| Positive
Thoughts?
We hear about the value of positive thinking on our lives
and health and yes we plan to be more positive but somehow
life gets in the way. Things go wrong, we drop a glass or
make a wrong turn or someone gets angry at us and then next
thing we know - life sucks! So, how DO we keep our thoughts
positive and focused on the belief that we can achieve our
goals and live a healthy and prosperous life while we live
in the every day "real" world? We structure it that
way: We approach life with an open mind and a willingness
to improve. The key being the word "will". We understand
that behavior is a choice and we are willing to constantly
repeat acts that we believe will bring us a greater degree
of competency in one or all areas of life.
What We All
Know
We understand that fluctuations of mood and energy are normal
in the course of the day and take action to get the nutrition
and rest our individual systems require. We understand that
the attitudes and interactions of others affect us both negatively
and positively and take action to buffer the effects within.
We understand that it is our choice as to how we interpret
the actions of others and take action to choose a positive
interpretation. Everyone is doing their best to get their
needs met and we are doing our best to do the same. We can
negotiate a win-win situation for everyone (admittedly it
may not be easy, but if we hold to our intention and choose
to stay in communication it can be achieved!)
Commitment to
Ourselves
But how do we structure our environment to support our intention
to be more positive? We make a commitment to put ourselves
first. And then we keep it. We take action now to be prepared
in the future. We do our best to understand ourselves and
structure our environment to support us in positive ways.
We create a resource of triggers and re-framers to assist
us. How? One way is through reminders:
Hang an inspirational picture or phrase where we will see
it first thing in the morning to remind us of who we are,
how we want to live our lives and the goals we want to achieve.
If we don't want a bunch of "post-its" stuck up
around the house, we can learn to associate a positive affirmation
with a picture, art or natural object that we enjoy, or add
it in an artistic way. We can create a tape or CD of songs
and/or music that enhance our feelings of joy and well-being
which we can play when we start to feel low or discouraged.
Or use a favorite song to wake up to or as a reminder instead
of a nerve-jolting alarm. In a more traditional venue, a committed
routine of prayer and meditation can provide the stimulus
to move into enhanced energy levels. We can also join groups
(online or otherwise) which provide ongoing focus, assistance,
encouragement, fun and companionship on our journey.
We can keep our expectations reasonable. Become aware of
how much we can actually accomplish and build in small "success"
steps into our plan. And don't let anyone or anything interfere
with this commitment. Yes, I know, real life gets in the way
- but if we have a plan and follow through then the "follow
through" gets easier each time. Preparing, or structuring,
your environment is one way that you can help your business
develop or "grow." Another way is to learn more
about yourself: how to assess your strengths and weaknesses,
and understand your personalities and communication styles.
Understanding
Ourselves
Do you understand your way of communicating and how you get
your message across? Are you aware of other personality types
and that you can structure your message to have greater meaning
to them? Does your lifestyle support your business, emotional
and physical health? Check out Seed's FREE personality tests
offered on our home page. We offer a variety of assessments
designed to empower the awareness and development of business
skills and success-oriented personal and lifestyle habits:
Business:
Entrepreneurial, Success Likelihood, Communication Skills,
Sales
Personality Test, Management Skills and Creative Problem Solving
Personal: Self-Esteem, Emotional Intelligence, Lifestyle Test
and Coping Skills Test
Health: Nutrition Quotient and Fitness Test
Our simple and quick tests will help you to learn how well
you are able to sell your products and/or services, how well
you balance priorities, and assess your coping skills. Our
coaching services can help you to integrate all this information
into a program focusing on and creating a healthier, more
balanced lifestyle to optimize your success potential.
Socrates said: “All human virtues increase and strengthen
themselves by the practice and experience of them.” So
take the time now to start making the choices that will create
an environment for success. | 
