You can think of these traits as the skills that add to your foundation of a successful life. Review the following characteristics and decide which one you feel would add the most value to your life today.
“I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence but it comes from within. It is there all the time.” Anna Freud
The Power of Concentration
We all make our worlds. Concentration enables us to do our best work. Focusing one’s attention on a single activity at one time, excluding your awareness of everything else, allows us to minimize distractions. Multi-tasking leads to distractions. To cultivate the power of concentration, you must think and do only one thing at a time.
By constantly keeping your purpose before you, you can eventually meet your goals by bending your energies to it. The power of concentration lies in your ability to stay focused with a clear purpose as to what you want to accomplish.
The Power of Self-Confidence
How you think affects every part of your life. Letting your mind habitually dwell upon thoughts of doubt, failure, and inefficiency will never build your “confidence” muscles.
Indecision is a frequent cause of lack of self-confidence. People hesitate to move forward for fear that they might do the wrong thing. If you are self-conscious or timid, you tell yourself that you are afraid.
Building self-confidence is not difficult, but it requires patience and effort. Start small by replacing your negative self-talk with words of encouragement, compassion, and self-respect. Another focus is to start working on one goal, creating specific action steps you will need to take to complete the goal and plan when you will achieve it. Confidence breeds confidence. Each step you take to build your “confidence” muscles enhances your life.
The Power of Overcoming Self-Consciousness
Do you spend too much time wondering what others think and say? Are you constantly studying the impression you are making upon people? Being sensitive to others could cause you to imagine being criticized, slighted, and unfairly condemned.
Since we frequently hang out with our negative thoughts, we believe that others are thinking of us in the same way. Keep in mind that most people are absorbed in their thoughts and are probably not paying attention to you.
The Power of Being Positive
One way to start on the path of managing your thoughts is to add affirmations to your life. When negative thoughts surround you, take a few minutes several times a day to focus on your assertions. Affirmations are reframing the thinking into a positive focus.
We all have negative thoughts we repeat to ourselves each day. Do you say, “I am stupid,” when you misunderstand something or don’t see the issue right away? What about “I am fat or always fail at what I do”? Whatever negative statements you create, take the time to neutralize them with a more positive perspective. “I am self-confident,” “I am strong,” “I am capable,” “I am a success.” These affirmations can be made silently or spoken aloud, and always say them with a deep conviction of the truth behind the declaration.
The Power of Imagination
All of us have imagination, and it all depends on where we focus our creativity. Everything that someone created in the world first came from a vision.
Imagination is a gallery where we create mental pictures or ideas in our minds.
Imagination can be more powerful than knowledge as it can generate great ideas.
Fear is destructive for building one’s imagination. It stops you from playing with ideas or creating a list of possibilities for your life.
We are all creative. If you become aware of your thoughts, you will probably see you imagine something most of the time. Imagination plays a critical role in your life every day. Second in importance to the vision is initiating and creating what we imagine.
Your Thoughts
Grab a cup of coffee (or your choice of drink), sit back, and decide which trait you want to focus your attention on at this point in your life. Do some research on the attribute you want to develop more in your life. Whatever choice you make will affect the other characteristics because they are all interdependent. Start slowly and keep moving in a positive direction.
Women’s Group Topic
We are all powerful enough to move forward and develop inner strengths. How can you support each to recognize and build a life that helps each person’s well-being?
Be well,
Pat
“To fully enjoy the ‘richness’ of our lives, we need to stop long enough to visit with ourselves.”
(Pat Brill)
Other Topics You May Be Interested In
Is it Important to Set Limits with Others?
Small Steps to Change
What’s This About “Letting Go?”
Do you want to download a PDF copy of both of these books, then go to:
