Motivational Makeover

By Ronnie Nijmeh

So often, we see individuals on television receiving a free makeover from a talk show host or a panel of celebrity "fashion police" on a reality show. The participants are absolutely elated with their new clothes, new hairstyle, and fresh new look. Their faces beam at the idea of becoming a new person - shedding off the old and taking on a new, different persona, like a snake shedding its skin. The transformation is sometimes drastic and commonly for the better.

Would it not be equally energizing and advantageous if we were able to give our personalities, attitudes, and thoughts a motivational makeover? We should not only want to look our best, but also feel our best and have the best of ourselves on display for the entire world to observe.

We can begin our internal renovation by making use of free motivational wallpapers in our workspace and personal desktops. Our senses and emotions are immediately heightened by these motivational wallpaper backgrounds. These jewels of photography and inspirational quotes can jar our outlook and attitudes. Our minds are excited into new thought processes, and our personalities have only to follow.

Motivational wallpaper backgrounds possess quotes created to incite a person to action. The presented imagery highlights hope, change for the better, success, and wisdom - all of the things necessary to makeover an individual's psyche. Real, lasting change can only come about if it derives from within and makes it way outward. These free and awe inspiring wallpapers help to boost an individual's self-perception, elevate progress, and add to endless possibilities. And as a result, positive energy emanates through their facial expressions, body language, verbal communication, actions, and outer appearance.

Free motivational wallpapers are tremendously engaging. The nature photographs generate a calming sensation and allow one to reflect on the words, which seem to speak directly to us. In addition, they permit us a moment to think about how the quotes apply to their personal and work life. The spirit is uplifted, and the mind and body are spurred into doing. No longer does the person want to sit in one place - in a state of complacency. The comfort of procrastination and stagnation are replaced by new momentum and direction.

Motivation is a powerful tool. If we can study and accept the benefits from its impact on our lives, we can undoubtedly attain a great deal from our personal relationships, our place of work, and ourselves. We live in a society that focuses greatly on aesthetics and pours millions of dollars into the cosmetic, medical, and fashion industries in order to look a certain way. We are frequently bombarded with "what's in" and the latest fads and trends. With so much being hurled our way to make us prettier, leaner, or more glamorous, we should not lose sight of the most important enhancement - our attitudes and characters.

By enriching our personalities with motivation, our inner and outer selves will receive the makeover they deserve, and our overall physical and emotional qualities will greatly improve.

Ronnie Nijmeh is the president and founder of ACQYR.com - a resource that provides free inspirational desktop wallpapers, motivational articles, and positive affirmations. Download free inspirational desktop backgrounds: http://www.acqyr.com/Wallpapers/

Article Source: http://www.articlebiz.com/

Living According to Your Values, Valuing Your Life Accordingly

By Marc De Bruin

"Personal leadership is the process of keeping your vision and values before you and aligning your life to be congruent with them -Stephen Covey.

Have you seen the movie "the Secret"? Many people rave about it, and partly for very good reasons., look at current results you have created in your life or business, both positive and negative. Realise in all honesty that you have created these results by your values hierarchy. And if you think some of the results were outside your sphere of influence, then realise in all honesty that you have created the response to these results through your values hierarchy!: have a close look at how you would like your results to be. If some of your current achievements aren't the way you want them, ask yourself: what DO I want?: what values would you need to have in that specific area to start creating the results you desire? More business nous? More family time? Looking after your health a bit more? Improving communication skills? Find the values and put them into a hierarchy.: start living according to your new values more than you do to your old ones. What will you do differently? What actions are more in line with your new hierarchy?

It's a great movie if you want to get some insights into how our brains actually operate on a -let's call it- creation level. It is sometimes said that "it's all in our minds", and I believe that to be true. Reality = Perception of Reality, and perception makes reality subjective, makes it our creation. The Secret teaches us that we, within our own perceived reality, are able to create whatever it is we want, as long as we put attention, energy and focus on our desires.

The speakers in the Secret are right. Over the years, I have been teaching my clients similar fool- and fail-proof techniques on how to do it: create a life and/or a business which is their conscious choice. The techniques are easy and simple, just as life is easy and simple (trust me: the more you work with this "stuff", the more you realise that life really is easy and simple. It's us that make it seem complicated...)

The Secret forgets to mention one thing, though: the fact that you are already perfectly and exactly creating the life and business you want. Right now!

But hang on a minute, you may say: there things that are absolutely not working in my life at the moment! How come you say I am creating "perfectly"? There's nothing perfect about it!

Well, here is a statement for you to chew on: as far as value system is concerned, you ARE leading a life and/or running a business in perfect creation. You may not like all the results, though.

Confused already? Alright, here's a brief explanation.

We live our lives by our values. Our values are the things that are most important to us in our lives, certain experiences we choose over others. To give you an example: if you really value your family life, you may choose family over career. Or if you value health more than you do finances, you may spend more money on health related items than you will on saving for later.
Makes sense, doesn't it?

Realise that no value system is better than another. They are just different.

Once I know what a person's values are, I can virtually predict what that person is going to do in any given situation: s/he will decide according the hierarchy in his/her value system. Unless a very conscious decision is made to do things differently this time.

For example, again: if a person with business values in his top 5 has to choose between spending $500 on advertising or on buying new curtains or carpet for in his house, the choice is relatively easy! So too for his wife (who doesn't have business high in her values list!

In relation to our value system, we are perfect creators. If we value our comfort zone more than we do getting OUT of it, we will do just that: stay in our comfort zone! Nothing wrong with that, but the results may not always be the ones we want!

There is a simple solution -and The Secret does not talk about that! Change your values hierarchy, and start living accordingly. Again, we often do that without thinking about it! A person with drinking, eating and partying high in the values hierarchy will promptly change his life when he is confronted with a severe, drinking related illness! And when we seriously had enough of some aspects in our life, we can suddenly change everything around to reflect a new values hierarchy.

There is a science to changing your values, and that science is absolutely teachable and learnable. Heck, it was the same science that assisted me to let go of my life as a lawyer, and start all over as a coach in a different country!

Your personality type plays a big part in assessing your current values and changing them, if that is what you desire. Dreamtime Personalities is a great tool to use in that respect! If you would like to make a start, look at this Landmarc.

Set a Landmarc:

Firstly, look at current results you have created in your life or business, both positive and negative. Realise in all honesty that you have created these results by your values hierarchy. And if you think some of the results were outside your sphere of influence, then realise in all honesty that you have created the response to these results through your values hierarchy!
Secondly, have a close look at how you would like your results to be. If some of your current achievements aren't the way you want them, ask yourself: what DO I want?

Thirdly, what values would you need to have in that specific area to start creating the results you desire? More business nous? More family time? Looking after your health a bit more?Improving communication skills? Find the values and put them into a hierarchy.

Lastly, start living according to your new values more than you do to your old ones. What will you do differently? What actions are more in line with your new hierarchy?

You may say: it sounds easier than it is! But I assure you: it is as easy as it sounds, perhaps even easier! It's the putting it into practice that may be the challenge, but that is also something I can help you with!

Start living according to your values. You will be valued accordingly!

Marc is a certified life/business coach, master NLP Practitioner and Body Stress Release Practitioner on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia.

He is among Australia's Law of Attraction (LOA) experts, and coaches/mentors internationally with the LOA principles. Marc inspires his clients to find out what has been hindering them all along in achieving what they want, and to then make the conscious choice to take their lives and/or careers to the next level.

Having been a lawyer for nearly 6 years in his "previous life", before immigrating to Australia from The Netherlands, Marc knows exactly how daunting taking the first step in a new direction can be. On the other hand, he also knows how fulfilling taking that step is, and has the knack of imparting his knowledge and wisdom in a stunningly simple and highly effective way.
Visit http://www.landmarc.info, or email him at marc@landmarc.info to arrange a complimentary face-to-face or phone mentoring session!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marc_De_Bruin

I Think I Can. I Think I Can. Can I?

By Michele Wahlder

I think I can. I think I can. Can I?

Your mental train ticket to self-empowerment

We all find ourselves at certain points in our lives holding first class tickets to negative mental trains of thought. Michele Wahlder (MS, LPC, PCC), a two-time cancer survivor and Dallas, Texas-based Certified Life Coach and Psychotherapist, has placed thousands of people on the right track to self-empowerment via a plan she calls the 5 C Process. The journey challenges individuals to:

One Clarify Current View – Where are you now - honestly?

Conscious awareness of your current view is the first step in becoming the best you can be. Getting clear about how your life aligns with your values, talents and unique gifts is vital to your happiness. You need to know where you are in order to learn where you want to go.You can clarify your current view by completing a review of eight life areas. Be honest with yourself about how happy are you with your profession, finances, health and overall well-being, primary relationships, personal development, spirituality, environment, hobbies, etc.

TwoConnect with Your Highest Vision – Where do you want to be?

Example: A client of mine, a yoga instructor, decided she was happy teaching but wanted to contribute to the world on a larger level. She wasn’t happy with the quality of the yoga clothing that was accessible to her and her fellow yogis. Her vision was to design and create fun, hip and timeless yoga clothes using eco-conscious fabrics.

You have to get really clear about what you want. It is crucial that you connect to your highest vision of yourself because you can’t create it unless you are clear about what it looks like. If you don’t have a vision of where you want to go or what you want to be, you will most likely NOT get there. To quote Henrietta Klauser, "If you have a connection to what you want, take the next step and write it down." If you don’t have any idea about what you want, or how you want to be in life to bring about greater happiness, begin looking through magazines and create a Vision Board/Collage of what attracts you. You may also want to consider getting an outside perspective from a friend or a professional coach. I take my clients through a guided imagery that gives them a glimpse of what their future could look like. There are also books that can help guide you. Just get help assessing your talents, divine gifts and abilities and then determine how you want to use them more fully in the world. We can’t help others as fully, if we are not aware of how we can best serve. So instead of thinking of it as selfish to engage in knowing yourself better, I would suggest you consider it selfish to hold back and not be the best you can be. Only in this way, can we help the world and others.

ThreeCreate Inspiring Goals – How will you get there?

Example: My client created a tiered plan of what needed to happen step by step – outer goal. All of this was influenced by her inner goal of keeping a measured pace and a balanced life. Her goal was to enjoy the process.You have to create a plan and take specific actions to get you from where you are now to where you want to be. When most people write goals, they just write a list of action steps, usually external actions. I believe it is more powerful to have inner and outer goals. An outer goal is what you want. For instance, you might think, "I want a new house". An inner goal is more focused on the how. How will a new home benefit me and my family? Will it offer more common gathering areas, a larger kitchen so that we can cook together, etc.? How can I appreciate what I have now until I get this home? How can I make this a joyful experience rather than a stressful one? If you can not be grateful for what you have now, then when you get a new home, it will only create very short-term happiness for you. Then, you will be focused on the next external illusion of happiness. For 2008, I suggest taking at least three of the life areas I mentioned earlier and jot down how you could benefit from living your highest vision in each area. Next, add action steps toward your desired achievements along with completion dates.

FourClear Obstacles – How will you remove obstacles in your way?

We all have dreams and visions for our life, but frankly, there are many things that can get in the way. The two most common obstacles I see with my clients are:

The inability to say NO— In order to bridge the gap from your current view to your highest vision, you have to make room for what "Could Be". If your life is full and you want to add more of the things that are truly important in your life, you should start the change process by making room first. You must say no to some things in your life, so you can say yes to what is most important. You have to give up the destructive habits, behaviors and activities to make room for new ones.

A metaphor would be a water hose watering a flowering plant. The water in the hose is your life force and the flowering plant is what you are trying to grow in your life. If the water hose has leaks, it will not have enough water or life force/energy to reach its desired outcome or vision (to grow the plant into full bloom). Examples of leaks might include toxic friendships, unrealistic expectations, watching too much television, eating sugar, overspending, negative relational patterns with your spouse or working on an outdated job.

Example: A client’s obstacle here was that her 8- year-old daughter needed caring for and she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to be a good mother plus jumpstart a successful, new business. We remedied this issue by getting clear on the proper definition of a good mother. Also, practically speaking, she needed help picking up her daughter from school. So she got her husband to assist her in this area so she would have time to create this new business.

Negative self-talk—Research shows we have approximately 50,000 internal messages we say to ourselves daily. We are constantly walking around having conversations with ourselves. And it is what we say that makes all the difference in the overall quality of our lives. Example: I was once in Starbucks, and I watched this woman spill her coffee while reaching for a sugar packet and I heard her say out loud, "I’m so stupid. I can’t believe I did that."

Now, I just happen to hear her, but this is an example of something you might say internally as well. You might think, "No big deal. I say things like this to myself all the time." Well, IT IS A BIG DEAL as our subconscious hears these messages and acts on them as if they were real. Don’t say anything to yourself that you wouldn’t want someone else saying to you.

Think of self-talk like mental fuel. Now, imagine filling your car with dirty water. We all know you wouldn’t get very far. Now, take that same car and fill it with high quality gasoline. You’ll most likely reach your destination. It is the same with people and the words we use. If the words are negative and toxic, we will sputter along with low energy and our performance suffers. If our words are positive and tender, we will feel confident, energized, encouraged and will most likely meet our goals faster and easier. Here are some key things to remember if you ever find yourself preparing to board the train of BAD self-talk:

B– stands for belittling self-talk. Stop telling yourself, "I am not good enough." If your dream is to have a healthy self-confidence, which of the following examples is more likely to get your there:

A. "I’m so stupid. I can’t believe I did that."B. "Whoops, mistakes happen."Can you see how the Answer B is much kinder?

A – stands for awfulizing. Stop predicting a future filled with gloom and doom, and dwelling on scary thoughts. If you dream of obtaining a career you love, which of the following will move you closer to your vision:

A. "I did terribly on my interview, I’ll never find a job I like." B. "I will answer that question on past employment differently next time and I will ace it! I know I will one day have the job I love."Can you see how Answer B places you in the mindset of a successful job search?

D – stands for deceiving. This is when you deceive yourself into thinking you are a victim, and that other people are to blame for your circumstances. If we want a happy relationship which will of the below responses will aid in achieving this goal:

A. "If my spouse would only do more around the house, then I would be happy." B. "I can and will choose happiness today, no matter what my spouse does." Answer B is the right choice, wouldn’t you agree

S – stands for shoulding – This is when you give yourself a lot of shoulds, musts, and ought tos, then beat yourself up for not living up to unrealistic standards. Say your dream is to be in top physical condition, which will further that:

A. "I should have eaten a salad for lunch instead of that big ol’ hamburger. I’m such a pig!" B. "I could have eaten a salad, but I chose not to. Tomorrow I will make healthier choices."The second choice is so much more inspiring, don’t you think?

FiveCommit to Action – Are you willing to do what it takes?

The final step of the 5 C Process is to commit to action. How many times have we all made plans and never carried them out, or started off excited and lost motivation? No one ever does anything great alone. We all need encouragement and support from others including an accountability partner who is willing to help hold the vision of the person you want to be. In the previous example of my client, her biggest negative self-talk was how to be a good mom and a good business woman. Her thoughts were, "If I don’t pick up my child every day from school, I am a bad mother." Instead, we replaced it with, "Picking up my child from school daily is not what makes me a good mother. I am, indeed, a fabulous mother."

Here are the four action steps that have been proven to help you eliminate your negative self talk:

• Become aware of your negative messages –listen to voice in head • Stop! You have to stop immediately if you find yourself dwelling on any negative thoughts • Replace negative thoughts with a kinder alternatives• Practice. It takes a commitment of time in order to turn a pattern of negative thinking into a more positive train of thought.

This interview was referenced by http://www.chinika.com/. To learn more about Michele’s 5 C Process and her upcoming seminars, please call 214 -823-LIFE ( 5433), or visit her Web site at http://www.michelewahlder.com/ Once there, you will also be able to download a free workbook containing strategies on how to obtain a positive outlook on life.

Michele Wahlder, LPC, CLC, PCC, is a Professional Certified Life Coach and Psychotherapist, specializing in relationship enhancement, career transitions, and overall health & well-being. For more information or a complimentary 40 minute telephone consultation, please contact her at 214-823-LIFE(5433) or visit her website at http://www.michelewahlder.com/.

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Motivation to Exceed Expectations

By Ann Golden Egle

One reason many of us find it difficult to delegate is that we've been sorely disappointed in the past. "No one can do it as well as I can" is simply not true. Given the opportunity and proper motivation, others will raise to your expectations with more creative, productive approaches to any task at hand.

Supervisors and managers can easily delegate, repeating the patterns of being disillusioned. You can just be a static member of the middle-management team or you can be a productive leader. The title doesn't make an individual a leader. Actions--consistent, meaningful, well-thought-out actions make the leader.

A sign of a truly effective leader is that he can motivate an individual or group of individuals in wanting to accomplishing a task. This means that they involve all of their capabilities (imagination, insight, curiosity, enthusiasm) to not only accomplish the job, but they exceed expectations.

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea." ~Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Leadership mastery comes in continually challenging yourself to come up with new ways to motivate. Clients tell me "I just don't know what's wrong with this individual. I've told them precisely what to do over and over again and they still can't get one simple job done the way I want it done in a timely manner!"

You've heard it said that the definition of insanity is 'doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.Try to see where there are missing pieces if you see that the team is falling short of your desires? Is it with them? More likely it is with you and the manner in which you are communicating your wishes.

Do they have responsibility in asking for clarification and doing their job to the highest level imaginable? Absolutely, yet the buck stops with you. There is no shortage of books on motivation, yet I believe the simplest technique is to know the individuals within your team. Who are they? What do they value? What motivates them as individuals and as a team?

Many leaders make the mistake of thinking all individuals are motivated by what their leader is motivated by, be it money, competition, excellence or accomplishment. In taking the time to observe, ask questions and really getting to know the individual, you can save hours, weeks, years of disappointment on both sides.

Take a positive action this week by looking inside all whom you lead (even your kids).) What do they really want? Have you simply delegated tasks to them, or have you stirred up their own internal motivation? How can you motivate them in a manner that has more to do with them than you? If you do this, you'll create the opportunity for everyone to win, you'll create excitement in the workplace, and you will have taught them about high-reaching goals.. Have an outstanding week and enjoy your discoveries.

For the sake of keeping your career fresh and on track, would you like to enjoy a weekly shot-in-the-arm from Master Certified Coach Ann Golden Eglé? You can sign up for her Success Thought of the Week at http://www.gvsuccess.com .

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Employee Motivation Techniques: How to Fire Up Your Employees’ Motivation

By Michael Lee

If you know how to motivate employees, your company’s overall status and profits will improve as a result. Employees are the lifeblood of the company. It’s therefore vital to use effective employee motivation techniques so they can stay happy and inspired with their work. This, in turn, will also make them more productive.

Here are 3 employee motivation techniques you can use to arouse their enthusiasm:

1) Be interested in them.

Know their personal background, where they went to school, any job experiences they had, their hobbies, their future plans… even the minor things like what movies or books they prefer.
This shows that you’re willing to take the time to know more about them. People like to talk about themselves, so what you’re doing is satisfying their ego. In the process, they will get to like you.

2) Give them exciting opportunities and reward them for their accomplishments.

As much as possible, give them job assignments that they’re either good at, are interested in, or can have fun with.

Give them every opportunity to prove how good they are. And once they’ve proven their worth or even exceed your expectations, acknowledge them. Praise them in public; let them and other employees know what exactly made them outstanding.

This employee motivation technique will inspire others to do their best because they want to attain the same recognition!

Aside from thanking them, you can give gifts or awards that they can treasure and show to others. Awards such as certificates, medals or trophies would be a better choice as these items illustrate their achievement.

3) Be trustworthy and respectable.

If you said you’re going to do something for them, fulfill it at all cost. Nothing can ruin their trust and respect for you more than broken promises and empty words.

Show them that you’re someone who will listen to their concerns, and someone who is trustworthy enough to keep private matters confidential.

Be someone who they can look up to. This means you have to be a good example for them. Strictly follow the company’s rules and perform your job in the most ethical manner possible.

Let’s recap the 3 employee motivation techniques I’ve taught. First, be interested in your employees. Second, give them exciting opportunities and reward them for their achievements. Last, be a trustworthy and respectable employer or superior. Apply these employee motivation techniques, and you’ll see a tremendous improvement in your company’s productivity and work environment.

If you can inspire and influence employees to become madly in love with their work, how much will your profits multiply? Double? Triple? Quadruple? Discover employee motivation and persuasion techniques that can easily get employees to do a fantastic job at http://www.20daypersuasion.com

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