7 Ways to Persist When Everything in You Wants to Give Up

Have you ever felt like your lungs were going to explode?

That’s what it felt like during my hike up Machu Picchu.

The ancient city sits more than 2,400 meters above sea level and my group eagerly started climbing just after 5 a.m. I ended up alone, behind the group, with more than 1,100 meters left to go.

I never imagined the journey would be so difficult (evidenced by the shoes I chose to wear). I worked out regularly, but that didn’t prepare me for the altitude. I couldn’t seem to get enough air.

I wanted to give up. My body was begging me to stop. My weary mind wanted to follow suit.

But I persisted. And I made it to the top—lungs and heart intact.

Here are the seven things that helped me keep going that day, when everything in me wanted to quit. If you find yourself in a situation where you want to give up, these lessons can help you, too.

1. Ignore everyone else.

In the beginning of the climb, I only saw the people passing me. Every time I saw someone hiking with ease, I felt bad about myself. But when I stopped worrying and stopped comparing everyone else’s journey to my own, I began to focus on my own mission and how I was going to achieve it.

As you  work toward your dream, it can be easy to get distracted when you see others achieving their goals easier, faster, better than you. It can make you feel inadequate and unsatisfied with your own progress. But when it comes to conquering a goal, what’s happening with others is irrelevant when it detracts from your ability to move forward.

When tackling a difficult task, you need every ounce of energy you can muster. Make sure to channel it to a place that will propel you forward.

2. Become your own biggest supporter.

When I started the hike, I wasn’t alone. But within 10 minutes, I was behind and alone. At first I was frustrated my companions abandoned me in my time of need. But then I realized my burden wasn’t theirs to bear.

Although it can be energizing to have others around to motivate and support you, having them there is a luxury, not a requirement. That lesson allowed me to turn inward and find in myself the strength and determination to keep going. I began to encourage and high-five myself with every step.

Sometimes on the road to success, you have to walk alone. If you find yourself in that position, find a way to give yourself what you need to continue.

3. Stop and appreciate the little things.

I began the hike before the sun was up. As I continued to climb, it started to peek around the mountain, giving glimpses of the beauty all around me. It was magical. During the catch-my-breath breaks, I marveled at the privilege of seeing nature in all her beauty. In those moments, I gave no thought to my struggle. I was too busy being grateful ,for being right there.

It can be easy to focus all your energy on reaching your ultimate goal. But if the only thing you can see is your end destination, you’ll miss the beauty of the journey along the way. The new experiences and welcome surprises provide much-needed fuel to keep going.

4. Focus on the next step.

It discouraged me to think how far away I was from the top. So I reframed my goal into mini-milestones that made the next steps more manageable. Just take one more step, I thought. OK, now just get over to those stones. Alright, once you get to that bench you can stop and rest for a few minutes.

When your goal seems too big it can feel impossible, which opens the door for resistance to creep in. By breaking your target into bite-sized pieces, you can keep yourself in motion and build momentum.

5. Throw your watch out the window.

Before the trek, I read that most people make it to the top of Machu Picchu in about 45 to 60 minutes. It took me longer. When I focused on the time it was supposed to take, I was frustrated at myself for not being good enough or fast enough. But nobody cared how long it took me to get to the top and I shouldn’t have, either. All that mattered was completing my journey.

As you work on reaching your goals, stop looking at the clock. Stop measuring yourself against someone or something else. It will only serve to distract you from focusing on what you need to do right now to advance.

6. Stop looking for a way out.

Not everyone who goes to Machu Picchu hikes. You can take a bus straight to the top and save yourself the emotional and physical strain. Early on in my climb, I thought about retreating or waving down one of the buses on their way up.

When your pain is at the forefront, it is natural to want to make it go away. But when you invest time looking for a way to abort your journey, you waste precious energy that could be used to help you  overcome momentary pain and discomfort for long-term growth.

7. Acknowledge your limitations.

I had to be honest with myself. I was having trouble getting air and I couldn't keep the pace of the group. Pushing my body to the limit by trying to keep a faster pace wasn’t going to go well for me. My path needed to be different, and that’s OK. After implementing my new strategy, the journey was less grueling. Your road to success might not look like everyone else’s. That’s OK. Everyone’s situation is different. Instead acknowledge where you are, so you can give yourself what you need to be successful .

As you work to achieve your goals, there will be obstacles, bumps and bruises along the way. When the journey becomes more uncomfortable than what you are used to, it can be easy to throw in the towel and retreat.

But if you follow these lessons, you can find the strength to keep going in the midst of difficulty. And when you persist, you’ll discover the reward was worth the effort.

(Sonia Thompson/www.success.com)

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The Truth About Your Attitude,

Attitude is one of the most commonly used and yet most misunderstood words in the English language.

Managers tell sales people their attitude controls their sales. Counselors tell couples to change their attitude and their relationship will improve. Doctors tell patients we’ve done all we can; now it’s up to you.

You would think that anything that packs this much power would be a subject that is taught from a very young age. And yet, if you asked the next ten people you meet what attitude means, you would probably get ten different answers.

When you have a good, clear understanding of what attitude is and how attitudes are formed, it will become very apparent that only a small percentage of the population are in control of their attitude.

In truth, most people’s attitude is being controlled by the media, other people, and the conditions and circumstances in their life. And that’s not good when attitude has such a big effect on the quality of our lives.

So let’s talk about what attitude is and how you can use this information to shift any aspect of your life.

What is attitude?

Your attitude is the composite of your thoughts, feelings and actions.

Let’s take a look at how each of these factors affect your attitude:

• Thoughts: Your conscious mind has the ability to accept, reject or ignore ANY idea that flows into your consciousness.

If that idea isn’t internalized, it will have no effect on your physical body.
But let’s take a look at what happens when that idea is internalized…

Your subconscious mind has to accept anything that is impressed upon it. And whatever is impressed upon the subconscious mind dictates the vibration of the body. The nature of the idea that is impressed upon the subconscious mind determines the vibration or the feeling that is expressed.

• Feelings: If the idea is negative, you will express negative emotions. However, if it is positive, your emotions or vibrations will be positive.

• Actions: The body, which is the instrument of the mind, is the only medium through which the conscious and subconscious mind working together are able to express themselves.

Whatever idea is impressed upon the subconscious mind MUST be expressed through the vibration of the molecules in the body. When that vibration becomes strong the body must literally move into action.

For example, when your thoughts and feelings, or your conscious and subconscious mind, are in an orderly state (or in harmony) that order will be expressed in your actions. You will be calm, focused and productive.

When your attitude shifts, everything in your world shifts

As you can see, your attitude is determined by the nature of the ideas that you choose and permit yourself to get emotionally involved in. The physical expression is automatic.

It doesn’t matter if the choice is conscious or unconscious. It is what it is. You can say, “I didn’t know,” but that’s too bad; you lose. In life there is no allowance for ignorance.

So I hope you clearly understand why you should never blame another person, or conditions or circumstances for any challenge you have in life…

If you are having a problem, your conscious choice is where the problem originates. Similarly, conscious choice is where are all future success and genius begins.

To more and better,

Sandy Gallagher

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• “I really wish I had my own business.”  
• “They can do it, but their circumstances must be different than mine.”
• “I’m tired of just existing - I want to make a positive difference in the world.”
• “I’m grateful for my paycheck, but what I really want is to be my own boss.” 

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We have a business opportunity you might want to consider if starting your own business in MLM industry is something that interests you.

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The biggest sign it's time to quit your job

Dapat na ba akong pumasok sa isang Neogosyo?

There are a lot of good reasons to quit a job: your values don't align with those of your employer; you don't get along with your boss; you're not passionate about the work you're doing; you're burnt out; you've got a better offer in hand.

But perhaps the biggest sign it's time to throw in the towel is that pit-in-your-stomach feeling some of us get when the weekend comes to a close ... also known as the "Sunday Night Blues" or the "Sunday Scaries."

Of course we all experience the occasional wave of dread on Sunday evening — especially after a fun weekend or when you have a particularly busy workweek ahead. In fact, a whopping 76% of American workers say they get the Sunday Night Blues, according to a Monster survey.

But if you spend every Sunday feeling anxious, depressed, or fearful — sobbing on the couch, drafting your "I'm sick" email for Monday morning — it's probably time to move on.

"Having the Sunday Night Blues can be a common phenomenon for anyone," says Lynn Taylor, a national workplace expert and author of "Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant: How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job." "You're transitioning from a leisure mindset to work, with all its daily challenges. But if you're feeling trapped, hopeless, or anxious about your job for weeks or months as you face Monday — it's time to look for greener pastures."

She says writing down your feelings always adds clarity. "You don't have to produce an elaborate, perfectly crafted document of pros and cons," she says. "It's sometimes easier, more heartfelt, and effective to jot down your thoughts in a free-form way, as if you were having a conversation." For example: "I'm feeling as if I have to work at this company, or else I will ..." or, "I feel sick when I think about how my boss has been acting towards me." "As you read it, your feelings can better evolve into specific actions," she says.

Life is way too short to squander on a job that causes you prolonged misery or stress, Taylor adds. "The anxiety can spill into your weekend, and not just steal your joy — but compromise your health, too. The key thing to remember is that you do have choices. Your career future is only limited by your imagination."

Source:  Jacquelyn Smith/Business Insider

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Seven Steps to Expanding Gratitude in Your Life

Gratitude is in the air these days, more and more, as a spiritual practice to uplevel and uplift your life. Authors such as Deepak Chopra, Brené Brown, Neale Donald Walsch, Diane Harmony and many more extol the power of gratitude. After all, one cannot be depressed or angry while in a state of appreciation. A main way to practice gratitude is to write 5-10 things per day, small or big, that you are grateful for, in a Gratitude Journal. However, this article takes the idea of being grateful even farther, and suggests other ways to implement the transformative practice of gratefulness into your life. Pick and choose what works for you!

1.     Blessing Others

It can be very beneficial to simply send love and gratitude to other people in your life. This practice takes the attentin away from yourself if you sometimes focus too much on yourself and your own problems . Think of 5 people per day that you wish to send love and blessings to. Since we are all inter-connected, they will feel your silent message to them and be subconsciously uplifted.

2.     Spiritual Time-outs, 5 times per day

Stop work or whatever task you are involved in during your routine day and give yourself a moment of gratitude and appreciation. You can even bring to mind something you wrote down in your Gratitude Journal, or come up with something brand new. This will shift your day and is particularly good if something stressful has come up beforehand. Try it 5x a day for several weeks, and reap the results of more peace of mind.

3.     Morning Spiritual Time

Start by taking at least 5 minutes each morning, perhaps reading a daily spiritual guide , or some pages of a positive spiritual or self-help book you are interested in. If you feel comfortable, spend a few minutes meditating by getting comfortable and closing your eyes and just being still. This also might be a time to write your thoughts of thanksgiving in your journal. Pray if it feels right to you. You will be amazed at how this morning centering will set a positive tone for your day. Add more time each day as you feel guided to.

4.     Evening Spiritual Time

Devote at least 5 minutes each night before you go to bed, contemplating your day, and thinking of things you are grateful for. There is always something to remember that was a blessing to you. You will find you sleep better and more restfully as you establish this new practice in your life.

5.     Blessing Everything That Happens

It can be a challenge to embrace everything that happens, especially the seemingly “bad” in your life. But it can be a wonderful spiritual practice to realize that every single thing that happens to you, is an opportunity for you to grow as a spiritual being having a human experience. It can be tough, but if something upsetting happens, think about it and turn it around in your mind, to find the positive. For instance, if you get a flu bug and are sick as a dog, perhaps you really needed some down time and rest from the grind of day-to-day living. It is liberating to find the blessing in an unhappy event in your life!

6.     Nurture Yourself

Do things that show you really love yourself. Be in joy and have fun more often! Here are some ideas to pick and choose from, depending upon what YOU most like.

–        Take a bubble bath in candlelight

–        Make a sacred altar on your dresser or table with treasured keepsakes

–        Spend 20 minutes in nature

–        Play with a child or pet

–        Instead of being so darn busy all the time, stop and do absolutely nothing!

–        Listen to music that soothes your soul

–        Go to the beach and walk barefoot in the sand

–        Think of your own ways to pamper yourself

7.     Make Positive Affirmations of Gratitude

Find a thought of gratitude that feels right for something that is not as natural to you as it could be. For instance, “I am grateful for the abundance in my life” if you feel financially challenged. You can expand on your affirmation of gratitude, using the present tense and words that resonate with you. Perhaps “I am in deep appreciation for the absolute abundance that pours forth in my life in every way.” Then, put your affirmation in places that you go to all the time, such as on the bathroom mirror, on the dashboard of your car, maybe use it as a screensaver on your computer, etc. As you keep affirming and believing this gratitude affirmation, it will come to fruition in your life.

These seven steps will definitely enhance your life in delightful ways!

Deborah Perdue is the author of the Grace of Gratitude Journal, and is a licensed practitioner with the Centers for Spiritual Living She teaches, classes, workshops and facilitates retreats on topics of expanding gratitude, joy and abundance in our lives. More information can be found at www.graceofgratitude.com

- See more at: http://www.evolutionezine.net/seven-steps-expanding-gratitude-life/#sthash.ERf252lQ.dpuf

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7 Thing to Remember When Everything Seems to Be Going Wrong

7 Things to Remember When Everything Seems to Be Going Wrong

Not one person leads a life without feelings the grasp of Murphy’s law for at least a short period. Sometimes it feels as if at every turn something is going wrong. To get through these tough times we really have to rally all of our will power to make it through, but many have struggled down this path before and made it. So will you.

1. A Positive Affirmation 

Having a positive affirmation, prayer or mantra to repeat  when things get rough can really  help keep our brain on a positive track. Carry around your positive affirmation on a phone, notebook,bookmark, etc. Or you can ever memorize the positive affirmation, so you can repeat it whenever you are feeling down.

2. You are not ALWAYS in the Driver’s Seat

Some things are just truly out of our control. Learn how to differentiate between those things you can control and those you can’t. Once you know what you can control, you can begin making positive changes to avoid catastrophe in the future.

3. All Difficulties are Lessons 

We think Steve Jobs put it best when describing how good and bad life events can lead to a successful final destination:

“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

We cannot exactly know what the outcome of our actions will be, but we still have to keep putting our best foot forward to get through.

4. You are Not Alone 

Friends, family, co-workers, pets, kids, acquaintances- we all have at least one person special to help us get through these time. Do not be afraid to lean on or even ask for help from people when you are in need. You may have to swallow your pride a little bit, but even getting a chance to vent can make all of the difference.

5. Maintaining your Healthy Lifestyle is Still Important

It can be easy to let healthy habits slip while we are going through tough times. The thing is during difficult time our body needs us to put in the effort even more due to the fact our survival instinct that kicks in during these time doesn’t always offer the best outcomes for our health.  It is imperative to keep up a healthy diet an exercise to maintain our current state of health. Remember to take care of yourself even when you have every excuse in the world to just go for that pizza and box of twinkies then binge watch television on Netflix.

6. The Best Way Out is Through 

The only way to get past the tough times is to go through them. Rather than delaying dealing with any troubles you may have now, start figuring out what you can do to solve or alleviate the problem. There are some troubles that we cannot fix, but working on what we can offers some relief.

7. All Things are Temporary 

As the old saying goes: “This to shall pass.” You’ll get through this, and you’ll be a better person for it.

Source:  99positiveaffirmations.com

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Finding Your Passion Through the Power of Words

Finding Your Passion Through the Power of Words Do you feel as if you're living a passionless life? Do you desire the same passion that you see in other people? It can be difficult to go through life without a true passion. There are many things that can cause you to live a life without passion. It's possible that an unhappy childhood stifled your dreams, or you've never had an opportunity to develop your aspirations. Maybe indulging in your passion makes you feel guilty. Or perhaps you don't have time in your busy schedule to explore and enjoy the very things that could bring you joy. Today, you must make the commitment to pursue your passion! Give Yourself the Freedom to Discover Passion You're a deserving person! You have the right and the need to feel passionate about the things that are near and dear to you. You may not even realize what you're missing if you never had a chance to find and develop your goals. Discover your passion and embrace it because it can lead you to a life without limits! You can turn your passion into a career, hobby, or a way to network with people. Passion can improve every aspect of your life. It's your passion that makes your life positive and fulfilling. When first starting your quest toward your dreams, you may wonder, "What is there to be passionate about?" That's perfectly normal. Many people start out with the same question. Even if you feel that way, it's never too late for you to find something that fills you with an inner joy and peace. Your life begins anew when you pursue your dreams, desires, and goals. You can gain a fresh perspective in your life when you take some time to expand your comfort zone and pursue the things that you'd never considered before. For example, if you traveled to a foreign place and met new people, you would see and experience things a whole new world that will open your eyes and mind. When you do this, you may find something that's been missing from your life! Passion Affirmations Can Spark Your Passion You may be able to find your passions through the power of affirmations. When you give yourself permission to be passionate, you may suddenly find that you're more enthusiastic about things than you previously dreaded. Passion affirmations are positive statements that change the way you think about life and the world around you. Affirmations positively influence your subconscious. Passion affirmations can bring to light a wonderful new way of living that's full of joy, abundance, and gratitude. For example, when you get out of bed each morning, you might say to yourself, "Igniting my passion is another way of revealing how much I love myself." Every time you repeat this statement you're reaffirming that thought in your mind. At the same time, you're eliminating negative thoughts that may be holding you back. Choose affirmations that you feel speak to you and relate to your own feelings. Repeat them several times each day and soon you'll discover the joys of living a passionate life!

To Your Success, Sleny Ku Founder and Chief Abundance Officer, 365JustDoIt.com 101MotivationMadeSimple.com Free positive Affirmation Statement 101 positive affirmation statement Royale Business Club

Who Wants to be a Billionaire? 20 Keys to Success from the Superrich

By Marina Katz / Source: abc news

Ever wonder what it feels like to live like the superrich? Decked-out megayachts, private jets and lavish jewels are all perks of being a billionaire. But behind the glitz and glamour is a road to success paved with hard work, determination and unyielding passion.

“20/20″ stepped into the lives of four entrepreneurs who are redefining what it means to be successful and got a glimpse of what they are doing to give back. Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh; the owner of Patriarch Partners, Lynn Tilton; the creator of Cirque du Soleil, Guy LaLiberte; and Paul Mitchell founder John Paul DeJoria have offered up their keys to success, both in business and in life. Read on to find out how they made their billions.

1. Figure out what you’re so passionate about that you’d be happy doing it for 10 years, even if you never made any money from it. That’s what you should be doing.

2. Always be true to yourself.

3. Figure out what your values are and live by them, in business and in life.

4. Rather than focus on work-life separation, focus on work-life integration.

5. Don’t network. Focus on building real relationships and friendships where the relationship itself is its own reward, instead of trying to get something out of the relationship to benefit your business or yourself.

6. Remember to maximize for happiness, not money or status.

7. Think about what your definition of success really is. Is it externally driven or internally driven?

8. Get ready for rejection.

9. Success unshared is failure. Give back — share your wealth.

10. Successful people do all the things unsuccessful people don’t want to do.

11. Values and ethics always come first.

12. Don’t lie, cheat or steal for one penny or one dollar — ever.

13. Business with bad people is always bad business.

14. You have to learn that you can walk away from someone that you care about for the greater good.

15. When my management teams come into the room, I hug them, I give them truth and “harsh speak” when they’re in, and then I hug them on the way out.

16. The truth is cold and hard, but it’s the first point on the path to hope and salvation.

17. Don’t do what you do for the money. Whatever path you choose, do it because it makes your heart beat fast.

18. If you do good, good will come back to you.

19. You have to be fundamentally engaged and honest toward yourself.

20. Live your life full throttle. Take risks!


___________________________________________________________________

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16 Reasons You’re Succeeding in Life (Even If You Don’t Feel You Are)

By: Marc Chernoff / Source: Marc and Angel Hack Life

At times we all feel less than successful.  We feel like we’re running in place, struggling to make even the slightest bit of progress.  And while this is a perfectly normal feeling, you have to ultimately break free from it and see yourself and your life in a more positive light.

The key is to pay attention to the small things.  Just because you’re not where you want to be, doesn’t mean you’re a failure.  In fact, quite the opposite is true.  To be truly happy and successful today doesn’t mean you don’t desire more in the future, it means you are sincerely thankful for what you have already accomplished and patient for everything yet to come.

Every morning when you wake up, think of three things that are going well in your life at the moment.  As you fall asleep every night, fill your mind with an appreciation for all the small things that went well during the day.  Examine your daily successes.

Give the power of your thinking to the positive influences in your life, and they will grow stronger and more influential every day.  Remind yourself of what works well and why, and you’ll naturally find ways to make lots of other things work well too.  The most efficient way to enjoy more success in life is not to obsess yourself with what hasn’t worked, but instead to extend and expand upon the success you already know.

Here are some much-needed reminders – sixteen good reasons you’re already succeeding in life:

1. You are walking your own path, not anyone else’s. – One of the most foundational sources of both success and happiness is simply being comfortable with who you really are.  Not trading your reality for a role or your truth for an act.

Not giving up your freedom of thought.  Not putting on a mask.  So never let anyone’s ignorance, hate, drama or negativity stop you.  If you desire to make a difference in the world, you must continue to be different from the world.  Don’t be scared to walk alone on your own path, and don’t be scared to like it.

2. You are gradually working through your fears. – As you know, running from fear is a race you’ll never win.  In fact, what you’re afraid of dealing with is often precisely what will set you free.  So keep doing what you’ve been doing – take another step forward today.  Don’t let your fear decide your future.

Don’t let it shut you down.  Instead, let it wake you up!  Take chances and indulge in the excitement.  Tell yourself that the fear of suffering is far worse than the suffering itself.  Convince yourself that everything you want is on the other side of fear.  Because it is.  (Read Start.)

3. You have not let failure stop you. – Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading toward success.  Oftentimes our greatest insight comes from our failure, not from our accomplishments.

It’s a matter of taking each lesson and stepping forward with it.  At the end of the day, whether you choose to go with it, flow with it, resist it, change it, or hide from it, life goes on.  If what you did today didn’t turn out as you hoped, tomorrow is a new opportunity try again, or to do something totally different.  What’s important is to realize that you have a choice.

4. You learn something new and grow stronger every day. – To find the best path forward we must occasionally stray from it.  There are no wrong turns; only paths we didn’t know we were meant to walk.  In the end, to be a success you don’t have to be perfect, you just have to remain perfectly capable of improving.

Keep letting your mistakes strengthen you.  Life is a series of little journeys.  Allow each step to be a teachable moment.  And don’t confuse your path with your destination.  Just because it’s stormy sometimes, doesn’t mean you aren’t headed for sunshine.

5. You have overcome some considerable obstacles. – Nothing is ever as bad as it seems.  Nothing!  There is a benefit and a blessing hidden in the folds of every experience and every outcome.  Consider the possibility that the little obstacles in your life’s path are not obstacles at all, but stepping-stones to amazing places.

6. You do your best to love what is. – A big part of success and happiness is not getting everything you want, but mindfully wanting what you get.  After all, stress is resistance to what is.  Continue to accept what comes to you totally and completely, so you can appreciate it, learn from it and then let it go.

Sometimes the best possible response is simply allowing yourself to be at peace with what is, rather than wishing for, and bemoaning, what is not.  It’s about doing the best you can with the hand you’ve been dealt.

7. You try to be as present as possible. – We all have two lives.  And the second one starts now, when we realize that we only have one.  Really, nothing is worth more than today.  Because you can’t change yesterday or accurately predict tomorrow, but you can ruin today – your real life – by worrying about those two illusory eternities.

So stay present and focus on what you can create today.  Tomorrow will reveal itself exactly as it should, just as yesterday already has.  (Read The Power of Now.)

8. You love yourself first, instead of loving the idea of everyone else loving you. – Putting yourself first does not mean being “selfish.”  It means being self-aware.  It means never forgetting to love yourself, too.

9. You don’t judge people. – People are sometimes too quick to judge, but slow to correct themselves.  You know this and you graciously do the opposite.  It’s impressive, really.  Because it’s much easier to judge people than it is to understand them.  Understanding takes extra kindness and patience, and this “extra” is worth it.  This “extra” makes a big difference in the end.

10. You are the reason some people smile. – Do not miss a chance – not one single, tiny opportunity – to tell someone how wonderful they are and how beautiful they are, inside and out.

11. You have incredible people in your life. – Your capacity to be both effective and happy is directly related to the quality of people whom most closely surround you every single day.  Having just one or two of these people a phone call away is truly a priceless blessing.  These relationships are worth celebrating.

12. You have been selfless in your closest relationships. – Almost every immoral action ever committed can be traced back to a selfish motive.  It is a trait we hate in other people but often justify in ourselves.

The fact that you have made sacrifices for people you love is remarkable in every way.  I know it’s not easy.  It’s one of the very hardest parts of loving someone – you have to give things up for them.  And sometimes, you even have to give them up, selflessly.

13. You have given up doing things for others out of guilt. – Sometimes we give in to our loved one’s requests out of guilt.  But we need to stop feeling guilty for not giving the people we care about everything they want.

It’s sometimes a hard pill to swallow, but we foster the attitude of entitlement in our lives and relationships when we are ruled by a guilty conscience.  It’s OK to say “no” to friends and family sometimes.  You know this, so just keep doing what you know is right, and never let false guilt get the best of you.

14. You aren’t overspending to impress or satisfy others. – I think it’s good for our friends and family to hear us say, “I can’t afford that” or “We will have to save for it.”  Because that’s real life.  We don’t have all the money in the world to buy everything we could ever want.

If you think about it, I bet you’ve known families before who are working multiple jobs to drive luxury cars and keep their kids in expensive extracurricular activities, when honestly, everyone would be happier and better off with more family and friendship time and less financial stress.

15. You respect yourself enough to never let anyone walk all over you. – A simple reminder, but so very important:  Never, ever submit your self-worth or moral values to a relationship.  True love and friendship can flower only under the sun of mutual respect.

Some people may try to trample your garden and walk all over you, but you don’t have to sit there and take it.  Period.  (Angel and I discuss this in detail in the “Self-Love” chapter of 1,000 Little Things Happy, Successful People Do Differently.)

16. You know you can’t please everyone, and you don’t try. – That’s right.  Keep standing strong.  Don’t let the negative opinions of others derail you.  Ultimately, there are two kinds of people – those who are a drain on your energy and creative force, and those who give you energy and support your growth.

Avoid the first kind.  May the bridges you burn light your way.  Just be happy, be honest and be true to yourself every day.  If others don’t like it, let them be.  Success in life isn’t about pleasing everyone.

Afterthoughts

If you can’t check-off every point from this list, no big deal.  This list is just a rough guideline.  We all need our own time to travel our own distance, our own way.  But keep in mind, the principle still applies:

Success is not a skill; it’s a persistent attitude.  It’s not a place you arrive at; it’s a process you live through.  It’s what you do every day.  It’s what you are doing now…

You are succeeding in life.  You just have to believe it.

The floor is yours…

What would you add to the list?  What’s one successful, positive part of your life that you often overlook?  Please leave a comment below and let us know.

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