There are several varieties of visualization methods, but the first step in any one of them is always the same. You must prepare yourself mentally to receive your vision in order to be able to fully immerse your consciousness. The process of preparing for visualization is nearly the same as meditation, and you can add in your own elements as you gain more experience with the process.

Find a quiet, undisturbed place. At first you will need to be alone while you visualize. Choose a room or a space that you will use on an exclusive basis for visualization during the beginning stages. Be sure your surroundings are quiet and uninterrupted. White noise is acceptable for visualization, but for most methods you should not use music or recorded sound (you will be visualizing your own sounds!). 

Get comfortable. The best way to perform visualization is from a seated position. You can use a comfortable chair or the floor or ground, as long as you seat yourself in a way that will allow you to remain comfortable for at least ten to fifteen minutes. 

Set a timer. The effects of visualization vary from person to person, but in some cases it can produce a trance-like state. To ensure you don’t end up visualizing the day away, get a silent electronic timer (no ticking!) or set an alarm clock to go off in fifteen to twenty minutes (at this point, you still have a few minutes of preparation before you begin the process of visualization).

Relax your body. If you happen to possess the ability to relax at will; great, do that! If you’re like most of us and you do not, you can engage in progressive relaxation to drain the tension from your muscles. Begin at your feet and concentrate on releasing all tension, one body part at a time. It may take you a few tries to do this; don’t worry if it doesn’t happen the first time. It can be difficult to achieve complete relaxation, and in many cases there will be some tension or stiffness remaining. You will find that the more often you practice relaxation, the less tension remains. 

Clear your mind. There are a few ways to accomplish this; you should choose the one that works best for you. One way is to imagine a single, benign object such as a white ball or a leaf, and focus entirely on the imaginary object until all your other thoughts simmer down. Picture your thoughts as a crowd in a football stadium, with the object in the center. Each thought stills as its attention is drawn to the object, until they are all silent. Another method for clearing your mind is to "send" your thoughts away by wrapping them in a mental "bubble" and allowing them to drift away from your consciousness. 

Breathe. Once you have relaxed your body and cleared your mind, you should perform three to five minutes of deep, concentrated breathing. Try to keep yourself focused on nothing but your breathing; this will relax you even further and prepare your mind to experience visualization.

You can also use this introduction to visualization as an alternate form of meditation. Taking a few moments to relax is always beneficial, and can energize you to face the tasks you’ve set for yourself.

Before you actually begin your preparation activities, you should choose the type of visualization you intend to use and make yourself aware of the process involved. Then you will be able to go directly from preparation to visualization.

Guided visualization is perhaps the most powerful form available. In this method, you act as the captain of your visionary ship, guiding yourself through the images you conceive as though they were actually happening. When using guided visualization, it is especially important to set your timer, as it is easy to become caught up in your visualized reality.

To perform guided visualization, you need to do a bit of preparation beforehand. Choose a setting or scene in which you feel comfortable and affix the setting firmly in your mind: a sandy beach, a deep forest, or even an open-air mall (if you feel better away from nature and would have a tendency to visualize lots of bugs).

Guided visualization is best for working on your own emotions and behaviors. Decide before you begin the way you want to visualize yourself, whether it is being more confident, losing weight, or simply feeling relaxed and at ease. Tell yourself that the place you’re going will give you the power to achieve these feelings, emotions or characteristics. When you begin your visualization after your preparation phase, don’t imagine watching yourself perform the desired actions. Instead, try to feel as though you are actually doing them: as if you have suddenly lost fifty pounds, or gained a hefty dose of confidence. You might even want to make yourself fly! (Just be sure you don’t try to translate your newfound powers of flight into real life experience, unless it’s boarding a plane).

117 Investing In You – The Power Of Positive Thinking

You can also perform guided visualization with the assistance of an audio program or themed music. You might want to try guided meditation tapes the first few times, and then gradually move away from them until you can perform this method on your own. After all, it is your mind that you are trying to reprogram, and you should fill it with your own thoughts, feelings and emotions in order to reach your personal objectives.

Another form of visualization is receptive visualization. This differs from guided visualization in that you are watching yourself rather than doing something. Receptive visualization is a good technique for working on your interactions with other people. For example, if you want to ask someone out on a date, you may visualize yourself doing so flawlessly and convincingly, and then visualize your target agreeing.

Performing receptive visualization is almost like watching a movie in your mind, with you as the director. The beauty of receptive visualization is that when things start to go in a different direction from

118 Investing In You – The Power Of Positive Thinking

the way you want them, a simple thought can change everything. You are in complete control, and the more completely and often you visualize a situation, the more likely it will be to happen just the way you pictured it.

After you’ve practiced receptive visualization, you can use it just about anywhere, in any situation. For example, imagine you go to the bank to make a withdrawal, but when you reach the teller you discover there is a problem with your account and you have to speak with a bank manager. While you’re waiting, you can visualize your conversation with the manager and mentally resolve the matter in your favor. Then, when you actually do speak to the manager, you will be ready to face the situation calmly and with confidence. More often than not, things will proceed quite similarly to your vision.

Receptive visualization is the most useful method of visualization for everyday events. Because it is versatile and adaptable, you can use receptive visualization to resolve nearly any problem. You will be able to move through each day with a sense of confidence that everything will turn out just as you want it to, and because of your projected confidence, other people will respond to you in a pleasant manner.

Practicing your receptive visualization skills can ease the stresses of daily life, which in turn improves your entire situation.

The final visualization technique we will discuss is altered memory visualization. This form is especially useful in resolving past conflicts and calming anger. In altered memory visualization, you can either "be" the image or watch yourself, whichever you are most comfortable with. The main objective of altered memory visualization is to envision an actual memory and alter the outcome in your mind to reach a better, more satisfying resolution.

You can use altered memory visualization for small issues such as being cut off in traffic, or larger areas like past tragedy or trauma. Again, it is important to use a timer for this method, particularly when working with major traumas. It is too easy to become so immersed in your memories that you cannot shake them.

Whether you choose to watch or participate, begin remembering the event you want to change the way it actually occurred. Try to recall all the sights, sounds and smells just as they were. When you reach an unpleasant point in your memory, direct yourself to react differently from the way you did- or direct the other person to do something different. With practice, you will be able to quickly shift your mental images to a more positive chain of events, and the feelings you formerly associated with your memories will lessen in their effect on you. Using altered memory visualization is a powerful tool for forgiveness, whether you direct it toward yourself or someone else.

By employing visualization techniques and practicing frequently, you will heighten and augment your positive thinking foundation. Envisioning your desires is the first step to achieving them. You can accomplish anything you believe you can, and visualization will help you realize your goals faster and with less effort.

Worry-Me-Nots and You-Can-Themums

Believing in yourself and your abilities is absolutely the most important thing you can do on your journey to positive thinking. It is critical to develop the self-confidence you need to carry you through to the realization of your goals.

Self-confidence is a bit different from self-esteem. Self-esteem refers to your feelings about yourself, your behaviors and your worth as a person. Self-confidence is your belief in your abilities and in the way you present yourself to the world. The actions of others are more likely to erode your self-confidence rather than your self-esteem. However, the two emotions have quite a bit in common. Both are measures of your inherent or developed belief in yourself- and both can be easily pushed off balance, resulting in either over-confident or defeatist behaviors that distance you from your ultimate objectives.

What will you plant in your garden?

As previously discussed, you need to create a balance between too little self-confidence and too much. You cannot accomplish anything without self-confidence; on the other hand, too much self-confidence can ensure that you don’t try hard enough to reach your goals, and you will fall short of realizing your possibilities.

Once you understand that you truly can do anything you put your mind to, you will have unlocked the key to positive thinking. There is no limit to the power of the human mind. Your possibilities really are endless.

You can help yourself build self-confidence through a simple daily exercise you develop yourself after learning the basic premise. Like most of the practices for working with positive thinking, you may feel ridiculous at first (yes, we are aiming to make you feel ridiculous. Next we break out the flowered hats and funny nose glasses). Here are the basic steps to your daily self-confidence routine, which is best performed in the morning as you prepare to face the day:

1. • Decimate distractions. You need this time to yourself. You deserve this time to yourself. While you’re performing your self-confidence routine, don’t answer the phone, check your e-mail, watch television, or listen to the radio. Let household members know that this time is your time, and you would prefer not to be disturbed.
2. • Get physical. Pamper yourself with your daily physical preparations. When you shower, use your favorite soap or scented body wash. Choose clothing that makes you feel good and matches your mood. Make yourself comfortable with the way you look, and your self-confidence will rise to match it.
3. • Focus forward. As you get ready, reflect on what you want to accomplish for the day. Be sure to consider the mood you want to set for yourself as well as any goals or objectives you will reach. You might even partake in a quick receptive visualization session to see yourself reaching your goals and cement them in your mind.
4. • Get pumped. Now comes the ridiculous part. Stand in front of a mirror, look yourself in the eyes, and sing your own praises. Out loud. Tell yourself that you are the person you want to be; that you possess worthwhile qualities; that you can do that which you are now setting out to do. Be as specific as possible. Instead of saying, "I am competent," say: "I know how to handle problems when they arise." The more specific you are, the more effective your self-confidence routine will prove to be.

Self-confidence is the glue that holds your personality together. If you are serious about changing your life, developing a healthy self-confidence will equip you to do it quickly and effortlessly. Don’t let fear, worry and doubt keep you from blossoming into confidence. You can accomplish anything, as long as you believe you can. It really is as simple as that.

Perhaps as important as what you believe is the manner in which you believe it. Your attitude can turn a miserable event into a pleasant one; or a good time into a nightmare. By controlling your attitude, you have the power to control any situation and make what you want from it.

In order to determine the best attitude for any given situation, you should take some time to decide the kind of person you want to be, and the image you want to convey. You may be interested in being the life of the party, the quintessential sympathetic ear, or the strong and silent type with the ability to take the lead at any moment. Once you are aware of your true self, you can begin to adjust your attitude to match.

Here are some important considerations to keep in mind as you develop your personal attitude preferences:

Bee yourself

Whatever attitude you choose, be sure it is a reflection of your true self. Being true to yourself is crucial to the success of your positive thinking program. You have only one life to live, and spending it trying to emulate someone else robs the world of the person you could have been.

You may not know yourself as well as you would like to, or as well as you should. If you have been following the methods in this book so far, you may have discovered more than you knew before. One of the most wondrous aspects of humankind is that there is always something new to discover about ourselves; always some new avenue of interest to explore or stand to take. We possess the capacity to never succumb to boredom. It is amazing that with all the activity happening in the world, so many people experience lulls and cannot find anything to occupy themselves with. If you ever become bored, you have stopped developing as a person and should take steps to rectify the situation immediately. Knowing yourself is a constant journey that should never cease.

How can you get to know yourself better? Try some of the following techniques to discover aspects of your personality you may not have even known existed:

1. • Date Yourself. Choose an activity you either know you enjoy or believe you will enjoy, and make a date to do it by yourself. Treat this date as you would any other commitment: dress nicely, arrive on time, and don’t put it off unless an absolute emergency comes up. When you go out on your date, notice the things that make you feel good. Enjoy the experience of being with yourself and doing something fun. When you are finished, reflect on the date just as you would with any other event. What did you enjoy about the experience? What did you dislike? What would you have changed? You should make a date with yourself at least once a month, even if it’s just for a walk in the woods or an evening on the couch with popcorn and rental movies.
2. • Talk to Yourself. You are capable of making intelligent conversation with other people to discover more about them. Why not do the same with yourself? You can hold a conversation with yourself aloud or in your head, whichever you are comfortable with. Ask yourself leading questions, and then take some time to think about the honest answers. Lying to yourself is the worst offense you can commit.
3. • Record Yourself. When you discover new aspects of your personality or sparks of interest you didn’t know you had, write them down and remember them. You may not have time to explore a particular thought when it occurs to you, but if you jot it down and come back to it later, you will be able to expound on it. It can be helpful to keep a small notebook or planner with you to write things down as they occur to you, and flip through it when you have a few spare minutes.
4. • Analyze Yourself. The way you react to social situations and world events can be very revealing about yourself. Keep yourself informed about what’s going on in the world, either by reading the newspaper, watching television news, or frequenting news feed web sites. Take note of your reactions to real events and situations, and try to apply them to situations in your life. You can use this to help you determine why you feel a certain way about people or situations that impact your everyday life, and then plan your attitude toward them around your newfound knowledge.

Bee happy

Perhaps you are one of those people who are thinking just now, "You can’t tell me to be happy. I don’t have to be happy if I don’t want to be. Isn’t this supposed to help me find my true self? What if I’m just not a happy person?" If you are one of those people, think about this: not being happy makes you happy.

Aren’t you happy now?

"Happy" is an extremely subjective emotion. What makes one person happy will not necessarily please someone else. You have to define your own happiness, and strive to achieve that state whenever possible.

Happiness is also contagious. A little bit of joy goes a long way, and has a snowball effect- because when you are happy, it makes those around you happy; then they in turn spread the happiness to others. Finding happiness in whatever you do is a large part of generating a permanently positive attitude.

It is a waste of time to do things that will not ultimately make you happy. When you find yourself faced with an unpleasant task that must nevertheless be accomplished, setting your attitude to "happy" will ensure the task is accomplished with minimal stress and maximum results. Alternately, if you have the choice to do something, and you know it won’t make you happy, exercise your developing skills in saying "no." Nothing can make you unhappy if you choose not to allow it to. This is the power of positive thinking.

Finding happy. Need some help locating your spring of happiness? Try a few of these methods for tapping happy:

Act like a child. Children are generally the happiest creatures on Earth. Engaging in the activities you loved as a child is a wonderful way to generate a sense of the carefree happiness you enjoyed. Blow bubbles, swing as high as you can, run across the grass just for the sake of running, do somersaults or jumping jacks, or spin in place until you get so dizzy you fall down. A regular dose of childlike joy is a healing balm for your soul. Be uninhibited! 

Build a treasure box. Material reminders of happy can be a wonderful jumpstart to your happiness reserves. If you have small tokens of vacations you enjoyed, pleasant notes from friends or loved ones, or significant items you picked up here and there "just because," consider creating a box to keep them in so you can go through it whenever you feel an attack of the blues coming on. A great addition to your treasure box would be something that captures your favorite smells. Scent is the most powerful emotional trigger there is, and the ability to experience a smell with positive connotations can lift your spirits far more effectively than anything else.

Love the little things. The importance of little things that make you happy cannot be underestimated. A favorite book, the sound of your child’s laughter, the scent of fresh popcorn or wet earth after the rain; any of the hundred small things you take pleasure in can be accessed to generate happiness. Keep a mental list of your favorite little things and draw on them whenever you feel a few quarts low on happy. 

Laugh. Just laugh. You don’t need a reason, or even a trigger. At any given moment, no matter where you are or what you’re doing, just start laughing. Laughter can give you an instant mood boost that lingers for long periods of time and strengthens your resolve to be happy.

Bee-have

The way you treat other people is a reflection of your own attitude. You cannot expect to sustain a positive attitude by acting negatively toward others. Even if your positive mood is not returned, you must strive to retain a sense of dignity and enthusiasm. Eventually, those who begrudge your happiness will either give in and join you, or give up and go away- and in either case, you will be rid of the negative influence without stooping to negativity yourself.

How can you refrain from treating other people poorly? The answer lies in your own behavior. It is not so much what you should do as what you should not do when dealing with negative emotions from others. Following are some basic guidelines for behaving better and retaining your positive attitude:

DON’T Throw Fits. Many people resort to temper tantrums when they don’t get their own way. Some do this without even realizing it. Ranting about the unfairness of the situation will not change things; all it will do is generate more negative emotions and fuel the flames. The person you’re confronting probably won’t give in because you’re whining. Learn to recognize the signs when you start to experience a meltdown, and force yourself to step back and take a more rational look at the situation. There may be more to it than you first noticed.

DON’T Stay Angry. Getting angry is acceptable, and even beneficial in some circumstances. Anger can be a powerful motivating force. However, getting angry is far different from staying angry. Holding on to your anger is counterproductive; you will simply remain where you are in the situation and nothing will change except the level of your anger. When someone or something makes you mad, take that anger and channel its energies into doing something about the situation. If there is nothing to be done, use your anger to do something for yourself. But whatever you do, don’t allow anger to keep you rooted to the spot.

DON’T Hold Grudges. Nearly everyone can think of at least one person they have vowed never to speak to again for as long as they live. You may be able to think of several people who fall into this category. Holding a grudge against someone can occur spontaneously, or it can be a carefully planned and executed assault. Some people have elevated grudge-holding to an art form, forcing everyone else around them to take extra precautions with the seating arrangements at family gatherings to avoid putting together people who are loudly ignoring each other. It is easy to form a grudge, and infinitely harder to let one go. However, you must let go of grudges in order to maintain a positive attitude. Maintaining negative feelings for a sustained length of time will taint your mental garden, and provide an automatic supply of negativity whenever you are reminded of the person you’re not speaking to. By nursing a grudge, you are expending energy that could otherwise be used to enrich your own life. If you would rather not speak to whomever it is that angered you, that is a choice you can make. The better choice is to simply agree to disagree, and go your separate ways. Letting go makes you a better person, inside and out.

DON’T Act Superior. Believing you are better than others is a damaging attitude, even when it’s the truth. A little humility goes a long way. When others feel comfortable talking with you, you will find your confidence growing and your attitude improving. Putting someone else down in order to make yourself feel better is a dangerous proposition, and more often than not it will backfire and return to haunt you. Be the best person you can be, but don’t allow yourself to feel superior. We are all only human in the end.

DO Unto Others. The Golden Rule is still the best rule to follow. Treat other people the way you want to be treated, and eventually they will follow your example. When you extend courtesy and kindness to others, it will always come back to you in one form or another, sometimes when you least expect it. Angry words and hurtful action can be forgiven and forgotten, but good deeds linger for a lifetime. Even if the people you treat with respect do not offer the same to you, take comfort in the knowledge that you are behaving with dignity and have nothing to be ashamed of. A lack of shame breeds fearlessness, and those who are fearless can accomplish anything.

Bee flexible

When life affects your attitude, you must be willing to bend and ready to seek out an alternative path to positivism. Living an inflexible life is akin to standing in the middle of a hurricane. No matter what you choose to hold onto, you will be blown away, and your plans will be changed for you. You must be willing to alter your methods and rules, and allow life to lead you to the places you are intended to go.

We must be willing to adapt to our circumstances if we expect to develop as a person. Eminent evolutionist Charles Darwin once said, "It is not the strongest or most intelligent of the species which survive, but those most adaptable to change." Inflexible structures, no matter how solidly they are built, are more susceptible to breaking. You must learn to bend and give.

Flexibility also allows you to discover new opportunities you might otherwise have missed. For example, you might always drive the same route to work. However, what would you do if the morning traffic report indicated congestion on your usual route? You have a choice: you can either follow the same path you always take and sit in traffic for an extended period of time, or you can choose an alternate route. If you choose an alternate route, you might discover a new restaurant you didn’t know was around, or witness a sunrise over a whole new setting.

There are steps you can take to increase your flexibility and prepare yourself to be receptive to change. Here are a few tips to maintaining flexibility and being ready to take advantage of new opportunities as they arise:

1. • Give yourself time. If you are scheduling an appointment or planning to travel somewhere, be sure you have more than enough time to make it. Try to leave a window open: rather than saying "I’ll be there at 7:30," give yourself permission to say "I’ll be there between 7 and 8."
2. • Formulate Plan B. Always have a backup plan ready in case something goes wrong. This way you are not caught unprepared and will have more of an idea what you can do in the absence of your original intentions. It is easier to be flexible when you already have alternatives in mind.
3. • Do something different. If there are certain routines you follow for certain things, try throwing in a few alterations. For example, if you ride public transportation to work and always sit in the same section of the train or bus, decide to sit elsewhere for a few trips. You may notice things you hadn’t noticed before, or have the opportunity to meet new people.
4. • Be spontaneous. Whenever possible, do something you would not ordinarily have done. Spontaneity is an excellent way to generate flexibility, because even you don’t know what to expect from yourself, and you will be forced to compensate for your lack of planning. Practice improvisation often, and look for creative approaches to typical problems. Different is good, particularly if it allows you to increase your flexibility and capacity for adaption.

Your attitude determines your ultimate outcome. When you develop the ability to control your attitude, you can manufacture your own happiness. Nothing happens without attitude, and the way you feel about anything you do will affect the way it is done.

If you cannot generate a positive attitude right away, you can simply "fake it until you make it." Use the power of positive thinking to convince yourself of your enthusiasm, and soon you will actually begin to feel good about whatever it is you’re trying to accomplish. Life is what you make of it, and your attitude is your life. Tend to it well.

The benefits of positive thinking are truly incredible. They can extend to every area of your life, and you will feel like a whole new person. The power of positive thinking is the power of transformation. When you think positively, the changes do not only occur within yourself. The rest of the world will respond to your new outlook as you radiate happiness and pleasant emotions. You will become not only a better person; you will also be a better person to be around.

Harvesting the fruits of your labor is the most exciting portion of your journey through positive thinking. In this section we will explore the many benefits you can expect to gain through applying positive thinking to all aspects of your life. Once you practice the previously outlined techniques, you will notice that good things seem to just happen to you. You will become the fortunate person you have always envied, the one who seems to be a magnet for love and luck.

The power of positive thinking opens up a whole new realm of possibilities. You will discover the effects of maintaining positive thought seeping into all the areas of your life like water absorbed by a sponge. Nothing will remain unchanged as your newfound outlook and attitudes infect your mind, your surroundings and your family and friends with happiness and bring you success beyond your wildest dreams.

Following are just a few of the multitude of benefits positive thinking will bring to your life.

Relationships are essential to our humanity; both our relationships to others and to ourselves. Our relationships define and accentuate who we are, and our ability to relate to others is directly proportional to the manner in which we relate to ourselves. Utilizing positive thinking in our relationships allows us to experience them to the fullest capacity and become infused with love and compassion.

Positive thinking expands, improves and strengthens our relationships. It also allows us to create new relationships and reap the benefits of involvement with others without allowing negativity to taint our lives. Some of the ways positive thinking benefits relationships are:

• Increased trust: In positive thinking, one of the negative practices you will be dismissing is the tendency to lie to yourself. This will automatically quell your tendency to lie to others. When you put forth trust, you receive trust in return; when you trust yourself, those who care about you will place their trust in you as well.

• Fewer arguments: You will find that your arguments lessen in both frequency and intensity as you progress with positive thinking. Generally, this is because not so many things will bother you, and you will be able to practice forgiveness more often. If you argue frequently with your spouse, your children, other family members or close friends, look forward to a sharp decrease in yelling when you practice positive thinking.

• Improved communication: When you understand yourself, your goals and your priorities, you will be able to articulate your desires more fully. This will lead to better communication, which is the key to any successful relationship. By clearly stating what you are trying to get across, you will automatically encourage others to be straightforward and clear-thinking as well. Your new ability to describe your feelings and motivations may even surprise yourself!

• More understanding: This benefit builds on improved communication. When you are able to explain why you agree or disagree with a certain issue, it will be easier to convince others regarding your point of view- or at least help them see why you are entitled to your opinions. Understanding promotes stronger bonds and less friction in a relationship, and allows both sides of the equation to relax.

• Better sex: Yes, really. The use of positive thinking awakens all of your sensations, including physical pleasure. Applying positive thinking to your relationships can heighten your sex life, in part because you will feel- and therefore be- more attractive. Beauty truly comes from within, and the transformative power of positive thinking will make you more desirable than a swimsuit model.

• Stronger bonds: Positive thinking brings you closer to humanity. You will develop a powerful sense of empathy that will allow you to see things from alternative points of view, including the eyes of other people. Empathy not only lets you forgive mistakes; it also makes you a better friend and confidante: the type of person everyone loves to be around. You will soon discover that there is plenty of you to go around.

• Less stress: Relationships can take a toll on us. It is often quite a strain to keep relationships alive; you must invest time and energy in cultivating and maintaining each one of them. However, the power of positive thinking not only frees you to unburden yourself of unhealthy relationships; it also allows you to be yourself under any circumstances, which lessens the typical strain most of us experience with relationships.

If you believe what the majority of us do, you may think that most people don’t enjoy their jobs. However, the truth is that many people do; they have just forgotten. Many people begin a career with enthusiasm and anticipation, only to discover down the road that their dreams have been crushed by corporate rules.

Positive thinking allows you to wring enjoyment from your career, whether you’re a housewife or a CEO. It is a simple matter to rediscover the reason you entered your chosen career in the first place, and then augment those reasons in your daily work life.

Additionally, many people who choose to seek out the power of positive thinking find out the career they have is not the career they want, no matter how much silver lining they drape around their clouds. Once again, positive thinking steps in to lift you up and settle you into your place in the world.

Here are just a few of the ways positive thinking can benefit your career:

• Recognition: When you practice positive thinking, you become more vibrant and alive than you have ever been. You will find that your efforts are recognized and rewarded more often, particularly when you are not expecting recognition. Simply performing your work with a positive attitude to the best of your abilities will make you stand out.

• Promotions and Raises: Those with can-do attitudes advance far faster in the workplace. Using the power of positive thinking increases your confidence and demonstrates your capabilities to handle greater responsibility; and those above you at work will notice and treat you accordingly. You will not only be offered more opportunity; you will find yourself seeking advancement and fulfillment rather than simply waiting for the day to end so you can return to your "real" life. Your career will become a part of what defines you instead of a means of survival that you just "get through."

• Better Working Environment: You may recall that positive thinking is contagious. Working with a pleasant attitude will improve the attitudes of those around you, or at least your perceptions of them. You will begin to notice that your workday no longer drags you down as you derive pleasure from your accomplishments and enjoy the company of your co-workers.

• Less Supervision: Most of us know what it’s like to have a supervisor breathing down our necks. When we move to a positive mindset, we showcase our abilities to complete work satisfactorily without excessive direction (or interference). Left to our own devices, we will accomplish far more- and this will become evident to even the most anal of supervisors.

• Dream Job: With positive thinking, you can live your dreams. Whether you choose to seek a new career or transform the job you have into the job you love, you will soon find your career providing everything you imagine it to be.

• Entrepreneurship: Many people long to go into business for themselves, but most fear the consequences of losing the safety and security of working for someone else. Positive thinking frees you from your fear of change, and equips you with the tools you need to not only take steps toward working for yourself, but carry your entrepreneurial vision to success. Whatever your reasons for wanting your own business, you can use positive thinking to bypass the pitfalls that plague most beginning business ventures and realize your dreams of self-employment.

• New opportunities: Positive thinking allows you to visualize possibilities you would have otherwise missed. As you get to know yourself, your beliefs and your desires; you will better understand what you’re looking for in a career. You will also have the ability to discover the means to achieve what you want, whether it is improving your current job, getting a promotion or new position, or heading off on your own. There is no limit to the opportunities awaiting you through the power of positive thinking.

This is not to say positive thinking will make you rich, though that is a distinct possibility. Achieving financial freedom is releasing yourself from the worries money brings and allowing yourself to always have enough, if not an abundance.

Some of the ways positive thinking promotes financial freedom:

• Unlimited possibilities. When you realize that any avenue is open to you, you can take steps toward setting and reaching your financial goals, whether you want to be comfortable and debt-free or living in an ocean-side mansion.

• Productive work environment. Because positive thinking equips you with the capacity to truly enjoy your job, you will find yourself performing far better and automatically earning more, whether it’s in the form of raises, promotions, or the decision that you are better off somewhere else.

• Lower cash outflow. As you practice positive thinking techniques, you will find yourself spending less money. Because you are responsible and confident, there will be fewer emergencies and disasters in your life, and misfortune will become a rare happenstance; a mere memory. Spending less to gain more is one of the many long-term benefits of positive thinking. You will also find that you need fewer material objects to satisfy yourself as you become richer in spirit.

Whatever your dreams are for your life, positive thinking can help you achieve them. Lifelong dreams can take many forms, whether it is traveling to an exotic place, performing a daredevil stunt, or meeting a particular celebrity. With positive thinking, you can take the necessary steps to make your fondest dreams a reality.

It’s said that a goal is a dream with a deadline. Positive thinking helps you realize not only that you can live your dreams, but that you deserve to live them. Positive thinking allows you to: 

Understand that no dream is too great or too small. 

Develop a mindset that is conducive to dream fulfillment. 

Formulate a concrete, manageable plan for making your dreams come true. 

Equip yourself with the determination necessary to keep going until you reach your dream. 

Dream bigger than you ever would have, with the realization that there is no limit to what you can accomplish.

What’s so great about aging? Everything, when you view it through the lens of positive thinking. Applying positive thinking methods to the aging process produces incredible effect: studies have proven that happy people live, on average, 7.5 years longer than unhappy people- a better advantage than not smoking, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy weight combined.

By allowing yourself to view aging as an experience rather than an ordeal, you give yourself the gift of time. Here are some other benefits of a positive outlook on aging:

• Lowered blood pressure and reduced cholesterol. Happy people don’t experience much stress. They also tend to keep themselves in better shape. Some researchers attribute the increase in life span among positive people to the corresponding decrease in blood pressure and cholesterol.

• Stronger will to live. As we age, many of us tend to lapse into a depressive state. We often reflect on our lives and decide we have done nothing to merit worth, and it is then we begin to die. With positive thinking, we can realize that it is never too late to do something with ourselves and our lives; that all is not lost.

• Preservation of independence. You may notice that some older people seem far younger and more able than others their age. The major difference between a 70-year-old who lives at home, stays busy, and maintains an active family life; and a 70-year-old who is inactive and consigned to a wheelchair in a nursing home; is attitude. The senior at home believes it is possible to live a healthy, happy life no matter how old they get, while the senior in the home believes there is nothing to look forward to.

You know that positive thinking improves your mental health. But did you know It can also improve your physical health? The power of your thoughts is so strong, it can actually affect the way your body behaves and improve a host of physical ailments- or even bring you from the brink of death.

Take Christopher Reeve. The actor who will be forever remembered for his powerful performance as Superman will also be remembered for his remarkable recovery after a horse-riding accident left him completely paralyzed. Yet not only did Reeve live far longer than any doctor predicted, he made great strides toward recovery and was able to move parts of his body that were pronounced forever lost to him before his death in 2004. Reeve survived for nine years after the accident and proved he truly was a super man.

How did he do it? Positive thinking. According to researchers who analyzed his case, Reeve’s optimistic attitude and can-do mindset were almost entirely responsible for the unparalleled level of recovery he experienced.

When you banish negative thoughts from your mind, your physical health responds tremendously. It has long been known that there is a correlation between emotional and physical health; often referred to as the "mind-body connection." Improving your outlook and practicing positive thinking strengthens your mind-body connection and makes you healthy, even to the point of extending your life.

Studies have shown that depression and negative thought decreases antibodies and leaves you more open to infection and disease. Those who are unhappy or stressed exhibit weaker immune responses to vaccines; take longer to heal; are more susceptible to colds and viruses; and experience stronger symptoms.

There is documented scientific evidence that electrical activity in the brain related to emotion has a direct effect on the body’s ability to heal and fights off disease. Negative thoughts produce a surge of activity in the right prefrontal cortex, which brings about a weak immune response; while positive thoughts produce activity in the left prefrontal cortex and strengthens immune response. It is true: happy people are healthier, simply because they are happy!

A positive thought program may also possess the ability to protect you from Alzheimer’s or other degenerative aging diseases. Because part of the process of positive thinking involves a continual quest for self-improvement and encourages you to stay mentally active, your mind will be in better shape as you age and you will be less susceptible to degenerative disease such as Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis. A sharp mind helps to maintain a sharp body.

Don’t underestimate the power of positive thinking in regards to your own health. You can think yourself healthy; and you will find that you have more energy, fewer colds, and an increased vitality. Perhaps some day, science will discover a way to inject happiness as a means to combat disease. Until then, we will have to be responsible for creating our own happiness.

Are you ready for a new life?

Positive thinking arms you with all the tools you need to achieve your deepest hopes, wishes and desires. You will be equipped to deal with any of the circumstances life presents you with, and receptive to the boundless possibilities that come with true happiness. Once you have planted and tended your mental garden, you can sit back and enjoy the harvest of success.

When you reach fruition of your positive thinking goals, it is important to relax and enjoy your accomplishments. You will not be motivated to move further in your life if you do not take the time to experience the benefits of all your hard work. Many people don’t know how to relax, and simply continue to push themselves believing that eventually, relaxation and reward will come to them. This is not the case: you must take the time for yourself to reap what you have sown in your mental garden.

Following are several suggestions to help you take in the true measure of your successes and use them to further even more positive gain:

• Take a "me" day. When you have reached a major goal, take an entire day for yourself. You’ve earned it. Engage in your favorite activities: read a good book, watch a movie, dine at your favorite restaurant. Pamper yourself: take a long bath, buy yourself a decadent dessert, get a professional massage. Refuse to do favors for anyone else on this day. Tell others that you are celebrating your success and indulge in good feelings. You will feel wonderful, and you will cement your achievements in your mind. Awareness of your progress is integral to your continued success.

• Spread the joy. Do you know someone with similar goals and ambitions? Take the time to share your accomplishments with anyone you feel will benefit from them. Tell them how you achieved your goals and share the secrets of your success. Changing your own life produces a powerful feeling, and when you use your own transformation to help others change as well, your own benefits are amplified. Happiness and success cannot be contained and kept for ourselves. Facilitate the spread of joy whenever possible, and you will find your efforts circling back to you again and again.

• Count your blessings. The more you accomplish, the more you stand to accomplish. Reflecting on the full realization of the completion of your goals will help you solidify your positive mindset. There may be benefits to your achievements that you have yet to realize. What have you gained by reaching your goals? Create a mental catalogue of all the ways your life is enriched by positive thinking and refer to it often. This practice adds to your arsenal of empowerment tools and exponentially increases your capacity to gain.

• Preserve the lesson. Just as you kept a journal of your progress toward the completion of your goals, you should keep a written record of your successes. The ability to reflect on change and the steps that led to it is crucial to your continued advancement. You may find yourself facing a similar challenge in the future, and having a set of written records to refer to saves you the mental difficulties of going through the process all over again as though you had never done it before. Additionally, writing down what you have learned enables you to discover the deeper meaning of all you have achieved, and everything you have gained in excess of your main objective.

• Start over. The sentiment "quit while you’re ahead" has no place in positive thinking. Though it is necessary to enjoy the rewards of your labor, it is equally necessary to set new goals; aim for higher standards. Never cease to learn and grow. When you have reached a point in your life that you feel satisfies your wishes and dreams, create new wishes and manufacture more dreams. Life is not a destination; it is a journey. To achieve perfection is to settle for complacency and stop living. We begin to die the moment we cease to change.

Relax! You’ve earned it. Just don’t forget to continue your quest for a fulfilled life after each success. Use positive thinking to accomplish any goal, whether it is organizing your desk or traveling the world. You can achieve your dreams, and you can start today. The best time to begin your journey toward fulfillment is right now.

Now that you have enjoyed the harvest of your flourishing mental garden, you must ensure that you will continue to produce a new crop, year after year. You cannot stop the rain from falling- but you can choose how you view it when it comes. You cannot avoid the passage of time and its eroding effects- but you can teach yourself to recognize when it is time to replant. You cannot keep others out of your garden- but you can choose to let them in.

With practice you will learn to weather the hard times and emerge from hibernation stronger each time. The more you use positive thinking, the greater your mental strength will become. You are firmly on the path to achieving what you desire from life, and the longer you remain, the more difficult it will be for anything to deter you.

Your journey has begun. Where it ends is entirely up to you.

When you begin a project or engage in self-improvement, follow these steps to tap in to the power of positive thinking.

1. ?? Banish negative thoughts from your mind.
2. ?? Decide to accomplish your goal.
3. ?? Formulate a set of positive thoughts revolving around your goal.
4. ?? Develop a step-by-step plan to reach your goal.
5. ?? Keep a journal of your thoughts and your progress.
6. ?? Practice getting out of your own way.
7. ?? Be flexible and prepared to start over in the event of setbacks.
8. ?? Visualize yourself achieving your goal.
9. ?? Maintain a positive attitude toward your goal.
10. ?? Do not allow the opinions of others to deter you from your path.
11. ?? Engage in daily self-confidence exercises to keep your goal fresh.
12. ?? Be yourself, behave, and be happy.
13. ?? Recognize when you have reached your goal and enjoy your success.
14. ?? Reflect on the path that has brought you to your goal.
15. ?? Record your reactions and feedback for future reference.

The Happy Guy: Articles, e-books and newsletters for inspiration and happiness.

Success Consciousness: Resources for visualization, positive thinking and affirmations for growth. www.successconsciousness.com

Attitude is Everything: Books, audio programs, motivational seminars and a free inspirational newsletter. www.attitudeiseverything.com

Self Esteem Resources: Articles, books, motivational programs and self-tests for improving self-esteem. www.more-selfesteem.com

Mental Help Net: Loads of resources for improving mental health, including self-help articles, programs and a community. www.mentalhelp.net

Mind Tools: Stress management, memory improvement and positive thinking techniques geared for career improvement. www.mindtools.com

Positive Thinking Magazine: Web site for the bi-monthly publication aimed at promoting and empowering positive thinking. www.positivethinkingmag.com

Inspirational Quotes: A large selection of positive quotations on several subjects; free subscription to Quote E-Zine. www.inspirational-quotations.com

Motivational Quotes: Internet database of motivational quotations and resources for motivation. www.motivationalquotes.com

Inspiration Peak: Online guide to inspirational books, music, articles and resources. Also features an extensive selection of quotes and inspirational forums, along with several free newsletters. www.inspirationpeak.com

World Wide Online Meditation Center: Clear, straightforward meditation instructions and extensive links to meditation resources. www.meditationcenter.com

MyHappiness: A web site designed to promote happiness and the sharing of happiness, offering resources, reviews, newsletters, articles and lessons from other community members. www.myhappiness.com

The Happiness Foundation: Promoting worldwide happiness. An extensive collection of resources, books, articles, videos and reports, along with a volunteer section for those who want to help spread happiness. www.happiness.org

Humanity Quest: A community portal for the exploration of the human condition. Includes themed articles and user discussions on over 500 human values, an inspirational newsletter, and an online study group. www.humanityquest.com

SelfGrowth.com: Online self improvement web site with lots of resources, free newsletters, articles, discussions, forums, self-tests, expert listings, and a members-only section. www.selfgrowth.com

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