What Do You Long For?

Everyone has a longing or longings of some kind whether for love, relationships, success, recognition, approval or world travels. It's basic human nature. If you long for nothing in your life that you don't have or desire I'll wager that you are living either in denial, you have settled or given up on a dream, hope, desire or some aspect or even every aspect of life - you are existing day to day just waiting for your last day.

I'm not just talking here about goals, plans or dreams but the basic need to fill some empty part of your life. To long for can take many forms from a simple something to happen in your life today to a miraculous cure of some disease or trauma.

Why do we long? Is it pride? Ego? Arrogance? Fundamental basic human needs? Hope? Visions? Yes, it can be these any many more.

Over the years I have longed for many things in my life, career and relationships - some of them have happened while others still elude me for some reason. Do I give up - quit - keep waiting - keep trying or just accept what is and what may never be?

I don't know about you but quitting has never been in my DNA. Frustration - yes, disappointment - yes, regret - yes, but in the end letting these rule the time I have left seems to waste life - whatever it brings to me.

Yes, sometimes age, health and financial circumstances can cause us to reconsider our lifelong longings, but this doesn't mean they can't change, adjust or be replaced with something else given our new circumstances.

I am reminded of Christopher Reeves (the first Superman) after his accident that changed the rest of his life forever but if you have read his story you know that he accomplished a great deal from his wheelchair, in fact much more than many people who can walk, talk, think etc. His story has been an inspiration to me when I have faced challenging or difficult times.

But what about you - given up on something? Just because you may not be making the progress you think you should, is no reason to let go. Yes, the dream or desire you long for may take a different path or have a different outcome due to unexpected changes in your life but this is no reason to quit, give in or settle.

 Source

9 Easy Steps To Defeat Laziness

Everybody feels a little lazy at times. But laziness on a regular basis can have a severe unfavorable effect on your life. Laziness is a natural tendency. All animals incline towards comfort, or at least what's viewed to be comfortable. However, laziness is indulging in short-term convenience at the cost of long-term pain.

Do you understand anybody with a terrific life that's lazy? In time, the law of cause and effect holds true. Laziness has a long-lasting cost.

Beat laziness and accomplish more:

1. Discover a reason to get excited. Think about the advantages you'll get by getting it done. It might be the completed result that thrills you or that you're learning and growing. Perhaps showing self-discipline is something that you can get thrilled about. It's much more difficult to accomplish something if you're complaining about it.

2. Set a due date. When you have plenty of time to complete something, or no deadline at all, it's human nature to procrastinate. Setting a deadline in the near future can help to focus your interest and energy.

3. Develop smaller sized jobs from the main task. Every big job can be done in steps. Even building a house has steps. First the site needs to be prepared. Then the foundation is created, and the framing begins. The remaining steps are followed until your house is completed.

The total task might be big and challenging. However, the individual jobs, or steps, might be easier to handle.

4. Concentrate on taking the first step. When you get started, the momentum you have actually produced can carry you far. Action breeds further action. Sitting on the sofa tends to result in more sitting. Instead of stressing over the mountain of work ahead of you, focus on getting one easy job finished.

5. Find something that motivates you. It can be something as basic as a book of motivating quotes or a song that energizes you. You already know what inspires you. Utilize it to your benefit.

6. Consider the pain of not starting. We're good at imagining the discomfort of getting started, but attempt to imagine the opposite. Exactly what will take place if you continue to be lazy? What will it cost you in the future? What has it cost you so far? Instead of using discomfort as a need to lazy, use pain to produce action.

7. Remind yourself that the last few years have flown by. Laziness is frequently a chronic condition. A great deal of time has passed in the last 5 years, but how much have you achieved? Five years goes by quickly, especially when one day appears to be a copy of every other day. Life is wasting away. Get up and do something!

8. Reward yourself for taking action. Get something done and celebrate. You may not have done enough to reward yourself with a brand-new car, but you deserve to get excited and take pride in yourself and your accomplishments.

9. Be patient. It's common to believe that action comes from inspiration, but the opposite might be more real. Action results in more and better results.

As you achieve results, that breeds more motivation. Be psychologically tough and just get busy. You'll have a need to be motivated soon enough.

Avoid enabling laziness to keep you on the sidelines. It will take your time and limit your results!

Source

How To Use Positive Re-framing To Turn Things Around

When it comes to being positive and optimistic, it's easy to be reminded of the old adage of whether you see the glass as half empty or half full. This cliché is used more often or not to show how the same situation may be looked at either positively or negatively.

One tool that is often used to help people begin to think more positively or to become more optimistic is called positive re-framing.

Re-framing basically means that you take a situation that could be deemed negative and turning that experience into one that is a more objective, positive and empowering manner.

There are plenty of examples of how you can use positive re-framing.

Let's say that you are working at a new job and you want to make a good impression.

However, on your first day you send out an email that is only supposed to go to your supervisor, but instead it is sent to all of your co-workers. This email happens to contain some personal information about your current financial situation and is rather embarrassing.

So what can you do about this blunder? There are several ways that you can handle this situation.

A positive way to handle it is to turn this stupid mistake into a joke, perhaps replying to the email stating that at least it wasn't a naked picture or an adult website link. This response will likely make your co-workers laugh and have a more positive, funny, intelligent impression of you.

The other option is to become embarrassed, too apologetic or to avoid contact entirely. This overreaction will likely lead to a negative impression from co-workers because you've taken things too seriously and have made the work environment not as light and friendly.

When considering positive re-framing, it is important to note that it does not change what had actually happened. In the above example you cannot change the fact that you sent out personal information to your new co-workers.

While the situation cannot be changed, the way that you respond to the situation can be changed.

Using humor is a wonderful way to diffuse tension and make a difference in a situation that could otherwise be difficult, awkward and self-sabotaging.

All in all, optimistic people tend to look for the good in all things.

It is crucial to remind yourself that bad things are going to inevitably happen in your life. Positive re-framing is a fantastic way to make things a lot better when something embarrassing or bad comes up.

Take the time to look at all situations carefully and determine how you can re-frame the situation to make it more optimistic, fun and interesting. This will definitely make a huge improvement in the quality of your life.

Source