Acknowledge Your Positive Past

One of the most interesting discoveries made on my quest for personal growth was looking back into my past for positive reinforcement. Most of us tend to remember only our failures of the past. We remember them, dwell on them and let them beat us down. Lets try to put a new spin on our past experiences, shall we?

First, lets look at why we tend to remember the negative. In my childhood days, we were programmed to pay attention to our mistakes. As a student in school, I remember large red "X" marks to indicate WRONG on homework assignments, projects and tests. Attention was brought to our mistakes on a regular, daily basis. Our successes on the other hand, were awarded in moderation and only to the few that stood above the average.

Well meaning parents threw us back on track when, not if, we derailed. Unless you were "Beaver" in the "Cleaver" television family you likely survived unhealthy punishment for all your wrong doings. How many punishments did you endure? I couldn't even begin to count and I was considered a "good child".

Childhood can lead us into adult life being fearful of our mistakes. Mistakes tend to hold a negative charge with an uncomfortable emotion attached to it. This in turn then fuels our negative Chatterbox. Thus begins our habit of beating up on ourselves for all our mistakes.

Today I want to challenge you to become aware of your POSITIVE PAST. Try thinking back into your life to remember some of the highlights of your achievements thus far in life. For example:

Have you won any awards?Have you achieved goals?Have you been motivated to do something and then did it?Have you ever helped someone?Have you been the giver and receiver of love?Have you, have you, have you....

Don't limit yourself to only the outstanding successes in your life. This thought process does not have to be limited to your proud achievements. The more thought you give this, the more you will be astounded at the number of positive episodes you deserve credit for.

Some of your negative memories can also be twisted into a positive point of view. For example, are you a survivor of an abusive relationship and left to find a new life? If so, this might be viewed as 100% negative. You might ask, "How can that be twisted into something positive?" What about the positive characteristics often reflected in such a target:

Strength to endure the abuseCourage to walk awayDetermination to find a new lifeThirst for knowledgeDedication to personal growth

I would like to believe everyone has a great deal of positive in their past. Looking back into your past for the purpose of seeking positive reinforcement is a feel good exercise. It can be used as a tool to move your negative emotions into a positive state.

Wouldn't you like to feel good today? Try it, you just might like it!

Kathryn Lee-Ryder is dedicated to helping abused women find a whole new beginning in their life. Find more resources @ http://www.journeytofreedom.ca/

Original article

Think Positive Thoughts! Thoughts Become Things!

The old saying thoughts become things has certainly been true in my life. Never was that more evident than this year when a thought planted 30 years ago came to fruition quite unexpectedly. Thirty years ago I was at a graphics show in Philadelphia and I picked up a free graphics print that I just loved. It was a garden scene with lots of color. There was a woman in the center of the picture in a beautiful dress and swirls of ribbons blew in the wind around the scene. It was approximately three feet by five feet. Although the print was a free sample; I loved it so much that I had it framed and matted which was quite expensive for a free sample unsigned print! For about 15 years the framed print hung in our home but I redecorated and it was replaced with another beautiful picture. The framed print hung around in the attic until I moved in 2004 and it was then donated to the church for a charity sale. I forgot about the picture until this year when my son reminded me of the print in the large frame.

Several months ago I was asked to go to Monte Carlo. I was so excited to have the chance to go to a place I never thought or expected I would visit. It was a trip a friend of mine won and by chance I was the lucky person to go along. We talked about how Monte Carlo would probably never have been a place we would have chosen to go; it's expensive, the exchange rate is not in our favor and we just never thought of it.

Well, that wasn't quite true! I was telling my son how excited I was about going to Monte Carlo and he said, "how about that picture you had all those years with the words Monaco Monte Carlo printed at the bottom." "Now you are going, Mom."

I said, you're right! I can't believe that! I truly forgot the words Monaco Monte Carlo were scrolled across the bottom of the print! I was really taken back and just could not believe my love for this print and now I would see Monaco Monte Carlo for myself! Why was I drawn to this picture and how could it be that I actually would be visiting so unexpectedly. Somehow that thought came to be a reality. Accident or part of life's plan? Immediately I decided to go out and buy a picture of every place I want to visit! I was joking but not really!

I share this with you because it is a phenomenon that the thoughts we have will create the direction of our life. In the study of personal development the power of our thoughts, to me, is one of the most interesting and exciting areas to truly understand. So how can we use this gift of thought to our advantage? Here are a few ideas I share with my clients which make a difference in how they think.

Know that there is truth to how we think and the effect it has on our actions.Push negative thoughts out of your mind as quickly as possible.Your mind can only hold one thought at a time so decide to replace a negative thought with a positive one.Look for the good in every situation. There is always a lesson to be learned if we look hard enough.Find an inspirational thought for the day that truly inspires you. Hang a copy of it everywhere you can to stay positive.Remember you have the ability to accept, reject or neglect a thought. You are in control of what you think and that creates the direction of your actions.If you want to have positive thoughts; start to think of yourself as a positive person and hold that image of who you truly want to be in your mind.

I wish I could say I was perfect and never had a negative thought. I am not a robot and neither are you so it's a work in progress each day to choose to be happy, have positive thoughts and make the best of every day. I can tell you, I've never gained anything good from holding on to negative thoughts and have always gained from positive thoughts!

I always say, you only have one chance to live today the way you want; you will never ever have the chance again! Positive thoughts lead to a positive attitude and a fulfilling life every day! There is only one person who decides and it's YOU!

Kathi M Smith is a speaker, Personal Development and Business Leadership Coach.
I help individuals and businesses shake off the negative influences which are preventing them from achieving their goals so that they can accomplish what they want in the shortest amount of time. If you want to be motivated to make a difference in your life.....the "M" in my name stands for motivation!

Sign up to receive my FREE articles at http://www.kathimsmith.com/ and learn to enjoy your life to the fullest.

Email: info@kathimsmith.com
Blog: http://www.kathimsmith.com/

Original article

How to Stay Positive When Sales Are Down

In these tough economic times in some industries, you may be seeing a dip in your sales numbers. Granted in some industries, sales numbers rarely fluctuate as drastically as others. An example may be the food and grocery or pharmaceutical industries whereby, even in tougher times, people need to eat and they need their medications.

However in other industries such as advertising, cellular, or even insurance, you might realize more of a downward trend. That's not to say that these industries are all down and out right now by any means, but my point is that sometimes when money gets tight, people may tend to purchase less of one over the other, and things like food may be considered more of a necessity.

As sales people, we can only control so much and certainly the overall economy is not within our realm of control. So rather than wasting your energy and efforts on worrying about it, you have to worry about what you can control... YOU!

Easier said than done, what makes a good sales person a great sales person is his or her positive attitude. Your clients purchase from you for a couple reasons. You are likely an expert in your field, but more importantly they like you. They have to like you. If they don't (unless you have blackmail photos or an absolute monopoly) then they're buying from someone else who they do like.

So work on keeping positive. Now is a great time to reach out to some of your key, friendly accounts that may also be slow. Buy them a coffee and brainstorm how you can mutually find more business. If you can keep in the habit of discussing products, services, and hunting during this time, you'll stay sharp and be ready for the market to stabilize. You also may find some way to grow your sales too. Either way, after your meeting, you'll feel way better.

It's also a great time to read that book that's been sitting on your shelf for the last year. This is a great way to stay motivated. Try reading something like the Magic of Thinking Big by David Schwartz. I don't think it's possible to read that for half an hour and not be charged up!

Now is also a great time to hit the gym. Get a good run in, or lift some weights, ride the bike, do yoga, whatever turns your crank. This is one of those activities that if you're not used to, you'll dread it right up until you start but I can guarantee you that you'll feel awesome when you're done! You can even crank some tunes or your favourite podcast to double-charge you up!

These types of activities can really help you keep your positive attitude as well as your sharp edge. Keep on smiling, keep your shoulders back and your head up. Down times do not last forever and when the dust settles and you're standing there all full of buzz and energy, you'll dominate the sales game once again!

This is the way I see things. I speak from real life experience and I don't pretend to think my opinions or experiences speak for all. However I hope that this can help somebody out there somewhere. If you'd like to read more, please visit http://www.outboundsalestraining.com/. I'd love to hear from you.

Original article