My testimony is in much more detail but i will try to tell it in the best way possible! I am 22 years old. My name is Jacques and i am from South-Africa.
You can make a difference in someone else's life by giving.
Think you have nothing to give?
--Think Again.
One of the important lessons that everyone must learn on their journey to self-improvement is the importance of "blessing others" [giving back to help others].
Helping others will make you stronger, happier, and more empowered -- because you will grow in areas of your life that are normally not covered in self-improvement courses.
It is important to remember that in this world -- there is always someone "worst off" than you --someone who needs a "helping hand" or a "few words of encouragement."
Take the time to look around and offer that "helping hand"
Feb 25, 2010, Empowering Yourself – Take That First Step
Today we look at the essence of this Blog, which is about empowering yourself. We are going to concentrate on that important first step.
This will be a review & reinforcement for some and a new beginning for our many new followers. One of the key components of this empower yourself Blog is to keep things simple.
Here we go. You want to make a change in your life. Good that’s a start, recognizing that a change is needed.
Now comes a crucial point in your life; doing something about it -- or as we like to call it taking that first step.
Many people will stop at this point because of fears or doubts.
Empowering yourself, requires that you take that first step
For without action nothing will change.
Note -- Some of you will take massive action on the road to empowering yourselves while others will take smaller steps.
The fact that you are reading this Blog is a step --- when you come back again, that will be another step. So you see one small step at a time will empower you ---- just keep taking those steps.
What other tool, available to you at home, provides you with the opportunity...
• to share your knowledge and passion with people from all around the world?
• to work with complete flexibility around your family without a boss, deadlines, quotas or... an updated wardrobe?
• to make some extra money to help buy braces, or pay for piano lessons, or save for college education, or go on a family vacation?
A washing machine won't do it. A shovel won't. Using your car for evening catalog delivery won't either.
Click below to find out how you can.
Feb 24, 2010, Focus On What You Want To Accomplish
Welcome back, today I want to continue with another blog I published last September which is critically important in your quest to reach your goal.
Please keep in mind that all the topics we discuss are interconnected.
They impact each other -- either positively or negatively.
Today I want to reemphasize the importance of guarding what you FOCUS ON.
One of the most important points that I have made is that your focus has a tremendous influence on your beliefs & thus on what action you take or fail to take.
Please understand that your focus, your beliefs, your feelings, your action, your words, are all inter-connected; one affects the others.
You will recall that if you focus on something ---- anything negative --- you continue to relive it in your mind & your body reacts by experiencing all the discomfort, pain, sadness, fears associated with those thoughts.
I have recommended several times ---- that a way to break out of this cycle of fear, is to engage your whole body in “action” ----- by engaging all your senses, you push out the negative thoughts & you start to “focus” on something positive
**Your focus will determine your “state of being” — in other words – how you feel.
AND — how you feel will determine how you see your day and what you do. **
This is the KEY for those of you who are still not sureStop focusing on reasons why you can’t {negative focus}--------- focus on what you can do. [positive focus]
That is your start.
A picture is worth a thousand words — so watch, listen & apply.
Stay with the plan – BELIEVE — and you too will have better days.
Note Let me offer a word of caution --- some of your friends & relatives will try to dissuade you from following your goals.
They may do it because they don’t believe that you can accomplish it or simply because they do not believe it is possible.
So prepare yourself, but don’t be discouraged. Just don’t Quit.
Condition your mind to believe in your ability to succeed
"Positive and negative emotions cannot occupy the mind at the same time.
One or the other must dominate.
It is your responsibility to make sure that positive emotions constitute the dominating influence of your mind."
-quote by Napolean Hill
********
Feb 23, 2010, Motivation Takes A Little Work
Last September I wrote a blog on how to maintain your motivation.
I want to re-emphasize the major points I discussed in that article.
Motivation, is a word we hear a lot about.
But, how do you maintain your motivation once you start heading towards your goals?
There are different methods that will work for different people.
Some people are self-sustaining motivators, while others require that occasional push from someone else.
Those that are self-sustaining will maintain & increase their motivation by:
Reading books, quotes.
Listening to motivational tapes.
Viewing motivational videos, pictures, posters.
Following motivational blogs, newsletters, websites.
In addition, they have learned to focus on their goals. {we will go into more detail on “focus” tomorrow}
If you are a person that needs a little push ---- you’re in luck --- because that is why we are here. This website is here to help you stay on course.
Here is what you need to do.
Make sure that your goal(s) are written down.
Do not put this off. Make sure your goals are specific.
Start to get the tools you will need for this journey.
{look at items 1 thru 4 of the list above} If you don’t have the money to buy books, video, tapes –go to your local library – they have great resources for free.
But just start.
The secret is to start.
Do not worry about perfection (getting the right book, tape or video) – You will gain something from each step you take.
Your motivation will increase as you learn a little more, because that will push you a little closer toward your goals.
Do not over-think every step; take action
You will find that as you take these small steps your anticipation and joy will increase.
And as you start to understand the how and why of staying motivated --- you too will become a self-sustaining motivator.
Note Something else that we will cover in the days to come --- sharing what you learn & giving back-- when you help others – you also help yourself. Think about it.
As always we like to keep things simple.
Just the fact that you are viewing this Blog shows that you have the motivation needed to start your journey towards your goals.
Take one step at a time and you will get there.
Until tomorrow, keep walking
Dare To Dream Big
Victor
Feb 22, 2010, Build A solid Foundation
It is a proven fact that to build a solid house, you need to start with a solid foundation.
The same rule applies to building your success.
No matter what your goal is, you should start by preparing yourself with as much solid proven information as possible.
One of the best ways to prepare yourself is by reading. I have said it many times in my past blogs -- but let me repeat. Your local library is a great source of materials.
However, if you can afford to buy some your own books --even better.
I find that having my own collection of motivating and empowering books is a great source of encouragement for me.
I will re-read the books, always finding something new to think about and to use in my journey to self-improvement. [it is an investment in myself -- my future]
In addition to books, I recommend cassette tapes, CDs and videos as a valuable resource to help keep you motivated and inspired.
But remember that you need to make a commitment and have a plan [goals] in order to stay on course.
Note -- This is a journey you are undertaking -- it is not a one day thing -- your journey to "self-improvement " is a life time journey.
Prepare yourself and start walking.
Fill your mind with the element of a solid foundation -- with positive, motivating, inspiring and empowering materials -- always looking at your possibilities.
Self growth is a process of evaluating your beliefs, your dreams, your actions and your life -- deciding if you are happy and heading in the right direction --
-- if not than making adjustments and taking appropriate action to get you there.
At the very center of this, is your belief and relationship with God.
******
Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge Him and
He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6
******
Take time To be thankful.
If your mind and heart are at peace, life's everyday ups and downs are much easier to deal with.
Consider this -- every single human being is allotted a certain number of years, months, weeks, days, hours, minutes and seconds on this earth.
Once you use that minute or hour ---it is gone for good.
So a question you should consider asking yourself is --Am I making the best use of my time?
If you answer "no" than you must decide the changes you need to make.
Bear in mind that many people go around trying to change "others" in order to attain happiness for themselves.
******
"Don't let the fear of the time
it will take to accomplish something
stand in the way of you doing it.
The time will pass anyway; we might just as well
put that passing time to the best possible use. "
-quote by Earl Nightingale
******
If you want to be happy --it is you who has to change.
Perhaps, your way of thinking, perhaps your way of acting, perhaps your way of living -- happiness starts from within it is our own interpretation of what is happening around us and our reaction to it.
******
*****
"There are those of us who are always about to live.
We are waiting until things change,
until there is more time, until we are less tired,
until we get a promotion, until we settle down
-- until, until, until.
It always seems as if there is some major event
that must occur in our lives before we begin living."
-quote by George Sheeha
*****
"If you wait to do everything until you're sure it's right,
you'll probably never do much of anything."
-quote by Win Borden
*****
As you can see -- it is not a question of not having enough time -- but rather a question of how you choose to use your time.