Keys to Successful Living and Stress Management - Part 10

Take one day at a time, one task at a time, one step at a time

3 Tips to Break Down Tasks to Manageable Stress-Free Levels (Action Steps Included)

Ever find yourself being overwhelmed, frustrated and then depressed because of all the things that you need to get done? Responsibilities can range from preparing meals, cleaning house, getting the laundry done, doing an efficient and effective job on your business or at work to finding time to nurture yourself. How do you deal with all of this without becoming so stressed out in the process?

The next 3 tips will help you break your tasks down to manageable stress-free levels.

Tip #1 – Take one day at a time

You cannot live in tomorrow. Today is here and you need to deal with what’s on your plate for today. Worrying about tomorrow never resolves anything. The only thing worrying does is add more pressure and anxiety on you. What you focus on doing efficiently today will influence tomorrow. So do what can be and what must be done today and don’t put off what you can do today for tomorrow.

Action Step – Ask yourself, “What’s the most important thing that I need to get done today?” Prioritize your tasks with the most important on top and the least at the bottom and check them off as you get each task completed.

Tip #2 – Do one task at a time

You can only walk through one door at a time. Instead of focusing on all the things that you must get done, focus on completing one task at a time. Are you a multi-tasker? Multi-tasking may not always be the most effective or efficient way to get your work done. However, if you focus to completion one task you can quickly move to the other and in no time you’ll find that you’re getting more done in less time.

Action Step – Look at how many tasks your most important project has and then put in order which one needs to be done first, then second, then third etc. Focus on getting number one done and then move on quickly into the second followed by the third.

Tip #3 – One step at a time

Each task that must be completed has smaller steps to take to complete the whole. It’s like going to the grocery store. You need to take one step at a time before you get there; like getting your keys to your car, going outside to the car, unlocking the door, getting in, starting the engine, and all the in between steps to driving the car, taking smaller roads that lead to main roads which takes you to the grocery store.

Every step counts. It all adds up to making your grocery store experience a reality. You know that by doing these small steps you will get to the grocery store.

Now it’s time to apply the same principle in the tasks that you begin and lessen your stress by focusing on the step you need to take right now that will automatically take you to the next step until you reach your goal.

Action Step – Look at the action steps that you’re taking that are sabotaging your efforts to completing your tasks. Are you chatting on the phone or texting your friends when you should be cleaning or doing your work? Why not wait until you’ve completed your tasks and then get together with your friends? 

Look at other ways you could be using your time wisely so you can quickly get through your most important tasks and still have time for the other things that are not so important.

Did you know that deepening your spirituality and having a routine of regular quiet time in meditation reduces your stress and helps you become calmer and gain clarity?

If you're tired of feeling tired and you had enough of being stressed out, I'd like to invite you to a Free 30- minute Self-Empowerment Coaching Session. Let's end the vicious cycle and help you manage your stress levels, your emotions and take control of your life.

http://www.changinginsideoutnow.com/coaching/

Sunday Morning Inspiration - Philosophy of Life Quotes

http://youtu.be/cbbnj0qQ4s4

Saturday Tunespiration - Lost Someone? Hold On To Those Good Memories of Yesterday

Lost someone close to you? Take comfort in the good memories of the past and keep them close to you. Your future plans may fall part, things may not work out the way you intended but you have those sacred memories with you that no one can take away from you. Don't remain there though. Let them give you hope to live again, hope again, love again. 

Each moment you have the choice to choose life. 

Today's tunespiration - Yesterday - Leona Lewis - Lyrics below


http://youtu.be/zJ_j6YVCKYM




"Yesterday"

I just can't believe you're gone
Still waiting for morning to come
Wanna see if the sun will rise even without you by my side
When we have so much in store tell me what is it I'm reaching for
When we're through building memories I'll hold yesterday in my heart
In my heart

[Chorus:]
They can take tomorrow and the plans we made
They can take the music that we never played
All the broken dreams take everything
Just take it away
But they can never have yesterday
They can take the future that we'll never know
They can take the places that we said we would go
All the broken dreams take everything
Just take it away
But they can never have yesterday

You always used to say I should be thankful for every day
Heaven knows what the future holds or at least how the story goes
(But I never believed them till now)
I know I'll see you again I'm sure no it's not selfish to ask for more
One more night one more day
One more smile on your face but they can't take yesterday

[Chorus]

I thought our days would last forever
(But it wasn't our destiny)
'Cause in my mind we had so much time
But I was so wrong
Now I can believe that I can still find the strength in the moments we made
I'm looking back on yesterday

[Chorus]

All the broken dreams take everything
But they can never have yesterday"Yesterday"

Get Out of Your Head - Get into The Flow

Feel like your mind is constantly going with no time to just rest? There’s a place inside of you where peace resides. I call it your inner sanctuary. And no matter what you’re going through or how frustrated things get on the surface in your external experiences, you can turn your attention inward to that place of peace.

I recall going through some hurtful experiences in my life and when I turned my attention towards the place of peace and love inside of me, my healing process accelerated. It was when I came out of my position of peace and back into my head going over all that occurred that I began to stir up those painful memories and feelings again.

Your inner sanctuary is your place of refuge from all the stresses you encounter in life so you can rejuvenate, regroup, get wisdom to live a happier and more productive life.

Take some time out for yourself over the next few days and relax your mind. Allow the life-energizing flow of the Spirit to cleanse you, give you a fresh perspective on life, heal you. Your healing will only begin when you allow it to.

Daily meditation moves you from surface to connecting to the heart of the universal Spirit. When all your experiences come from your external environment, you deplete your vital life-force.

Here's a resource for you to use to help you connect and get into the flow.

http://EzineArticles.com/6849824

4 Simple Tips to Revive Your Dreams

It's spring time again! The new buds are coming up, birds are busy catching up on their feeding and finally, we can see green again instead of white. 

With the winter finally over for some of us and as the last of bit snow continues to melt, we're filled with a sense of new beginning, a chance to start over again. No matter the harshness of the frigid temperatures, nature always reminds us that we can begin again. 

If you're feeling like your dreams and hopes have been beaten down by adversities be encouraged by Mother Nature. 

Sow positive seed thoughts

Revive your dreams by filling your life with positive thought seeds surrounding your dream/your desire.

Look for a new perspective. It may sometimes take just a shift in your perspective to change your attitude towards your desire. 

Nurture positive emotions

Nurture the positive emotions to change your personal internal feeling about manifesting your desire. For example, think about what it would mean to you if you did follow through to making your dream a reality. How would it change your life? How would it improve the lives of others around you? What impact would it make? When you begin seeing the positive and build up that energy it would override the negative emotions coming from your past failure or struggle.

What can you do different? 

Perhaps you've taken steps towards getting the results you want but find yourself becoming disappointed. What different steps can you take that will give you better results than you had before?  

Are you resisting change and new ideas? 

Be an observer of yourself. No one really wants to think of themselves as being resistant. But you need to take a closer look at new ideas that come your way because they may be packaged in a way that you're not used to. Openness to try things out in a different way opens the doors for new opportunities to come.

Want a simple step-by-step process to make your dreams a reality, build your self-confidence, attract the relationship you want or to attract more happiness in your life? Then, I'd invite you to try the Life-changing Map.

http://www.changinginsideoutnow.com/Lifechangingmap

Goal Setting - Are You Working Someone Else's Plan For Your Life?

The truth is that we have choices in every single moment of our lives. For those who are destitute however, the choices in life are less, fewer and far between (if at all!). But, as for the rest of us…let us set the records straight for once! WE often think we don't have freedom when we simply haven't claimed our power to choose differently!

So how can you be open to choosing ‘differently’ and BETTER? For once, be clear about what it is that you DO want. Have a sense of purpose. With a target to aim for, you'll know what will serve you best.

This One Amazingly Simple Step, that really successful people take, is to plan their lives in detail on paper (to start)… AND THEN, they actually work their plan. And when I say detail - I mean EVERY detail. They wrote down a plan for every aspect of their lives and then they went after it. Step, by step, by step!!

Now let us get down to business! Here is a tough question for you. Are you working someone else's plan for your life? If you are NOT getting what you want from life, it is probably because you have allowed someone else to design your life plan. 

This could be your parents, your spouse, your boss, the government, even your friends, that might oblige and be happy to plan and map your life FOR you. BUT, this is not the fast track to success - if anything, it is the slow boat to mediocrity. Success is a do-it-to-yourself proposition, that comes from designing the life you want and deserve and then taking significant action to achieve it.

Stop and ask yourself in-depth get-real type questions, like: "Why am I doing this? What do I want to achieve?"

Write down your answers. Use your journal. Get in the habit of carrying and using your journal as a success tool. Be more conscious of how you are spending your precious time, because this is your life passing by. This will help you start to recognize where you’re doing well, and when you are headed down the wrong path altogether. I spend a good amount of my time writing out what I wanted, because it helps me stay focused on the goal everyday. I look at it and I know how I am going to spend my time that day.

I want to encourage you to step out with confidence and really give it your all. DO NOT let ANYBODY stand in your way! A ‘victim’ mentality will typically keep great people from coming into your life. Only YOU can decide to stop being a victim and start living today!

Be open to possibilities for yourself. Select one area of your life where you are unsatisfied, and choose something new, something more for yourself. Do different things and do things differently. Risk more.

The following is a guideline that can help you achieve your goals: State your goal as a positive statement (“do”, instead of “don’t”) example : “ I will earn $150,000 a year” instead of “I won’t make less money than I deserve.”

Be precise about your goal (state dates, and a measurable amount of achievement so that you can know when you have achieved your goal).

Set priorities (so that when you have several goals, you won’t feel overwhelmed, you’ll know which ones are the most important).

Write your goals down (this solidifies them and makes them feel more important).

Keep your operational goals small (having many smaller goals is better than one large goal, since it’s easier to see your progress and stay motivated).

Instead of setting an outcome, set a performance goal (this way, there is a control factor to your achievement. Nothing is more dispiriting than failing due to reasons beyond your control, such as bad business environments, or just plain bad luck).

Be realistic about your goals (set goals that you can achieve, and don’t be influenced by others, who try to set goals beyond your abilities. You can always set another goal if you discover that your first goal was not reaching high enough).

Don’t set your goals too low (otherwise, you will slow down your progress, become lazy, and simply won’t achieve your maximum potential).

When you do achieve one of your goals, make certain that you have taken the time to enjoy the satisfaction of having accomplished your desire, by allowing yourself a well deserved break or reward. (It can be as small as an afternoon off to go see that movie you have wanted to see).

It is also important to make certain to absorb the implications of the achievement of your goal, and have a look back at the progress you have made. You should also look at the progress that you have made towards other goals. If the goal was especially noteworthy, make sure that you reward yourself appropriately.

Thanks to Tara Brook for this inspiring article. If you'd like to know more about Tara and get a Free chapter of her new book Beautiful Ambition: My Secrets to Love, Happiness and Success, check out website at http://www.beautifulambition.com/

Keys to Successful Living and Stress Management – Part 9

Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe

You’ve heard it said, “If it’s got to be it’s up to me.” Or how about this one, “If you want something you have to go out and get it.” Both sayings have truth in them. But when you feel that everything rests on your shoulder; that you have to know what to do in every situation and then make the results you want manifest in your life, which could become quite overwhelming and downright frustrating.

Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe. Every single detail is not left on your shoulders to work out. There’s more to your life that is unseen than what is seen. For what is seen is just a tip of the iceberg to what’s really going on.

You have the universal power at your disposal but it’s not just for you to wield that power by yourself. You have the wisdom of the Spirit working with you and spiritual agents working on your behalf to help you.

So to begin releasing the mental stress and overwhelming burden where can you start? Use the next 5 tips to help you.

1. Do what you can within your own power

What can you do right now? Decide what’s most important and do it one task at a time. Don’t try to get to other things before you’ve completed this task first. Try not to bite off more than you can chew.

2. Let go of the outcome

Release the outcome. If you’re trying to force things to happen, then you’re always setting yourself up for frustration and stress. When you set your intentions everything will work out at the right time - the timetable of the Spirit is always right on time.

3. Release frustration

Let go of your frustration. Frustration will only block the flow of creativity and leave you feeling overwhelmed and unproductive. Frustration is a sure sign that you’re not trusting, you’re out of your position of power and confidence that all is working out on your behalf. However, on the positive side, you can use your frustration as a gauge to get to the root of the true issue you’re facing and do some self-analysis.

4. Relax your brain – stop trying to mentally figure everything out

Feel like your brain’s squeezing because you’re thinking too much trying to figure things out? Relax. Do something fun. You’ll find that when you come back to what you were doing that you have a clearer perspective on things and your energy is more inviting to the creative flow.

5. Ask the Spirit for help

Most importantly, ask the Spirit to help you. You may feel that this is a crutch but that is not true. By asking for help you’re acknowledging and connecting with the power that already resides inside of you. The flip side to that (by not asking) is cutting yourself off from life-energy that empowers and sustains your life.

Looking for a way to simplify your life? Why not try the Life-changing Map - a step by step process to changing and transforming your life. 

http://www.changinginsideoutnow.com/Lifechangingmap

Sunday Morning Inspiration - Simple Truths of Life

http://youtu.be/K5dSPWTBRh8

Saturday Tunespiration - Are You Falling To Pieces? Looking for the Answers? Don't know where to begin?

Feel like you're falling to pieces? Looking for the answers but can't seem to find them? It all begins with you, inside of you. 

But what exactly does that mean? You may have heard that you have the answers inside of you but how exactly do you extract the answer? How do you know what to do? 

That's where you need to stop searching and asking others what to do and become quiet and listen to your own inner guidance - that still small voice that guides you along the way. 

Feel your inner feelings and feel the truth of your heart. Be confident in knowing that you do have the answer. Become quiet and start with something small that will give you the confidence to trust your inner spirit. 

Today's tunespiration - Alicia Keys - Pray For Forgiveness  - Lyrics are below

http://youtu.be/ccWnKoRt58s



Lyrics :
Beautiful garden where have you gone
My self-delusions are leaving me in the storm
Taking for granted all the goodness that I've found
Somewhere I lost all, the control came crashing down

And I pray for forgiveness, look for the answers
Cuz it's hard for me to pretend
Look to my mother, call to the captain
Can't you see this state that I'm in
And no one would know this, nobody noticed
Cuz it's me where it begins


Beautiful morning please don't wake me from my sleep
Cuz I need some comfort to regain my sanity
And I don't wanna feel this crazy, I don't wanna feel discarded
Shattered into million pieces

I'm so brokenhearted
Nowhere left to run
Nowhere left to go
So I hope

And I pray for forgiveness, look for the answers

Cuz it's hard for me to pretend
Look to my mother, call to the captain
Can't you see this state that I'm in
And no one would know this, nobody noticed
That it's me where it begins
And I pray for forgiveness within

I swear that everyday I feel like my mind is haunting me
I think of every little stupid mistake that has been made
This time I don't have the strength to gather myself
And I'm falling to pieces

And I pray for forgiveness, look for the answers
Cuz it's hard for me to pretend
Look to my mother, call to the captain
Can't you see this state that I'm in
I pray for forgiveness, looking for justice
Searching for answers, call to my mother
Pray for forgiveness, breaking the silence
And nobody knows this, nobody noticed
That it's me where it begins

By the way, if you're struggling and you need help to understand and connect with the Spirit and follow your inner guidance, find out how you can work with me here.

The 7 Steps to Knowing Yourself

Self-awareness is not something that you can just discover right away, but is, instead, a process that usually takes seven important steps. These steps are not actually as defined as they may seem at first. Instead, they may be taken out of sequence, and you will likely discover, that they will often overlap, as you progress along the path to self-discovery.

Keep in mind, that no matter who we are, we are all works-in-progress. Though these seven steps will help to get you started along the right path for knowing yourself, self-discovery is a process that lasts a lifetime.

Step 1: Spend Some Quality Time With Yourself Every Day

To get to know yourself, then you need to spend some good quality time with just you. True, we all have busy lives, and it isn’t always easy to find time for yourself, but consider it something you cannot afford not to do. Everyone needs to make the time to be alone, with pen-in-hand (making a list of everything that you know you want in life).

Recognizing your own behavior patterns, is an important part of getting to know yourself. Just as important, however, is observing the types of people in your life. People have a tremendous influence on your path, and can either help to build you up along the way, or can tear you down, keeping you from your greater potential and dreams realization.

As you get to know yourself, it is important that you learn to listen to your inner-voice, or intuition (as it is often called). I have been using and listening to my own inner-voice for the larger parof my life, by visualizing what I want out of life.

Step 2: Write in a Journal Every Day

Head out to the business supply store or stationary store at your next opportunity, and pick up a journal or notebook – not a diary, planner or scheduler. There is a difference between these types of tools.

You can also write about dreams – both those you dream during sleep-time, and those you daydream while you are awake – express your feelings, and allow yourself to use your intuition to its fullest. (Your journal will be the perfect place for you to take down your guiding beliefs, thoughts and action patterns, the things that get you stuck, and the new things you’ve developed).

This is one of the most effective ways to become aware of yourself, and integrate your experiences into a recognition of who you are and who you are capable of being. It will not be long into your journal-writing, that you discover that there are certain patterns in your life that repeat. This can include different thoughts , behaviors and revelations, (some that may even occasionally remind you of your parents and other important people in your life).

Step 3: Identify Your Support System

Your next step is to discover the counselors, religious representatives, guides, teachers, helpers, and mentors, who can help you along the way, on your journey.

Though it is important, to a degree, to be independent, self-sufficient, and autonomous, this does not mean that we can NEVER seek out others for support in our lives. If you are unable tolook outside of yourself, then you will only struggle for your entire life.

Step 4: Learn from the People Around You

We learn the most about ourselves when we learn about the people around us. In this sense, when you are trying to discover who you are, where you are headed in life, and how you are going to get there, one of the steps that you will need to take, is to consider what you can learn from the people you spend time with.

Consider all of the people you know, including friends, family, acquaintances, co-workers, and all of the other people you have gotten to know throughout your life. Write down this list so that you can use it for reference. Then, think about each person individually, and consider what you have already learned, and still can learn from each of these people.

Step 5: Read and Listen

Investigate the specific issues, relationships, spiritual growth, and healing that affect you, by reading books and listening to tapes and CD’s by wise teachers and inspirational muses. You are fortunate in that you live in a time that is filled with information readily available to everyone.

Everywhere you look, there are self-help books, websites, workshops, and lectures that you can attend in-person, online, or that can be recorded and watched later. There are teachers out there who have researched and dealt with just about every imaginable problem and life issue, you can dream up!

Step 6: Take Positive Risks

Once you have gathered information about yourself and how to deal with your specific issues, take the chance to talk about yourself and your problems with others. You have already been expressing yourself with your journal, looking into your goals, dreams, values, insights, etc, and now the time has come, to take this awareness to a new level!

This step often takes a great deal of courage. Recognizing yourself on your own is still relatively safe, but without putting your ideas into practice, and offering them to others, to get a new perspective and make them work for you, you will not be able to use all of your discoveries and self-revelation insights.

Each of your new choices will help you to better learn what works for you, and what does not. It is therefore time to take a few positive risks to allow yourself to continue moving forward.

Step 7: Enjoy Knowing Yourself

Oddly enough, as noble a pursuit as self-knowledge may be, there is still a tendency amongst us all to feel guilty when we begin understanding ourselves to the degree that we can take our lives in a positive-change or improvement type direction. This is the time when you are actually able to consciously create your life, so that you achieve the results that you want.

This often brings about comments from others such as “you are so lucky,” and “things always work out for you”. Since you haven not exactly been advertising your efforts toward self knowledge, it may indeed look as though luck has suddenly been smiling on you. However, you will know that you have made a very large change in your life that has meant that you are more prepared to achieve what is right for you.

Thanks to Tara Brook for this inspiring article. If you'd like to know more about Tara and get a Free chapter of her new book Beautiful Ambition: My Secrets to Love, Happiness and Success, check out website at www.beautifulambition.com/