You’re reading Erin’s Things: December 5, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

This week I’m sharing everything from the stars to the best place to do sit-ups! Want to find out what made me smile last week – read on – and if you have anything cool you’d like to share please leave your finds in the comments below or DM me!

UNIVERSE – EXPLORING THE ASTRONOMICAL WORLD – Need a new coffee table book that leaves you full of wonder and inspiration? Move over quirky photo book, here comes the motherlode book on man’s journey through the universe. Everything from ancient cave paintings to animation, this book is thoroughly engrossing for everyone. 300 images depicting the stars, planets and more, an international panel of experts comment on facts as well as the beauty and mystery of our universe. Paintings, photographs, animation, sculptures, sketches and digital renderings display the work of renowned artists. You won’t be shoving this one into a random heap of books in a few years, this one is a keeper.

KAYLA ITSINES – Work out much? Need to do more? Global fitness expert Kayla Itsines has designed a ‘do anywhere’ type of workout that helps us fit it in, no matter how busy, or tired we may be. The key is to raise your heat rate and let your whole body feel the burn. Focusing on you legs, butt and core will give you the most efficient use of your short time to workout. Squats, planks and twists can be anywhere! So, let’s get moving into an excuse free fitness routine.

THE DESERT BOX – Subscription boxes are having a moment, yes, but some of them are not likely to fade into obscurity. Like this one, where you can purchase a box that comes filled with beautiful succulents and cactuses. Offering quarterly or monthly plants, you can now order them with a repurposed planter, soil, moss, plant care card, and white pebbles for decorative use. These plants are easy to care for and lend beauty to all types of home décor. And if you have too many already, gift it!

WINE N DINE – This is not just another app, this instagram style food discovery platform has added a feature that allows its users to swipe let or right on dishes and make mote of the ones they can try in their area. Bumble for foodies, I suppose. It is called the ‘swipe to discover’ feature and it allows viewers to see which are approved and which aren’t, saving time and money when choosing between the Ramen or the pizza. And the best part, you’re never left feeling rejected…

Have a great week!

Erin

You’ve read Erin’s Things: December 5, 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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You’re reading 5 Quick Steps to Change Any Behavior, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

As a zoologist by training, I developed the Emotional Mastery techniques found in my new book Change from Within from studying wild animals. Out of this research, and the main way this work differs from other self-help philosophies, is that I don’t believe our thoughts control our behavior. Our belief systems, often unconsciously, are our true behavioral dictators. Our thoughts (like our words) are good indicators of our beliefs, but if you just focus on changing how you think without addressing the underlying beliefs, your efforts will only be a surface “band aid” solution, and the unhealthy behavior will eventually reassert itself.

If you want a genuine long-term fix for unhealthy behaviors, you have to change the underlying beliefs that are triggering your actions. Thankfully we have a built-in guidance system for uncovering our belief systems. How we feel. Our emotional body is like a weather vane for all of our beliefs. Change how you FEEL and you will change how you behave.

Unfortunately, we spend years in school being taught to think and never one lesson in how to feel, which leaves us at a disadvantage when it comes to empowering ourselves emotionally. The following steps will show you how to flex your emotional muscles so you can start to see long term results, and change from the inside out.

Here are 5 quick steps to transform any unhealthy behavior by changing the underlying emotional hooks:

1. Start by paying attention to how you feel. Before, during and after the behavior, what was your emotional state? If this is an old pattern, you will probably struggle to stay conscious of how you feel before or during, but afterwards think back on your actions. How does it make you feel? Write it down.

2. Go below the “surface” emotions you wrote down, to identify the underlying insecurity. For example, say you feel like an idiot or are embarrassed by your behavior, the root insecurity might be “I feel like a loser” or “I feel I’m not good enough”. To get the most out of this process dig deep and be brutally honest about your insecurities.

3. Say out loud “I accept I feel … “ and name the insecurities from step 2. Contrary to what you may think, acceptance doesn’t make things worse; it’s simply the honest acknowledgment of where you are at. In order for this Emotional Mastery process to work, we have to be in true acceptance. (Refusing to accept how we feel is like walking into the emergency room and refusing to tell the doctors where it hurts, but still expecting them to make us better.)

4. Look for the gifts or wisdom of feeling this insecurity. As I say in workshops “every negative emotion has something positive to teach us”. If you’re really struggling with this step, how are you a better person for knowing how it feels to experience this? Hint: are you more compassionate? Understanding? Patient?

5. Stop beating yourself up for your behavior and start thanking this part of you for trying to make you a better person. This disempowering behavior is actually teaching you to be more compassionate, understanding, patient, etc. Once we see it as a gift instead of a curse, we get into appreciation, one of the highest vibrational states we hold.

Congratulations! You’ve just transformed the emotion attached to your unhealthy behavior from self-abuse to appreciation, aka self-love. There are two schools of motivation: one of abuse and one of encouragement (another aspect of self-love). Which one do you think gets healthy, long-term results? Only after processing the underlying emotional hook of the insecurity into a positive, can we then “pre-pave” an empowering and healthy course of action. In your mind’s eye now visualize how you wish you’d behaved instead. Get really specific and pay attention to how you would feel as you played out this new behavior. When a similar situation arises in the future (and it will) you can then start practicing your empowering, healthy new action.

If you want to understand and practice this transformational process in more detail, read Change from Within: A Journal of Exercise and Meditations to Transform, Empower, and Reconnect.

You’ve read 5 Quick Steps to Change Any Behavior, 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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You’re reading 5 Quick Steps to Change Any Behavior, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

As a zoologist by training, I developed the Emotional Mastery techniques found in my new book Change from Within from studying wild animals. Out of this research, and the main way this work differs from other self-help philosophies, is that I don’t believe our thoughts control our behavior. Our belief systems, often unconsciously, are our true behavioral dictators. Our thoughts (like our words) are good indicators of our beliefs, but if you just focus on changing how you think without addressing the underlying beliefs, your efforts will only be a surface “band aid” solution, and the unhealthy behavior will eventually reassert itself.

If you want a genuine long-term fix for unhealthy behaviors, you have to change the underlying beliefs that are triggering your actions. Thankfully we have a built-in guidance system for uncovering our belief systems. How we feel. Our emotional body is like a weather vane for all of our beliefs. Change how you FEEL and you will change how you behave.

Unfortunately, we spend years in school being taught to think and never one lesson in how to feel, which leaves us at a disadvantage when it comes to empowering ourselves emotionally. The following steps will show you how to flex your emotional muscles so you can start to see long term results, and change from the inside out.

Here are 5 quick steps to transform any unhealthy behavior by changing the underlying emotional hooks:

1. Start by paying attention to how you feel. Before, during and after the behavior, what was your emotional state? If this is an old pattern, you will probably struggle to stay conscious of how you feel before or during, but afterwards think back on your actions. How does it make you feel? Write it down.

2. Go below the “surface” emotions you wrote down, to identify the underlying insecurity. For example, say you feel like an idiot or are embarrassed by your behavior, the root insecurity might be “I feel like a loser” or “I feel I’m not good enough”. To get the most out of this process dig deep and be brutally honest about your insecurities.

3. Say out loud “I accept I feel … “ and name the insecurities from step 2. Contrary to what you may think, acceptance doesn’t make things worse; it’s simply the honest acknowledgment of where you are at. In order for this Emotional Mastery process to work, we have to be in true acceptance. (Refusing to accept how we feel is like walking into the emergency room and refusing to tell the doctors where it hurts, but still expecting them to make us better.)

4. Look for the gifts or wisdom of feeling this insecurity. As I say in workshops “every negative emotion has something positive to teach us”. If you’re really struggling with this step, how are you a better person for knowing how it feels to experience this? Hint: are you more compassionate? Understanding? Patient?

5. Stop beating yourself up for your behavior and start thanking this part of you for trying to make you a better person. This disempowering behavior is actually teaching you to be more compassionate, understanding, patient, etc. Once we see it as a gift instead of a curse, we get into appreciation, one of the highest vibrational states we hold.

Congratulations! You’ve just transformed the emotion attached to your unhealthy behavior from self-abuse to appreciation, aka self-love. There are two schools of motivation: one of abuse and one of encouragement (another aspect of self-love). Which one do you think gets healthy, long-term results? Only after processing the underlying emotional hook of the insecurity into a positive, can we then “pre-pave” an empowering and healthy course of action. In your mind’s eye now visualize how you wish you’d behaved instead. Get really specific and pay attention to how you would feel as you played out this new behavior. When a similar situation arises in the future (and it will) you can then start practicing your empowering, healthy new action.

If you want to understand and practice this transformational process in more detail, read Change from Within: A Journal of Exercise and Meditations to Transform, Empower, and Reconnect.

You’ve read 5 Quick Steps to Change Any Behavior, 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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You’re reading How to Build Confidence and have Better Conversations, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Here’s a little secret: many, many people find conversation difficult. And the ones that think they find it easy, well – aren’t they the conversationalists who we so often find dull or irritating because they have no sense of self-censorship?

Learning to constructively criticize your own social skills while recognizing the value and pleasure that can come from meaningful conversation is a powerful way of making a big impact on your life, and those people with whom you share it.

What’s beautiful about conversation is that it takes at least two people to have one (unless you’re really in a quandary about something and like to debate things with yourself!). This means that if you lack self-confidence and are hesitant to focus too much on your own conversation game, you can start by reflecting outwards and engaging in chat in more subtle ways. The key to great conversation, after all, is not speaking – but listening. Work on your listening and non-verbal communication skills first, and the art of dialogue will follow.

Listening starts with giving your full attention. That means putting down phones and other devices and making eye contact with the person that you’re speaking with. Think about how babies react to eye contact: it is a fundamental part of conveying trust, attention, and togetherness.

And believe it or not, you need to learn to listen with your eyes. All sorts of statistics abound as to what percentage of communication is visual versus verbal, but a pretty convincing case has been made that 55% of meaning is conveyed by facial expression, 38% from voice tone, and just 7% from the words used. If you’ve been glued to your phone the last few years, just think how much ‘meaning’ you’ve missed out on! Pay close attention to the nuances in someone’s way of speaking, and you will start to make new connections between things they say. Be patient, and don’t expect to reach an understanding as quickly as you might in a simplified online conversation: meaningful dialogue takes time!

Listening also means letting go of your own ego for a moment. It can be easy to become distracted by your own thoughts, particularly when you’re forming an argument to what is being said or you’re excited about a great example you have to share. But while these words are forming in your mind, you’re only giving partial attention to the other person. Don’t be afraid of silences: listen carefully, then let them know that you’re thinking how best to phrase your response, rather than doing so while they’re still talking.

When it comes to upping your own end of the dialogue, you can continue by working with what the other person has brought to the table. Make it clear that you’re listening, and improve your own understanding, by repeating back or rephrasing difficult or unclear ideas that the other person has spoken about, to ensure that you understand them properly. And don’t leap in with your own authoritative ideas – especially when it comes to giving advice – because that isn’t dialogue: it’s didacticism.

It can be more constructive to ask questions and tease a subject towards resolution by working with each other’s ideas. That’s why you’re having a conversation with someone else to start with. Open-ended questions (beginning with How, What, or Why and requiring more than a Yes or No answer) are a great way of turning up unexpected information and ideas.

Telling a story is another great way to engage your friend or colleague while making your point – and all without coming across superior. Words, as they say, are given to us to hide our true feelings; a story, on the other hand, while made of words, can convey more complex feelings and concepts through the use of themes and verbal images. We also just love to hear a good story, and have done since our ancestors first sat around the campfire.

This step-by-step infographic from OnStride gathers these ideas and more into one place, so it’s easy to check in from time to time when you feel your conversation skills are lagging. It’s quite normal to be nervous of getting stuck in a conversation you can’t get out of – but just remember, the person on the other end is only human too.

You’ve read How to Build Confidence and have Better Conversations, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

>

You’re reading How to Build Confidence and have Better Conversations, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Here’s a little secret: many, many people find conversation difficult. And the ones that think they find it easy, well – aren’t they the conversationalists who we so often find dull or irritating because they have no sense of self-censorship?

Learning to constructively criticize your own social skills while recognizing the value and pleasure that can come from meaningful conversation is a powerful way of making a big impact on your life, and those people with whom you share it.

What’s beautiful about conversation is that it takes at least two people to have one (unless you’re really in a quandary about something and like to debate things with yourself!). This means that if you lack self-confidence and are hesitant to focus too much on your own conversation game, you can start by reflecting outwards and engaging in chat in more subtle ways. The key to great conversation, after all, is not speaking – but listening. Work on your listening and non-verbal communication skills first, and the art of dialogue will follow.

Listening starts with giving your full attention. That means putting down phones and other devices and making eye contact with the person that you’re speaking with. Think about how babies react to eye contact: it is a fundamental part of conveying trust, attention, and togetherness.

And believe it or not, you need to learn to listen with your eyes. All sorts of statistics abound as to what percentage of communication is visual versus verbal, but a pretty convincing case has been made that 55% of meaning is conveyed by facial expression, 38% from voice tone, and just 7% from the words used. If you’ve been glued to your phone the last few years, just think how much ‘meaning’ you’ve missed out on! Pay close attention to the nuances in someone’s way of speaking, and you will start to make new connections between things they say. Be patient, and don’t expect to reach an understanding as quickly as you might in a simplified online conversation: meaningful dialogue takes time!

Listening also means letting go of your own ego for a moment. It can be easy to become distracted by your own thoughts, particularly when you’re forming an argument to what is being said or you’re excited about a great example you have to share. But while these words are forming in your mind, you’re only giving partial attention to the other person. Don’t be afraid of silences: listen carefully, then let them know that you’re thinking how best to phrase your response, rather than doing so while they’re still talking.

When it comes to upping your own end of the dialogue, you can continue by working with what the other person has brought to the table. Make it clear that you’re listening, and improve your own understanding, by repeating back or rephrasing difficult or unclear ideas that the other person has spoken about, to ensure that you understand them properly. And don’t leap in with your own authoritative ideas – especially when it comes to giving advice – because that isn’t dialogue: it’s didacticism.

It can be more constructive to ask questions and tease a subject towards resolution by working with each other’s ideas. That’s why you’re having a conversation with someone else to start with. Open-ended questions (beginning with How, What, or Why and requiring more than a Yes or No answer) are a great way of turning up unexpected information and ideas.

Telling a story is another great way to engage your friend or colleague while making your point – and all without coming across superior. Words, as they say, are given to us to hide our true feelings; a story, on the other hand, while made of words, can convey more complex feelings and concepts through the use of themes and verbal images. We also just love to hear a good story, and have done since our ancestors first sat around the campfire.

This step-by-step infographic from OnStride gathers these ideas and more into one place, so it’s easy to check in from time to time when you feel your conversation skills are lagging. It’s quite normal to be nervous of getting stuck in a conversation you can’t get out of – but just remember, the person on the other end is only human too.

You’ve read How to Build Confidence and have Better Conversations, 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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You’re reading 6 Effective Tips For Yoga Newbies — To Attain A Life Balance., originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Yoga is a form of exercise used to increase strength, flexibility, and VO2 consumption. It helps in shaping the mind and body to attain a life balance. Meanwhile there are some key points yoga newbies needs to take note of.

Daily yoga practice can help you stay more productive, happy and more reasonable. This exercise reduces high blood pressure, increases flexibility, muscle strength and tone.

It also improves respiration energy and fertility, also helps in weight reduction.

This and more benefits of this exercise has encouraged several people especially, entrepreneurs to consider yoga as a key practice for productivity and maintaining life balance.

As a matter of fact, the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) reveals that yoga is the sixth most commonly use complementary health practice for American adults. This survey also discovered that more than 1.5 million children practice yoga annually.

As a yoga newbie, it’s normal to lack confidence and motivation in the beginning. Most times you feel intimidated by the die-hard yogis who warm up with headstands. But seriously, you shouldn’t be bothered with that; they also started as a beginner before getting to that stage.

The most important thing is to prepare your body and make up your mind to get through the beginners stage, and with time, you’ll naturally find motivation to practice yoga at will.

Below therefore are 5 effective tips for yoga newbies to achieve a life balance.

1. Prepare for it:

Do you know that by spending time out preparing for this exercise, you can actually optimize your yoga experience?

Effective preparation before the exercise brings about optimum results and helps loosen up the body before venturing into the real yoga exercise.

To start with, set up a soft warm-up routine for 5- 15 minutes before starting the real yoga exercise.

Here are few warm-up exercises you can implement:

• Rotate your neck both clockwise and anticlockwise to know if there’s any stiffness.

• Pump your shoulder and shake your hands to shrug off the lethargy

• Message your head, browse, nose and chick

2. Start simple:

Being a yoga experts is not an instantaneous activity. The process starts from being a yoga newbie to becoming an expert. So, start simple!

As humans, we love to get to the peak of our activity even right from the scratch, but most times it requires great commitment of yoga newbies to attain and maintain a balanced life.

“You don’t have to be great to get started, but you have to get started to be great”- Les Brown.

As a newbie, it’s advisable to learn simple yoga posts first before proceeding to the tough ones. So as not to loose motivation at the beginning of your experience.

3. Get a yoga kit equipment:

As a newbie, there’s high desire to get new steps in yoga practice. It’s more important to acquire yoga kits, in other to get the most effective result out of your practice.  

In addition, getting yoga kits gives you a sense of professionalism at the exercise, and as well, protects you from unnecessary injury. While there are some auto transport service that helps customers ship their cars, there are also some shipping services that can help in conveying your yoga kits to you, so worry less about the market. 

Here are 5 bit of yoga kit and equipment for beginners.

• Yoga mat: This will provide cushioning on a hard floor and a non sleep surface for standing. Also, it grants friction, padding and increases safety when doing yoga positioning.

• The Yoga block: Yoga block is also known as foam block. It’ll help stabilize standing positions when you can’t reach the floor easily. 

• Bolster: Yoga bolster is used to support the leg, spine or abdomen in certain positions.

• Yoga belt: This type of  belt is made of cotton or nylon, it helps to support your back and extend your grasp.

• The Blanket: The yoga blanket keeps you warm and comfortable at the end of each yoga postures.

4. Get and Communicate with a seasoned yoga teacher:

As a newbie it’s important to learn under a good instructor or teacher — that would observe and assist you during practice.

Communicate with a professional yoga instructor if you have any medical  condition. It’ll help the teacher to customize a special training that’ll not affect you physically but help your health condition. 

One more important thing is to have the ability to say no. If a pose feels wrong or too painful for your health status, communicate with your teacher and say it out, your teacher may know a simple way to help.

5. Be consistent:

As a newbie it’s important to make sure you practice frequently. Little and often is more effective than occasional long session of yoga.

Practicing for just 20 minutes daily, with a few well chosen poses, can have a positive effect on your physical and emotional well being.

Be dedicated with constant practice to strengthen your inner desire. And as time passes, your body will begin to feel comfortable and familiar with the process and the exercise becomes a part of you.

6. Wear a comfortable clothing:

You’ll have to put on a comfortable clothe and put away body gadget like belt or jewelry as it could get in the way of your yoga practice. You’ll need to stretch your body to different directions, so you must not put on anything that’ll restrict your movement.

It is advisable to wear all natural materials, for example 100 percent cotton and hemp (which will allow circulation of air into the entire body) is good for yoga practice. 

You can also check various materials to find out the one that best fit you for your yoga activities.

You’ve read 6 Effective Tips For Yoga Newbies — To Attain A Life Balance., 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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You’re reading The Power of Forgiveness: How to Forgive (and Ask for Forgiveness) to Regain Inner Peace, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Accumulating research supports what spiritual teachers from nearly all traditions have long taught: forgiveness heals. It improves our mood and optimism, brings inner peace, and helps us recover from challenges of all kinds. Even medical doctors are endorsing that forgiveness helps patients recover from injuries and ailments. Forgiveness improves the quality of our lives, helping us to be healthier and happier.

What do we mean by forgiveness? Simply put, we mean to consciously, lovingly pardon someone; to forgive a debt or release a mistake. It’s not about who’s right or wrong. It’s about freedom and acceptance. It’s about letting go of expectations, resentment, and blame. Forgiveness frees us of negativity we might otherwise hold, which is like swallowing poison.

But true forgiveness goes farther than offering forgiveness when we are hurt or harmed. To truly regain our inner peace, we must also seek forgiveness. Most people believe that “what goes around comes around.” This is the essence of the law of karma. When we offer loving and helpful service to others, good karma is accumulated, which blesses us. When we offer unpleasant service to others, bad karma is accumulated, which can block us.

The good news is that we can transform our karma and our lives through forgiveness practice. It helps to consider that our current life experiences are somehow a reflection of our past and present karma. Thus, when we are upset or believe others should ask for our forgiveness, this is also the time that we should go into our hearts and ask for their forgiveness, for any time we or our ancestors may have hurt them similarly before. This is not always easy, but it is quite a beautiful and transformative practice.

While forgiveness can be hard to accomplish, we can succeed with some well-designed practices. We will share a practice with you, but first, here are some tips that may help you open your heart to practice forgiveness more easily:

Keep in mind that we all make mistakes. People who hurt others are also hurting inside. This will help you find compassion, which will help you forgive.

Even if you are not a Christian, you can benefit from the story of what Jesus said during his final hours: “Forgive them Father, for they know not what they do.” This helps us understand that people often hurt others in ignorance. With this wisdom, we may again find compassion for our offenders.

Remember how it feels to receive forgiveness. This will also help you offer it. Recall a time you made a big mistake and were forgiven. Remember how it felt to be forgiven. This will help you understand how important it can be to forgive.

Finally, according to karma wisdom, a very good practice is to turn your situation around. In other words, consider that you have harmed the one(s) who have harmed you, in the past. Sincerely apologize (at the soul level) and ask for forgiveness in addition to offering it. You may be totally surprised by the impact.

Here is a simple forgiveness practice you can do, adapted from the book, Greatest Love – How to Unblock Your Life in 30 Minutes a Day with Unconditional Love by Dr. & Master Zhi Gang Sha, Master Maya Mackie and Master Francisco Quintero:

Dear ____ (name your higher power, such as “God, Divine, the Creator, the Universe), 

I love you. 

Could you please bless my forgiveness practice?

I am very grateful. 

Thank you.

Dear _____ (name any soul(s) you are practicing with, or you can practice with “all souls”),

I love you. 

I deeply apologize for ________ (anything specific, or “all the mistakes my ancestors and I have made that have hurt or harmed you in any way”)

I sincerely ask for forgiveness

Please forgive us.

I forgive you unconditionally.

I would be grateful for your forgiveness.

Thank you.

Dear the “Greatest Love”

I love and honor you.

You have the power to help us love and forgive

Please bless our practice.

Thank you.

Repeatedly chant silently or aloud the mantra, “Greatest Love”. Close your eyes and visualize the beautiful light of Greatest Love coming into your hearts to help you forgive. Feel the Greatest Love helping you to love and forgive unconditionally while you chant. When you are finished, simply close the practice by thanking all the souls.

Love and forgiveness are the golden keys to life. This is a practice you can do daily. You can practice for any challenge by calling the souls that are involved. There is no downside. Everybody wins. Practice love and forgiveness for a happy, healthy and successful life.

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Master Francisco Quintero is the co-author of Greatest Love (BenBella Books). He is a Certified Master Teacher trained by renowned spiritual teacher and humanitarian Master Zhi Gang Sha, and the author of Divine Joy: How to Find Joy in Daily Life. A leading teacher at the Tao Academy™, Master Francisco has developed training programs worldwide. With his expertise, wisdom, and knowledge, he has assisted in training over 6,000 soul practitioners and teachers around the world. For more information, please visit http://ift.tt/2nkoIQv and follow the author on Twitter.

You’ve read The Power of Forgiveness: How to Forgive (and Ask for Forgiveness) to Regain Inner Peace, 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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You’re reading Five Ways to Increase your Self-Confidence, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Trusting in your own judgment, abilities and personal power is the essence of self-confidence.  One of my favorite quotes is from Eleanor Roosevelt, “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” It’s a great reminder that self-confidence is an inside job.

Self-confidence can be like the weather. Some days your trust in your abilities and judgment may feel a little off and other days you may feel very confident. Hot, cold, cloudy or rainy, the weather is always changing.  Like the weather, some days I wake up feeling fantastic! Other days, I want to crawl back under the covers and wait for a new day.

Yes, as human beings with thoughts, emotions, and feelings, we have moments when our confidence changes.  That’s life.

And that is okay. Life is still happening all around. The sun rises. The seasons change. There will be traffic for most of us to consider.

Your self-confidence is not controlled by the weather or traffic. These things may affect how your day flows; they don’t ultimately affect your confidence.

I’ve heard older people say many times, “keep living.” My response now is, that is so true. As we continue living there may be factors that affect your self-confidence including:

• losing your job
• moving to a new city
• changes in your relationships

Our lives are filled with constant images, sights, and sounds that impact even the most confident person. The 24-hour news, tweets, posts and social media notifications can also take a toll on you.

I’ve learned to be in my own head and to limit the voices of others in order to maintain a strong sense of self-confidence. I am the creator of my life experiences and I will have to live with the choices I make.

Just remember that you have the power to maintain your self-confidence, it is not dependent on outside forces.

Try these three tips to maintain or increase your self-confidence:

1. Breathe. Trust. – Stopping to breathe and check in with yourself on a regular basis allows you to trust your inner guidance system, your intuition. The more you practice this, the stronger your instinctive feelings become and your trust grows.
2. Go to Bed Early – Sometimes we are over stimulated by daily living. Sleeping can be the only time many people are still or quiet. Make sleep a priority by picking one or two days of the week you will go to bed early. Rest is restorative.
3. Be Adventurous – Make trying new things a regular practice. Buy music from an unknown singer or artist. Take a painting class. Buy something new from the grocery store. Take a different route home from work.
4. Limit Notifications – Check your technology to see what types of notifications you have turned on. Decide which ones are most beneficial and keep only one or two active. Turn all the other notifications off. You will thank me later.
5. Be Your Own Best Friend – Learn to enjoy your own company more than the company of others. In doing so you can take time for self-discovery, try new experiences and decide what you like and don’t like.

Enjoying your own company, being adventurous and getting adequate rest are great confidence boosters. Be kind and gentle with yourself as you remember to stop, breathe and trust your intuition. Trust and believe that you have the power, abilities and judgment to know what is best for you because you do.

You’ve read Five Ways to Increase your Self-Confidence, 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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You’re reading Erin’s Things: November 28, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

This week I’ve discovered some cool light installations, a way to cook with one of the best and as always a little art and music to inspire. What made you a little happier last week? Leave a message in the comments below!

MIKE KELLEY – One of the most ambitious and influential artists of our time, the late Mike Kelley’s work ‘Mike Kelley: Kandors 1999-2011’ is organized in collaboration with the Mike Kelley Foundation is now on display in an exhibit at the Hauser & Wirth gallery in Los Angeles. This is the first exhibit in Mike Kelley’s hometown. The exhibit will be held through until January 2018. His sculptures are described as visually opulent and technically ambitious, presenting illuminated cities and hand blown bottles that rework the imagery and mythology of the popular American comic book superhero Superman. There are mini versions of Kandor, Superman’s hometown, all lit from within in this supernatural collection. It is written that his ‘works are a meditation on power, loss and memory’. Isn’t that enough reason to make this your cultural outing this weekend?

ALICE WATERS ONLINE COOKING CLASS– This James Beard awarded chef started the farm to table revolution, founding the restaurant Chez Panisse, she prided herself on local, organic ingredients- not knowing it would spark a movement. She is now beginning her first ever online class, where she opens her kitchen in order to teach us everything from picking seasonal ingredients to cooking healthy meals in order to change your life, all from your own home. You receive a 10 class workshop, a workbook to follow and even an option to upload your own videos to get feedback from the class and a select few from Alice herself! Let’s get cooking!

AMIR’S GARDEN – After a brush with fire ravaged a Griffith Park hillside in the 1970’s, hiking fan Amir Dialameh from Iran, decided to fix it. Grabbing his own tools her decided to remove at least 200 burnt trees on his own- and replanting some wonderful jacaranda trees, rose bushes, geraniums, oleander and yuccas. Sit on benches, near planters, and appreciate the lush garden he meticulously created over 12 years. It makes your next hiking workout finish with an outstanding view.

DESCANSO GARDENS – ENCHANTED FOREST OF LIGHT – Every year at Descanso Gardens in La Canata, California (near Pasadena), there is a gorgeous light festival that you can enjoy with a one mile stroll through the gardens. There is a timed ticket you buy as you enjoy the captivating interactive experience. This is the type of even that makes one believe in those stories of majestic and magical forests. Take your significant other, and/or your family for an unforgettable nighttime event.

KARINE POLWART – If listening to meticulously crafted melodies, powerful lyrics with contemporary relevance and a striking voice is your thing, then Karine Polwart is your artist. With many solo albums under her belt, this Scottish artist is a fireside storyteller who happens to be a 4 time winner of the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards, twice for Best Original Song. She collaborates, records and tours, always finding time to teach and write for community based, educational projects. Wind Resistance is her critically acclaimed debut for the theatre for which she wrote, musically directed and performed. She is unstoppable, lucky us!

Have a great week and be well!

Erin

You’ve read Erin’s Things: November 28, 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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You’re reading Here’s what happened after I decided to write a gratitude journal, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

One thing I have learned from some incredibly successful, extremely happy people is to start writing a gratitude journal. A gratitude journal is more than your diary. You don’t write everything that happened to you in your journal. You only write the things that you are grateful for in it.

You can be thinking this right now.

“What on earth does a journal have anything to do with my dream?”

“OK, I will give it a try. But if it is just another mean of positive thinking, I don’t have to write it down, I will remember to remind myself and that should be enough.”

I used to have the same thought, and I didn’t take it seriously.

I started writing my journal many times, and yet I quit after couple days. Unsurprisingly it never works.

But it has to be something so good that so many people recommend, right?

I decided to stick with it this time, as an experiment, to find out the reason why it is so important.

After 30 days, I’m a new person and never think of going back where I was ever again. Here’s what a gratitude journal has helped me.

Focus on the positive side

We tend to linger on the negative feeling because it annoys us. But when you only write about things that you enjoy, you will forget about your pain and focus only on the positivity.

I used to get mad, upset or sad about some certain things. Even though when the reasons that caused those bad feelings were gone, I was still in the bad mood. By writing the good things happen in my life, I can let go such negative feeling.

There are things I wrote about on the first day of gratitude journal that I entirely forgot, but just by looking at the things I wrote, the exact happy feeling came back to me. It eased my pain and motivated me.

Regain calm and inner peace

Just by simply writing down what I feel good about, I let go a lot of chaos in my life. If you think about it, your chaos is because of all the wild thoughts and crazy feelings you have in your mind.

When I focus on the positivity in life, I feel calm and peaceful.

And when I feel calm and peaceful, I am very more grateful for life, appreciate it more and end up writing about that in my gratitude journal.

It is the start of the happiness and calmness loop, where you feel good about your life, you write about it and it makes you feel good again.

Feel happier

I become happier. Even though that is something I feel and tell myself every day, people around me feel the same too.

Who do you prefer to be around: someone who is depressed and always complains, or someone who is full of laughter and energy? Such an easy choice.

I become the happiness magnet, people want to be around me, want to get me into their conversation because I spread the joy over them.

Gain confidence

You might think confidence has nothing to do with gratitude, but it does. It reduces the urge to compare myself with others, it motivates me to do things that I was once afraid of, because it will be ok.

I hated my body for some layers of fat I have in my stomach. But when I shifted my perspective and appreciate my body for being healthy, being strong and allows me to follow my passion, those layers of fat don’t bother me anymore.

Respect yourself

I used to set very high expectation of myself, leading me to work until exhaustion and beating myself up when I failed, which was more than often.

All the self-judging and nagging are not good for my self-esteem. I fell into the loop of setting unrealistic goals, failing, beating myself up even more and trying to make up by setting even higher goals.

All of those stopped ever since I wrote my gratitude journal.

I become more self-aware. I respect my body and myself. I spend time to cherish and take care of myself. I create a positive aura in me and it increases my productivity.

A gratitude journal can change your life

I used to let my negative thoughts control my life. I left my thoughts and my mind go wild without any attempt to control them. Unsurprisingly, I wasn’t a ball of joy.

Now with my gratitude journal in life, I started to see things from different perspectives.

Every day I wake up, and I am grateful for another day that life gives me to live. And I am determined to live to enjoy every single minute of it.

Imagine one day you wake up, before even walking out of your bed, you smile because of all the sweet things happened the day before, and you are grateful for everything in your life. A day starts with a smile can never go wrong.

You decide to have a wonderful day today. Because it is up to you now. And you know it.

Your new life awaits. Start writing.

Mai Pham believes we can create our own happiness. She helps overwhelmed and frustrated people to ditch their stress and enjoy their lives again. Grab her free actionable cheatsheet: 5 Simple Tips to Release Stress and Bring You Calm in Under 5 Minutes and join her free 7 Joyful Days Challenge email course. Find her on Facebook and Twitter.

You’ve read Here’s what happened after I decided to write a gratitude journal, 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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