You Suck!

Ok did I get your attention?  Now, I know you don't suck, but do YOU know you don't suck?

 

Last week I got more then a few comments and e-mails saying that it was difficult for you to believe in yourself.  I can understand that completely.  However, even the slightest part of you got offended by the title of today's entry, then the possibility exists that you CAN and most likely DO believe in yourself.

 

This weeks journal is going to be an IN YOUR FACE challenge.

 

Last week I talked about resolutions and goal setting.  I explained that one of the most important things that one needed to succeed was the ability to believe in yourself.  There were more then a few that said this was the most difficult part of the project.  Sometimes one finds it difficult, if not impossible, to believe in oneself.  There are many reasons for this, maybe you don't feel worthy because you were told you weren't growing up, or maybe you were told it was a form of bragging, or perhaps you just don't believe you are allowed to believe in yourself.  This week I am going to offer you a few questions for you to think about.

 

On Thursday, I am going to lay down a challenge at Magic Smoke that will involve the work you do here this week.

 

Today's question is:  What is preventing you from believing in yourself?  Feel free to leave a comment, or e-mail me. However if it is too personal, keep it in a private journal somewhere, or just close to your heart, but be able to answer the question.  It will help you as we go along.

 

Tags: Believe, Hope, Inspiration, 5659

Exciting News!

I have an exciting an.... Some of you may already know.

Vish at Magic Smoke asked me to do an entry on Thursdays over at Magic Smoke.  I'm very excited and I have a surprise or two up my sleeve. 

                                               

Next... For those of you familiar with the Nice Matters award and my idea of taking it to the world... well I am still working on that!  I did not forget!  My main challenge was finding out who originated it and Krissy at Sometime's I Think was a big help with that.  So when I found Corey at Tongue and Cheek, I was very happy and I talked to her about it.  I didn't want to use her idea without permission.  She agreed with me that the biggest challenge was going to find a gender neutral picture to go with the award.  That was the next challenge.  I have an idea and I am working on it.  I hope to be able to get it put together by May.  My next few weeks are going to be very busy so I have to wait till I can give it my full attention.

Last:  I found this quiz over at Guido's Northern Exposure.  I'm a horse!  The snake came in 2nd.  (hmmmmm Wonder what the characteristics of a snake are.)  I then did it again with the same answers and the 2nd time I came out a cat!  They should really be consistent LOL.

 

Which Animal Are You?

Updates, News, Excitment, Inspiration, Hope, Believe, 5659

Anal Optic Nerve

Medical news

Bet you didn't know this:

Did you know that in the human body there is a nerve that connects 
the eyeball to the anus?

It's called the Anal Optic Nerve, and it is responsible for giving 
people a shitty outlook on life.

If you don't believe it, pull a hair from your ass and see if it 
doesn't bring a tear to your eye.

Tags: Humor

The Road Not Taken

The Road Not Taken

Poem lyrics of The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Tags: Poetry, Inspiration, Hope, Believe, 5659

Create Support!

Transcript of this video below:

Once you have a good solid basis and have your success system set up it is time to create.  In  case you are joining me today the success system is 1. Having a clear vision of your goals  2. Set up S.M.A.R.T. goals.  That is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely and 3. Believe.  You can check out the last three days for more information if you are behind.

 

Now... Once your Success System is in place you should consider creating a support system. 

 

One of the most important parts of your support system is having at least one person who will hold you accountable when you are failing to meet your goals, or who will encourage and inspire you when you are feeling down.  This person needs to be someone you trust and who feels comfortable being brutally honest and you have to be ready to accept their honesty.   Picking who you choose to be this person is very important.  If you are easily offended you may not want to pick your spouse. 

 

For instance is we are sticking with the weight loss model you do not want to encounter this:

 

You:  Honey, does these jeans make my ass look fat?

Your spouse:  No, ass make ass look fat!

 

Then you will have to refer to some relationship coaching ideas.

 

The next support system that will help you achieve your goals is creating an environment that will support you and your goals.  I think most people know this entails choosing proper foods, taking away temptations and avoiding situations that will cause you to be tempted.  Let's say your goal is something different.  The same rules apply:

 

1. Rid yourself of all temptation.  Yes ALL temptation.  Realistically you will eventually have to allow that which tempts you back into your life, but you will want to wait until you have past your need or overcome your bad habit.

 

2. Create rules for yourself that you can live by and stick to them.

 

3. Reward yourself for good behavior or success.  Now if you are an alcoholic trying to over come a drinking habit, downing a fifth of vodka wouldn't be your reward of choice, however, it is important for you to find something that is equally rewarding.

 

4. Avoid people, places or things that cause you to be drawn away from your goal.

 

If you have any problem with any of the above, talk to your support person and journal about it.

 

Now you the tools you need to create the change you desire.  Next week we will talk about believing in yourself.

 

Tags: Support, Hope, Inspiration, Desire, Believe! 5659

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Step Three: BELIEVE!

Transcript of this video below

 

 

Step Three, in my humble opinion, is the most important.  You must truly believe that you will be successful.  In order for this to happen you must have a very clear vision of what it is you want to achieve. 

 

A good way to prepare your self is by meditation or prayer. This is important to do each and every day as much as possible.  It doesn't have to be big and elaborate or even ritualistic, however if you have the time to do so it will offer you a wonderful respite from the daily grind.  In a later blog I will offer some varied suggestions on how to do a more ritualistic prayer or meditation, but for now lets keep it simple.

 

Praying or meditating throughout the day is as simple as turning of the radio while you are driving, or the TV while you are cleaning, or perhaps going for your walk or job without your music and head set (unless music helps you focus).  Use this time to ask for what you want and to give thanks for what you have been given.  Do it as often as humanly possible.  Include the divine in your daily activities. 

 

Visualize.  This here is the key.  Remember when you were a kid and you wanted that special something for your birthday.  You would ask and ask and ask again and again.  You would draw pictures of it.  You cut out pictures of it and put it where you could see it and where you parents could see it.  You would talk about it with your friends and you used to imagine holding it and using it.  In your mind, you already had it.  You believed with all your heart you were going to have it, and most likely you did.  This is the childlike heart and mind we must have to manifest that which we desire.

 

Scientific studies support this as well.  A study was done on Olympic runners in which they were asked to sit in a recliner and run their race entirely in their mind.  Electrodes were applies that let the researches see how their muscles were reacting.  They then ran the race with the electrodes attached and the results were amazing.  The same muscles reacted in the same way weather they were sitting in the chair or running the race.  The mind does not know the difference between what it perceives is real and what our body is experiencing.  In the minds eye what it is experiencing is real and out body will react accordingly.

 

Therefore, staying with the weight loss model, the more you see yourself as having already achieved your goal weight, the closer you will be to getting there.  See and feel yourself in you thin jeans or your favorite dress or bathing suit.  Again I will go into more detail in a later blog about suggestions on how to improve this, but I think you have the idea for now.

 

It also doesn't hurt to place motivational reminders everywhere!  Cut out pictures of what you want and put them where you can see them.  Tell people what you are working towards, but do it with conviction; there is no room for failure.  Act as if you already have it!  If you believe it is already yours then act like. 

 

You can achieve your goal! 

 

That's all for today.  Tomorrow we will cover step four.

 

Tags: Inspiration, Hope, Believe, Goals, Prayer, 5659

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Make S.M.A.R.T. Goals

 

This is the 3rd time I am trying this post.

 

I decided to do another video blog, however for those of you who have a slow connection or are hearing impaired I have provided a transcript.

 

Why is the video done in my car?

 

1. It is my mobile office.  2.  I thought the acoustics would be better.  3.  It is easier to control  interruptions.  4.  I had the time there.

 

Why am I video blogging?

 

1,  I am able to critique myself.  2. Others are able to critique me.  3.  Some folks hate to read, but love to relax and listen.

 

For those of you who want to know how to do a YouTube video my "How I Did It" is below.

 

 

 

Transcript:

 

If you tried yesterdays suggestion you now have a fairly clear vision of what you  want to accomplish.  It is not time to break it down and create S.M.A.R.T. goals.

 

That is goals must be

 

Specific

Measurable

Attainable

Realistic

Timely

 

This will assure that you will have the greatest possibility of attaining success.

 

Since many of you commented that you wanted to loose weight, I will use that as an example on how to create S.M.A.R.T. goals.  These techniques will apply to any goal you wish to accomplish.

 

First: Be Specific.  How much weight do you want to loose.  Put a number on it!

 

Second: Make it Measurable.  With loosing weight, this one is easy.  You have a scale.  Get on it at a pre-determined day each week.

 

Third:  Make certain it is attainable.  If you want to loose more then 10 pounds, you will want to break down the amount into smaller increments.

 

Fourth:  Make it Realistic.  There are a ton of "diets" out there that claim that they can help you loose 10lbs in one week.  While this may be possible, it isn't realistic.  You may bring about the weight loss you want however it will not bring about the change you want.  You want to loose the weight and keep it off.  This requires an entire life change.

 

Fifth:  Make it timely.  Put dates on the pound.  Do you want to loose five pounds? Set a goal date.  If today is April 1, 2008 then set a goal for two weeks time.  Commit to loosing the wight by April 15th.

 

Ok, now you have your goal and you are very specific on what it is and when you want to accomplish it by.  To further complete your S.M.A.R.T. goals write down what you are going to do to achieve them.

 

Journaling helps a great deal in accomplish our goals.  When we write each day about what it is we are working for, where we succeed and where it is we had the most difficulties, then we have something concrete to encourage us and to learn from.

 

Things to consider and commit to that will support your S.M.A.R.T. goals are:

 

How much water are you going to commit to drinking each day?

How many calories are you going to eat each day?

How are you going to exercise and how often?

Who are you going to choose to hold you accountable?

 

Write these goals down and measure them daily.  Keep track of what you eat, when, where and what your mood was.  Keep a log of your exercise and make sure you have measurable improvement each week. 

 

 

If you are using a diet plan, make certain that it doesn't consider it a "diet".  Weight loss plans such as Dr. Phil's, Body For Life, Weight Watchers are excellent because they teach you how to eat, not diet.  Always check with your Doctor before beginning any new dietary plan.

 

Tomorrow we will discuss step three.

 

 

HOW I DID IT.

 

How to do a YouTube Video:

 

1. I have a regular Kodak camera that has a video setting.  I put the camera on a tripod.  Positioned camera and hit the timer.

 

2.  Shot the video.

 

3. Uploaded it to my computer

 

4. Edited it taking of the exciting part at the end where you get to see the sky, the car door and my shoes.

 

6. Went to my YouTube account (its free) and uploaded it.  Make certain that they have the correct format WMV, .AVI, .MOV, and .MPG.  This can take a while.  This video took about 15 min to upload.

 

7. Then wait.  You have to wait a bit while the video is processed through YouTube, but once it is done you can embed it in your journal just like any other video.

 

 

Tags: S.M.A.R.T. Goals, Inspiration, Hope, Believe, 5659

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