Month: September 2017

The Art Of Self-Motivation

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You’re reading The Art Of Self-Motivation, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Do you want to get more work done in less time? Are you experiencing a productivity lull? It happens to the best of us. We feel disheartened due to the lack of motivation to do something and are overwhelmed by negativity. Our levels of motivation are often unpredictable. It’s not that easy to remain motivated all the time – many situations can discourage us along the way. But how can you maintain your drive, especially during times of need? Well, it’s in your own hands. With self-motivation, you can keep moving forward by fighting every obstacle. Here are a few ways in which you can self-motivate yourself.

Believe In Yourself And Your Abilities

Insecurities can be your worst enemy. Lack of self-confidence is a motivation killer. Stop underestimating your potential by comparing yourself with others. Channel your focus on your strengths and abilities instead of shortcomings. Give your confidence levels a big boost by being aware of and celebrating your strengths and achievements. Start by reminding yourself how far you have come with your abilities. And keep in mind, if you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. Take advantage of all your traits and showcase them when needed. Every small battle you overcome counts as it becomes a motivator on its own.

Boost Yourself Up With A Positive Attitude

You need to fire yourself up with a positive attitude. Staying motivated can indeed be a struggle, but dwelling in negativity can only drag you down further. Be friendly and let that upbeat attitude shield you from anyone who tries to pull you down. Surround yourself with activities and people who brighten your day. It will fill your heart and mind with positive thoughts and emotions. Focus on the good aspects in every situation, and you will find happiness no matter what. If you are feeling dull or low, do things that make you happy or read motivational quotes and success stories. Everyone has failures, but all you need to do is overcome them and dare to dream.

Challenge Yourself And Develop Your Skills

Don’t settle. Keep pushing yourself and strive for accomplishment. Invest time in building your skills and work on self-improvement. You can probably do a lot more, but you are stopping yourself from taking risks. Challenge yourself and go beyond the limits of the ordinary. Unless you keep learning and stay curious, you will not be able to broaden your horizons. Focus on managing your time and set some time aside every day to develop your skills. Nobody is born perfect. We all make mistakes, but only by learning from our mistakes can we grow. The world is full of opportunities, and only when you explore it, you will feel fully motivated and truly alive.

Set Your Goals And Get Direction

To keep your motivation levels high, the first thing to do is to identify your goals, without which it can be hard to keep the fire burning. When your mind is focused on a certain goal, your brain sets out to make a plan to achieve it. A direction can give you a glimpse of where you are headed. Break down the main goal into small measurable ones that you can aim at on a day-to-day basis. Once you have a clearer vision of where you are headed, every action you take is guided by the goal. Keep track of every achievement, and your motivation levels will only keep rising higher and higher.

Self-motivation is not a daily challenge but a constant state of mind. The trick is to be positive and remain persistent towards your goals. Never stop chasing after your aspirations and believe in yourself. To be motivated and productive, you need to be relaxed and happy. Master the art of self-motivation with these concrete tips, and you’ll be ready to face any challenge life may throw at you.


Nisha is passionate about writing and loves to share her thoughts with the world. She has written many articles on yoga, fitness, wellness, remedies, and beauty. She keeps herself updated by going through interesting blogs every day. This fuels her passion and motivates her to write appealing and engaging articles. She is a regular contributor to StyleCraze.com and a few other websites.

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Photo credit: Andy Beales

You’ve read The Art Of Self-Motivation, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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Critics call college rankings ‘a joke’ —…

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The B&N Podcast: Tom Perrotta

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Every author has a story beyond the one that they put down on paper. The Barnes & Noble Podcast goes between the lines with today’s most interesting writers, exploring what inspires them, what confounds them, and what they were thinking when they wrote the books we’re talking about.

Tom Perrotta can be hard to pin down: in Election, he wickedly sent up American politics with a dark comedy of high school ambition; his treatment of suburban couples in 2004’s bestseller Little Children earned him a comparison to Chekhov in the New York Times. And in 2011’s The Leftovers, he pushed the boundaries of realism and fantasy to create a haunting meditation on loss.

His latest novel, Mrs. Fletcher, breaks new ground again, with the story of a middle-aged single mother who finds herself exploring a new identity – one in part defined by her sudden exposure to the world of internet pornography. Simultaneously, the novel tracks Eve’s son Brendan as he arrives at college, full of ideas and desires that have been influenced by the same online sources. On this episode, the author talks with Bill Tipper about his eyes-wide-open confrontation with American sexuality in forms virtual and otherwise.

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Eve Fletcher is trying to figure out what comes next. A forty-six-year-old divorcee whose beloved only child has just left for college, Eve is struggling to adjust to her empty nest when one night her phone lights up with a text message. Sent from an anonymous number, the mysterious sender tells Eve, “U R my MILF!” Over the months that follow, that message comes to obsess Eve. While leading her all-too-placid life—serving as Executive Director of the local senior center by day and taking a community college course on Gender and Society at night—Eve can’t curtail her own interest in a porn website called MILFateria.com, which features the erotic exploits of ordinary, middle-aged women like herself. Before long, Eve’s online fixations begin to spill over into real life, revealing new romantic possibilities that threaten to upend her quiet suburban existence.

Meanwhile, miles away at the state college, Eve’s son Brendan—a jock and aspiring frat boy—discovers that his new campus isn’t nearly as welcoming to his hard-partying lifestyle as he had imagined. Only a few weeks into his freshman year, Brendan is floundering in a college environment that challenges his white-dude privilege and shames him for his outmoded, chauvinistic ideas of sex. As the New England autumn turns cold, both mother and son find themselves enmeshed in morally fraught situations that come to a head on one fateful November night.

Click here to see all books by Tom Perrotta.

Like this podcast? Subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher to discover intriguing new conversations every week.

The post The B&N Podcast: Tom Perrotta appeared first on The Barnes & Noble Review.

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When Dissent Became Treason

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As our newspapers and TV screens overflow with choleric attacks by President Trump on the media, immigrants, and anyone who criticizes him, it makes us wonder: What would it be like if nothing restrained him from his obvious wish to silence, deport, or jail such enemies? For a chilling answer, we need only roll back the clock one hundred years, to the moment when the United States entered not just a world war, but a three-year period of unparalleled censorship, mass imprisonment, and anti-immigrant terror.

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The Passport of Whiteness

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Everyone knows we are a nation of immigrants, that immigrants are good for the economy, and that freedom seekers are our kin. What I find sad is that we all know this history. We did not think the ideal of liberal democracy, the open society, would have to be fought for all over again. We are so spoiled we thought that it just grew naturally with everything else we have in our gardens of relative good fortune.

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Gastronomic Market in the City of Medellin, Colombia, Designed by the Firm Morales Vicaria Arquitectura

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This old cellar, with an area of 3375 square meters, located in the city of Medellin, Antioquia, Colombia, was the starting point for the architecture firm Morales Vicaria Arquitectura, who in 2016 transformed it into what today aspires to be an icon at regional level, similar to the great gastronomic markets of the world, like Mercado de San Miguel (in Madrid, Spain) or Mercado Roma (in Mexico City, Mexico). It..

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6 Essential Success Tips from Ray Kroc

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A while back, I read Grinding It Out. It tells the fascinating story of how Ray Kroc built McDonald’s.

One interesting thing is that he only started building McDonald’s when he was already 52! You might think that at that age someone’s ‘golden age’ has passed; they wouldn’t build something new, let alone something big. But the story of Ray Kroc proves otherwise. It proves that it’s never too late to build something big in your life.

I learned some success tips from his story. Here they are:

1. Believe That the Best Is Still Ahead of You

How could he make such a big commitment at the time when most people already think about retirement? How did the possibility even enter his mind?

A key factor was the mindset he had. He believed that the best was still ahead of him. He was eager for something more. He didn’t just stay in his comfort zone.

This mindset, if you have it, can make a big difference in your life. Believe that the best is still ahead of you. Believe that there is more to come.

2. Always Be on the Lookout for Opportunities

When you believe that the best is still ahead of you, you will be on the lookout for opportunities. You will open your eyes for them.

Kroc already had a good business selling multimixers at that time, but he didn’t stop there. He kept looking for the right opportunity. Eventually, he heard good things about a restaurant named McDonald’s that intrigued him.

Being on the lookout for opportunities helps you recognize an opportunity when it comes. Otherwise, you might miss an opportunity even when it’s right in front of you.

3. Act Fast When an Opportunity Comes

Now, what should you do when an opportunity comes? You should act… fast.

That’s what Ray Kroc did. When he heard good things about that far away restaurant, he decided to fly there to see it himself. And when he saw the great potential the restaurant had, he didn’t delay. He negotiated with the McDonald’s brothers to open his own restaurants.

There is a window of opportunity. If you are too slow, the window will close.

4. Think Big

The McDonald’s brothers could have built the chain themselves. But the problem was their way of thinking: they were thinking too small! They were already satisfied with their one restaurant and the comfortable life they had. They had no desire for something more.

Kroc, on the other hand, already imagined hundreds of restaurants across the country even before he came to the negotiating table. He was thinking big. He had a vision. And that makes a big difference.

5. Focus

When Kroc decided to take the opportunity, he focused on it. He devoted his time, energy, and money there. In fact, he didn’t even take a salary in the first years to help the business get off the ground.

He didn’t allow himself to get sidetracked either. He had a vision of how  McDonald’s would be, and he rejected short-term opportunities that didn’t help him reach the vision.

6. Build a Strong Team

One key to success that Kroc had was his team. He had a strong team. He found the right people and put them in the right place. He found people who built upon each other’s strengths and complemented his own weaknesses.

Many of these people stayed with him for years as McDonald’s became a worldwide brand. With their help, he could build the company fast.

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I learned a lot of lessons from Kroc’s story. What about you? Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments.

P.S. I have a deal coming soon. Stay tuned.

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Last week, Glacier National Park in Montana received its first…

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Last week, Glacier National Park in Montana received its first snow of the season. While it closed Going-to-the-Sun Road from St. Mary to Logan Pass for a short time, that section of the road has reopened, offering visitors as chance to enjoy a beautiful, wintery world. Photo by National Park Service.

Remodeling of a House in North Carolina, USA Carried Out by In Situ Studio

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This excellent reconstruction of a house dating back to 1960 was originally a clear representation of mid-century residential architecture, but it unfortunately fell into neglect and was virtually abandoned. It is located in Raleigh, a city belonging to the state of North Carolina, in the United States. It covers an area of 3,485 square feet, and was designed by the architect Matthew Griffith, who belongs to the team at the..

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7 Unhealthy Behaviors That Affect Your Mental Health

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Bad mental health habits are behaviors that have a negative effect on the way we think and the way we feel about ourselves.

We often believe our mood and our mental health are solely dependent on external factors and we only have little ability to control them. We often wonder why we get so easily irritated, upset, sad, lethargic, and bored in life. As a solution, we try to improve our mood and cope with stress by engaging in unhealthy behaviors. This, unfortunately, makes our mood even worse.

Yes, our mood is affected by our brain chemistry. But, remember this:

Our brain chemistry is largely affected by our behaviors and habits in life. If we treat ourselves with care and know what makes us happy, we are going to have a more balanced brain chemistry.

Here are a few common bad mental health habits that are making you unhappy and unsatisfied with your life:

Bad Sleep Routine

bad sleep routine

Even if you get enough sleep, having a regular sleep routine matters a lot.

Going to bed early promotes more happiness and energy in life. Studies have shown that going to bed late may be linked to depression and poorer mental health in general. The reason could be that negative thoughts are more likely to appear in our mind at night.

So, by staying up late, you get more and more overwhelmed with worries and negative thoughts. Also, by being a ‘night owl’, you socialize less with people and may start to feel isolated over time. You’ll also be less productive and less energetic the next day.

See Also: Get Strong, Sleep, Repeat: The Importance Of Sleeping

Not Taking Time to Relax

Many of us live with a lot of stress and have a lot of thoughts going through our minds on a daily basis. We may have a stressful job or suffer from anxiety or other problems. Most of us may be hyperactive and constantly seeking new stimuli without realizing that they are making us feel worse.

Taking some time during the day to relax and be with yourself without distractions can significantly improve your mood and well-being.

Lack of Physical Activity

It is a well-known fact that physical activity is necessary in order to maintain a healthy body. But, exercise has huge benefits for your mind, too.

When you exercise, your blood flow improves and your body releases feel-good chemicals. You are also releasing the tension build-up from excessive stress and anxiety. Your muscles feel and work better.

Spending a Lot of Time with Toxic People

We all know people in our lives that just make us feel bad whenever we are interacting with them. They may put us down, undermine our success, not respect our boundaries, and find ways to ruin our mood when we are happiest.

If you are continually trying to change those people, you are just wasting your time and making yourself more miserable. So, try to avoid toxic people as much as possible.

See Also: 8 Types of Toxic Friends That Are Holding Your Happiness Hostage

Lack of Personal Goals

Goal-oriented behavior is what activates our reward system. This has a huge influence on our mood and happiness. If you don’t push yourself to achieve your goals, even small goals, you will not feel fulfilled and you are likely to seek unhealthy ways to activate your brain reward system.

Also, not focusing on achieving your goals leaves you feeling like you are stagnating in your life and that can easily trigger poor mood and depression.

Excessive Use of Technology

excessive use of technology

Most of us enjoy our computers, phones, social media and we naturally want to watch the news and see what is currently happening in the world. Even though those tools are great at making our lives and work easier, they can also be great tools for distraction.

They also promote inactivity and tend to be overly stimulating to your brain. Your brain doesn’t like too much stimulation and you may find it more difficult to relax and unwind after spending hours on social media.

Not Being in Touch with Your Emotions

Our emotions often feel too intense and too difficult to deal with, so we tend to suppress them. We distract ourselves with all kinds of unhealthy behaviors.

The problem with that is that we don’t get to process our emotions and face our real problems. We fail to find out through attention and awareness what truly makes us unhappy, anxious, angry or sad.

Poor Nutrition

Our nutrition affects everything in our body, including our brain chemistry. A deficiency in certain nutrients can cause imbalances in our system. Even if we don’t have any serious deficiencies, our eating habits can still affect our mental health. Overeating and not eating enough are both unhealthy behaviors that can affect our relationship with food and our overall mental health.

The post 7 Unhealthy Behaviors That Affect Your Mental Health appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

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