Thought For Today - June

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Visualizing for Success

Just as many athletes and performers often do a complete mental run through of a routine or performance, in the same way, we too can use visualization for self-improvement, good health, goal setting, a successful outcome....

Visualize the details, the ambiance, the achievement. Visualize as frequently as you want and can. And each time you visualize, let it grow in strength.

Remember, the visualization does not guarantee success or replace taking action, but it does increase your focus, determination and confidence. And it's a better alternative than worry.

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Note, not Tone of Criticism

Sometimes a criticism contains useful suggestions. But often we respond to the tone of the criticism, and not the suggestions.

Try this: Firstly, note down the criticism, in your own words. This helps us to separate the tone from the criticism. Secondly, note down the suggestions that seem useful or applicable to who you are and what you do. Then decide how to respond to the critic.

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An Everyday Pilgrim

Pilgrimages may not be as common as they used to be but even today people go to places such as the Camino de Santiago, Mecca, Machu Picchu....

For some people, a pilgrimage is for religious purposes or for enlightenment. For some it's about taking on a challenge or taking stock. For some it's about having fun or enjoying a cultural experience.

Have you ever thought about embarking on a pilgrimage? Well, you can be a pilgrim everyday. Simply infuse your everyday life with depth and meaning and everyday life becomes a life-changing sacred journey.

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Stop the Hesitation

Do you hesitate a lot? Even over simple things? Address your hesitation & understand what's making you hesitant, & why. Then give yourself a time limit to make up your mind.

Understand that most often, hesitation costs us time & opportunities. So stop hesitating & make the decision to just go for it or not. Or decide to postpone.

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Healthy Distraction

Feeling stressed, worried, upset? Sometimes, but not always, what works well is distraction.

Distract yourself in a healthy way by doing something that interrupts and redirects your attention away from your stress, worries, and upsets. Read, listen, cook, watch, play, exercise, walk, sing, write....

Select a healthy distraction but try not to overdo the distraction. Once you've reduced the pressure and feel calm and refreshed, try to come up with a solution for your stress, worry, upset.

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How to be with different people

Everyone’s different. The key is to adapt yourself to different people. This does not mean that you have to be someone you're not. To be able to adapt, you first need to know yourself well enough to understand a broad range of facets of yourself so that you can call up the right one with the right crowd.

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The Thought Bank

Just as we pay attention to our bank balance, we also need to check the account of our thoughts. Thoughts are like currency. Think positively and you’ll increase your 'bank' balance. How do you spend your thoughts? Check how many thoughts are wasted and how many are used constructively. Invest your thoughts on the things you want to develop.

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Take a Break

Take a break. It makes you more productive, boosts your focus, and it's good for your well being.

Schedule regular breaks in the day (not too many, not too long), maybe every hour or when you're in between tasks, for 30 seconds or 5-10 minutes.

This week, think about how to optimize your breaks and really relax, recover and rejuvenate.

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People are your Mirrors

You may find that the qualities & personality traits you like or dislike in others are likely to also exist in you. Really? Yes, people really can be your mirrors. They really can reflect back at you what you need to see about yourself - the positives & the shortcomings. It's all more easily seen in others than in ourselves. So look in the mirror & see what the reflections tell you about yourself.

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Your Personal Motto

Companies have mottoes, a phrase that communicates their product, their unique selling point in a catchy, snappy way. So what about you? Do you have a personal motto?

Having a personal motto can be a useful reminder of what's important, and it can help you keep your chin up when things are tough.

If you don't have a personal motto, develop one. Adapt an existing famous motto or create something original, something that captures and reflects who you are and what you believe. Place it somewhere you can see everyday.

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Happiness in Achievement

A sense of achievement always makes us happy. But when happiness is in achievements, we tend to delay our happiness until we have achieved.

And when there is an achievement, do you allow yourself to enjoy the happiness? Or do you instantly have to reach for the next achievement?

Enjoy your achievements and reach for the next achievement. But at the same time, understand: Happiness is not in achievements. Happiness is in you. So don't delay your happiness. Be happy now.

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Like the Rose

Just look at a rose, isn't it extraordinary how something so beautiful comes out from a hard, spiky stick, which grows out from the dirt! Actually, the thorns, the stems, the roots, enable the rose to flourish and grow in strength.

When life gets a bit thorny, a bit prickly, a bit muddy, remember how a rose grows. Allow life to cultivate your personal strength and growth. And then you too, can thrive and blossom like the rose.

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Too Dependent on Technology?

Technology makes life easier, efficient and enjoyable! But do you get anxious when a particular technology is unavailable? If nothing was available, would you still be able to find your way? Make the best use of what's available. But if you feel you’re too dependent on technology and it's making you lazy (physically or mentally); know when to curb your use of technology.

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From Caterpillar to Butterfly

Like a caterpillar crawling from leaf to leaf, we get too comfortable with the routine of our lives. We forget that we were born to be a butterfly. All we need to do is let go of our comfort zones, build a cocoon of transformation around ourselves and dream of our true colors. Like the butterfly, we too can emerge from the cocoon to the warm rays of the sun; unfold and spread our wings, and discover our capability for flight.

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The Role of Familiarity

With the people we're really friendly and comfortable with, and with the people we spend a lot of time with, all too often our behavior becomes too familiar, and as a result, respect and basic manners gradually disappear.

This week, reflect and re-evaluate the role of familiarity in your relationships with family, friends and at work.

Remember, informality and appropriate familiarity has its place but so does maintaining respect and basic manners.