How to Be Open-Minded to New Ideas

 

If you have definite ideas about how things are or how they should be, you’ve probably had someone tell you to “keep an open mind.” Having an open mind is important to succeed in life.

Embracing, or at least considering, new ideas and technologies is vital to our personal growth.

Are you willing to consider someone else’s opinion? Can you look at facts that may seem suspect and analyze them without bias? If you’re open-minded, you can be flexible when met with new ideas. It means you can adapt to new experiences.

Being able to think critically is a vital component of being open-minded. In our quickly changing technological world, it’s important to keep an open mind in order to keep up and stay current, rather than missing out on all the new things around us.

It’s also important to be willing to change your views when you’re given new facts. This could prove crucial depending on your chosen profession. For example, as a police officer or lawyer, being willing to see things from a different perspective could help you achieve greater successes.

Here are some ways to learn how to be open-minded to new ideas:

1.      Decide now that you don’t have to be right all the time. While it’s not unusual for some people to be obsessed with being right, it’s not something that’s looked favorably upon. No one can be right all the time, not even you!

• Try to be relaxed when discussing new ideas rather than having a knee-jerk reaction to be right.

2.      Recognize that there are many reasons why people have certain beliefs. They may be from a different country or have different life experiences that have shaped those beliefs. Someone born at an earlier time would also see things differently than you.

3.      Learn to listen carefully. Rather than jumping in with your opinion, let the other person finish speaking. Then use active, or reflective, listening to understand and clarify their ideas:

• Repeat back to them what you understood. Respectfully ask questions when you don’t understand or agree with their standpoint.

4.      Look at things from a different perspective. Before deciding that a new idea doesn’t have merit, consider doing some research to understand the concept better. Consider the way the other person explained the idea and see if it makes more sense after you’ve researched it.

5.      “Walk a mile” in someone else’s shoes. Spend some time volunteering in your community. This will allow you to see things from a different perspective and with certain limitations.

6.      Take time to try something new. There’s no better way to open your mind to new ideas than to attempt a new task. Learning new skills or taking up a new hobby can open your mind in ways that nothing else will. Give it a try; you may be pleasantly surprised!

It’s true that being open-minded can be an advantage in many aspects of life, however, don’t be too quick to become open-minded about everything. There may be some deeply held beliefs that you don’t want to leave by the wayside in order to embrace openness. That’s okay!

While you’re learning to be open-minded to new ideas, remember that it’s fine and good to hold onto some beliefs and stand up for what you believe in.

 

Just because an idea is new to you doesn’t mean you must agree with it in order to be open-minded. Having an open mind will strengthen your skills to evaluate new ideas intelligently and choose truth in your life.

Ten Tips to Increase Your Self-Confidence

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Self-confidence is an important key to success in any walk of life. People with self-confidence are noticed more. They achieve their goals relatively easily. In contrast, people who lack self-confidence often end up being losers. You too need to build your self-confidence if you want to do well in life. Here are ten tips that can help you build that elusive self-confidence:




Self-confidence is an important key to success in any walk of life. People with self-confidence are noticed more. They achieve their goals relatively easily. In contrast, people who lack self-confidence often end up being losers. You too need to build your self-confidence if you want to do well in life. Here are ten tips that can help you build that elusive self-confidence:



1. Self-confidence is found in people who have healthy self-esteem. They know their personal worth and act accordingly. A good way to improve your personal worth is to make a list of your accomplishments every day. You will be surprised to know how many positive acts you perform every day in life, but which you don't notice. Once you start looking at this list, your self-confidence will boom.



2. Be clear about your goals. If need be, break your goals into smaller, more manageable tasks. Pat yourself every time you achieve a minor goal. It will boost you're a self-confidence, and help you achieve bigger goals.



3. Find a mentor who can help you reach your goal. Most people, who have done well in life, have a mentor who has traveled the same road on which they are traveling today. Meet your mentor regularly, and seek his advice and support as a routine. You will find that you are learning something valuable every day.



4. Socialize with people who are positive and supportive, who like and respect you. Give them the same support and respect that they give you. Avoid people who are negative and critical of you. Such people erode your self-confidence. They make you look at your negative self, and not your positive self. After some time, you get enveloped in their cynical and negative world-view. Nothing can be more damaging than that. Dump such friends as soon as you can.



5. Pay attention to how you look. Take pleasure in wearing good clothes and being well groomed. It makes you feel good. People too look at you differently. Remember that every human being wants to be found in the company of smart, intelligent, successful people. You can soon be a centre of attraction if you radiate a positive, smart look. It can very easily make the difference between success and failure.



6. Don't be afraid of failures. Take them in your stride and move on. Say to yourself that you will succeed the next time. Never make the mistake of allowing your failures to overwhelm you. They will force you into a shell, and destroy your self-confidence. A better way is to shrug your failures as something inconsequential, and take on a new challenge. Of course, you must learn from your mistakes, and be realistic about your abilities. People who try to over-reach often fall down. You should not allow that to happen in the name of self-confidence.



7. Keep yourself fit by exercising regularly and controlling your diet. A fit and healthy person is much more active and achieves more in his career. Physical fitness, like self-confidence, glows on your face.



8. Have a wide range of interests, and take an active interest in what's going on in the world. Meet and talk to a lot of people. Don't focus all your attention only on your work and on your problems. Divert your attention to new interests, and new tasks. This will keep your mind happily occupied, and boost your self-confidence.



9. Take part in activities that you are good at. You may have excelled at things in the past and then given them up due to lack of time. Return to those activities again and see your self-confidence grow.



10. Pick up a new hobby or craft that interests you. It will keep you occupied. It will also increase your self- confidence as you become more skilled in it.



Try to practice these tips as faithfully as you can, and see the difference in your life.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Free mini-course reveals how to change your limiting thinking and how to increase the level of your self-esteem to set yourself free. Check out http://www.vision-to-action.com and see for yourself how you can build a greater self-esteem to set up any goal and reaching any goal, for your best and highest good.


Dania
http://www.selfconfidencesuccessandhappiness.blogspot.com/

The Art Of Happiness- Authentic Tips

Would you like to be 100% happier than you are now? How about 1,000% happier? What stands between you and having greater happiness now? Read on to see how you can discover the happiness you're looking for in your life. It's just one step away.

Have you ever noticed how often people rely on others in their pursuit of happiness? How they expect someone else to make them happy? You might hear people say things like: "If only he would be nicer." "Didn't she know that would hurt my feelings?" "I would be happy if he would only talk to me more."

When people have this idea in their head they can spend a lot of time figuring out how to fix or change other people.

What's the trouble if you try this strategy? Not only do the other people feel irritated, they often get defensive at your attempt to "FIX" them. And it leaves you powerless. If THEY don't change, YOU can't be happy.

But even more important is that, since what you focus your attention on grows, focusing on what you don't like will cause it to become what you notice most in your life.

Say, for example, when your significant other comes home they often leave a trail with their clothes, bags, books, whatever, strewn throughout the house. It drives you nuts! Every time you look at the residue of stuff they leave behind them, you feel irritated.

This has gone on for so long that now you notice every little piece of debris, everywhere you look, all the time.

Where you place your attention increases.

Perhaps you say something like this to them: "Can't you pick up after yourself? You are such a slob."

It's probably not the first time you've talked about the clothes on the floor. And probably not much has changed since that first time. So what happens next?

The person leaving the clothes around probably gets annoyed at being told what to do. You lose hope that things will ever change. And you focus more and more on what you don't enjoy about your partner.

Remember, what you focus your attention on grows!

So here it is, the step that will move you closer to being happier than ever before: Develop YOUR ability to focus your attention on what you ENJOY.

Maybe this sounds too simple. But ask yourself: "What would my day be like if I started and ended it by simply noticing or remembering everything that I enjoy in my life?"

Remember, what you focus your attention on grows. Focus on what you enjoy - it's quite simply the fastest, easiest step you can take to start finding happiness in every moment.

Try this. Pretend that you have an emotional bank account. Every one of your thoughts makes a deposit. This means that if you're constantly depositing painful memories in your emotional bank account, they will grow and grow.

Those painful memories will multiply just like in regular bank account giving interest. What's this? It's compounding the effect of thoughts like: "What a slob!" with more thoughts like: "She doesn't care about me." or "He's the most selfish person I've ever met."

Now, do you feel happy?

Take each day and look for things you are grateful for and really bring you true pleasure.

Your significant other comes into the house and smiles. Is that something to be thankful for? They ask you if you would like a cup of tea. Is that something to be thankful for? You see them put something away, without being asked. Is that something to be thankful for?

Now imagine depositing these memories in your emotional bank account, day after day. And compound them with as many other thankful, grateful thoughts as you can so they grow and grow. "I love it when he remember I like milk in my coffee; he's so considerate sometimes." "I'm so glad we like doing things together." "We just have so much in common; she is so much fun to be with"

How do you feel now?

Happy or sad, good or bad, pleasure or pain - authentic happiness is up to you. Focus on what you enjoy. Enjoy being thankful. It's something anyone can do, even you.

What you focus your attention on will grow. You do have an emotional bank account so start saving your happiness up today. With a bank-full of thankful, you'll be a master at the art of "having happiness now."



ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Are you ready to embrace happiness? To uncover the secrets behind personal self improvement that can lead to finding happiness, sign up for our thought-provoking and motivational Weekly Action Tips eMail series. Or visit our blog at: http://www.NewAgeSelfHelp.com.

 http://selfconfidencesuccessandhappiness.blogspot.com/

Finding the Power of Your Own Energy

Tips for Happiness in Daily Life

Peace of Mind in Daily Life
A complete home training course,
for gaining true inner peace, mental mastery
and freedom from anxiety and worries.
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by Remez Sasson

Daily life can be made happier. It is a matter of choice. It is our attitude that makes us feel happy or unhappy. It is true, we meet all kinds of situations during the day, and some of them may not be conductive to happiness. We can choose to keep thinking about the unhappy events, and we can choose to refuse to think about them, and instead, relish the happy moments. All of us constantly go through various situations and circumstances, but we do not have to let them influence our reactions and feelings.

If we let outer events influence our moods, we become their slaves. We lose our freedom. We let our happiness be determined by outer forces. On the other hand, we can free ourselves from outer influences. We can choose to be happy, and we can do a lot to add happiness to our lives.

What is happiness? It is a feeling of inner peace and satisfaction. It is usually experienced when there are no worries, fears or obsessing thoughts, and this usually happens, when we do something we love to do or when we get, win, gain or achieve something that we value. It seems to be the outcome of positive events, but it actually comes from the inside, triggered by outer events.

For most people, happiness seems fleeting and temporary, because they allow external circumstances to affect it. One of the best ways to keep it, is by gaining inner peace through daily meditation. As the mind becomes more peaceful, it becomes easier to choose the happiness habit.

Here are a few tips for increasing happiness in daily life:

1) Endeavor to change the way you look at things. Always look at the bright side. The mind may drag you to think about negativity and difficulties. Don't let it. Look at the good and positive side of every situation.

2) Think of solutions, not problems.

3) Listen to relaxing, uplifting music.

4) Watch funny comedies that make you laugh.

5) Each day, devote some time to reading a few pages of an inspiring book or article.

6) Watch your thoughts. Whenever you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, start thinking of pleasant things.

7) Always look at what you have done and not at what you haven't.

Sometimes you may begin the day with the desire to accomplish several objectives. At the end of the day you might feel frustrated and unhappy, because you haven't been able to do all of those things.

Look at what you have done, not at what you have not been able to do. You may have accomplished a lot during the day, and yet you let yourself become frustrated, because of some small things that you did not accomplish. You have spent all day successfully carrying out many plans, and instead of feeling happy and satisfied, you look at what was not accomplished and feel unhappy. It is unfair toward yourself.

8) Each day do something good for yourself. It can be something small, such buying a book, eating something you love, watching you favorite program on TV, going to a movie, or just having a stroll on the beach.

9) Each day do at least one act to make others happy. This can be a kind word, helping your colleagues, stopping your car at the crossroad to let people cross, giving your seat in a bus to someone else, or giving a small present to someone you love. The possibilities are infinite. When you make someone happy, you become happy, and then people try to make you happy.

10) Always expect happiness.

11) Do not envy people who are happy. On the contrary, be happy for their happiness.

12) Associate with happy people, and try to learn from them to be happy. Remember, happiness is contagious.

13) Do your best to stay detached, when things do not proceed as intended and desired. Detachment will help you stay calm and control your moods and reactions. Detachment is not indifference. It is the acceptance of the good and the bad and staying balanced. Detachment has much to do with inner peace, and inner peace is conductive to happiness.

14) Smile more often.


Dania
http://www.selfconfidencesuccessandhappiness.blogspot.com/

Self-Esteem And Exercise

Self-Esteem And Exercise

Exercise is one of the best ways to improve self-esteem because when you exercise you feel good about yourself.  Physical exercise is also excellent for your general health and mental health.

Exercise  helps building  self-esteem , confidence and prevent depression.  Evidence shows that exercise can improve your life:

• Maintains healthy blood sugar levels to prevent or control diabetes
• Protects against osteoporosis
• Great tool for reducing  stress
• Prevents  heart disease
• Improve mental health and physical health
• Improve restful sleep

After I exercise I have a  lot of energy.  My muscles are toned and flexible .    Besides that, I had fun doing it and I improve my body , mental and physical health.

There are many ways you can exercise. Even 30 minutes a day of any physical exercising  makes the difference. Some people prefer  different exercising , this includes walking,  aerobic,  or even yoga.
I have exercise in different ways through out my life, among them: rowing, running, aerobics, callisthenic, weight lifting. However, I usually try to combine what is best for me and I feel comfortable with when I exercise. I  run 3 to 4 times a week and I go to the gym and lift some weights. I like to take advantage of the nice weather so when is warm I  like to train outside instead of going to the gym.

It is really  important to choose an exercise you best enjoy and are comfortable, instead of forcing yourself to do what you were  told to do. The idea   of  exercising is to enjoy doing what  you like and improve self esteem.   Is not a torture . That way  exercising results will be better for your health.

If your goal is to loose weight or gain weight for example, it is ok to commit to an exercise program until you reach your goal.  You will be proud that you did it and your self esteem and confidence get a booster. Your are committed   to the   exercising program and  achieved your goals.

However, once you reach your  goal, I would suggest to exercise doing  a work out that you really enjoy and to adopt physical exercising as part of your daily life to maintain your goal.
Exercise tips to improve self esteem and mental health.
Always warm up your muscles before you exercise, that way you  avoid  injury . Warming up increases blood flow so that your muscles will  move more easily.

Make sure to drink water before, during and after you exercise. It is the source of your  health. Shortage in water consumption  negatively impact  your health.  According to the Mayo Clinic water is your body's principal chemical component. Every system in your body depends on it that is because is important for your health. Water flushes toxins ,  carries nutrients to your cells and provides a moist environment for ear, nose and throat tissues.Lack of water can lead to dehydration and affect your health.

Never impose an exercise program that you don't feel comfortable with. Remember that the goal is to feel good while exercising . Choose an exercise you enjoy .

The optimal ways to exercise  is to do it regularly    not  all at once. For example, if you run, do it 3 to 4 times a week  instead of 2 hours every two weeks. This way you will also able to improve your health. 

Always listen and feel  your body, check if while exercising you have to stop, then stop. Respect your  health .
Have a general check up with your doctor before doing exercising, this way you will be  sure your are in a good health condition and healthy.

There are different physical exercising you can do:  stretching  to improve muscles and joints, aerobic such as cycling, walking, running, hiking, and playing tennis to improve  cardiovascular endurance and weight training for body muscle strength. If for some reason you are not able to do any of them, do daily walking.

Another suggestion that is really important is to eat healthy foods and avoid junk foods . Make a  healthy daily diet a habit, choose the right foods.. Eat a lot of vegetables and fruits. Is best to choose whole grain foods like bread, pasta,  and rice and include protein like beef, chicken, fish or cheese.

Article by ©Carla Valencia of Building Self Esteem  Download a copy of  The Boost your Self Esteem Workbook.

Go Back And Live Life Over Again

Can you really go back in time and live life over again?

And this time GET IT RIGHT?

I'll let you decide...

You already know that from the ages of 0 to 5, you were
constantly soaking up information.

Everything - ALL input - was accepted without question. All on
a subconscious level.

Because we lacked the ability to evaluate. Our conscious mind
simply had not yet developed enough to determine "this is
good" and "that is bad".

In this early stage of life, you were being programmed.

The greatest influence, of course, was your mother.

Think back for a second - what do you suppose mom believed about
her feelings?

Did she view them as grand and glorious gifts? Powerful
expressions of her divine nature?

Did she understand how truly VALUABLE it is to develop a
healthy, mature relationship with WHATEVER she was feeling?

I think we both know the answer to those questions...

Now, keep in mind, until the age of about two years old, you
felt whatever mom felt. When she was happy; you were happy.
When she was scared; you were scared. When she was sad; you
were sad.

Your emotional responses formed and shaped themselves
long before you could think about whether or not they were
the ones you wanted. You had no choice in the matter.

Patterns were laid.

Programs were formed.

Neurological pathways of least effort were created in your
brain. Patterns that most likely exist to this very day.

After the age of 5 or 6 - as you learned to reason and think
for yourself - you may have changed some of those patterns.
Perhaps you flipped them around, so now you do the exact
opposite.

But that's simply the other side of the same coin - and
mother's influence lives on in your brain and in your life.


Those first five years are critical to your life TODAY,
for several reasons.


1. At that age, you couldn't evaluate.

Everything was accepted as fact. You didn't get to decide
what to believe and what not to believe. You had no way of
knowing if what you were about to believe was true or not.

You didn't have the ability to question ANYTHING.

For example -

At this young age, you couldn't possibly associate a spanking
with errant behavior.

You could be trained - but no one ever learns and grows in
a positive way from punishment. Especially a small child.

Instead, the pain of punishment became internalized. And you
could easily come to believe love equals pain.

Because, first of all, there will always be some love between
a mother and child. The love always exists.

But so often, there's also pain. Either by direct punishment,
or by indirect means such as withholding affection.

Mother's disapproval comes in many forms.

And that's not to mention the downright fatigue and hormone
changes and mood swings and angry outbursts and all the
other stuff that comes with the VERY difficult task of being
a mother!

It's almost impossible to be loving all the time. No matter
how hard she tried. But that rage she forgot in a few hours
lives on in you today.

You were a blank slate. Soaking up everything like a sponge.
And the most INTENSE feelings created the BIGGEST impact
and the most POWERFUL programs. Programs you may be living
out today and every day of your life.

Age does not diminish them one bit.

This stands as one of many examples of what happens during
those critical early years when you're unable to evaluate
and rationalize what's happening to you.


2. Beliefs build on previous beliefs.

Let's say you believe - as many people do - that love equals
pain. And you formed this belief at an early age - when you
were a blank slate.

It became a foundational belief. A fundamental belief.
Locked in by intense feelings of sadness, hurt, confusion
and perhaps even memories of physical pain.

Now every other belief around love will rest upon that first
belief about love. Plus, every subsequent belief about PAIN
will also rest upon that belief.

So not only will it influence the pain of love - but also
the LOVE of PAIN! Love and pain become intertwined.

Beliefs are stored in the subconscious mind. Your subconscious
seeks CONSISTENCY above all else. It doesn't give you
what you say you want - it gives you whatever is consistent
with the beliefs you ALREADY hold.

Remember, those beliefs you learned about love and pain
were accepted as the Gospel Truth.

Reality follows belief. YOUR reality follows YOUR beliefs.

The more intense the feelings around a particular belief,
the more influence that belief has in your life and the more
likely it will continue to manifest in your reality.

And when you're a small child - EVERYTHING is intense!

Are you beginning to see how much impact those early beliefs
have on your present condition today?

And why it's really not your fault if you're going through a
ton of emotional pain now?

Not only is love painful...

But for so many of us, we're ATTRACTED to pain - in a failed
attempt to feel love.

All because of a faulty belief.

Made by a two-year-old.

Unable to be reasoned away.

Reinforced in concrete by intense pain.

Influencing every single action we take today.


No matter how hard we try, change seems impossible. Because
we're standing on a foundation of "love = pain".

And now it's like trying to plant flowers on barren soil.

"Why can't I grow beautiful roses?"

"Why does my life seem so miserable when I'm trying so hard?"

Because of the foundation that seems rock-solid; written in
stone.


As you think about what I'm saying - as you really let it
in - it's normal to feel a little overwhelmed by just how
serious the problem really is.

I know when it first hit me, I wanted to give up.

"It's hopeless!"

"I can't possibly fight it or change it - so I'm just going
to give up."

And I did - for a very long time. I withdrew. I stopped
trying in so many ways. I quit participating in life.

I over-achieved at under-achieving.

Which only made things worse.

The pain spread - as pain always does when you ignore it.

It's so sad, really. Because I didn't know what to do.

At the time, basically all I knew was I had created beliefs
that severely limited what I could achieve in my life.

I didn't yet know those beliefs could be changed with
relative ease. I thought beliefs anchored themselves in
'concrete'. Untouchable. Unchangeable. Unable to be
overcome.

I didn't yet know where to find my beliefs and how to change
them. I believed changing beliefs was impossible. At least
for me.

And finally, I didn't yet know changing beliefs comes from
following a process - a specific set of steps involving:

(1) removing the old belief

(2) releasing the old emotional energy

(3) inserting a new belief in the 'slot' that the old belief
occupied

(4) anchoring the new belief with ANY feelings I wanted!

For the new belief to 'stick' - it must carefully conform to
certain rules and restrictions. I still don't know exactly
why; I just know it does.

I don't have all the answers. But I do know what WORKS.

I spent years working with the belief changing technique -
making it as foolproof as possible.

Finally, a few months ago, I recorded it onto an audio file.

It takes about thirty minutes to listen to it all the way
through. Which may seem like a long time if you don't truly
understand what a change it can make in your life.

It's like being able to go back into the past and live life
over again. Only this time getting it right.

Because YOU get to CONSCIOUSLY DECIDE what to believe!

It's a way to rewrite the rules your life must follow. You
can change that negative programming that others put
into you.

But don't take my word for it. Get the recording and use it.
It WILL change your life for the better.

I offer it as a free bonus. It comes with the program on
"How To Create Your Own Reality".
jointhefun

ll also learn about love itself, and joy and happiness,
and so much more when you click on the link below -
jointhefun
all the best,

Mark

Mark Ivar Myhre
The Emotional Healing Wizard

PS - Ever wished you could go back in time and relive the past?
This is the next best thing - jointhefun




Dania

http://selfconfidencesuccessandhappiness.blogspot.com
http://www.stunningnaturalbeautyandhealthproducts.blogspot.com/
http://www.momssecretdiet.com/