Tag Archives: be brave

22

How to Find Your Optimism

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Optimistic- hopeful and confident about the future.

optimisticEach day we all make a choice. Either we will be positive, or we will be harmful in the way they view our lives and the situations we experience. I hope we will follow an optimistic mindset and look at the positive side of events. I wish this for us because life is a much more enjoyable experience when you look for the good, and it is always there. Sometimes you have to look hard to see it, but the positive is still there. I would like you to always be hopeful and confident in the future that you face in your thoughts, words, and actions. (See Video)

What Does it Mean to be Optimistic?

In every moment, situation, and interaction, we are faced with a choice to be positive or negative. Life sometimes makes it impossible to be optimistic because you are experiencing something negative. We all experience loss, and in that loss, there is pain, and nobody likes pain. We try to avoid pain. It is easy to slip into a world where you expect there to be pain all the time. Then when the pain doesn’t come or is not as bad as you imagined, you aren’t disappointed. Unfortunately, that attitude harms your life, all those you deal with, and your life. Your negative thoughts of a dark and painful future of not getting your hopes up and expecting the worst will diminish your experience and the experience of all those people you deal with daily.

The optimistic choice is always available to you right there with the negative. It takes work, and it is hard to be consciously hopeful about your future when the now seems to be painful and full of things you can’t count on. The present is what it is, and the end will be what you make it. Your ability to maintain optimism can create something fantastic for you, and a negative mindset can only destroy it. That is your choice, and it will remain a choice until the end of your human experience.

Ways to be Optimistic

So when you look at today, and you are dealing with the death of a loved one, the loss of a job, the disappointment that life brings when things don’t work optimisticout as we wish. Recognize what is happening. Deal with it appropriately and do what you have to do to survive. We maintain hope and positivity about the future. Change is going to happen, and some of them are painful. That is life. Don’t let fear run your existence; you will accomplish very little and enjoy even less.

The situations we face are what we face. Whether they are ultimately positive or negative is a value we assign them. Sometimes people are faced with hardships to provide the tools and skills they will need on the path to greatness. Once you lose everything, you have nothing to lose. Sometimes that is the path a person needs to face. There are many terrible things in the world that we shouldn’t have to face, but life doesn’t give us the option of what we face. It gives us the choice of how we deal with what we face. I wish people the courage to face adversity with optimism that tomorrow will be better and they can recover. Because you can, the choice to quit because of fear or keep trying with optimism is always there, and I hope you will always choose to be optimistic.

How to Remain Optimistic

The media perpetuate enough negative messages out there. These messages of fear are all around you and are designed to control you and your behavior. I doubt that you are not good enough. Fear that you don’t fit in. Fear that you are not rich enough. Fear that you are not enough, period. Look at the messages you are getting in every advertisement you see. They optimisticare designed to manipulate you in some way. Don’t believe that hype. To me, there is something extraordinary, beautiful, and hopeful in the person who can maintain their optimism in the face of a cynical world.

Look at the stories of disaster and tragedy that the national media presents you with as often as possible. These stories are tragic and terrible, but what good does it do to be cynical about all people and situations because of one unfortunate incident? They perpetuate fear to control you, be afraid, and you are easily manipulated. Be optimistic and hopeful; you are a wildcard that might change the world. Be a wildcard and change the world, please! That is my most significant optimism, which lies in the hands and hearts of others and their ability to do great things and be optimistic about the world. Also, in my hands, I want to be the best I can be despite challenging situations of loss and pain.

Be Optimistic

It will not always be easy to maintain an optimistic outlook on life as new dramatic situations enter it. But there is power in being happy and maintaining positivity that will propel you through tough times. It will allow you to armor against tragedy and will enable you to hold up those you love when all would like to turn to the negative. It starts with a consistent and straightforward consciousness about your thoughts, words, and actions. To look to the good and be grateful for what you have in situations that seem contrary.

More Optimistic Quotes

Being optimistic, anything is possible, and being negative little is. Choose to enjoy the unlimited possibilities of being joyful. 

“Optimism doesn’t wait on facts, and it deals with prospects.” ―Norman Cousin.

“Be fanatically positive and militantly optimistic. If something is not to your liking, change your liking.” ―Rick Steves.

“No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new heaven to the human spirit.” ―Helen Keller.

 

22

Confident In Me

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If you are not confident in yourself, who will be?

One of the most important things we can do to find our strength in life is actively and consciously groom our confidence.  If you believe you can do something, nobody else will be able to stop you.  There are definite steps you can take to let your natural confidence thrive, which will allow you to be more productive and become the best version of yourself possible.  I  have a few suggestions to drive your confidence train into the station of success.  They are simple but not always easy.

See It and Be It

Visualization is a valuable tool to help you build your confidence.  One of the great things about being a human is that our minds are a great tool to create anything we want.  Visualize yourself as you would like to be in a year, a month, and a day.  Then live your life.  Consistently visualize your outcome, and you will take steps to reach the goal you have in your mind.  If you are consciously aware of where you want to get, you will take steps to get yourself there.  Once you achieve this way once, your confidence will soar.

Create a Mission Statement

Creating a positive statement that you use daily to remind yourself of what you are all about in life.  If you aren’t thinking about what you can do, you may listen to other people who will gladly tell you what you can’t do.  Using an affirmation to remind yourself of your strengths, goals, and ability will allow you to increase your confidence.  Write it down, read it, remember it every morning and let your thoughts of faith permeate throughout your day.

Do Things That Scare YOU

It is easy to think that you know your limits.  But once you step out of that comfort zone and survive them.  Once you know that you can do one thing you are scared of, you can move on and do other items you might be afraid of tackling.  Confidence grows from conquering your fears.  Most of them are just limiting thoughts we have carried from our youth.  If you allow one thing to stop you because of doubt, you will enable many things to stop you.  Overcoming the thoughts of fear in your head will let you be more confident.

Be Kind To Yourself

Simply watching your inner voice and noticing how you speak to yourself and think about yourself can help you increase your confidence if you learn to recognize the cynical inner critic and replace those thoughts with positive and supportive ones.  It is easy to build every slight misstep into a giant mistake.  Nobody is perfect, and mistakes are going to happen.  Use them as learning experiences and not definitions of your character or talents.  Only let your mind speak to you as you would talk to a small child.  You deserve the kindness, and it will allow your confidence to grow.

Confidence in our abilities and developing into the best version of ourselves is a realistic possibility for us.  Your mind is a thought-creating machine, it is better to take control of those thoughts and focus on the good ones and allow yourself to see the best in all other people, but most of all, to see the possibilities inside of yourself.  Be conscious of your level of confidence, and good things will happen.

“Because one believes in oneself, one doesn’t try to convince others.  Because one is content with oneself, one doesn’t need others’ approval.  Because one accepts oneself, the whole world accepts them.”― Lao Tzu

“Life is ten percent what you experience and ninety percent how you respond to it.” ― Dorothy M. Neddermeyer

“Noble and great.  Courageous and determined.  Faithful and fearless.  That is who you are and who you have always been.  nd understanding it can change your life because this knowledge carries a confidence that cannot be duplicated any other way.”― Sheri L. Dew

“Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing.”- Theodore Roosevelt

 

22

I Dare You

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Dare– dare to do something. Defy or challenge (someone) to do something

One of the most challenging things to do in life is to dare do something you are not sure you can accomplish. You may think that you can do it. You may dream that you can do it. You will never know for sure until you take the initiative and dare to try. There are challenges you face in every area of your life. It takes extraordinary courage to meet them and see where you stand. How much greatness has been left unshared because someone was afraid to try? Afraid of failing? Fearful of what people will think? Today I urge you to be brave, take a chance, and dare try. Let the greatness in you have an outlet, and it starts with a consciousness of your thoughts, being aware of the words you speak to the world, and actions you take to interact with life.

Dare To Keep Going

Sometimes we try, and we fail. It is a part of life. You will not get everything right the first time. The Universe will help you develop if you can accept its guidance. When you experience failure, it is essential not to take it personally. Much easier to say than to do. But if you take a step back and evaluate what has happened and why you can see what might need to change when you try again to make it a success.

The fear of the pain that results from failure can be debilitating, and many people would rather quit than be at risk of feeling that disappointment again. Don’t be one of them. Your song is yours to sing, and it may take a bit of fine-tuning before the goal is realized completely. The lesson of daring to try again is one of the most pervasive and repetitive ones that life will bring to you. Dare to try again and express the greatness you have inside of you.

Dare to be Different

We live in a world determined to make you want to fit in. From the time we enter school until the day we die, we are bombarded with messages to “stand in line,” “sit in a row,” “follow the directions.” These messages might as well be “be a sheep.”  As you grow, the words come in the form of propaganda from the media, and marketers tell you what is acceptable to wear, activities you should participate in, and even the job you should desire. When you look at the things you think are important, how many of them come from inside you, and how many come from the outside world? Do you wear clothes you like, or do you wear socially acceptable? Do you think that buying things will make you complete? They won’t.

I know that breaking from the pack, even in a small way, can threaten people. They will immediately try to put you back in line, usually through ridicule. But then a funny thing will happen. Once you dare to be different, people want to be like you. I am not sure they know why, but I think we all have a single song we want to sing. It is repressed, and seeing someone break out of the shell of expectation, lets us all know it is possible. If you feel like doing something different, dare to do it. Don’t follow straight lines of expectation just because it is easy. When you are on your death bed years from now, it is the things you never dared to do that will haunt you. Dare to be yourself. Dare to be different. It will make you extraordinary tomorrow.

  Dare to Create

In creativity, there is an opportunity for true originality to rise to the surface. Creative people are the best at solving problems, finding new solutions to problems, and looking at life. Creativity is the language of the soul, and we are at our best when we are creative. There is not a moment in life when creativity and encouraging others to be creative do not positively affect the world. As you are creative, your creations will change the world. Maybe that change will be minimal, but keep creating anyway because it is suitable for your heart and allows your light to grow and shine a little bit brighter.

The only way you will find out what creative things you like taking part in is to give them a try. When you are immersed in creation and time seems to pass without notice because you are so involved in the process, you have found an outlet. It doesn’t matter how “good” you are at it because that is based on the opinion of others. Your heart determines what activities and creations have value. Dare to be creative and try new creative outlets. The reward is a more prosperous life and a joy that can only come inside you.

Dare Today

So the challenge is there for you today to look at your life and what you want to do.

Do you dare to be different?

Do you dare to keep trying?

Do you dare to be creative?

Can you dare to do them all at once? Remember that this is your life; nobody else owns the responsibility for it. What you dare to do and be will define it. Dare today in thoughts, words, and actions. 

“Failures are made only by those who fail to dare, not by those who dare to fail.” ~Lester B. Pearson

“Dare to be the best you can at all times, dare to be!”– Steve Maraboli

“If I had my time over, I would do the same again. So would any man who dares call himself a man.” Nelson Mandela 

“We become strong by embracing vulnerability, we dare more greatly when we acknowledge our fear.” Gretchen Rubin 

 

21

Greatest

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Most excellent- notable; remarkable; exceptionally outstanding

When you look in the mirror, what do you see? What you should see is the most incredible human being that has ever walked on this planet. Why? Because that is precisely who you are. People shy away from thinking of themselves in this way. Either because of the fear of what others think and being considered arrogant or a significant lack of confidence. Either way, if you do not believe you are the greatest YOU there is, who will?

Take a moment and acknowledge all of the great things that exist in you. It doesn’t mean you don’t have flaws but focus on the great because that will help you along the way. There is absolutely nothing wrong with thinking you are the greatest; it isn’t arrogant or conceited; it is the goal all of us should be striving for in your life. It all starts with our thoughts about ourselves and our abilities, the words we use to project that to the world, and the actions we take because of our feelings of greatness.

Fear Of Greatness

We are our own worst critics because nobody knows our flaws more than we do. You have to spend all of your time with you, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. There is no escape, and you know the truth about yourself. We have weak moments, and we are not always perfect. Our focus tends to go in the direction of focusing on our shortcomings and ignore the fact that all people, if they

can get out of their way, have the potential for greatness in some areas. Even you! We don’t focus on that, but we should.

One of the greatest athletes and humanitarians of all time was Muhammad Ali. He spent a lot of time telling the world how great he was. At first, nobody listened. They laughed at him, calling him arrogant. But eventually, throughout his career, Ali proved he was, in fact, the greatest. This process is a mentality that we all can take. Not to diminish the efforts or accomplishments of others but to direct our best energy toward our best self. It is not arrogant to be confident. Ever. Confidence allows you to perform at your highest and be the best version of yourself that you can. You are the greatest.

Sticks and Stones

There are always going to be people who don’t like you. Either you threaten them, or your greatness points out their shortcomings. No matter the reason, to be confident in life, you have to learn to deal with those who will try to tear you down. Pay no attention to the things that come from outside of you. They are of no consequence and have all the power and meaning that you give them. Pay full attention to what is inside of you. The messages you are sending yourself. Those are the ones that dictate what you accomplish.

When you pay attention to the noise on the outside, you are trying to compromise yourself to become what others think you should be — leaving your greatness behind to become someone else’s version of mediocrity. That will not allow you to be the best you can be. Inside we have the power to use a voice of confidence for what we can do and appreciation for who we are. Don’t be afraid to be the greatest and show the world what you can do.

Mistakes and Mishaps

Will you ever make a mistake? Of course, you will, but that is OK because you are the greatest, and you will not let an error control your self-esteem. The most exceptional people learn from situations, taking valuable lessons, and moving forward not to make the same mistake again. That is why you are the greatest in the world because you can do this. Those who let the fear of making a mistake seep into their consciousness are doomed to a life of worry about what might happen and never enjoy just being the greatness in the person they are.

Remember that no matter how great you are, there are things that happen out of your control. Robust growth and learning often come directly from the challenges we face in life. Most often, these challenges bring along with them an equally powerful opportunity. Life puts these things in our experience for a reason. Just like most people enter our lives for a reason, most often to teach us something. Be great and learn the lesson, gain the knowledge, and move forward confidently into greatness.

You Are the Greatest

You are the greatest, and nobody can take that away from you. There is nobody else who can be you and do the things you do. People may lie to you, disappoint you, outright harm you, give you no explanations, change you from best friend to worst enemy. It is possible to overcome it all if you can maintain your focus. Don’t be afraid of your greatness, and live comfortably inside yourself with the knowledge that you are the greatest. It all starts with your thoughts, words, and actions today. YOU ARE THE GREATEST!

“I am the greatest. I said that even before I knew I was.” ~Muhammad Ali

“I’m not the greatest. I’m the double greatest. Not only do I knock ’em out, I pick the round. I’m the boldest, the prettiest, the most superior, most scientific, most skillfullest fighter in the ring today.” ~Muhammad Ali

“Imitation is suicide.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

“If things go wrong, don’t go with them.” -Roger Babson.