How to Take Back Control of Your Life

Mankind has been blessed with the free will of making decisions.  These decisions can enrich our life or cause it to take a turn for the worse.  Not a day goes by that we don't make dozens, even hundreds of decisions, most without even thinking. 

Daily, we decide when to arise, what to eat, what to wear and what route to take to work or wherever our destination leads.  These are made with little pause or thought.  Others require a little more insight such as where to vacation, who to date, who to marry, which car to buy and which neighborhood is best for security and schools.

The decisions we make, whether major or minor, affect our lives to no small degree and those decisions must be made.  Some of us approach decision making with reluctance and dread being afraid of the consequences.  Sure, almost any decision we make could involves conflict and dissatisfaction.  Yet, we must take control and make the decision and accept the outcome, good or bad.

Decision making is a lot like bill paying.  Both must be done and usually within a certain time frame.  If we're late paying our electric bill the consequences can be the discontinuance of power or a late fee. 

If you fail to make a decision in a timely manner it could be taken out of your hands and placed in the hands of others.  Avoiding decisions or avoiding paying bills may seem easier but results are rarely desirable. 

Why must you make a decision?  Identify the purpose, determine exactly what has to be solved and when.  It might make the problem become clearer if you make a pro and con list.  Study the list and the different choices and evaluate each in terms of consequences.  If I make this decision what will happen and if I make another decision this is the result.

Determine the best decision, evaluate the outcome and make the decision.  You might be criticized for making the wrong decision but you've done the best you can do with all the information available and you moved forward.  You made a decision.  You did something before being run over from behind.  The only people who are never criticized are those who do nothing.

A key decision can alter your life.  Accept this fact and approach it with eagerness.  In the movie Sliding Doors, a woman's life is changed dramatically because she failed to make it through a sliding door. 

The movie gives us an opportunity to see how she handles each set of circumstances. This is probably an over dramatization, but illustrates the power and importance of our decisions.

Gather information on the decision to be made, determine the best alternative and put that decision into action.  Look back only to learn from your past decisions but don't dwell on them.  Move ahead and focus on your future.  Decision making requires a plan. If you don't know where you're going then one decision is as good as the other.

It's a good feeling to make a conscious decision about yourself and your life and each time you do this the process becomes easier and your confidence builds.  Make a commitment, make a difference and take control of your life.

Stop Complaining and Take Back Control

If you find yourself constantly complaining you must believe you have a real need to complain and your life isn't where you would like it to be.  If you don't complain, you probably know someone who does and it makes everyone feel uncomfortable. 

They probably try to avoid that person as much as possible.  Whether it's you or someone else who is constantly complaining, what can be done to correct it and get back to positive living?

Complaining is a bad habit.  A habit, whether good or bad, is an urge to adopt that action no matter what the consequences.  The more you feed the habit the more it will take control of your life and the harder it is to kick. 

Complaining typically stems from negative thoughts you've created.  You realize you're the cause of your thoughts so you blame yourself and vent it with complaining.

Refuse to let those negative thoughts become you.  We become what we think just like we become what we eat, drink or do. 

If we put good into our body and mind then good will come out.  Conversely, if we put bad things into our body and mind such as drugs and negative thoughts then bad will come out.  It's inevitable and it's up to you to correct. Negative thinking and complaining can be just as addictive as a drug.  Whatever your mind is used to thinking that's what it craves.

Admit you have negative thoughts and that you are their creator.  Realize too that these thoughts lead only to more negativity and more addiction.  You know what you're doing but can't help yourself until you admit to your problem and let it go.

Relax and let your negative thoughts disappear.  It may take a while but it can be done and, when negative thinking is stopped, so will your complaining stop.  You didn't become what you are overnight and you can't expect to become what you desire overnight either.  If that were the case, we would all be perfect in mind and body.  It's a fight that can be won with constant dedication and awareness.

Don't doubt yourself.  Believe in yourself.  We choose what we think and we choose what we are and can become.  Accept responsibility for your actions and let it go.  Then take positive steps to accept what needs to be done to achieve your goal.  Dedicate yourself to getting it done.

This will disrupt your mind's pattern of thinking and it will be easy to fall back into the old ways.  Surround yourself with positive things and these will seep into your mind until they become you and your new habit is formed.  Whatever was bad in your environment that caused you to complain get rid of it.  Each step toward a positive emotion gives you confidence to continue.

We all tend to blame others.  Only politicians can do that and get away with it.  If you don't like the life you’re living or the thoughts you're thinking then change it.  Take responsibility and take control.  Stop complaining today and discover a new you tomorrow.

Is Competition Chipping Away at Your Soul?

Economics professors will teach you that competition is good for business, especially for the consumer.  Competition keeps a business or person on his best behavior and the result is the best for all concerned.  It keeps the other person from gaining an unfair advantage as they continue to compete for more business or whatever favor is sought.

Competition is defined as a contest between two rivals and the effort of two or more parties to secure the business of a third party by offering the most favorable terms.  We experience competition throughout our entire life and it starts at a very early age.

We get our first taste of competition as a baby when we compete for exclusive attention from our mother.  This continues as we grow older and compete for recognition from our siblings or classmates. 

Early on in school, we were encouraged to win and be the best.  Now, many schools are teaching it's better to play a good game and not so important to win or be the best.  Which is better could make for a long debate.

It's difficult to be competitive without being jealous.  Jealous is defined as being intolerant of rivalry and vigilant in guarding a possession.  The dictionary also describes being jealous as distrustfully watchful and suspicious.  Some of these qualities are not ones we want to cultivate.

As we become competitive and jealous, we learn to believe that another person's success lessens our own.  In business we want that exclusive contract with X Company, as a person we demand exclusive love from our mate, as a neighbor we may want a bigger house and a fancier car.  Competition may be advantageous to a point as long as it doesn't render us jealous and possessive. 

We must think of the world as abundantly filled with enough for everyone.  If we don't have as much as our business associates and neighbors, we should be happy for their success and help them achieve more if possible.  It's impossible to help others achieve without helping ourselves at the same time.

We're all born with our personal talents and there are others who have talents we'll never possess.  We'll probably never win an Olympic gold medal but we're happy for those who do.  We enjoy their accomplishments vicariously.  Many watch athletic events and cheer on their team and celebrate their victory.  We must do this in everyday life as well.

Learn from those who are better than you and improve.  Surround yourself with happy successful people and you'll be happy and successful too.  Strive not to be in competition and jealous of everyone but to work with everyone to achieve a common goal.  If you lose something after you've done all you can to keep or gain then be happy for whoever gained it.  This isn't easy, but neither is life.

Be inspired with success whether it's yours or others.  Strive to be the best but eschew jealousy.  Enjoy life and each day in it.  Don't allow your ego to get in the way of a life filled with happiness.  You are part of the world as a whole.  Fill it the best you can.

How to Become a Person Who Takes Action

Some people are born doers.  Some people are born thinkers.  Some think about doing and never get anything done.  There are many ways to become a person of action and what works for someone else may not work for you.

Action people are usually people who are organized and seem to know exactly how to proceed from one project to another seamlessly and without effort.  Others flounder in a world of disorganization, haplessly moving one piece of paper to another location without knowing why.  At the end of the day, the doers typically have more energy than at the beginning as they feed on taking action.

The flounders at the end of the day are still floundering and can't understand why nothing has been accomplished and they feel exhausted.  They step back to assess their day's accomplishments and deceive themselves into believing progress is being made, when in realty little or nothing has been done.

For these people, organization is an essential key.  Whether it's for your home or business, make a to-do list and prioritize it.  Put the most important ones at the top and each time you complete a goal or project scratch it off and feel the satisfaction.  Don't mark it off until it's done.  No cheating or rationalizing. 

When everything on the list is finished, reward yourself.  Even if you don't quite complete the list in one day, go ahead and celebrate your victories.  This gives you something to look forward to and gives you incentive to accomplish more.  Again, be honest with yourself and only accept reward when deserved.

Another plan of action states that you can waste too much time making lists and you should visualize your task at hand until you have the energy to do it.   They suggest you sit quietly, clear your mind of all other things and concentrate on your task or goal at hand.  See yourself doing the project in vivid detail.  Whatever the job entails imagine yourself doing each and every step.  Fantasize about it, if you will.

Thought waves become energy waves as you focus your mind on one central thought.  These energy waves build until you feel the energy surging inside you pushing you into action. 

You'll build up so much energy you will be forced to act.  At that point, take action.  It could be just a small part of your overall project but let yourself be compelled to action.  This energy will dissipate, so do as much as you can before it leaves your body.

You've probably worked with a mind energy force involuntarily.  There's a problem you've faced during the day and can't find a solution.  Clear your mind, concentrate on the problem, even sleep on it and seemingly out of nowhere the answer becomes clear and you can take action. A happy attitude is imperative.  Most people who are happy are active.  Associate with happy people.  Change the way your think and you will change the way you act.

Feed Your Body What It Needs to Excel

If your body isn't getting the foods and nutrients it needs to function properly, then don't expect your brain to respond appropriately when it's called upon, either.  Some people spend more money and time feeding the right diet to their pets or selecting proper additives for their cars than they do for themselves. 

Your brain feeds on the foods you feed your body and if you're constantly eating an unhealthy diet then not only does your body slow down so does your brain.  Often this comes on so slowly it's not noticed until you're elderly and then the blame falls on aging.

As the brain ages, the memory fades and it loses the ability to help itself.  It becomes an easy prey for oxidation and inflammation, which can kill the brain cells. To lead a healthy and productive life, it's imperative to tune your body and your mind so that both are functioning efficiently.  

Of course, you need to exercise, keep your blood pressure in check and get proper rest, at least seven hours of sleep at night.  If you smoke, stop.  And, concentrate on a diet that's rich in mind and body enhancing nutrients.  Supplements can be taken but it's best to rely on natural foods to obtain the best and longer lasting results.

We can learn a lesson from plants.  They produce their own antioxidants to protect themselves from diseases, pollution and other harmful elements in the environment.  So, we should ingest foods that are rich in antioxidants such as fruits and berries including grapes, cherries, apples, plums and oranges. Blueberries and cranberries have proven to be especially high in antioxidants that aid in memory retention.

Vegetables high in antioxidants include the green and leafy types such as spinach, broccoli, kale and brussel sprouts.  Beets, red bell peppers, onions and garlic are also rich in the desired nutrients.  Chard, turnip and collard greens are also high in antioxidants but not as much as their cousins. 

Omega 3 fatty acids must not be forgotten and they may be found in salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel and sardines.  Seafood also is packed with B vitamins as well as dairy products, eggs, spinach, carrots and various nuts and seeds.

Some spices are also excellent in providing a better memory and healthy body by improving your motor skills and aiding your brain to communicate and regenerate.

Cur cumin, found in ginger and curry, has been said to prevent memory loss.  Rosemary, both fresh and dried, stimulates and enhances the memory while it also calms your nerves and promotes a healthy circulatory system.

Good news for coffee lovers.  Recent studies have revealed that caffeinated coffee in moderation helps to prevent memory loss and stimulate brainwave activity.  The study showed it to be more effective in helping women than men.  Maintaining a healthy body and mind with a balanced diet will not only help you to excel today but enable you to carry on with an enviable existence throughout life.