DJyuri

I for one was not surprised that Chris was voted off last night. I think it is a shame because I believe he was the strongest vocally of the group but his choice of songs Tuesday night was his downfall. Both songs were basically the same in all respects – Rock, loud, beat, with little substance. Where Chris used to shine was when he surprised us with a tender side. Taylor did that and chose songs that showed his personality as well as his versatility. And, of course, Elliot chose songs that showed his tremendous musical skill.

Many people predicted that Kathryn was in trouble and I agreed. But there is something that is “star-quality” about her that a little training will improve. She tries to push her songs to levels that she can’t support right now. Maybe it is nerves or being a little unsure but the quality of her tone is there to build on. And she radiates in front of the camera more than any that have ever been on American Idol before. Her performance from the floor a week ago showed what she is capable of and she needs to go back to her strength. Maybe rock and roll was the problem but she could have chosen better songs.

What is going to happen from here? It is all going to depend upon song choice and personality. Anyone of the final three can win this thing. Kathryn has been brilliant at times but then she has also been on the hot seat more than any of the remaining contestants. Elliot, in my mind, has the voice. But he has got to do more to show some personality or he will be on his way home. Taylor may not be the strongest vocally, but he the most fun to watch and I think people like that. He is real and he is obviously someone that people relate to.

I personally hated to see any of the final 4 leave the show. In their own way they are all stars and the balance of the talent was fun to watch since you knew it was going to be something special from each one of them. Music is a tough business but with this kind of exposure and the talent that each possesses, they are all going to have stellar careers. That you can count on!

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This is an interesting question! If you are a beginner, it is also undoubtedly one that you are asking yourself right now. Well, here are several great reasons as to why you should become an Internet Marketer that may convince you to keep going in this pursuit.

1. Internet Marketing allows you to target a massive audience. In a traditional shop set-up, all of your customers would probably all live in the local area. If you are operating in a niche, this would mean that your potential for very high profits was somewhat limited. On the Internet, none of this is a problem. The whole of the world that has access to a computer and an internet connection is your target audience. Think about that. There are over 6 billion people in the world. Admittedly not every single one of them has access to an internet connection. However, in comparison to a traditional business your potential number of customers is enormous. This therefore means that getting into a niche is far more viable and can be extremely profitable. Only the internet can offer such possibilities.

2. The start up costs are extremely low. In comparison to a traditional business the cost of setting yourself up in business online is miniscule. With many traditional businesses it can cost an absolute fortune to enter into them. For example, you would need a shop, staff, equipment, etc. This means taking out loans which adds a lot of risk if failure occurs. However, in the online world you can spend next to nothing and have yourself ready to go. All you really need is a website and use one of the many successful ways to make money already established. You can even make money without a website just via the promotion of affiliate programs. The great thing about online business ventures is that if they go wrong they are not going to be anywhere near as financially crippling as traditional businesses could be. Therefore, this gives anyone the freedom to jump in and get started in the great world of online money making!

3. There are an incredible amount of different ways to make money online. There are so many options that you can not fail to find an area where you can put in a bit of work and turn over a really good profit. Just to name a few there are affiliate programmes, ebooks, Google Adsense, freelance article writing, pay for leads programs, website design, advertising programs, survey participation, advice services, etc. You name it and the internet has got it. What does this mean? It means that without any doubt there is some area on the internet that you can take your talents and your passions and apply them to make yourself some serious cash.

As the facts above illustrate, there is tremendous potential in the internet for everyone. However, the learning curve is pretty steep and newbies must have a willingness to learn and an appreciation for the need to provide high quality service in whatever area they decide to target.

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The term “content” when used by Internet Marketers refers to written words, audios or videos. Incorporating content in your website can help you generate more traffic in a number of ways.

How Does Content Help You Get More Traffic?
Search engines love website that offer valuable content. No matter what type of site you have, you can leverage this to increase the traffic to your website. Whether you have an online store, a forum, or a blog, you can add content to generate traffic.

Also, visitors just plain love sites that offer free content. Personally, if I go to a website that is just a storefront, I may be hesitant to buy. However, if I come in and click around a bit and get to know more about the owners and their products, I may just pull out my wallet.

Plus, content makes websites “sticky”. This means that, if a visitor comes to a website and finds good information (in any format), they are more likely to return than if they just land on a sales page.

How can you Add Content to your Website?
1. Add articles to your website. You can use a mix of your own unique content, free reprint articles and Private Label Rights (PLR) articles.

2. Add a blog. If you don’t want to add articles directly to your site, then create a blog where you can talk about your products or services and list special offers. You can add articles to your blog, or simply chat and showcase specials and uses for your products and services. Establish yourself as an expert and people will come back for more.

3. Tweak your product descriptions. This is a simple way to increase the content on your website (and, possibly, increase sales). Just add more text to your product descriptions in your storefront – be more descriptive, and you’ll be providing more content.

4. Ask for comments and feedback. No matter what kind of website you have, incorporating comments from others can help make your website more valuable.

5. Add testimonials. Simple and effective, testimonials not only make your site appear more trustworthy, but they also add content for search engines.

6. Archive your newsletters. If you publish a weekly newsletter, archive your previous issues on your website.

7. Add audio. It’s simple and easy to record and publish audio online now, with services that do everything for you. Interview someone or have someone interview you. Include your interviews on your website for added credibility and information for your visitors.

8. Frequently Asked Questions. Keep track of the customer service questions you receive, and answer them on a FAQ page. You’ll add content and spend less time answering repeat questions from your potential clients.

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People are usually almost interested in making more money. And people with computers are no different. Actually I think people with computers are even more open to new ideas and most of them would like to learn how to make money working online. The challenge usually is knowing where or how to get started.

Unfortunately many people have the idea of “I cannot make money online” and “Making money online is just a scam”. And they are right. If you think you cannot make it – you won’t! The first step to success is believing in your self and that you can achieve whatever you set your mind to! Those who try to make money online anticipate earning “big” money quickly only to experience little to no earned income. They feel like they are a failure, or even blame it on the business, and in frustration they quit. After being in the biz for a while I’ve seen it over and over again. People with no money to invest seek online programs in order to make quick bucks and when not making money after two weeks they quit. Losers!

Quitters never win – and winners never quit! You simply have to work something long enough to see results and stop jumping from bandwagon to bandwagon. The grass is not greener on the other side…

I don’t say this to be harsh or to make you feel bad if you have quit a program or two. I have quit many programs my self but that was because the companies actually were “bad apples” and actually were scams, or I didn’t have the money to proceed. Fair enough. Just don’t expect to make millions overnight online, if you haven’t got any money to invest. Online business is just like the real world – it takes money to make money. Sure the internet opens up a lot of new ways to make money for free but then you also rely on free marketing, which is absolutely a great way to get traffic and sales, but it usually takes a lot longer time to make money using free advertising contra paid advertising.

Now, if you maintain the burning desire to make money working online, you will need to keep your focus. And if you keep focus you will see better results!

A good starting point could be to find a mentor! Having someone to help you on the right path and keeping you focused can really help you succeed. Try to find someone you know has achieved the results you would like to have for yourself, or better. You need to know the truth about anyone who has claimed, or is claiming, to be making money working online. Anyone can be anything online so don’t fall for “smoke & mirror” type results that gives you high expectations of outlandish return in short time as very few achieve such results, and if they do it is due to hard work. If it sounds too good to be true it probably is.

What are facts and what is fiction?

I have read countless great e-books and manuals on “how to” make it online. But how can I tell what is real or not? When researching stuff online, it is never good to know what is right and what is simply pure fiction.

A tip is if you find yourself reading the same type of information from various different authors, your chances of actually reading something that is factual is much better than if this is just one persons’ opinion. That’s unless this guy is a genius who have come up with something no other have ever though of. Slim chance! The key is how to pick the best ones and learn from these without spending a tons of cash on other peoples products before seeing a return on your investment. There is just so much info out there and so many “gurus” that you need to find one or a few, and follow the guidelines of these folks.

It can also be a good way to not only read but also view information as well. It can often be a lot easier to learn by watching online videos of other people demonstrating and by viewing “how to” examples. To read is one thing but watching others do something and then “copy” what they do is a completely different thing. There are many times I have not understood how to set up a new script or setting get a new software to work, but after viewing videos on the subject it almost without exception becomes a lot clearer to me. By doing so, you could find yourself getting the same results as your teacher or mentor.

Actually, if you want to make more money working online, you should be duplicating someone else’s success steps for yourself – and if possible improve them. Why be a copy cat? There is no reason to re-invent the wheel and there is nothing wrong with copying as long as you do not break any copyright violations or anything.

The main key to success and to make money working online is, besides keeping focus, is to do something proactive on a weekly basis. Take action today, and do action steps on a daily basis, and you will progress much faster and success will come as a result.

The more time you devote to your business the faster success will come. Try to at least set aside 10-15 hours a week. You can have great success without being stuck in front of your computer every single day.

Later, when your business is rolling you could plan to relax more or work on new projects but try to devote 10-15 hours a week for at least one full year. Learn from others mistakes and benefit from their success tips!

Work smart not hard!

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Nobody likes to be told what to do. My husband calls it nagging. Why is it that we are so often quick to give advice or suggestions how something should be done, but aren’t real good at taking other’s suggestions or viewpoints. When I look at my life I have to acknowledge that I am not always quick to take advice nor do I particularly enjoy others trying to give me their advice or opinion; however, if I am really honest, this is nothing more than pride. It’s the attitude that I somehow know better or have it together!

One day a pearl of wisdom hit me right between the eyes. I was listening to a talk by Andy Andrews on this subject. He basically related that we have only gotten as far in life as our own wisdom and decisions have carried us. So here’s the thing, if you aren’t happy with your life or are dissatisfied with your progress, could it be because your own limited understanding, thinking and experitse have taken you there? Think about it. You are as far in life as your own wisdom has carried you!

As I think about this New Year I realize that what I need is not more resolve or resolutions. What I need is more wisdom. My own wisdom or lack of it has often failed me. I believe the writer of Proverbs says it so well…

”Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.” (Proverbs 13:10 – NIV)

”For waging war you need guidance and for victory many advisors.” (Proverbs 24:6 – NIV)

True wisdom says somebody else might know more or do something better than me. A wise person is one who is open to suggestions and advice. A wise person is one who is open to objectivity and not just to the limits of their own subjectivity. Maybe the questions we need to ask ourselves are not just how can we do this better but what can we learn from others who have gone before us and are doing it successfully.

What about the weaknesses that we are not in touch with, the things that are glaring for everyone else except us? Many people that we rub shoulders with on a daily basis, our friends, colleagues and family, often know us better than we know ourselves. What would it be like to ask a trusted friend or colleague what they think our weaknesses and strengths are or what we could improve? That might be a frightening proposition to you. Take a risk. You might learn something about yourself that you weren’t in touch with.

During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln got into a dispute with his Secretary of War, Edwin Stanton. Lincoln had signed an order to transfer a regiment of soldiers from one battlefield to another. Stanton refused to comply with the orders and called Lincoln a “fool”. Lincoln’s response was very interesting. Rather than getting angered or stubbornly maintaining his position, he responded, “If Stanton said I’m a fool, then I must be one. He is nearly always right in military matters. I’ll step over and find out what his reasoning his.” Not only did President Lincoln listen to good advice and wisdom, but he prevented a military disaster from occurring.

Let me encourage you in this New Year to be a person who is open to wisdom. I believe wisdom is the roadmap to success. Why spend frustrating hours attempting to do or accomplish something only to have it fail. Ask God for wisdom. Seek it out. Learn all you can. Become a student. Ask others for their counsel. Seek out a mentor or two. If you will become a person who desires wisdom, you will not only have more victories and successes in your life, but will no doubt avoid some major pitfalls and wrong turns that you simply do not need to take!

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On the first day of a new year, we make all kinds of resolutions about things that we are going to change and do differently. While all of our intention and effort is certainly good and noble, maybe it’s a little backwards in it’s approach. Maybe we are getting the cart before the horse. Rather than behaving our way into change, maybe we need to re-think our way into personal success!

Why do I say this? Many years ago, James Allen wrote the very popular book, “As A Man Thinketh.” In this book he states, “All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts.” That’s a very powerful statement! We are as far in life as we are because of our thoughts. In fact, a person can never act outside of their beliefs. If you want to change your behavior, you must first analyze it backwards. You have to go back to what you believe, because what you believe determines what you think about; and ultimately what you think about affects your emotions. Once your emotions get involved behavior soon follows. If you believe a lot of things that are not true, your emotions and behavior will ultimately reflect that!

I believe James Allen was probably influenced by the Apostle Paul. Paul wrote in the 12th chapter of Romans (NIV Bible), “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing your mind.” Basically Paul says you if you want to be transformed then renew your mind. What does it mean to have your mind renewed? Actually the word renewal or renewing here means “being made over”. It’s like having a mental make-over, if you will. Do you want to achieve a desired behavior? Then you must first change how you think. If you change your perspective, the way you think about things, you will change your life. Renew your thinking, renew your life! You and I could sure use an extreme makeover of our thoughts daily!

You may be saying to yourself, “I still don’t see what all of this have to do with New Year’s resolutions?” It’s very important because, on any given day, all kinds of negative thoughts and destructive self-talk assaults your mind. Did you know that most people entertain about 600 negative thoughts a day? That’s a lot of negative influence! That’s a lot of pressure that’s fighting good intentions. In fact most of us, by the age of six, have learned enough trash to mentally do us in for life. We have learned all sorts of lies that our society, friends and families have told us or modeled for us. These lies have become recordings that play non-stop in our sub-conscious minds. We adopt them as true and they become the life message and creed that we live by, almost unconsciously.

For example, what happens to your resolve to loose weight, when you get into a fight with your spouse? In a split second, after the yelling, you are pulling food out of the refrigerator and binging. Where did that come from? You just reacted without giving it a thought. Then you rationalize, “Well, I’m not good at dieting anyway so why bother” and you throw in the towel. What happened to your resolve?

I believe if we want renewal, or being made over in our life, we are going to have to do some introspection. What do I really believe? If food is the issue, what is my perspective about food and why do I turn to it? How do I view myself in the first place? Most importantly, what is the truth that I should believe? What does God think about me?

Not long ago, one of my clients did want to get a handle on her eating. She had undergone gastric bypass surgery and had lost a tremendous amount of weight but her eating habits had not changed. I thought it was an unusual coaching request, but why not? If I really believed that people acted out of their beliefs, then why wouldn’t it work here? So we began to examine why she was eating in the first place. She had devalued her self-worth because of some abandonment issues from her past. Her eating was a form of self-love and comfort. So, she made a conscious decision to reject the lies that she had believed about her value. She began to believe the truth that God could not only change her, but loved her unconditionally on a personal level. She was determined to challenge her negative thinking patterns, especially the way she thought about herself. She began to talk to herself (faith comes by hearing) and tell herself the truth. She would write love notes to herself from God and daily affirmations on her mirrors. She would tell herself the truth over and over. She would consciously become aware of her negative thought patterns in various situations and work on changing her self-talk. She began to visualize herself as loved, valued and healthy. My client was renewing her mind, just as the Apostle Paul had said. Her change did not happen overnight, but I did see her change. She began to be transformed before my eyes because she began to believe the truth! She experienced tremendous changes in her eating habits and desires.

When it comes down to it, resolve and commitment are great, but if we don’t take the time to discover why we do the things we do, we might as well just keep repeating history. We don’t need to reform the old as much as we need to walk out our new identity as believers! If you will take the time to change your thinking, you will change your life. Renew, or makeover your thinking with the truth, and you will ultimately renew your emotions and most importantly your quality of life. It is really true that our life will go in the direction our thoughts take us.

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Sometimes we want to do or be something great or grand in life. We want to make or leave our mark in this world, and yet, it is often the small things done in great love that have changed the world. The small things we do on a daily basis, the gifts we use, simple acts of kindness we perform do add up. They do make a difference. As Mother Theresa once said, “we can do no great things; only small things with great love.” Do you believe that small things done in great love will change the world? I do.

Remember the story of the Exodus? God had just announced to Moses that he is the one selected to rescue his people from the harsh rule of Pharaoh. Moses is completely stunned and argues that God has somehow made a terrible mistake. Who me? Wait a minute! Have you heard me speak? Have you forgotten? I don’t speak very well, but more importantly, what if they don’t believe me. The Lord’s response back to Moses was in the form of a question. “What’s in your hand”? Moses had a rod in his hand. Basically the Lord told him to use what he had in his hand. He asked him to throw the rod on the ground and it became a snake. The rest is history. Moses was willing to use what he had. You see, I believe Moses had to use what was in his hand before God would release what was in His. What’s in your hand? Are you using what’s in your hand?

What about the time when Jesus asked his disciples to feed a multitude of five thousand people and they basically in so many words said “with what”? All they had were a few fish and barley loaves. Yet Jesus took what they had fed a multitude of people and even had leftovers!

Are you waiting for a miracle? Ever considered you may be part of it? God is waiting for you to do your part. Waiting for your special break, your moment in the spotlight? Waiting for everything to line up in your situation or circumstances before you make your big splash? Do what you can today. What’s in your hand? Start where you are. Are you using what you have? Are you doing what you can today?

I read a great story in a book by Kim George about a developmentally challenged young man who had a job bagging groceries. He decided to cut up inspirational quotes and placed them in the grocery bags. Not only did it impact people, but long lines of people formed just to have him bag their groceries. Wow, who said a small act can’t make a big difference? Who said a small act can’t even lead to greatness?

What’s in your hand my friend? What gifts do you possess? Are you using them? What simple act of kindness could you give someone today? What kind word or deed could you do? How can you make a difference in someone’s life today with what you have to offer, with what’s in your hand? Don’t be guilty of thinking the small things you do don’t matter or count for anything. Use what’s in your hand. Do the possible and watch God do the impossible!

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One of the things that so often trips us up in effective communication is this thing called assumption. To make an assumption is to form a conclusion about someone or something without evidence or proof. When it comes to people and even environments, we make assumptions almost daily. We are quick to size up people and situations almost immediately and act accordingly. This can be a real problem when it comes to communication and interpersonal relationships. Our assumptions get in the way and cause us to respond in ways that are not always appropriate.

It’s not always what it seems or appears to be. For example:

* We see a disheveled person and we assume they are homeless. (Maybe they just having a bad day!)
* We see a person without a wedding ring and assume they are single or divorced. (Maybe they took it off because it doesn’t fit any more or to play golf like my husband does.)
* A really tall guy at college must be a basketball player.
* Northerners are unfriendly.
* Southerners are stupid.
* Alice wants some help from her husband Mark with the garage. Mark’s former wife nagged him often and was very critical. Alice is simply asking for help but as Alice begins to speak, Mark begins to automatically assume that Alice is going to begin nagging him and criticizing him. Rather than really hear her out, he cuts her off, explodes and walks out. He assumes the worst and doesn’t really hear her request.
* A newlywed couple talks about where to spend the holidays. The husband suggests they stay in town. The wife gets defensive and upset because she assumes that he is taking her away from her family. After talking it out, she realizes that he was not trying to take her from her family. She had made an incorrect assumption. Her new husband had his own assumptions. He assumed that his new bride would want to spend their first Christmas holiday together as a couple.

When it comes to relationships, we bring our life experiences to those relationships. It is those life experiences that often affect our perceptions and our view of things. It is these perceptions that can get us into trouble! When we live out of our own perceptions and assumptions, we often fail to see the other person’s point of view. We are not open to possibilities. We aren’t really listening. We have already formed an opinion and judgment on the matter. In Mark’s case, in the illustration above, he had already formed an opinion about Alice based on his former wife. After all, all women are the same right? His response of blowing up was way out of proportion to her request. It’s call magnification. He took what would have been a one dollar event and made it a $1,000 event. That is not a great thing to do when it comes to communication.

Also, when we make assumptions, we can get into mind reading. We assume we know how the other person thinks or feels. We also assume they should know what we want and need. When they don’t meet our expectations we are totally bent out of shape. Rather than voicing what we need or want to the other person to begin with, we assume they should be able to read our minds. Mind reading isn’t helpful for anyone!

When it comes to communication, assumptions do really need to go. The key word here is communication. I believe much can be done on the prevention end before things get heated or become explosive. In communicating, we need to become better listeners and that means listening with all of our senses. We need to listen to what is being said and what is not being said. Both verbal and non-verbal communication is important. If a person isn’t raising their voice, then why should we? We need to be fully engaged with the other person with our eyes and ears. We must resist formulating our response or coming to a conclusion before we have thoroughly heard them out. In other words, waiting before the conversation is over before interrupting or injecting our own thoughts. We also have to get better at telling people what we need and want to begin with, and not expect them to assume what we need or want. Most people are not mind readers.

Another helpful way to move past assumptions is to put yourself in the other person’s shoes. Ever thought of what they might be thinking, feeling and needing here? Try to see the other person’s point of view. Try to see where they are coming from. Try and look for a win-win situation if at all possible.

Finally, the most important question to ask yourself at all times is what am I assuming here? Are my assumptions based on fact or just assumptions? And the next time you find yourself beginning to tense up and react, take a deep breath, stand back a step, and ask yourself the question, “what am I assuming here?” I bet you will see things differently and you might just save yourself from an argument!

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James Rohn once said, “Unless you change how you are, you will always have what you’ve got.” Well said. It is true that perspective is everything. One person sees obstacles and another sees opportunities. It really does matter how you see or view things. Even the Apostle Paul admonishes us to be renewed or “made over” by renewing our minds.

I couldn’t help but marvel at a recent documentary I saw on the life of Nick Vukicic. Nick is a young man with no arms and no legs. He was born that way. In this documentary, he is swimming in a pool, speaking before huge audiences as a motivational speaker and totally engaged in life. Talk about perspective and a healthy belief system!

Your unique perspective and the way you “do life” comes from what you think about the most and what you really believe. Sometimes we wonder why we do the things that we do and a better question is what do I really believe? Your behavior is simply a reflection of your deepest beliefs.

It is difficult to act outside of what you believe for any length of time. It’s almost impossible. Your behavior is just following your mental orders. Your brain just gives out what it is programmed to do. That is why it is so important what we listen to and what we take in and accept as truth. Your brain can only work with the information that it has been given. So if toxicity is what it is heard, received and taken in, then toxicity is what comes out. Junk in, junk out! That’s why it is so important who you hang out with and associate with. If you have negative and toxic people in your life, you may want to consider distancing yourself from them or maybe letting go of the relationship altogether!

For example, Susie was told growing up that she wasn’t very smart. She heard the negative message enough that she believed it, and as a result Susie didn’t apply herself academically. Eventually, she dropped out of school. Her beliefs simply told her how to view herself. Those beliefs colored her thoughts, affected her emotions and eventually her behavior. It’s amazing the power of words! Unless Susie begins to challenge the mental tapes and self-talk in a new direction, she will always be affected by the negative message she has believed.

So to re-quote James Rohn, unless we change what we really believe and the way we think, we will always have what we’ve got. You can’t afford to be passive with your thinking and have a changed life! You can’t afford to live with an unchallenged belief system and live a changed life. Thinking the way you have always thought and believing what you have always believed will most likely give you the results you have always had! The most fulfilled and successful people are those who challenge themselves with tough questions, examine their own belief systems and make the effort to aggressively rid themselves of toxic thinking.

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Have you ever noticed that every challenge also contains a blessing in disguise? If not, you may not have been looking closely enough! It’s true that challenges often seem like inconveniences when they get in the way of something you want. When you’re working toward goals that are important to you, the last thing you want is to face a big challenge or obstacle because it usually means that your desired outcome will be delayed.

However, if you learn to see challenges in a new light, they can easily become the best things that have ever happened to you.

Below you’ll find 5 questions you should ask whenever you find yourself facing challenges:

1) What Can I Learn From This?

Too often we view challenges as annoyances or personal vendettas, when in fact they may hold a great opportunity to learn and grow! If you start by asking what you can learn from each challenge, you’ll suddenly see them as possibilities that pave the way to greater wisdom and self-mastery.

2) How Can This Strengthen Me?

One major reason why challenges intimidate us is because we don’t feel capable of handling them. We have a limited perception of our own abilities, so we automatically believe that the challenge is bigger than we are. However, if you learn to see challenges as an opportunity to become stronger and more empowered, there’s no way they can hold you back!

3) How Can I Use This to My Advantage?

Most often we see challenges as disadvantages – but is that necessarily true? A challenge can often help you see that there are many possible ways to achieve a goal, and the one you’ve chosen may not necessarily be the best one. Asking this question can often open your mind to alternative routes that may be shorter or otherwise better in some way.

4) How Can I Use This to Help Others?

Though we often believe our goals affect only ourselves, more often we have a huge impact on the people around us too. Not only do other people watch what you do and how you live your life – they often model their own behavior after yours! If you refuse to let challenges intimidate you or slow you down, you just might inspire and motivate others to do the same with their own challenges.

5) What Would Make This a Worthwhile Experience?

Sometimes just being willing to recognize that a challenge may not be such a bad thing can be enough to help you realize all kinds of wonderful benefits from it. This question does a couple of things: first, it helps you feel more empowered because it affirms that you have a choice in how you react to the challenge; and secondly it reminds you that every challenge holds the seeds for unlimited blessings and opportunities.

Instead of complaining about life’s challenges, cultivate and appreciate a new perspective. Renew your attitude so you become a proactive person, and appreciate who you are based on your strengths in order to create a controlled outcome. Your road to blessings depends on the choices and decisions you make. Your task is to see the situation from a ‘selfless’ perspective rather than a selfish one. Accept responsibility for your outlook. If you feel your perspective produces negative results, and the outcome is unacceptable, then find a higher, healthier way to look at challenges.

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