Thinking Positive on Paper
June 16, 2008
Are you a naturally negative person? Do you have trouble seeing the good in anything? Many people find themselves in this pit of negative thinking after having gone through a sequence of “bad” things happening to them. One way to help yourself out of this is to practice positive thinking on paper. Here are some tips to help you get started:
Keep a self-improvement journal. Buy yourself a nice journal and ink pen. At the beginning of the journal, write a list of goals you’d like to accomplish. Every day make a record of what you did to reach one of your goals. Every day you should work towards one of these, positive thinking, being the main goal. At the end of every month, go back and read your journal entries to see what kind of progress you’ve made. At the end of the year, you’ll have a record book full of entries and you will be able to see how you’ve grown and are thinking more positively about yourself.
Read books on self-improvement. Sometimes the best thing you can do for yourself is head to the library and check out several books on self-improvement. Reading these books will help you develop yourself. They can also help you learn how to think more positively.
Start a positive thinking note card journal. Check your local office supply store or Wal-Mart for a book of wire-bound index cards. Every time you see a quote you like, write it on an index card. Continue doing this until the entire book of note cards is filled. Place the book on your desk or carry it around with you for quick boosts of positivity.
Get Rid of Your Emotional Baggage
June 13, 2008
Emotional baggage is something that weighs many people down. It causes them to be unproductive and unable to truly live and function in their own life. This article will delve deeper into this problem and offer solutions on how to rid yourself of it.
There are many types of emotional baggage, including:
- divorce
- unforeseen breakup
- whirlwind affair
- traumatized childhood
- sexual battery
These only represent a small portion of life events that tend to hang on to a person emotionally, even after they’ve lived through it. And now the greatest question that remains is how to work through these things and rid yourself of all your emotional baggage.
Sometimes there is no sure cure. Many times it take only time to work through the damage that has been brought on by some of these things. Here are some other things you can do to help heal yourself:
TAKE A STEP BACK – There are times when we are so close to the problem that we don’t have a clear perspective on the situation. When you feel bogged down by something that happened in the past, tell yourself to take a step back. Try looking at the situation through someone else’s eyes. What would they do? How might they react?
FORGIVE – The worst thing emotional baggage does it create grudges. When you harbor these painfully negative emotions against others, you create a giant wall around yourself. Offer true forgiveness. It’s the only way you’ll be able to move forward.
GIVE IT AWAY – There’s an old saying that goes something like this: “If you love something, set it free. If it loves you, it will come back to you. If it doesn’t, then it wasn’t yours to begin with.” Emotional baggage caused by relationships can become very traumatic. Close your eyes and imagine yourself picking that burden up off your shoulders and giving it to someone else.
7 Steps to Overcoming Anxiety and Depression
May 23, 2008
Anxiety and depression are literally debilitating diseases. They can take total control of your life before you realize it. Many people suffering from anxiety and depression may not even realize it. They learn to deal with their awkward feelings and think they’re no different from everyone else.
It is for this very reason that if you know someone whom you think is suffering from anxiety and/or depression, you should offer to help them. If you think you are suffering from anxiety and depression, there are ways to overcome it. Here are seven steps to help get you started on the road to recovery:
1. Admit you have a problem. This is always the hardest part. There is nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. Many people suffer from exactly the same thing as you. Admitting you have a problem is the first step to a healthy recovery.
2. Recognize that this is not your fault. All too often, people suffering from anxiety or depression assume that it is because of something horrible they’ve done. In many instances, depression is brought on by chemical imbalances in your body. It has nothing to do with your spiritual state at all.
3. Be kind to yourself. When you are depressed, you beat yourself up. You berate yourself and constantly think negative thoughts. Remember to give yourself a break. Be as nice to yourself as you would be to a friend suffering the same as you.
4. Ask for help. Don’t be stubborn and tell yourself that you can get through this alone. Be bold enough to visit your family physician and ask for help.
5. Take your medication as prescribed. One of the biggest mistakes many people make is not following the doctor’s orders when it comes to medication. Just because you’re feeling better, that doesn’t mean you should stop taking your meds. Never discontinue your medication with your doctor’s orders or supervision.
6. Call on a good friend. During the times when you want to be alone, you should call a good friend and ask for company. These “dark hours” are the worst and you should never lock yourself away and suffer through it alone.
7. Start exercising regularly. Believe it or not, getting frequent exercise dramatically decreases anxiety attacks and mood swings. Get out and walk or join a local gym and start exercising as often as possible.
