyone accomplish a goal. If you are prepared, just do it. If you aren’t prepared, it is doubtful that you will be prepared by the morning. Don’t procrastinate because you don’t like a particular activity. FIRST do those things you dislike the most, and then reward yourself by doing the things you most like to do. Put things on the calendar and stick to the dates – don’t talk yourself into waiting or you will just have more to do tomorrow!

Train and Delegate – Don’t tell yourself you don’t have the time to show someone else how to do a job that you REALLY don’t have to do. Take the time to teach them and soon you will have a well-oiled team machine going, with everyone doing what they are capable of doing. When you don’t have to do ALL the work yourself, you will find a lot more time to get those other tasks!  Your family will greatly appreciate having your attention on a dedicated basis for a few days of much-needed bonding.

Get Organized – It is impossible to manage your schedule if you can’t find things or if you have to recreate work or reinvent something because you lost it. Take that Action List to heart and, starting today, put a task at the top of the list to organize files, or to rearrange the store or inventory so it is easier to stock or to find things. Once you have things organized, don’t let them get out of control again. The only way to justify the work involved in that reorganization is if you KNOW you will never have to go through it again!

Keep a Realistic Perspective - Setting unrealistic goals is a mistake – whether it is the completion date or if you underestimate the time required to get the work done, you will end up working harder and feeling frustrated. Be realistic about when you plan to complete tasks and do your homework to be sure that you can accomplish the task in this timeframe. Consider other ways to get the job done if you think these considerations will help you meet the deadline faster.

Is balancing your work and your family life important enough for you to make some tough choices? If it isn’t, you may not get the balance you want. Decide NOW… Start TODAY!

The latest trend introduced is natural weight loss. So what is this natural weight loss thing?  Since the procedures are natural, weight loss using this procedure is considered healthy and will really make you feel satisfied. Unlike the fad diets and “almost magic” diet programs and medications available today, natural weight loss will teach you how to shed those extra pounds in a proper manner. Most unreliable diet plans state in small print that to sustain or obtain weight loss you will need to follow a natural weight loss procedure religiously too and often their testimonials are not normal results.  Though many ‘Natural weight loss’ programs offer the herbal pill solution too! Often these have not been approved by the FDA and can have side effects in some individuals due to other interactions with medications or current health conditions.

So, don’t you think it makes more sense to just create your own natural weight loss plan without enduring the side effects of the unreliable diet pill or program?

Here are some tips:

• Don’t believe in magic

– When it comes to losing weight, there is no such thing as magic. When it comes to your health, be a skeptic as soon as someone proclaims miracle or magic. Red flags and warning bells should be going off. Patience and perseverance are what you need. A realistic healthy weight loss goal should not be more than 2 pounds in one week!

• Know what to eat

– It is important that you know whether a certain food on your menu can be a potential harm to your weight loss scheme. Talk to your family physician and request information regarding your specific specialty health needs.  Some are common sense; learn how to be critical on what you eat. Avoid too much fried and salty foods. Cut out the filler sugary sodas, snacks, and caffeine drinks.

• Read about natural weight loss

– There are lots of published articles online and printed, about natural weight loss. It would help you so much to read on some of these articles. You can read books or magazines with expert’s column about natural weight loss. Online natural weight loss sites are also available on the internet. There are different natural weight loss websites and you can visit any of them so you can get guides about losing weight. You’d be able to get tips and information about natural weight loss programs. Healthy guides for food choices. There are even sites for weight loss motivation, support, and control.

• Participate on online forums and discussion groups

– Yes, there are online communities and forums on the Internet where members talk about natural weight loss, its benefits, their strategies, their goals. This provides you a support network that can be motivating and encouraging in obtaining your set goals. You can share feedback with others on tips, hints, and ideas.

• Get Physical

– It is important to become more active for a healthy balance. There are many creative and unique ways to employ physical activity into your lifestyle rather than an aerobic workout at the gym! Many websites and articles can offer fun tips for beginners, but one tip is turn on the radio and add a little dance to your step as you do some other activity. Get creative! Play and have fun!

Really, there are lots of ways for YOU to be fit the natural way. You just have to know the different resources that you have available and then create your own unique plan that works naturally for you. After some time, you will feel the difference between the commercial diet solutions and the natural way. It is because eventually, you will become perfectly fit while staying healthy. Yes, healthy because you are not restricting yourself with what you eat. You are in complete control, not a diet plan, a pill, or a program.

With natural weight loss, you don’t deprive yourself. You just educate yourself on what are the right amounts and the right times to eat. And you know what? Permanent fitness is the promise of losing weight naturally. The self-confidence and self-esteem of taking control of your weight control will assist you in sustaining your weight loss. That’s right; you won’t have to worry about gaining weight again.