"Who's the Boss?" 10 ways to start taking control (time management, goal setting, record tracking)

At first glance, it would seem that positive thinking and Attention
Deficit Disorder (ADD) have nothing to do with one another. But many
of us with ADD develop negative thinking patterns because we become
frustrated by our challenges and frequent feelings of being
overwhelmed. This negative outlook then makes it even harder for us to
manage those challenges and move forward.

Practicing positive thinking allows people with ADD to focus on our
strengths and accomplishments, which increases happiness and
motivation. This, in turn, allows us to spend more time making
progress, and less time feeling down and stuck. The following tips
provide practical suggestions that you can use to help you shift into
more positive thinking patterns:

1. Take Good Care of Yourself
It's much easier to be positive when you are eating well, exercising,
and getting enough rest.

2. Remind Yourself of the Things You Are Grateful For
Stresses and challenges don't seem quite as bad when you are
constantly reminding yourself of the things that are right in life.
Taking just 60 seconds a day to stop and appreciate the good things
will make a huge difference.

3. Look for the Proof Instead of Making Assumptions
A fear of not being liked or accepted sometimes leads us to assume
that we know what others are thinking, but our fears are usually not
reality. If you have a fear that a friend or family member's bad mood
is due to something you did, or that your co-workers are secretly
gossiping about you when you turn your back, speak up and ask them.
Don't waste time worrying that you did something wrong unless you have
proof that there is something to worry about.

4. Refrain from Using Absolutes
Have you ever told a partner "You're ALWAYS late!" or complained to a
friend "You NEVER call me!"? Thinking and speaking in absolutes like
'always' and 'never' makes the situation seem worse than it is, and
programs your brain into believing that certain people are incapable
of delivering.

5. Detach From Negative Thoughts
Your thoughts can't hold any power over you if you don't judge them.
If you notice yourself having a negative thought, detach from it,
witness it, and don't follow it.

6. Squash the "ANTs"
In his book "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life," Dr. Daniel Amen
talks about "ANTs" - Automatic Negative Thoughts. These are the bad
thoughts that are usually reactionary, like "Those people are
laughing, they must be talking about me," or "The boss wants to see
me? It must be bad!" When you notice these thoughts, realize that they
are nothing more than ANTs and squash them!

7. Practice Lovin', Touchin' & Squeezin' (Your Friends and Family)
You don't have to be an expert to know the benefits of a good hug.
Positive physical contact with friends, loved ones, and even pets, is
an instant pick-me-up. One research study on this subject had a
waitress touch some of her customers on the arm as she handed them
their checks. She received higher tips from these customers than from
the ones she didn't touch!

8. Increase Your Social Activity
By increasing social activity, you decrease loneliness. Surround
yourself with healthy, happy people, and their positive energy will
affect you in a positive way!

9. Volunteer for an Organization, or Help another Person
Everyone feels good after helping. You can volunteer your time, your
money, or your resources. The more positive energy you put out into
the world, the more you will receive in return.

10. Use Pattern Interrupts to Combat Rumination
If you find yourself ruminating, a great way to stop it is to
interrupt the pattern and force yourself to do something completely
different. Rumination is like hyper-focus on something negative. It's
never productive, because it's not rational or solution-oriented, it's
just excessive worry. Try changing your physical environment - go for
a walk or sit outside. You could also call a friend, pick up a book,
or turn on some music.

When it comes to the corporate world, protocol is pretty much the
religion. To know the things needed to do are the basics of
productivity, but interaction and having a steady mind makes up the
entire thing to true productivity. There are those who seem to work
well even under pressure, but they're uncommon ones and we are human
and imperfect. To get these little things like stress under our skins
won't solve our problems. Sometimes it takes a bit of courage to admit
that we're turning to be workaholics than tell ourselves that we're
not doing our best.

"A Piece of Blarney Stone" 10 ways to empower your communication

The Blarney Stone is a historical stone, or actually part of the
Blarney Castle in Ireland where it was believed that kissing the stone
can grant you the gift of gab. Yeah, it seems strange in this day and
age, but who are we to question tradition? It's not like I'm saying
that Santa Claus doesn't exist (OOPS!).

There is so much to know about conversation that anyone, even I, could
ever realize. You can go though watching talk shows; radio programs;
clubs dedicated to public speaking; ordinary conversations; certain
rules still apply when it comes to interaction through words. It may
sound tedious, I know, but even though it's your mouth that's doing
the work, your brain works twice as hard to churn out a lot of things
you know. So what better way to start learning to be an effective
communication is to know the very person closest to you: yourself.

1. What you know.
Education is all about learning the basics, but to be an effective
speaker is to practice what you've learned. My stint as guest at every
Toastmasters' meeting I go to taught me that we all have our
limitations, but that doesn't mean we can't learn to keep up and share
what we know.

2. Listening.
It's just as important as asking questions. Sometimes listening to the
sound of our own voice can teach us to be a little bit confident with
ourselves and to say the things we believe in with conviction.

3. Humility
We all make mistakes, and sometimes we tend to slur our words,
stutter, and probably mispronounce certain words even though we know
what it means, but rarely use it only to impress listeners. So in a
group, don't be afraid to ask if you're saying the right word properly
and if they're unsure about it then make a joke out of it. I promise
you it'll make everyone laugh and you can get away with it as well.

4. Eye Contact
There's a lot to say when it comes to directing your attention to your
audience with an eye-catching gaze. It's important that you keep your
focus when talking to a large group in a meeting or a gathering, even
though he or she may be gorgeous.

5. Kidding around
A little bit of humor can do wonders to lift the tension, or worse
boredom when making your speech. That way, you'll get the attention of
the majority of the crowd and they'll feel that you're just as
approachable, and as human to those who listen.

6. Be like the rest of them
Interaction is all about mingling with other people. You'll get a lot
of ideas, as well as knowing what people make them as they are.

7. Me, Myself, and I
Admit it, there are times you sing to yourself in the shower. I know I
do! Listening to the sound of your own voice while you practice your
speech in front of a mirror can help correct the stress areas of your
pitch. And while you're at it you can spruce up as well.

8. With a smile
A smile says it all much like eye contact. There's no point on
grimacing or frowning in a meeting or a gathering, unless it's a wake.
You can better express what you're saying when you smile.

9. A Role Model
There must be at least one or two people in your life you have
listened to when they're at a public gathering or maybe at church.
Sure they read their lines, but taking a mental note of how they
emphasize what they say can help you once you take center stage.

10. Preparation
Make the best out of preparation rather than just scribbling notes and
often in a hurried panic. Some people like to write things down on
index cards, while other resort to being a little more silly as they
look at their notes written on the palm of their hand (not for clammy
hands, please). Just be comfortable with what you know since you enjoy
your work.

And that about wraps it up. These suggestions are rather amateurish in
edgewise, but I've learned to empower myself when it comes to public
or private speaking and it never hurts to be with people to listen how
they make conversations and meetings far more enjoyable as well as
educational.

"What Really Makes You Tick?" 10 questions you should ask to yourself: a preparation to self-improvement

Be all you can be, but it's not always in the Army. I often see myself
as somewhat contented with my life the way things are, but of course
it's hard to think of anything else when where are real issues to be
discussed.

Still I aspire for something deeper and more meaningful.

So we're all pelted with problems. Honestly it shouldn't even bother
or even hinder us to becoming all we ought to be. Aspirations as kids
should continue to live within us, even though it would be short-lived
or as long as we could hold on to the dream. They say you can't teach
an old dog new tricks… or can they?

1. What do I really want?
The question of the ages. So many things you want to do with your life
and so little time to even go about during the day.

Find something that you are good at can help realize that small step
towards improvement. Diligence is the key to know that it is worth it.

2. Should I really change?
Today's generation has taken another level of redefining 'self', or at
least that's what the kids are saying. Having an army of teenage
nieces and nephews has taught me that there are far worse things that
they could have had than acne or maybe even promiscuity. So how does
that fit into your lifestyle?

If history has taught us one thing, it's the life that we have gone
through. Try to see if partying Seventies style wouldn't appeal to the
younger generation, but dancing is part of partying. Watch them
applaud after showing them how to really dance than break their bones
in break-dancing.

3. What's the bright side in all of this?
With so much is happening around us there seem to be no room for even
considering that light at the end of the tunnel. We can still see it
as something positive without undergoing so much scrutiny. And if it's
a train at the end of the tunnel, take it for a ride and see what
makes the world go round!

4. Am I comfortable with what I'm doing?
There's always the easy way and the right way when it comes to
deciding what goes with which shoes, or purse, shirt and whatnot. It
doesn't take a genius to see yourself as someone unique, or else we'll
all be equally the same in everything we do. Variety brings in very
interesting and exciting questions to be experimented.

5. Have I done enough for myself?
Have you, or is there something more you want to do? Discontentment in
every aspect can be dangerous in large doses, but in small amounts
you'll be able to see and do stuff you could never imagine doing.

6. Am I happy at where I am today?
It's an unfair question so let it be an answer! You love being a good
and loving mom or dad to your kids, then take it up a notch! Your kids
will love you forever. The same goes with everyday life!

7. Am I appealing to the opposite sex?
So maybe I don't have an answer to that, but that doesn't mean I can't
try it, though. Whether you shape-up, change the way you wear your
clothes or hair, or even your attitude towards people, you should
always remember it will always be for your own benefit.

8. How much could I have?
I suppose in this case there is no such things on having things too
much or too little, but it's more on how badly you really need it. I'd
like to have lots of money, no denying that, but the question is that
how much are you willing to work for it?

9. What motivates me?
What motivates you? It's an answer you have to find out for yourself.
There are so many things that can make everyone happy, but to choose
one of the may be the hardest part. It's not like you can't have one
serving of your favorite food in a buffet and that's it. Just try it
piece by piece.

10. What Really Makes You Tick?
So? What really makes you tick? You can be just about anything you
always wanted to be, but to realize that attaining something that may
seem very difficult is already giving up before you even start that
journey. Always remember, that self-improvement is not just about the
physical or philosophical change you have to undergo, but it's
something that you really want.

--
"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts
today; let us learn to move forward with strong and active faith"

"Life With Woody" 10 inspirational quotes than can improve yourself

It might take a little coffee or probably a few rounds of beer or any other booze you could get your hands on when it comes to relaxing after a hard day's work. Well, yeah I'm guilty about that one as well, unless I'm caught dead wearing a lampshade over my head after a few rounds of vodka… half-naked! Okay, bad example and I apologize to everyone reading this after getting nightmares about me in that state of drunken stupor.

Just don't ask how it happened, please.

But what's really interesting is that how do people go through the usual part of life when faced with vein-popping stress? I mean, the new age thing like Zen or yoga is one of the good things and it actually works. Is there room for the intellectual side of people who can actually smell the roses-in-a-can while on the move? It kind of had me thinking that there really must be something in this 'mind-over-matter' thing.

Humor is indeed the best medicine there is whenever you are. I mean anyone can pay good money to listen to a comedian just to make you wet your pants after laughing so hard. Despite of what's been happening, and to those who has gone though the ordeal, it's better to just laugh while facing the troubles with a clear mind than anger with a clouded vision. One of my favorite celebrities of all time may have to be Woody Allen. Now this is one guy who gives you the in-your-face bluntness that he pulls out with gusto, even without even trying. You can talk just about anything with a man, and he's bound to mock the subject and you'll end up laughing rather than being upset about it.

Woody Allen has this to say:

1. "Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons." It sounds good to me, I mean the practicality of all things does involve money but it doesn't have to take an arm and a leg to get it.

2. "I believe there is something out there watching us. Unfortunately, it's the government." 'Nuff said.

3. "There are worse things in life than death. Have you ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman?" This happens to be one of the classic ones. I mean the issue about life's little problems isn't all that bad, until 'he' shows up.

Sure, relationships can get complicated, or does have its complications that probably any author about relationships is bound to discover it soon. We follow what our heart desires, unless you're talking about the heart as in the heart that pump blood throughout your body.

4. "Love is the answer, but while you're waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty interesting questions." And if you want more, just keep on asking!

5. "A fast word about oral contraception. I asked a girl to go to bed with me, she said 'no'." It sounds, 'practical', I think.

And when it comes to everyday life, he really knows how to make the best out of every possible scenario, and it doesn't involve a lawsuit if he strikes a nerve.

6. "Basically my wife was immature. I'd be at home in the bath and she'd come in and sink my boats." I never had a boat in my bathtub before. Just staring at it while soaking in hot water makes me seasick already.

7. "I am not afraid of death, I just don't want to be there when it happens." If it rains, it pours.

8. "I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose." It could get worse when you're guzzling on beer… or mouthwash, and it happened to me once!

9. "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans." At least he doesn't smite us with lightning, and I'm thankful for that.

And despite of what may happen to all of us in the next ten, twenty, or even thirty years, I guess we all have to see things in a different kind of light and not just perspective. I can't seem to imagine life without any piece of wisdom that could guide us. Whether we're religious or not, it takes more courage to accept your fears and learn how to deal with them is all that matters when it comes to even just getting along.

And to sum things up, here is the last nugget of wisdom to go by… however, whenever, and wherever we may be.

10. "The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don't have."

Ciao!