Colin G. Smith's Blog, page 6
November 14, 2013
Almost Instant Motivation For Mundane Tasks
We’ve all got mundane tasks that need to be done on a a daily basis. Wouldn’t it be great if you knew how to become almost instantly motivated to complete any mundane task such as; cleaning, washing up, doing the laundry or food shopping…
The interesting thing is we can all get motivated easily about some things such as drinking your favourite cup of coffee or watching your favourite sport, while to some people those things are actually de-motivating.
In essence what this tells us is that anything can become motivating – It’s really just a matter of perspective.
So, what’s motivating to you? This could be anything you choose; Your favourite food/drink, your favourite sex act, your favourite sport, your favourite hobby…
Visualising and thinking about one of those now will give you a feeling of motivation towards doing it.
Now you can associate those feelings into the mundane task image using a special visualisation method that will generate motivation for getting the task done.
Mundane Tasks Motivation Technique
1. Mundane Task Image:
What is it you want to get done?
See yourself in the image of the mundane task you want to get done.
Put that image aside for the moment.
2. Choose Motivating Images:
What motivates you?
Your Favourite Food/Drink
Your Favourite Sex Act
Your Favourite Sport
Your Favourite Hobby…
Pick four things.
Picture them and make them bigger
3. Place a postage stamp sized image of the mundane task in the middle of the big motivating pictures.
4. Look at all these images at once and notice the postage sized image in the middle perhaps beginning to change.
5. If you wish you could symbolise each of the motivating images as a symbol and put it inside the mundane task picture.
So from now on if you ever find the need to get motivated to do some mundane tasks you’ll know you can draw on some of your natural motivating thought patterns. Access them, blow up the imagery and see yourself in the middle of those pictures getting the mundane task done!
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October 30, 2013
Building A Brighter Future With NLP Timelines
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The mind has to know how to differentiate between memories from the distant past, things from yesterday and thoughts about what’s going to happen in the future. So how does your mind do this? A couple of decades ago, the field of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, observed the systematic behaviour people exhibit for accessing their memories & thoughts and the way in which they distinguish specific time information.
This discovery became known as; Your Personal Timeline. Your memories are organised on an imaginary Timeline. Many people have the past behind them with memories from the distant past way off behind. The present is right there at their finger tips and the future goes off out in front of them.
Your mind accesses thought-forms from the Timeline and this is one of the ways it knows if it is from the past, present or future. This usually operates outside of your conscious awareness. However by making use of this knowledge you can consciously use them to your advantage for cool stuff like brightening up your future!
Building A Brighter Future With NLP Timelines
If you were to think about your future now, where would you point? (It’s probably in front of you, straight ahead or maybe going off to the left or right.) Good.
Now think about an upcoming event one week from now and point to where it is on your future timeline. Do the same with a similar event one month from today and then an event one year from today. Notice the events all at once and get a sense of your Timeline.
Now you can brighten your future simply by transforming the way you represent it. Looking at your future Timeline imagine increasing the brightness… What happens if you broaden your future? Simply make your Timeline wider. And what happen’s when you sprinkle some magical gold and silver sparkles into the Timeline? Really make it GLOW!
Think about your favourite pet or animal and allow yourself to feel that warm feeling at the heart… Now if you were to give that feeling a colour, what colour would it be? Looking at your future Timeline imagine sending this warm energy colour from your heart into your future(s). Allow that colour to permeate your Timeline as you also increase the brightness - There you go!
Personal Timelines are a great thing to play around with. You can do some powerful change-work when you learn how to utilise them properly. With simple techniques like those above you are actually programming your subconscious mind. Along with the warm heart energy above what other resource states could you use for building a brighter future?
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October 22, 2013
Effective Communication Skills Exercises
Ever since the human race came into existence, we have been communicating with our community either verbally or non-verbally. With the advent of speech and language, communication gave us complex systems to talk and get our messages across to others.
Close relationships can suffer from a lack of communication or misunderstandings. In such a situation, it becomes necessary for us to understand that the closer the relationship, the better communication it demands.
What follows are some simple and effective communication skills exercises that can help you develop your people skills:
Mirror The Body Language
Most people do not understand the effectiveness of body language. Good body language can be a way for you to make yourself and others feel comfortable. For this, simply start mirroring the body language of the person you wish to talk to. This signals that you are interested and the communication may then take place. Even during verbal communication, you can keep doing this for improved results.
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Play Word Ball
This game is quite interesting and is often considered good for starting conversations with new people. Throw the ball and say a word. The person who gets the ball then says something that relates to that word and throws the ball again. In groups, when your focus is on someone special, you can throw the ball towards them and wait for a response. This way, good communication is established. Example starting words could be, “Sun / Sunshine.”
The Mirror Communication Skills Exercise
This is one of the most popular forms of exercise that may help you understand the value of good communication skills. Two people are chosen in this exercise. One has to speak and the other has to act out everything that the first person says. This will help the first person understand that he needs to speak slowly and chose good words for the second person to understand. Similarly, the second person understands the value of spoken words and takes his time to process everything being said.
Remember, good communications skills are the foundation of all your relationships and you need to make sure that the things you do strengthen your relationships.
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October 16, 2013
6 Tips For Goal Setting Success At Work
We spend more than half of our life at our workplace, trying to give our best to the job we do. However, staying motivated everyday can be difficult. You have to be sure you have ways to stay motivated to perform well. Although encouragement and applause are not daily events, you can still opt for goal setting at work in order to stay ahead of the competition.
Additionally, you will be able to avoid excessive workloads, last minute work tasks and even stress because you will be more focussed to make better decisions while overcoming self limiting beliefs…
Here are six ways you can transform your work by setting goals:
The first rule of setting goals is to keep them realistic. Let’s say that you cannot spend more than 9 hours in a day at your workplace and on an average, you can complete only 8 tasks assigned to you. If you wish to set realistic goals, start with 10 tasks in a day. (If you try to make it 16 or 20, you will lose motivation and end up doing less than your average.)
Learn to prioritise things. Out of the 8 tasks you have been assigned, 2 would be urgent and 3 would be needed immediately. Therefore, you have to focus on what is immediate and important and also make provisions for the rest. This rule also holds true for your quarterly workplace goals.
When you prioritise things, you also learn about the goals and tasks that are popularly called workplace clutter. When you know what is important for you, you must get rid of all that is unimportant. You will feel lighter and also feel better in task handling and goal setting later.
Categorise your goals as daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual.
Go for a quality check each weekend. Try to take 10 minutes from your schedule each weekend and assess whether or not you have been able to stay true to your goals. This is one of the most important rules for goal setting.
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De-stress as frequently as possible. Waiting for a two week vacation each year makes your work life dull and lifeless. Instead, take small breaks and utilise your weekends effectively. Do whatever you love and if possible, find some time for meditation. Remember, only a clear and worry free mind will be able to ensure proper goal setting at work.
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September 21, 2013
Meditation Techniques: Beginners Guide
Meditation techniques come with a myriad of well-publicised health benefits which includes decreased anxiety, increased concentration and general feeling of happiness. Meditation is the art of focusing 100% of your attention on one particular aspect (such as the breath) for a period of time.
Many people start meditating but then give up rather soon. This is possible due to the meditation practices they’ve learned being too complicated. The following tips will focus on simple meditation techniques for beginners…
Set aside a specific time of the day and make it a point to regularly practice it.
If possible use a specific room in the house; not the bedroom or study room. Create a spiritual atmosphere with the use of colour, pictures and music.
When you are doing your meditation practice minimise all distractions: Turn the phone off, tell the kids not to distract you etc.
Make sure you are not angry or stressed before entering the meditation room. Go for a walk and practice deep breathing to calm yourself down.
The best time for meditating is early in the morning as the environment is quiet, your mind is fresh and there is less chance of being disturbed.
Meditation techniques for beginners may include some physical activities like stretching, breathing and mindful walking followed by meditation.
In order to increase concentration, meditate with closed eyes.
Practicing regular meditation is now becoming more popular in our culture due to the numerous benefits to health and well-being. If you haven’t started your own meditation routine yet, you can practice the following simple meditation, notice the benefits, and then incorporate it into your daily schedule.
Basic Breathing Meditation (10 Minutes)
Sit comfortably and become more relaxed.
Notice the breath coming in through your nose.
Pause for a moment…
And then let your breath out through your mouth.
Pause for a moment…
Repeat the breathing in and out and simply notice the sensation of the breath.
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September 15, 2013
5 Simple Ways To Build Confidence In Yourself
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In today’s world where there is rising competition in each sphere, the need for self confidence is paramount to success. It’s a proven fact that people who have greater self confidence are healthier, happier and attain more success in life. There are various confidence building principles which when followed lead to a more fulfilling life.
The following are simple techniques for building self-confidence which you can start using today:
Regular exercise and healthy eating habits can change the appearance of a person and help raise self esteem. Exercises that release endorphins during exercises make you feel good which gives you a feeling of natural confidence.
Dressing habits have an influence on our self-image. Dressing sharp can increase self confidence and change the way people perceive you.
Facing your own fears and failures takes courage/confidence. You can learn a lot about yourself by becoming aware of your fears. Looking at your failures you will find there is always something useful to be learned from the experiences.
Stop comparing yourself with others. Everyone feels, thinks, learns and sees things from different perspectives. You may not posses qualities which another may possess. But for this reason you should not start comparing himself with others. Instead, try and polish the qualities you already have to increase your self confidence.
One more simple technique for confidence is, when taking to another person, maintain good eye contact. Most people are afraid that they will be judged by others on the basis of their personality but making eye contact says that the person is unafraid, worthy and confident.
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If you want to experience greater success in life practice confidence building techniques like those above, consistently on a daily basis, and you will develop good habits for maintaining your self-confidence.
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September 8, 2013
Effective Problem Solving Techniques
Every day of our lives we have to solve problems. It could be money issues, work problems, travel issues, anything at all – every day has a new task we have to work our way through which can make things more stressful. If you are in a management position or are self employed, you will find that you are constantly dealing with new sets of problems.
Although most of us can get a solution to a problem, it’s often just to try and force back the problem rather than dealing with it completely. Knowledge of the situation is obviously a good way to finding the problem, as well as having experience in that type of situation – but what do you do when you come across a problem you cannot solve?
Well there are several steps you should take to dealing with a problem you simply cannot locate the answer for. If you are currently struggling with a specific problem then consider trying out these problem solving techniques that could help you gain useful solutions:
Brainstorm
A hugely popular and important part of any functional problem solving process, brainstorming is getting a group of people who can realistically contribute to the problem to give out potential ideas and solutions.
This means that more than one person is taking a look at every potential solution or suggestion, making it much easier to arrive at the root of the problem.
There could be something so simple that would fix the problem easily just staring you in the face, so if you can have as many people as possible looking at the problem, somebody might be able to see the obvious solution.
Alternatively, it could be a tiny problem that will only be solved with a few minds going around in circles looking at everything in full detail – brainstorming creates debates which in themselves can create answers and solutions.
S.W.O.T.
SWOT, otherwise known as Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Techniques, is another hugely popular form of brainstorming or problem solving. A group of people who know a lot about the subject all sit together and make a comprehensive list to match the above – this means you can get an entire look at the problem as a whole and perhaps by listing all of these pro’s and con’s together, you can see some form of correlation between the problem and a solution.
Not only can it help you weigh out the best potential solutions that should be attempted, you can also see the strengths and weaknesses of each solution more comprehensively if they are listed back to back with each other.
Developing your problem solving skills is a very worthwhile practice because problems effect all aspects of life, from your personal to professional life. Using Problem Solving Techniques like the one’s mentioned above you can become adept at finding solutions to all of life’s challenges.
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August 25, 2013
How To Stop Negative Thinking Patterns
Negative thinking has never done anyone any good. If you are one of those people who gets depressed easily because of negative thinking then you should definitely look for ways to stop negative thinking patterns. Every individual has different reasons for having negative thinking patterns. If you experience this common problem then give the following tips a go to help stop negative thinking patterns.
Understanding Your Thoughts
Most negative thinking happens because we made it a part of our lives. These thinking patterns become a routine part of your life and you then have trouble letting them go. Some people aren’t even aware of this, therefore it is very important that you understand your own thoughts and try to have happy and positive thoughts. In order to stop negative thinking habits you have to be mindful and stop negativity and replace those thoughts with positivity.
Learn To Avoid Negative Language
Whenever you are in a situation in your life where you feel negative thinking is stopping you from doing something or achieving something, avoid saying negative phrases like; I cannot, I don’t, I shouldn’t, etc. Make these sentences positive by saying yes to all the things that you have been avoiding. Be it work or personal life, say yes. Whenever you are down use phrases like; I can, I will, I can do it and Yes! I have the power and the skill. Be your own motivator and take that extra leap of faith.
Grudges Are Bad For Your Health
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If you struggle with negative thoughts, then holding grudges will only make your life worse. Grudges, jealousy, and revenge have no useful purpose in life; they only dampen your spirit. If you let go of these negative feelings you will be able to connect with your pure inner self. Start living in the present and move on from the past. Letting go is very important if you want to stop negative thinking patterns. If you have a serious grudge or jealousy issue with someone, you will always be imprisoned by it.
So if you want to rise and shine like a phoenix from its ashes then you have to make yourself do it by letting go of negative feelings, focus on your pure potential and practice positive, life enhancing thoughts!
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August 17, 2013
7 Effective Communication Skills For Good Relationships
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Effective communication skills are important when you want to put your point across in a relationship. Relationships break down because of misunderstandings in communication. Good communication skills in relationships will help you maintain and cherish them for a long time. What follows are a few tips that can help you practice effective communication skills to improve your relationships.
7 Communication Tips For Better Relationships:
Start with a compliment. Make sure that you direct the compliment towards your partner in the right manner. Also make sure that the compliment is valid and realistic otherwise it will make your partner think that you are being sarcastic. A nice compliment will make your partner lend you his/her ears.
Keeping positive is the key to effective communication in relationships. If you can keep positive in your conversations it will help put your partner at ease. Negative feelings and complaints never do any good in a relationship.
Making your partner laugh is usually a good idea. Make humour your best friend and use it whenever you feel like the conversation is going towards an argument. If you are able to make your partner smile or laugh, it will bring out all the happy memories the both of you have had together.
Speaking from anger will never help. If you want your partner to listen then you’ll have to show some respect by using a decent and calm tone in the conversation. You have to value your partner if you want the relationship to last and the communication to improve.
Think before speaking! You don’t want to blurt something out that would either deeply hurt or infuriate your partner. You cannot take back spoken words, so if the topic is important to you, think and organize in your mind what you are going to say first.
Make sure that the conversation is relevant from the point f view of your partner. Make it interactive too by asking your partner for comments and feedback.Lastly be a good listener yourself, because that is what you expect from your partner.
So follow these simple tips for effective communication skills and you’ll start seeing improvements in your relationships.
The post 7 Effective Communication Skills For Good Relationships appeared first on Awesome Mind Secrets!.
7 Effective Communication Skills for Good Relationships
flickr.com/photos/tommiehansen
Effective communication skills are important when you want to put your point across in a relationship. Relationships break down because of misunderstandings in communication. Good communication skills in relationships will help you maintain and cherish them for a long time. What follows are a few tips that can help you practice effective communication skills to improve your relationships.
7 Communication Tips For Better Relationships:
Start with a compliment. Make sure that you direct the compliment towards your partner in the right manner. Also make sure that the compliment is valid and realistic otherwise it will make your partner think that you are being sarcastic. A nice compliment will make your partner lend you his/her ears.
Keeping positive is the key to effective communication in relationships. If you can keep positive in your conversations it will help put your partner at ease. Negative feelings and complaints never do any good in a relationship.
Making your partner laugh is usually a good idea. Make humour your best friend and use it whenever you feel like the conversation is going towards an argument. If you are able to make your partner smile or laugh, it will bring out all the happy memories the both of you have had together.
Speaking from anger will never help. If you want your partner to listen then you’ll have to show some respect by using a decent and calm tone in the conversation. You have to value your partner if you want the relationship to last and the communication to improve.
Think before speaking! You don’t want to blurt something out that would either deeply hurt or infuriate your partner. You cannot take back spoken words, so if the topic is important to you, think and organize in your mind what you are going to say first.
Make sure that the conversation is relevant from the point f view of your partner. Make it interactive too by asking your partner for comments and feedback.Lastly be a good listener yourself, because that is what you expect from your partner.
So follow these simple tips for effective communication skills and you’ll start seeing improvements in your relationships.
The post 7 Effective Communication Skills for Good Relationships appeared first on Awesome Mind Secrets!.
