Positive magazine

Are You Holding Yourself
Back by Judging Others?
Are You Holding Yourself Back by Judging Others?
To judge others is to form a critical opinion about them. For example, you may decide
that your neighbor down the street is an ineffective parent because she’s known to
indulge her children or chooses to avoid disciplining them.
If you notice that you’re spending more time having strong opinions about others than
you are thinking about your own life, you may be “copping out” and not confronting your
own resolvable issues.
Consider these points:
1. Avoid focusing on the negative. Focusing on the negative impacts your
emotional self in undesirable ways. Negative thoughts make you feel more
pessimistic about life. In short, judging others negatively affects you!
2. Think about how satisfied you are with your own life. When you’re
floundering, you might project those feelings onto others by judging them.
3. Maybe you lack faith in yourself. If you struggle to believe in yourself, maybe
you’re reflecting those doubts onto others to avoid confronting your own issues.
4. Judging others may mean that you want to control the situation. Do you
believe that others ought to behave just like you, react to situations like you
would, and feel like you do? If so, why do you think that?
5. Assess how much time and effort you spend focusing on your own character
defects.We all have something about ourselves that could stand some
1
Discover more free tools at http://www.kenonu.com

alteration. Looking carefully within yourself promotes self-understanding. It also
helps you identify what things you’d like to change.
6. Determine how you can best use your energy.Does judging others or looking
within yourself deserve your attention?
If you target something you dislike in others, what are the chances you
can do anything about it?
If you discover something about yourself you dislike, you can more likely
use your energies to change it.
7. Decide if you’re happy with who you are. Evaluating yourself in an honest way
is important. Locating the source of unhappiness within you can lead to a brighter
pathway, and decrease your yearning to judge others.
8. Realize that nobody’s perfect. Being critical of others seems to be a common
element of the human condition. Whether we can ever completely obliterate
our compelling urges to judge remains to be seen.
Oprah once said, “When you know better, you do better.” If you recognize
that some of your comments spring from a part of you that wants to judge,
it can serve as a deterrent to your future judging behavior.
9. Ask yourself, “How can I live the life I deserve if I’m too focused on others?”
Creating your dream existence takes considerable consistency, focus, and time.
10. Recognize when it’s okay to acknowledge bothersome traits in others. It’s
important to be reminded that there are situations when it’s wise to identify
things in others that trouble you.
Maybe you’re thinking about becoming friends with someone. But then,
you observe them engaging in behaviors that make you feel
uncomfortable. Your judgment may be telling you to avoid pursuing the
friendship.
2

Listen to that internal judge at times like these. Just avoid getting carried
away with being too judgmental or critical of others.
You can become a vital, positive individual who focuses your efforts on constructing
the life you desire. Letting go of the urge to judge others will provide you with the time
and energy necessary to enhance your own life’s journey. Tune back in to your own
psyche and enjoy a rich life.
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
3

Are Your Habits Helping
or Hurting You?
Are Your Habits Helping or Hurting You?
A habit is described as something you do over and over again, automatically, without
thinking about it. We’re all profoundly affected by the habits in our lives. At times, we
mindlessly repeat behaviors related to our home lives, work personas, and relationships.
When a certain situation occurs, you do the familiar behavior.
Since your life is largely made up of habits, it makes sense those habits can be
supportive of your personal wants, values, and relationships. They can also thwart
your efforts to live the life of your dreams. Do your habits help or hurt you?
Ponder these points to determine whether your habits support or sabotage you:
1. Link your habits to your goals. When you establish ways of behaving that are
aligned with your goals, then your habits are helpful.
For example, you floss daily and brush your teeth three times a day with
an electric toothbrush because your goal is to have the prettiest smile
possible.
2. Keep track of a new routine to help make it a habit. For example, maybe
you’ve decided you’d like to lose twenty pounds and have fitter body tone. So,
you plan to walk thirty minutes five days a week and do twenty push-ups or
twenty crunches three days a week. How can you keep track of your habits
from day to day?
To ensure you’re working on your fitness goals, write a “W” on your
calendar when you walk and place an “X” on the days you do calisthenics.
1

Then, once a week, weigh yourself and jot down your weight on the
calendar.
Visuals help establish good habits. In this case, one glance at your calendar
keeps you up to date on your progress toward your goal.
3. Figure out why you have certain habits. Maybe you eat a doughnut or other
high-fat snack when you’re at work. You see the treat, pick it up, and eat it. You
rarely pay attention to the motivation behind this habit.
Are you hungry? Maybe you skipped breakfast. Perhaps you’re snacking
simply because the co-worker you’re taking a break with is snacking.
Maybe it’s because you rarely keep unhealthy snacks at home so when
you see them, you grab one.
If one of your habits isn’t doing anything positive for you, consider that it’s
sabotaging you in some way.
4. Eliminate habits that are making you feel embarrassed or angry. If feelings of
negativity surround one of your habits, it’s likely hurting you. To illustrate,
consider the habit of smoking. As much as you’re driven to do it, you recognize
that it isn’t positive or helpful.
Do you feel ashamed and frustrated with yourself because you engage in
the behavior? If this is the case, investigate your habit further. How do you
really feel about it? Would you like to disengage from the behavior and
stop it?
An automatic behavior that leaves you feeling negatively about yourself is
interfering with your efforts to live a happy life.
2

5. Replace one habit with another. Rather than trying to stop a negative habit, it
may be easier to replace it with a positive habit. Ask yourself how you can change
or replace the targeted behavior.
Referring back to the smoking example, think about what else you could
do instead. You could have a piece of sugarless gum or candy. Maybe you
want to try nicotine patches to curb your desire to smoke.
When you become more conscious of your habits, you can decide whether they’re
helping you or keeping you from moving forward and living a healthy, prosperous life.
Make the decision to fill your life with as many positive habits as possible, so you can
move closer to achieving the life you deserve.
3

Banish Clutter and
Leave Stress Behind
Banish Clutter and Leave Stress Behind
Deadlines, financial difficulties, and competing responsibilities are some well-known
causes of stress in our lives. Research shows that clutter can also be a hidden cause
of stress at home and work. Experiencing less stress in your life may be as simple as
getting rid of your excess stuff!
A 2011 study at the Princeton University Neuroscience Institute examined the effect
of clutter on the brain. According to the study, "Interactions of Top-Down and
Bottom-Up Mechanisms in Human Visual Cortex," clutter does more than take up space
in our homes and offices:
Clutter limits the brain's ability to focus and process information.
Individuals that limit clutter in their home and work environment are less irritable,
less distracted, and more productive.
Try these steps to pare down and organize your belongings:
1. Start small. If you've been living with too much stuff for a long time, you
probably feel overwhelmed at the thought of going through your things. Maybe
you’re uncertain about how to even begin. Get started by setting small cleaning
and organizing goals.
Avoid setting an unrealistic goal of cleaning your whole house overnight.
Set small goals, like organizing a desk or closet. As you experience success
on a small scale, you’ll receive the boost in confidence that you need to
continue your efforts.
Once you've established order to a small space, keep going. Build upon
1

your success. After your drawers and closets, focus on cleaning an entire
room. Clean and organize one room at a time until your entire home is
filled only with necessary items that you use on a regular basis.
Keep your closets and drawers organized by adopting a "one in, one out"
rule. Get rid of one old item each time you buy something new.
2. Be ruthless. If you haven't worn or used an item in a year or longer, do you
really still need it? Get rid of duplicate items, as well as worn out and broken
items that you haven’t fixed.
Items received as gifts from loved ones can be particularly difficult to part
with, especially if the loved one is now deceased. Take the time to
acknowledge your loss, but realize that holding on to your loved one's
possessions won’t bring them back.
One option that may make it easier to part with an item and honor your
loved one's memory, is to sell the item and donate the proceeds to their
favorite charity.
If you feel guilty at the thought of throwing an item away, consider donating
it if it's still in good condition. This boosts your energy and self-esteem, in
addition to getting rid of your clutter!
3. Straighten the focal points of your bedroom, living room, and kitchen at the
start of each day. Set the tone for your day by spending 15 minutes
straightening the central areas of your home each morning.
Make your bed, wash any dirty dishes, and eliminate clutter from the
living room, counters, and kitchen table.
Reverse this strategy at work, and clear your desk before you leave at the
end of the day.
By removing the clutter from these key areas, you’ll feel more calm and
relaxed when you return.
2

Having too much stuff is visually distracting and it adds to your daily stress level.
Following these simple steps will contribute to greater feelings of serenity in your life
as you say “goodbye” to clutter.
3

BREAK FREE FROM CRIPPLING
Self-Doubts With These 3 Tips
Break Free From Crippling Self-Doubts With These 3 Tips
Poor self-esteem and a lack of self-confidence can be just as damaging to our lives as
being overconfident or arrogant. Do you harbor insecurities about your true abilities
and worth? If so, this doubt is holding you back from reaching your full potential.
Luckily, you don’t have to let fear keep you from achieving your dreams and
ambitions in life. There are steps you can take that will help you build your
confidence, face your fears, and become free of self-doubt.
Try these tips to erase your self-doubt, gain confidence, and succeed:
1. Reflect on your past success. It's natural to feel a bit nervous if you've just been
given a new task or responsibility. If you start to doubt your abilities, reflect on
your past achievements and feel confident that your prior successes will carry
over into this new area.
Even if you have some lingering doubts, be confident with the knowledge
that you wouldn’t be in this new position if others didn’t think you were up
to the challenge.
Seeking additional skill training in an area that matches or compliments your
new duties can give you confidence in your new role.
Be willing to ask others for advice and guidance as you adjust to your new
role. Their feedback can help you increase your skills and boost your
self-esteem.
2. Learn to change your negative self-talk into positive affirmations. Our brains
are constantly working to fulfill our inner thoughts and beliefs. When you’re
overwhelmed with self-doubt, chances are that you’re subconsciously listening
1

to negative self-talk from your brain.
Take control of your inner voice and turn a negative into a positive by
replacing your doubts with positive affirmations!
Rather than focusing on your limitations, focus on what you can do.
Capitalize on your strengths and write out 10 statements that affirm who
you are at the core of your being. Then record how your strength and
abilities will help you achieve your task or goal.
Start each day by repeating your daily affirmations. Then, repeat them
whenever you start to worry or feel self-doubt.
3. Gain perspective by finding cheerleaders, mentors, and other guides. Do you
have a difficult time maintaining a positive sense of self-worth? It’s critical that
you take time to connect and build relationships with those that build you up,
rather than tear you down.
Seek out mentors for your personal and professional life that can give you
an unbiased opinion on what you’re doing well in various areas. They can
also provide insight on what you could change to move forward.
Build relationships with friends and family members that encourage and
rejuvenate you with their positive energy. Minimize contact with those
who are overly critical, jealous, or negative. They just drain your energy
and bring you down.
By surrounding yourself with positive individuals, you’ll receive the boost of
energy and confidence you need to power through your moments of
self-doubt. You’ll then begin to achieve your goals and dreams, rather than
holding yourself back!
Everyone faces self-doubt and insecurities from time to time. Practicing these tips
can help you defeat self-doubt once and for all.
2

Discover How Your Hobby
Can Advance Your Career
Discover How Your Hobby Can Advance Your Career
If you need one more good reason to get a hobby, do it for your career prospects. A
recent study found that what you do in your leisure time could make you a more
valuable employee.
People who use their free time creatively performed better at solving problems at work
and were more helpful to their colleagues, according to researchers at San Francisco
State University. They believe creative activities stimulate learning and help people to
feel energized and engaged.
Ready to make the connection between your hobby and your career? Consider these
suggestions about using your hobby to get ahead at the office.
How to Choose a Hobby That Could Help Your Career
1. Focus on the mission. Think about how your pastimes align with the company
mission. A sustainable architecture firm might appreciate your organic garden.
2. Connect with your colleagues.Relationships play a big role in job satisfaction.
Accept your coworkers’ invitation when they ask you to join them for a game of
badminton.
3. Review your job responsibilities.Do your hobby and your professional position
have anything in common? You might be juggling numbers at work for
budgeting and at home for Sudoku.
4. Showcase your strengths and achievements.We’re often drawn to hobbies
1

that enable us to develop our innate talents. Employers will notice that you’re a
strategic thinker if you tell them about your tournament bridge winnings.
5. Be memorable.In today’s job market, you may need to distinguish yourself in a
large pool of candidates. A recruiter is more likely to remember your name if you
tell them a funny story about your baseball card collection.
6. Express your personality.Focus on something you’re passionate about so it will
be easy to sound articulate and engaged.
7. Act cool.At the same time, it’s always good to keep up with trends. Be open to
designing your first videogame diorama.
How to Use Your Hobby to Help Your Career
1. Edit your resume. Depending on the positon, add a hobbies section to your
resume. Include it only when it appears relevant.
2. Mention it at your interview.Some questions provide an opening to discuss
your hobby. When a reviewer asks what you do with your free time, you’ll have
a better answer than watching TV.
3. Put on a show.Hobbies come in handy for the office talent show. Reveal your
musical talent on the piano.
4. Share with your coworkers. Whatever activities you enjoy, you probably have
expertise, goods, or services that your coworkers would appreciate. Baked goods
usually top the list.
2

5. Personalize your staff bio. Let your clients get to know the real you. They may
enjoy finding out that their graphic designer also illustrates his own comic
books.
6. Create side income.Some people turn their hobbies into full time jobs. Starting
off gradually is a good way to test your earning potential while you hold onto
your current paycheck.
7. Extend your network.The best leads tend to come from friends of friends and
acquaintances. If all your LinkedIn connections are accountants, your leisure
pursuits could help you to meet more hair stylists and foreign diplomats.
8. Achieve life balance.Best of all, a hobby widens your experiences and
knowledge. You’ll gain exposure to things you may never see around the office.
Of course, your hobby is rewarding in itself even if your boss doesn’t share your
enthusiasm for carving turtles out of watermelons. Advancing your career is just a
bonus compared to the deeper benefits of learning about yourself and becoming
more accomplished.
3

DISCOVER WHY
HOPE IS POWER
Discover Why Hope is Power
One of the most impactful feelings you’ll ever experience is hope. Hope occurs when
we center our expectations on something. Your hope is like a wish for something to
happen. And there’s power in those wishes!
Consider these points to increase your power with hope:
1. Hope plants a seed. Whenever you yearn for something, having hope is an
implication that it could actually occur. Hope can germinate into a whole new
existence. Your life’s journey can be enhanced simply by having hope.
2. In order to feel hopeful, honesty is required. We’ve all experienced times when
we were fooling ourselves about something, such as a relationship or work
situation. But to have hope, we’re forced to be honest about what we’ve done
to create the challenge.
Only if you tell yourself the truth about a trying situation can you proceed
ahead and experience hope.
3. Hope produces a “can do” spirit. For example, if you want your relationship to
be better, you can draw upon the hope within you. That desire to want a
deepened, more connected partnership is rooted in a hope that you can put the
relationship back on track.
The next step is then to ask yourself, “What can I do to make the
relationship grow?” Hope cultivates a personal sense of responsibility and
1

ownership. Only then do you have the power to convince yourself that you
can truly affect a change in your own life.
4. Hope often leads you to the answer. When you’re clueless about how to
resolve a difficult issue, you “resort” to hoping the issue will be solved
somehow. Your thoughts begin to meander through all the ins and outs of
figuring out the challenge. Before you know it, you’ve hit on something that
might help the situation.
5. Hope cultivates your imagination. Creativity and imagination are necessary
when you’re hoping for something to grow or change in a positive way. You
stretch yourself by considering resolutions you hadn’t considered before.
6. Hope enhances your personal commitment to the issue at hand. When you’ve
thought enough about a vexing challenge, you’re likely committed to
overcoming that challenge.
Personal commitment sets you up to sharpen your focus and find a way to
create the end result you desire.
7. Hope springs from within you. The purest form of strength and power in your
life emerges solely from within you. Only your own thoughts and desires are
needed. Hope is free and available to you at any time you wish to tap into it.
8. Hope allows you to accept and forgive others. Many times, the path you seek
can only be paved by your complete acceptance of others and your ability to
forgive them.
We’ll all be exposed to those who annoy or bewilder us. And
unfortunately, we’ll be hurt by the actions and words of others at some
2

point or another. However, having hope encourages us to move past these
positions of powerlessness and discover the true strength of our
character.
Possessing hope enables you to perform challenging acts and believe the
unbelievable. The good life you deserve can be attained by striving to have hope. Let go
of your self-doubt and negativity. Discover your power by embracing all the riches
hope can deliver.
3

Positive magazine

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

Viewers also liked

Viewers also liked (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

Positive magazine