Monday, September 27, 2010

Invest in yourself to Succeed

Invest in Yourself to Succeed

If you want to succeed, you need to change your thinking so you execute an action that will take you one step closer to your success.

Failure to change your thoughts would have you not reading, writing or doing arithmetic, which are all vital skills to you succeeding. You wouldn’t have a job, a career or your business. You wouldn’t have your degree, skills and knowledge that you have now.

Imagine in your retirement, you would be reliant on any government subsidies or others for your food, water and shelter. According to Maslow, these are vital needs to your survival and you would be without them all.

With your thoughts your first action towards success, if you allow your brain to wander of its own accord, it would be full of negative thoughts. You know, you already experience them now. It is no wonder that for thousands of years, mankind has been writing quotes, poems, love songs and books, full of words about succeeding and some type of positive action.

Left to rumble on its own, your thoughts would help you lead a life or misery and negativity.

I’m sure you’ve meet these people anyway. It is a sunny day, but it’s too hot. It’s a winter’s day but it’s too cold….and on this negative thinking continues.
These people are sorry cases that are best left to their own company when they are thinking like that

But don’t let that be you! If you want to succeed you must take control of your thoughts. Your brain is 3 pounds of untapped flesh waiting for the opportunity to help you succeed.

I’ve spend twenty-five years learning to control my thoughts and wonder at the amount of new information that is available as I continue to learn to programme it with my dreams and desires. From single parenting on government assistance, to a variety of careers and now after learning myself my work is motivating others to believe in themselves so they will succeed.

Take control of your thoughts, read books, quotes and success stories as you fill your mind with your thoughts about your success and you are on your journey to become a winner.

Read my free report on Attitude 4 Success. http://www.attitudespecialist.co.nz/attitudereport.html

Find out what Oprah, J K Rowling and Walt Disney have in common that made them successful. http://www.attitudespecialist.co.nz/attitude-training.htm

Or try my Attitude Training Programme with over 325 pages of information to help you become the winner you want to be.

Monday, September 20, 2010

The HAPPINESS SCALE ☺©

Created by Janice Davies – Attitude Specialist

Presenter in TRUE HAPPINESS DVD.

The great essentials in happiness in this life are
Something to do, Something to love
Something to hope for…..Joseph Addison


The Dictionary defines HAPPY as:

feeling, showing or expressing joy, pleased, causing joy or gladness.

Therefore seekers of happiness must decide what will bring them joy or gladness in life and pursue it. For some people deciding what brings them happiness can be the challenge.

Your ONE goal in life is to discover yourself.

Instead of honoring the abundance in their lives, some people limit their thinking to what they don’t have, getting stuck in thoughts of negativity. If happiness is expressing a feeling which is created with our thinking, people must examine and choose their thoughts.

It’s about aligning YOUR:

feelings, thoughts and action
OR
soul, mind and body
.

When you are watching a bee looking for pollen from a flower, they don’t choose the first flower. Instead they examine many before deciding whether to delve in and collect the pollen from the flower.

It’s like that with our lives. We examine different areas and then decide what we need to delve into to bring us happiness.

Happiness depends upon ourselves.- Aristotle


Here’s an exercise where you can rate your level of happiness in each area of your life.

The column headed ‘others’ could be spiritual, community and project may be a big goal, i.e. saving for a holiday.

These two areas are optional. However the score ten is the highest and one is the lowest for any column.

It’s imperative you tap into your heart for this exercise instead of your head. Your heart creates the magic in your life (makes you happy) then your head has to create HOW you can make it happen. Often this works in reverse.

Do this exercise with your pen in your opposite hand, using the FIRST answer that comes into your head.

You'll need to click on this link to my website and download the exercise.
http://www.attitudespecialist.com/pdf/HappinessScale.pdf

The idea of assessing your Happiness Level, is that you are then able to decide where you are in certain areas of your life and those that rate lower, are the areas you could set more goals in.

Check it out...it works. But email me with any questions.
Janice@attitudespecialist.co.nz

Are you Happy? My Happiness Scale



  • The

    HAPPINESS SCALE ☺©

    Created by Janice Davies – Attitude Specialist

    Presenter in TRUE HAPPINESS DVD.

    The great essentials in happiness in this life are
    Something to do, Something to love
    Something to hope for…..Joseph Addison

    The Dictionary defines HAPPY as:

    feeling,
    showing or expressing joy
    pleased
    causing joy or gladness.

    Therefore seekers of happiness must decide what will bring them joy or gladness in life and pursue it. For some people deciding what brings them happiness can be the challenge.

    Your ONE goal in life is to discover yourself.

    Instead of honoring the abundance in their lives, some people limit their thinking to what they don’t have, getting stuck in thoughts of negativity. If happiness is expressing a feeling which is created with our thinking, people must examine and choose their thoughts.

    It’s about aligning YOUR:

     feelings, thoughts and action
    or
     soul, mind and body.

    When you are watching a bee looking for pollen from a flower, they don’t choose the first flower. Instead they examine many before deciding whether to delve in and collect the pollen from the flower.

    It’s like that with our lives. We examine different areas and then decide what we need to delve into to bring us happiness.

    Happiness depends upon ourselves.- Aristotle


    Here’s an exercise where you can rate your level of happiness in each area of your life.

    The column headed ‘others’ could be spiritual, community and project may be a big goal, i.e. saving for a holiday.

    These two areas are optional. However the score ten is the highest and one is the lowest for any column.

    It’s imperative you tap into your heart for this exercise instead of your head. Your heart creates the magic in your life (makes you happy) then your head has to create HOW you can make it happen. Often this works in reverse.

    Do this exercise with your pen in your opposite hand, using the FIRST answer that comes into your head.

    Yourself Health Relationships Work Finances Others Project

    Yourself Health Relationships Work Finances Others Project

    10
    10
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    10
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    10
    9
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    2
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    1
    1
    1
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    1
    1
    1




    Your areas where you have the rated yourself the highest marks, are the area you’ve had the most successes.

    The areas with the lower marks are the areas of your life where you need to focus your goals.

    The successful areas make you feel like a winner (and you are) the other areas make you feel like you’re a loser (which you’re not) you just haven’t achieved your goals in that part of your life YET!

    You have free will so you can do it, if you choose.

    As the author of How to get what you want in life and create success, and also a presenter on the new DVD True Happiness, I have had to recreate a happier, more purposeful personal and professional life.

    It is a challenge but worth the effort to become your greatest.

    Believing in yourself and overcoming your challenges gives you the confidence to move out of your comfort zone, and move onwards and upwards in your life, to happier times that you are experiencing this moment in time.

    As Nike says: JUST DO IT!





    The world is waiting for your best input
    and
    to put your best foot forward!



    One of the key ingredients in being happy is to look after yourself and if you don’t know one else will, instead they will use you and your relationships will be one sided. They will get what they want and you don’t. Consequently, they are happy and you are not.

    Additionally, your life is for you to learn to be yourself and live being that person.

    Life is a journey that is constantly changing which means you have to be continually learning something new to keep on your self development journey.

    It’s the old adage….Love yourself first and others will love you.

    However….this takes a journey in self-awareness to your success and happiness.

    The supreme happiness in life is the conviction that we are loved —
    loved for ourselves, or rather, loved in spite of ourselves.
    Victor Hugo


    Your Guide to
    TRUE HAPPINESS
    DVD





    When I was invited to be part of the DVD Your guide to True Happiness, I had a huge sense of coming home. Here is some excerpts which I shared.


    Put yourself first

    Your lifelong goal is to create happiness in your own life. And that means learning to be who you are, living who you are, being that person. Then doing what you want to do is going to bring you happiness and you will get what you want to have.



    Self, Health, Relationships, Work/Career, Finances, Community.

    Putting yourself first means learning to love yourself. It’s moving from having low self-esteem to high self-esteem, to believing in yourself. When you do that, you’re going to be able to have the confidence to overcome any challenge that comes into your life.


    Challenges

    We’re always going to have challenges. We’ve got a whole lot of things that we’re working on in our life. But the tests that the universe sends us are going to be tests that you are going to be able to overcome.

    So you’ve got to make a choice now. .

    Your career

    Life is about understanding that you’ve got choices – that choice

    1. it’s going to take you down a happier path, and choice

    2. you’ve got a bigger fear to overcome.

    So, that’s also another thing to take into consideration when you’re thinking about happiness, and also the can and the can’t change; that we can be unhappy about something that we can change, and that is (a) our job, our health, our relationship. But we can’t change some things, and so being unhappy about things that we can’t change is really wasting our time and our energy.


    Your key is to learn to create your happiness.






    Here’s some information about the DVD.

    True Happiness DVD
    revamps 2000 year old secrets
    for 21st Century


    Former New Zealand Herald Careers editor Steve Hart has produced the True Happiness 70-minute DVD which features some of the country’s top motivational speakers as well as GPs, a psychologist and spiritual leader.

    “Research shows that is not the case and that a person’s set point of happiness can be raised with positive thinking and looking at life in a more positive way If you are felling unhappy about your life, relationships or work then a new DVD may be able to help you.

    He says the basic thrust of the video is that money doesn’t raise people’s levels of happiness.

    “We all need money,” says Steve. “But once you have the basics covered, more money doesn’t translate into more happiness. For example, people live for the Lotto, saying that if they won the big prize they’d be happier.

    The experts say that acceptance of your circumstances is really the start of becoming more contented – not wishing your life away hoping for a big win or waiting to retire from your job.”

    Steve says the idea of the video came to him more than two years ago.

    “At the time I was working full time at the newspaper and frequently got calls from people asking for advice about their careers. A lot of them seemed plain miserable with their lot.

    “At the same time I was speaking with life coaches and career coaches and thought it would be good to bring some of them together in one positive, inspiring and motivational video.



    ABOUT THE DVD
    If you have been searching for the secrets to feeling happier, need guidance about the job that’s right for you or simply want to see the light at the end of the tunnel during these tough times, then your search is over.
    The True Happiness DVD has already helped thousands of people discover new meaning in their lives. To bring life into perspective and help them look at what really matters: health, well-being, relationships and contentment.
    This wonderful DVD is full of practical help and advice, delivered by people who are experts in their field. It really helps people who are feeling depressed, are seeking a happier life or want guidance on their career or job.
    Among the nine New Zealand experts featured are Dr Tom Mulholland, The Attitude Doctor; leadership coach Dr Clive Littin; self-esteem guru Janice Davies; the Rev Rhonda Joy Gola; change agent Jon Winder and holistic physician Dr Robin Kelly.
    This excellent and thought-provoking video will help you recognise why you may feel unhappy and give you solid ideas on things you can do right now to start changing your life.
    The True Happiness DVD will help you feel better about yourself and see the world in a whole new light. It is spiritual – but not religious – it is motivational but not unrealistic – and above all it provides you with the tools you need to help you change your life for the better.
    After watching the video in the comfort of your home you will start to discover a more positive you and become a person who smiles, embraces life and helps others to become more contented. Every time you watch the DVD you’ll pick up something new to help you.
    If you are feeling unhappy then is time to be bold and make the changes you want in your life. Watch True Happiness today and let the changes begin.


    DVD Chapters



    How to be happy at work – The best job is one you would do even if you weren’t paid for it. You should be passionate about what you do at work, so you look forward to going to work. A job that uses your strengths and incorporates the things you are good at is what you should be looking for.
    How to find happiness – Understand that everything is temporary – especially the bad things you go through. You control how happy you feel – other people do not make you happy or unhappy. Your level of happiness is down to you and what you tell yourself about your world.
    Coping with depression – Understand how to cope with those low spots and discover what you can do to help yourself and who to see to get the help you need.
    The route to happiness – The route to true happiness is right now – today. Always thinking about the past or the future robs you of being happy today. If the way you are living your life is not working then it may be time for change.
    Buying happiness – While buying stuff can make you happy, the buzz can soon wear off. Happiness is a state of mind, an attitude. Learn to think differently and feel more happier and contented as a result.
    The key to happiness – Self belief and accepting who you are and where you are is the start of finding happiness in your life.



    Where to find happiness – Look within. Discover the link between being happy and being contented. Contentment is a stable attitude of mind – learn how to feel contented by being grateful for what you have and what you enjoy.

    It doesn't matter how long we may have been stuck in a sense of our limitations. If we go into a darkened room and turn on the light, it doesn't matter if the room has been dark for a day, a week, or ten thousand years - we turn on the light and it is illuminated. Once we control our capacity for love and happiness, the light has been turned on. - Sharon Salzberg


    NZD$39.95 PLUS GST & POSTAGE…
    http://www.attitudespecialist.co.nz/dvds4sale.htm
    *************************
    Janice Davies – the lady with nice in her name
    Attitude Specialist
    Professional Speaker * Author * Coach *
    Founder of International
    Ph 021 514 511 Ph 64 09 424 8400
    Skype: attitudespecialist
    P O Box 83218 Edmonton Auckland
    www.attitudespecialist.com

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Keeping staff is in the balance

I didn't write this article, but i thought you might be interested as i was quoted in it.

With many firms clamping down on costs as they navigate the gradual recovery from the recession, some bosses may decide to put ideas of helping staff maintain a good work-life balance on the back burner. But, says one researcher, this would be a bad move.
Dr Linda Twiname, a senior lecturer at Waikato Management School, University of Waikato, says work-life balance initiatives are even more important during hard economic times.
"Wise employers will treat their staff well," she says. "That is probably a part of who they are anyway, and we know that not all work-life balance initiatives cost money.
"Business owners need to make the most of every business opportunity when business is tight. And so having high commitment from staff will shine through at this time.
"The other side of the coin is that a lot of firms don't do work-life initiatives for the soft reason, they do it for the financial reason - and I totally understand that. When you are running a business you have got to pay the bills."
Twiname's belief is that during tough times employers need to keep their best staff onside, to retain them and prevent them from leaving to work for a competitor.
Brien Keegan, regional manager of recruitment firm Randstad, agrees, saying firms helping staff achieve a good balance will pay dividends for them in the war for talent. A war that is still active in many sectors of the recruitment game despite the recession.
"We live in times of a rapidly ageing workforce and as the baby boomer generation starts to retire that means offering them a good work-life balance so they are encouraged to continue with their career," says Keegan.
"By allowing older staff an almost semi-retirement situation, that will help firms retain institutional knowledge and capability for the organisation."
Keegan says the number one thing employees are looking for are flexible working options.
"So a firm that lets staff nip off to collect their children from school at 3pm will have a competitive advantage over firms that don't," he says.
Janice Davies, personal counsellor and organiser of the annual self-esteem event Self Day, says the whole work-life balance issue is a hot topic right now.
"It's been slotted down the list by some employers," she says. "But the fact is a good work-life balance is needed now more than ever as people are losing their self-esteem and becoming depressed.
"Those still in jobs, and who have seen colleagues made redundant, have the added stress of coping with more work to pick up the slack and perhaps have less of a budget to work with - they have to do more with less.
"Some people have not been affected, though, are carrying on okay, and moving into holistic life-work strategies."
Keegan says: "What we saw during the global financial crisis was that as people left firms, for whatever reason, those left behind would have to do more. Particularly in industries that are sales-dominated.
"And with current technology such as iPhone, Blackberries, advanced mobile phones and laptops, the line has blurred between life and work. It means employees need to work for a firm they are engaged with.
"I know of stories where people have been sitting at home at 9 or 10 o'clock at night still interacting with work via their Blackberries. Then their partner has said, 'It's time to turn it off - you're not at work now.'
"The great thing about technology is that it makes it easier to communicate and work wherever you may be, but it also binds us into our work life even more."
Keegan says the upside is that while people get more freedom to work where and when they want, in some circumstances it pushes the decision of work-life balance on to the employee.
"I think us Kiwis have got the balance about right when we compare ourselves to our cousins in Australia," he says. "It is normal for us to go to work, work hard and then leave on time and go home to continue the rest of our life."
However, he says people in professional services - such as lawyers, accountants and those leading project-driven roles - typically have more difficulty striking the right balance all the time.
"Because these are your work hard, play hard people," says Keegan. "The thing about work-life balance is that it is an absolutely individual preference or state of mind.
"Work-life balance means something different to pretty much everybody that you speak to. It could be drinks on a Friday or being able to get home to see the children before they go to bed.
"Job hunters should ask themselves if that new organisation will allow them to achieve the balance they seek in their lives."
Like Keegan, Davies says people should be employed in a job they like, then the balance will come naturally.
"These people are already happy and more positive about coping with the stress of work-life balance," she says.
"If they are not in a job they like, then balancing their life and work will not make them any happier. They are already thinking and feeling negative and are more susceptible to stress - coping will be more challenging because of their negative state of mind."
However, Twiname wonders if the term work-life balance should be replaced with the phrase life-life balance.
"Work is part of our life, we spend the bulk of our time at work," she says.
It is a view employment commentator James Adonis shares.
"I don't believe there is such a thing as work-life balance," he says. "The term is an oxymoron. It implies that work and life are opposites; that they're territorial enemies terrorising each other for space in an employee's life.
"That's an unhealthy attitude to embrace. Work and life don't need to compete with each other. They can co-exist.
"As a society we really need to stop looking at work as such a big bad beast."
Keegan says once the economy picks up and staff have more choice then firms that have turned their back on staff will see a mass exodus.
"As soon as there are more jobs around it will have a snowball effect."
By Steve Hart