Confidence Is A Habit

When we get into the assertive habit, our automatic response to interpersonal situations is a feeling of confidence.

As a result, we handle them with calm assurance and feel great. Confidence breeds confidence.

If you want to get the same assertive habit, learn how to respond confidently to the following situations...


1. Handling Praise.

It is natural to feel pleased when we are paid a compliment from people we care about but we should always remember that they are only the views of others and that such views can always change.

To handle compliments confidently, keep in mind these points...

* Watch for signs of praise-addiction. Praise is nice but it should not be necessary for our own self-esteem.

* Thank people simply. Don't dismiss it when someone offers you praise, however sincerely you believe it was meant.

* Use the technique of positive assertion and positive enquiry to find out what other people liked, so you can do more of it.


2. Handling Criticism.

Criticism can hurt when it is expressed insensitively: "...I've only one criticism to make" or unskilfully: "...that was rubbish!"; or comes from people whose admiration we crave. When we are harshly criticised, it is tempting to either hit back at the critic or find someone else to blame. If we do neither of these, we may end up blaming ourselves and feeling bad.

The confident response to criticism is to...

* Get it straight in your head that this is only someone else's opinion. You can't make people like you.

* Take a wider view. Ask yourself how things will look in a month's time.

* Go to "the gallery". This is a place off-stage where you can consider what was said dispassionately.

* Try to swallow your pride and learn something from the criticism. You can do this by using the technique of negative enquiry and assertion.


3. Saying No.

We all find ourselves occasionally in situations where we say "Yes" to others when we really want to say "No": the boss who uses the willing workhorse; the mother-in-law who invites herself to stay; the friend who insists on buying you another round. You may think you are being "nice" by going along with their request but the chances are they won't see it that way and will simply impose on you again. You have exposed your weakness for them to exploit.

Reacting angrily to what you might see as an unreasonable request is equally inappropriate. It may result in you being seen as hostile. In the workplace an angry refusal to do a piece of work may brand you as being un-cooperative. The only viable solution that does not upset others or make you feel bad is the confident one of saying No.


4. Overcoming Shyness.

Overcoming shyness and acquiring poise requires a confident way of thinking together with the techniques of social manners. To learn the art of social poise...

* Make the first moves when you are in new surroundings; don't wait for others.

* Look relaxed and if you're not, make out you are.

* Prepare by finding out who the guests are, what topics are likely to be of interest...then forget everything while you focus on them.

* Stay in low key, don't hog the conversation.

* If you are being introduced to people who are on an equal social footing to you, mention what you have in common.

* If you are being introduced to someone of a higher social status, stay neutral.

* Get genuinely interested in others whoever they are.

* Learn the tactic of fre'eing yourself from one person and joining another without causing upset.


5. Admitting You're Wrong.

It is fear of the consequences of "owning up" that leads many unassertive people to hesitate about admitting mistakes. Some of the irrational self-talk that takes place in the unassertive person is: "I must be perfect at all times" or "If I admit my mistakes, I'll lose my chance of promotion" or "They won't like me any more" or "I'll look bad in their eyes"

To confidently admit a mistake...

* Remind yourself of your right not to be perfect.

* Own up as quickly and as simply as possible.

* Apologise if the mistake has caused anyone any problems; if not, still apologise out of courtesy. Apologise once and leave it at that.

* Ask others for help to solve the problem.

* Share the responsibility for putting things right.


6. Getting In Touch With Your Views.

The aggressive and passive points of view see the world as hostile and competitive. Other people are there to be beaten or to beat us. The consequences of this view of the world is that we continually compare ourselves to others. In the aggressive stance, we seek to prove that we are better than others or, in the submissive mode, that they are better than us.

The result is that we devalue our thoughts and feelings, believing that what others think or feel is more, or less, important than what we think or feel. We often make decisions about others according to their rank, status or position. The confident person makes no such value judgments. He or she gets in touch with their own point of view and expresses it openly and honestly.


7. Raising Our Self-Esteem.

We are all children of the universe, born equal and with the same assertive rights. Our self·esteem does not change because of who we are with or because of what we do. We each have the assertive right to get in touch with our own views and opinions and express them.

* Don't be overawed by others, no matter how loud they are, or what position in life they hold.

* See yourself and others as being worthy in your own right, not because of what you do.

* Surround yourself with people who value you for who you are.

* Find a way to tune in to your own views. Don't feel you have to have a special, witty, clever, novel or trendy view. No view is also a view.

* Practice articulating both positive feelings and negative feelings.
find out which forms of expression you are best at.

* * *

Learn to apply these different responses in your own situations with other people and, after just a short while, you'll discover you've mastered the valuable art of confidence!

* * *

By Eric Garner, from http://www.managetrainlearn.com/

Struggle Is Not Required: Seven Key Sources

Suzanne Holman

Struggle is not required for success. Does this sound impossible to you? Personally, I grew up with the philosophy that you needed to work hard to succeed. This doesn't really serve me today. What I've done for you is identify seven key sources of struggle. For each of these struggles, I'm sharing a remedy. Finally, we'll look at what the rewards are for squelching these struggles!

URGENCY
Struggle: When there is urgency, there is hurry. There is strong emphasis on what is "in your face" and the important things tend to be ignored. A decision made in this mode of thinking can often be one that is not grounded.
Remedy: Take a moment to breathe. Remind yourself that some of those things don't need immediate attention. Just that little pause can give you great perspective.
Reward: Satisfaction in being able to move forward in a purposeful, directed way.

SCARCITY
Struggle: When we feel there isn't enough, we tighten up. We may feel as though there is no support available. Perhaps the financial base isn't what we feel is necessary. How will we get all that we need?
Remedy: Remember that there is always enough. It may be that you just need to do the project in phases as the support comes to you. As you relax into the challenge, more solutions will come to you as to how to get the results you want.
Reward: Your attitude will have a positive effect on those around you. What a great legacy to spread to those who are learning from you!

LACK OF FOCUS
Struggle: Who hasn't found themselves going in circles trying to decide what needs to be done first?
Remedy: List your items and prioritize. Use the Covey quadrants relating to importance and urgency. Once you have decided on those items that are both urgent and important, you know where to start. Work down your priority list from there.
Reward: What a wonderful thing! You may have moved yourself so fluidly through the most pressing, important items that you have the freedom for more personal time.
Once you realize you are able to do this, you'll feel more confident scheduling your free days ahead of time, knowing that you'll be in the position to enjoy them!

SELF-IMPOSED DEADLINES
Struggle: Have you ever over promised and then found that you are getting lots of pressure for the finished product at the last minute? Sometimes in the interest of pleasing others and showing how good we are, we say that we can do things in minimal time.
Remedy: This is super stress that is not necessary if you take the time to schedule realistic deadlines. It's important to factor in any obstacles that can get in the way of smooth completion so that you are able to move toward the deadline at a solid, steady pace.
Reward: Clients are pleased that you have met or exceeded your promised due date. Those around you are thrilled that you are not "biting their heads off" as you did when you were overstressed with deadlines you were not meeting.

NEGATIVE SELF-TALK
Struggle: We can really cloud our thinking with lots of self-reminders of how we performed poorly on previous projects. It's easy for those negative memories to dominate because they are the painful ones. How difficult it is to feel passionate and motivated when this heaviness is hanging over us.
Remedy: Take the time to think of those times that you were successful. Notice what you are doing well now. At the end of each day, really acknowledge yourself for what you did accomplish. It's easy to forget about that when we are making exaggerated notations to ourselves of our shortcomings for the day.
Reward: Passion comes alive when there is room for it! Getting rid of those gremlins jumping around in our heads can make a huge difference in our energy level!

FEAR OF CRITICISM
Struggle: When we have fear of being criticized, it is easy to try to please everyone all the time. We tend to moderate our words, our actions, and look over our shoulder to see who's watching. This is a sure-fire way to stumble at what we're doing (we're not watching ..too busy looking to see who else is watching). How can we be creative when we're so concerned who may not like our original idea?
Remedy: We may please some of the people all the time. We may please all of the people some of the time. But we won't please everyone ALL of the time. Just accept that fact. Complete your projects with your creative juices flowing. Be aware of new ideas you may have that will make things go better.
Reward: Your creativity will grow exponentially. When you look for it and accept it without fear, you will come up with more innovative ideas.

ALLOWING URGENT ISSUES TO PUSH OUT THE IMPORTANT ONES
Struggle: How frustrating it is to feel as though you are supposed to be doing three or more things at once!
Remedy: As is usually the case, you need to pause for just a moment to get a sense of just what it is you need to be doing right now. Some things that may seem huge are really not that important in the scheme of things. Perhaps some of those items can be taken care of by someone other than you. Focus on what you know needs to be taken care of.
Reward: Others will respect you when they see you taking charge in a centered, empowered way. You will find that you are able to feel accomplished because you were not swept away by extra issues that were not best handled by you at that time.

Struggle isn't required. Can you accept this fact?

Notice yourself. Watch when you are flowing through your day and when you are banging your head against the wall.

Remember the struggles we've discussed here and try out those remedies. The rewards are well worth it!

Article Source :
http://www.bestmanagementarticles.com
http://performance-management.bestmanagementarticles.com

A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles
Chris


Enthusiasm holds on to our dreams, persistence makes the most of them

"Our real duty is always found running in the direction of our worthiest desires."
Randolph S. Bourne

Dedicate yourself to continuous personal improvement -- you are your most precious resource."
-- Brian Tracy

Make education a continuing, never-ending process."
-- Nido Qubein

"When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn."
--Harriet Beecher Stowe


What we see as easy, we make easy.

The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.
--Eleanor Roosevelt

EARN as much as you can.
SAVE as much as you can.
INVEST as much as you can.
GIVE as much as you can.

Do not let what you cannot do interfere with what you can do.

Success is not the key to happiness.
Happiness is the key to success.
If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.


"Most people are so busy knocking themselves out trying to
do everything they think they should do, they never get around
to do what they want to do."
...Kathleen Winsor


"If you want to make good use of your time, you've got to know
what's most important and then give it all you've got."
...Lee Iacocca



Do everything with so much love in your heart that you would never want to do it any other way.

Life works wonders on those who think life is wonderful
--Sally Huss.

Always behave like a duck -
keep calm and unruffled on the surface but paddle like the devil underneath'
-- Jacob Braude.

Be willing to be uncomfortable.
Be comfortable being uncomfortable.
It may get tough, but it's a small price to pay for living a dream.


Always look on the bright side of life.

While one person hesitates because he feels inferior, the other is busy making mistakes and becoming superior.


The best way to get even is to forget.

Feed your faith and your doubts will starve to death.

Some folks wear their halos much too tight!

Some marriages are made in heaven, but they ALL have to be maintained on earth.

Sorrow looks back, worry looks around, and faith looks up.

Standing in the middle of the road is dangerous; traffic from both directions may knock you down.

Words are windows to the heart.

A skeptic is a person who sees the handwriting on the wall, and then claims that it is a forgery.

It isn't difficult to make a mountain out of a molehill, just add a little dirt.

A successful marriage isn't finding the right person; it's being the right person.

The mighty oak tree was once a little nut that held its ground.

The tongue must be heavy, indeed, because so few people can hold it.

To forgive is to set the prisoner free and then discover the prisoner was you.

It's all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush when you are done.

You'll notice that a turtle only makes progress when it sticks out its neck.

If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, you can bet the water bill is higher.


“I will enrich my life each day with laughter, forgiveness, and by giving to others.”

“Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth.”
– Muhammad Ali, boxer


Exploration and the will to discover new things, is critical in finding knowledge. Once knowledge is found, the window to wisdom is exposed. When knowledge and wisdom find each other through this window, understanding reflects back at both. This understanding is the key to finding love as well as happiness.


Hate the sin itself and not the man himself who commit it.
Japanese proverb

We must overcome the notion that we must be regular...
it robs you of the chance to be extraordinary and leads you to the mediocre.
--Uta Hagen

Say good words,
have good thoughts,
do good deeds, and
Help Make a World of Difference.

“Once the game is over the king and the pawn go back in the same box.” Italian Proverb

Punishment
is the unhappy way
we ask others
to change
..often,
they kick us back.

If you were sane living in an insane world, normal living among the abnormal, you'd be the one considered wrong; however, history will be your judge.
- John Dillow -

"There is only one corner of the universe you can be certain of improving, and that's your own self."
Aldous Huxley


An idea about obstacles
In ancient times, a king had a boulder placed on a roadway. Then he hid himself and watched to see if anyone would remove the huge rock. Some of the king's wealthiest merchants and courtiers came by and simply walked around it. Many loudly blamed the king for not keeping the roads clear, but none did anything about getting the big stone out of the way. Then a peasant came along carrying a load of vegetables. On approaching the boulder, the peasant laid down his burden and tried to move the stone to the side of the road. After much pushing and straining, he finally succeeded. As the peasant picked up his load of vegetables, he noticed a purse laying on the road where the boulder had been. The purse contained many gold coins and a note from the king indicating that the gold was for the person who removed the boulder from the roadway. The peasant learned what many others never understand. Every obstacle presents an opportunity to improve one's condition.


True Love is when you can sit in a room together and say nothing, and it feels like you've said a thousand words!

Most people would rather have the appearance of wealth and be without it, than have the appearance of no wealth but have much of it.

"Many of our fears are tissue paper thin, and a single courageous step would carry us clear through them."
Brendan Francis

"I didn't get to where I am by thinking about it or dreaming about it. I got there by doing it."
Estee Lauder

Socrates' Wisdom
Posted by: "Bert Guiang" guiang_bert@yahoo.com guiang_bert
Thu Feb 15, 2007 11:01 am (PST)
Keep this philosophy in mind the next time you hear or
are about to repeat a rumor.

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was widely
lauded for his wisdom.

One day the great philosopher came upon an
acquaintance, who ran up to him excitedly and said,
"Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of
your students...?"

"Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before you tell
me, I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called
the Test of Three."

"Test of Three?"

"That's correct," Socrates continued.
"Before you talk to me about my student let's take a
moment to test what you're going to say. The first
test is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what
you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man replied, "actually I just heard about
it."

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know
if it's true or not. Now let's try the second test,
the test of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me
about my student something good?"

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me
something bad about him even though you're not certain
it's true?"

The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.

Socrates continued, "You may still pass though because
there is a third test - the filter of Usefulness.

Is what you want to tell me about my student going to
be useful to me?"

"No, not really..."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell
me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful, why tell
it to me at all?"

The man was defeated and ashamed and said no more.

This is the reason Socrates was a great philosopher
and held in such high esteem.

It also explains why Socrates didn't find out that
Plato was banging his wife.

===


> Slow Down Culture
>
> SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT...
>
>
> An interesting reflection. : Slow Down Culture
>
> It's been 18 years since I joined Volvo, a Swedish
> company. Working for them has proven to be an
interesting experience. Any project here takes
> 2 years to be finalized, even if the idea is simple
> and brilliant. It's a rule.
>
> Globalize processes have caused in us (all over the
> world) a general sense of searching for immediate
results. Therefore, we have come to posses a
> need to see immediate results. This contrasts
> greatly with the slow movements of the Swedish.
They, on the other hand, debate, debate,
> debate, hold x quantity of meetings and work with a
slowdown scheme. At the end, this always yields better
results.
>
> Said in another words:
> 1. Sweden is about the size of San Pablo, a state in
> Brazil.
> 2. Sweden has 2 million inhabitants.
> 3. Stockholm, has 500,000 people.
> 4. Volvo, Escania, Ericsson, Electrolux, Nokia are
> some of its renowned companies. Volvo supplies the
NASA.
>
> The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues
> picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was
September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive
> early at the company and he would park far away from
> the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to
work). The first day, I didn't say
> anything, either the second or third. One morning I
asked, "Do you have a fixed parking space? I've
noticed we park far from the entrance even when
> there are no other cars in the lot." To which he
replied, "Since we're here early we'll have time to
walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need
> a place closer to the door. Don't you think? Imagine
> my face.
>
> Nowadays, there's a movement in Europe name Slow
Food. This movement establishes that people should eat
and drink slowly, with enough time to taste their
food, spend time with the family, friends, without
rushing. Slow Food is against its counterpart: the
spirit of Fast Food and what it stands for as a
lifestyle. Slow Food is the basis for a bigger
movement called Slow Europe, as mentioned by Business
Week.
>
> Basically, the movement questions the sense of
> "hurry" and "craziness" generated by globalization,
fueled by the desire of "having in quantity"
> (life status) versus "having with quality", "life
> quality" or the "quality of being". French people,
even though they work 35 hours per week, are more
> productive than Americans or British. Germans have
> established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their
productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow
> attitude has brought forth the US's attention,
> pupils of the fast and the "do it now!".
>
> This no-rush attitude doesn't represent doing less
> or having a lower productivity. It means working and
doing things with greater quality, productivity,
perfection, with attention to detail and less stress.
It means reestablishing family values, friends, free
> and leisure time. Taking the "now", present and
concrete, versus the "global", undefined and
> anonymous. It means taking humans' essential values,
> the simplicity of living.
>
> It stands for a less coercive work environment, more
> happy, lighter and more productive where humans
enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It's time
to stop and think on how companies need to develop
serious quality with no-rush that will increase
productivity and the quality of products and services,
without losing the essence of spirit.
>
> In the movie, Scent of a Woman, there's a scene
> where Al Pacino asks a girl to dance and she
replies, "I can't, my boyfriend will be here any
minute now". To which Al responds, "A life is lived in
an instant". Then they dance to a tango.
>
> Many of us live our lives running behind time, but
> we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in
a car accident rushing to be on time. Others
> are so anxious of living the future that they forget
> to live the present, which is the only time that
truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the
world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in
how each one of us does with our time. We need to live
each moment.
> As John Lennon said, "Life is what happens to you
while you're busy making other plans".
>
> Congratulations for reading till the end of this
> message. There are many who will have stopped in the
middle so as not to waste time in this
> globalized world.

====

"I am here for a purpose and that purpose is to grow
into a mountain, not to shrink to a grain of sand.

Henceforth will I apply all my efforts to become the
highest mountain of all, and I will strain my potential
until it cries for mercy."

- Og Mandino (1923-1996)

===

"The game of life is the game of boomerangs.
Our thoughts, deeds and words return to us sooner or later, with astounding accuracy."


--Florence Shinn - 1871-1940, Writer


===

FOCUS ON YOUR FUTURE NOT YOUR PAST

____________________________________

Your future is a big adventure.
Prepare for your future, don't live in the past.
Savor your good memories,
use any bad ones as lessons in life.



Carve out a niche for yourself in your imagined future.
Think, feel and see yourself as successful.
To achieve any goal in life, you need to project your end result.
Think of the elation, the satisfaction, the joy you'll feel.
Carry these ecstatic feelings with you every day
and they'll bring your desired goals into view.



Sooner or later, you can win if you think you can.
The cards you are dealt in life
are less important than the way you play them.
Every day you're offered a new deal and new cards.



Success is in your future if you're willing to work for it.



===



"Most of all, never give up on your dreams.
They are the ultimate guiding light, the essence of who you are and what you can accomplish with faith and perseverance."

===





"Positive thoughts have power to change your life when they're fueled by positive emotions

"Buried deep within each of us is a spark of greatness, a spark than can be fanned into flames of passion and achievement.

That spark is not outside of you it is born deep within you."

--- James A. Ray

"There isn't a ruler, a yard stick or a measuring tape in the entire world long enough to compute the Strength and capabilities inside you."

--- Paul Meyer

"An attitude of calm, confident expectation activates your creativity and unlocks your mental powers."

--- Brian Tracy

"Genius is there in all of us, just waiting for us to tap into it."

---Robert R. Toth


Say good words,
have good thoughts,
do good deeds, and
Help Make a World of Difference.


"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."
Walt Disney



Independence is a great gift. Use it to your best ability. If you use others to hold you up, you will never learn to live for yourself, and you will always need someone else to do everything for you



Last spring I was walking in a park. A short distance ahead of me was a mom and her three-year-old daughter. The little girl was holding on to a string that was attached to a helium balloon.



All of a sudden, a sharp gust of wind took the balloon from the little girl. I braced myself for some screaming and crying.



But, no! As the little girl turned to watch her balloon go skyward, she gleefully shouted out, "Wow!"



I didn't realize it at that moment, but that little girl taught me something.



Later that day, I received a phone call from a person with news of an unexpected problem.

I felt like responding with "Oh no, what should we do?"



But remembering that little girl, I found myself saying, "Wow, that's interesting! How can I help you?"



One thing's for sure - life's always going to keep us off balance with its unexpected problems. That's a given.



What's not preordained is our response. We can choose to be frustrated or fascinated.



No matter what the situation, a fascinated "Wow!" will always beat a frustrated "Oh, no."



So the next time you experience one of life's unexpected gusts, remember that little girl and make it a "Wow!" experience.



The "Wow!" response always works.




A real friend never gets in your way...

unless you happen to be on the way down.

--Dr. Wayne Dyer




"There are short-cuts to happiness, and dancing is one of them."

--Vicki Baum




"There are short-cuts to happiness, and sex is one definitely of them."


Things should be as simple as possible, but not simpler.
Albert Einstein


Take a 10-30 minute walk every day.
And while you walk, smile. It is the ultimate anti-depressant.


Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
Buy a lock if you have to.


When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement:
My purpose is to___________ today.


Live with the 3 E's: Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy.


Watch more movies, play more games, and read more books than you did in 2006.


Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, qigong, and prayer.
They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.


Spend more time with people over the age of 70 and under the age of 6.


Dream more while you are awake.


Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less foods that are manufactured in plants.


Drink green tea and plenty of water and eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds, and walnuts.


Try to make at least 3 (or 30, or 300) people smile each day.


Clear the clutter from your house, your car, your desk, and let new and flowing energy into your life.


Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts, or things you cannot control. Instead, invest your energy in the positive present moment.


Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn.
Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.


Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.


Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.


Life isn't fair, but it's still good.


Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.


Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.


You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.


Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.


Don't compare your life to others'.
You have no idea what their journey is all about.




Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, and wear the fancy lingerie.
Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special!


No one is in charge of your happiness except you.


Frame every so-called disaster with these words: "In five years, will this matter?"


Forgive everyone everything.


What other people think of you is none of your business.


Time heals almost everything. Give time time.


However good or bad a situation is, it will change.


Your job won't take care of you when you are sick.
Your friends will.
Stay in touch.


Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful, or joyful.


Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.


The best is yet to come.


No matter how you feel, get up, dress up, and show up.


Always Do The Right Thing. (ADTRT)


Call your mother and father often.


Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements:
I am thankful for __________.
Today I accomplished____________.


Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.


Enjoy the ride.
Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass.


"Life may not be the party we hoped for... but while we are here we might as well dance!"


"The next time you feel like God cannot use you, just remember:
Noah was a drunk;
Jacob was a liar;
Leah was ugly;
Abraham was too old;
Isaac was a daydreamer;
Joseph was abused;
Gideon was afraid;
Elijah was suicidal;
Jonah was an escapist;
Job was bankrupt;
Jeremiah was a crybaby;
the disciples fell asleep while praying;
Peter denied his Master; and...
Lazarus was dead!"


BE HONEST

Even if others are not
Even if others will not
Even if others cannot

"He who walks honestly walks securely."
Proverbs 10:9



Fun Thought...

fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too. Cna yuo raed tihs?
(Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can).

i c'dnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it.

Now I Know you're gonna forward this but...
ONLY FORWARD IT IF YOU CAN READ IT!!


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The Qualities of Skillful Leadership

by Jim Rohn



If you want to be a leader who attracts quality people, the key is to become a person of quality yourself. Leadership is the ability to attract someone to the gifts, skills, and opportunities you offer as an owner, as a manager, as a parent. I call leadership the great challenge of life.



What's important in leadership is refining your skills. All great leaders keep working on themselves until they become effective. Here are some specifics:



1) Learn to be strong but not rude. It is an extra step you must take to become a powerful, capable leader with a wide range of reach. Some people mistake rudeness for strength. It's not even a good substitute.



2) Learn to be kind but not weak. We must not mistake kindness for weakness. Kindness isn't weak. Kindness is a certain type of strength. We must be kind enough to tell somebody the truth. We must be kind enough and considerate enough to lay it on the line. We must be kind enough to tell it like it is and not deal in delusion.



3) Learn to be bold but not a bully. It takes boldness to win the day. To build your influence, you've got to walk in front of your group. You've got to be willing to take the first arrow, tackle the first problem, discover the first sign of trouble.



4) You've got to learn to be humble, but not timid. You can't get to the high life by being timid. Some people mistake timidity for humility. Humility is almost a God-like word. A sense of awe. A sense of wonder. An awareness of the human soul and spirit. An understanding that there is something unique about the human drama versus the rest of life. Humility is a grasp of the distance between us and the stars, yet having the feeling that we're part of the stars. So humility is a virtue; but timidity is a disease. Timidity is an affliction. It can be cured, but it is a problem.



5) Be proud but not arrogant. It takes pride to win the day. It takes pride to build your ambition. It takes pride in community. It takes pride in cause, in accomplishment. But the key to becoming a good leader is being proud without being arrogant. In fact I believe the worst kind of arrogance is arrogance from ignorance. It's when you don't know that you don't know. Now that kind of arrogance is intolerable. If someone is smart and arrogant, we can tolerate that. But if someone is ignorant and arrogant, that's just too much to take.



6) Develop humor without folly. That's important for a leader. In leadership, we learn that it's okay to be witty, but not silly. It's okay to be fun, but not foolish.

Lastly, deal in realities. Deal in truth. Save yourself the agony. Just accept life like it is. Life is unique. Some people call it tragic, but I'd like to think it's unique. The whole drama of life is unique. It's fascinating. And I've found that the skills that work well for one leader may not work at all for another. But the fundamental skills of leadership can be adapted to work well for just about everyone: at work, in the community, and at home.



===


WHO PACKED YOUR PARACHUTE?









Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important.



We may fail to say hello, please, thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason.



Charles Plumb, a US Naval Academy graduate, was a jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile.



Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands.



He was captured and spent 6 years in a communist prison.



He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience.



One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, "You're Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!"



"How in the world did you know that?" asked Plumb.



"I packed your parachute," the man replied.



Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude.



The man grabbed his hand and said, "I guess it worked!"



Plumb assured him, "It sure did. If your chute hadn't worked, I wouldn't be here today."



Plumb couldn't sleep that night, thinking about that man.



Plumb kept wondering what the man might have looked like in a Navy uniform. He wondered how many times he might have seen him and not even said good morning, how are you or anything, because you see, he was a fighter pilot and the man was just a sailor.



Plumb thought of the many hours that sailor had spent in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he did not know.



Now Plumb asks his audience, "Who is packing your parachute?"



Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day.



Plumb also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plane was shot down.



As you go through your week, month, and even New Year, recognize the people who have packed your parachute and enabled you to get where you are today!

--- Author Unknown



--

"Do to others (first) as you would like them to do to you"

20 ways to a smarter kid

By: Anne Sevilla-Tiangco

PARENTS, check this out.

If you want your kids to perform better in school or enhance his learning potentials, you could help him out by learning the 20 ways to a smarter kid.

Studies show that children process new and difficult information in different ways and knowing how your child’s unique learning style could definitely make him a smarter kid.

A child’s learning style could be easily determined by 20 environmental, emotional, sociological, physiological and psychological factors.

Environmental factors include sound, light, temperature and design.

Try to find out if your child prefers to study in a quiet room or if he absorbs lessons faster in a room with music. Try to know also the level of lighting your child requires for optimum learning. It would also help to determine how heat or cold affects your child study behavior, meaning, does he study better in an air-conditoned room or in a warm room. The room design is also a factor as some children want to study in a formal setting while others prefer an informal seating arrangement.

Parents should also observe the emotional factors that affect the child’s study habits.

What motivates the child to study, whether it is internal motivation or external feedback, is very important. It is also necessary to find out if the child performs better as a conformist (high responsibility taker) or non-conformist (low responsibility). It is also wise to determine if the child could handle multiple tasks at a time or if he is more comfortable handling single tasks at a time. Parents should also take note whether the child responds better to explicit step-by-step formal directions to do work or if he feels comfortable receiving general informal instructions.

Finding out the sociological factors that affect your child’s study habits is another step.
Does the child prefer to study alone to maximize learning? Does he prefer to pair with someone to study better? Does he learn best with a small group of three or with a team? Does he prefer to study with an adult? Or does he prefer a combination of ways or methods to effectively study?

Children also differ in physiological factors. Some understand better by listening (auditory), some by seeing (visual), some by touching (tactile) while others and/by moving (kinesthetic).

Even your child’s food or liquid intake affects his study habits. Some children learn better while they’re eating or drinking while some prefer eating before or after an activity.

Parents should also observe their child’s mobility factors. Could he sit still for long periods of time while learning or does he need short breaks in between sitting still?

Also, the child’s best time to study is very crucial. Is your child a morning person and performs best during day time or is he a night owl and absorbs lessons faster at night?

Finally, parents should try to discover the psychological factors that affect their child’s study habits.

Is your child intuitive, imaginative, creative (global/ right-brained learner) or logical, structured and formal (left-brained learner)? Does he think before acting (reflective) or acts before thinking (impulsive)?

An analysis of learning styles permits parents to identify how their child prefers to learn, suggests a basis for designing the classroom environment, and indicates conditions where students are likely to excel, thereby, creating a smarter kid.

Once the barriers to learning are taken down, the child learns faster and better.

It is only when you know how your child learns that you can best teach him. And it is only when his specific learning style is considered that he can perform best.

Fortunately, for parents, there is a school right at the heart of Manila that specializes in the 20 ways to a smarter kid formula, among other things.

The Eton International Primary School brings to the country a revolutionary educational program that caters to the individual learning styles of every child.

With a very small class size of 10, Eton Manila provides a very personalized education that promises to bring out the best in your child.

Eton Manila Directres Jacqueline Marzan-Tolentino boasts of the school’s international curriculum, inspired by the Eton Britain and Eton Singapore, with Asian values that promote holistic child growth and development.

“These programs are implemented by a select group of faculty members who are highly competent in their various fields and who have undergone special training and certification on teaching according to the Learning Styles Model,” Tolentino said.

Eton kids are trained to be tri-lingual, computer savvy and given academic lessons way ahead of those being used in the Philippines.

Tolentino added that the experiential activities, such as performances and field trips abroad, also enhance the students’ intelligences and skills.

“We believe that play is vital in a child’s learning so lessons at Eton Manila are taught in innovative and fun ways to ensure that learning becomes enjoyable for your child,” she said.

The best thing about an Eton education, Tolentino said, is that parents are involved every step of their child’s progress.

“We explain to parents the individual learning style of their child and we provide them with progress reports of the child’s development reguarly via quarterly evaluations,
video developmental assessment and other media,” Tolentino said.

Eton Manila, Tolentino said, is not your ordinary pre-school.

“We are confident that with the quality of education that Eton Manila provides, we are shaping future global leaders,” Tolentino said.

She added that at Eton Manila, “we multiply intelligences by celebrating the differences and diversity of each student.”

For more information about Eton International Primary School, please call 526-2995 or 0919-4732481. You may also visit their website www.etonph.com or email at etonmanila@yahoo.com.