By: Linda Sepadin
Here are a dozen ways to improve your life that are uncomplicated and fairly easy to put into practice:
Whatever you think your parents should have told you to help build your
self-confidence, tell that to yourself now.
Whatever you think your parents should have done for you when you were a
kid, do if for yourself now.
Negative feelings grow in isolation, so talk to someone about what you are
feeling - someone who will listen with understanding and empathy.
Fears grow in darkness. Shed light on your fears by learning more about what's frightening you. Do not, however, carry this advice to the extreme. Light
is good; dazzling spotlights, however, can be blinding.
Welcome opportunities to be courageous. Like a muscle, courage grows
stronger with consistent use.
Don't judge yourself harshly. None of us is perfect. We're all still
learning. Another day brings another chance to get it right.
You are the most important judge of how well you are doing. Ask yourself if you're satisfied with your efforts. If your answer is yes, don't pay attention to the voices that are telling you you're not okay.
A healthy dose of self-discipline and a sprinkling of courage can take you
a long, long way.
To live in fear is to waste precious time. Use your time to live a life
that you won't regret.
Life involves scads of disappointments. Don't contribute to them by
letting your guilt or worries stop you from doing the things you want to do.
Invest in your personal growth. You'll know it's paid off when you can say
with joy, "Yes, I can do that! Yes, I've achieved that! Yes, and I feel so
proud of myself."
Explore, dream and discover. In the words of Maya Angelou, "Life loves to
be taken by the lapel and told, 'I'm with you kid. Let's go!'"
Linda Sapadin, Ph.D. is a psychologist in private practice and author of
Master Your Fears: How to Triumph Over Your Worries and Get On With Your Life. She specializes in helping individuals, families and couples overcome
self-defeating patterns of behavior. She invites you to visit her website at
www.psychwisdom.com Copyright © 2004
