Danielle Pierre's Blog
April 21, 2011
Letting Go
Letting go seems to be one of the most difficult things for most of us to do, yet it’s the most rewarding and freeing experience you can ever give yourself. The ability to let go frees you both emotionally and physically.
There is often a misconception as to what “letting go” really means, so first I’d like to clear that up.
I (and many others) discuss and teach that taking action is a mandatory part of any type of success, and of course my first book is titled “Just Make It Happen” which appears to conflict with “letting go”, doesn’t it? Not at all, if you understand what it truly means to let go.
See, when we let go, we let go of the fears and other negative beliefs that hold us back from moving forward. In essence, we are letting the universe know “Okay, it’s in your hands. I’m not going to fear any obstacle or outcome. I will accept what comes my way and deal with each day and circumstance as it arises", and then sincerely trusting that everything will be okay so we can move forward with confidence and courage. In short, we do not allow our negative belief systems to get in our way and we stop worrying about the things which we cannot change.
Once you’re able to let go, you dispel an enormous amount of negative energy from your body and allow positive, loving energy to move through you. When we hold on to the negative belief system, we block the flow of positive energy – our life source and it cannot move through us. How can we manifest our desires if the source of our power, our strength, is held up at the gate? Do you see how this works?
The misconception is this:
Letting go does not mean to sit back and wait for something to happen. Absolutely not. You’re in for a huge disappointment if that’s what you believe, and often the people who believe this end up asking God why they are being ignored and then they fall into the victim trap. Letting go means to move forward with faith and confidence and without fear of failure or rejection. You most certainly have to take action in order to make it happen – but you can only do so if you let go.
Learning acceptance and letting go applies to everything in your life. If your spouse or partner leaves you; if a family member isn’t speaking to you; if you’re diagnosed with a serious illness. As difficult as it may seem at the time, you have the ability to let go of fear, anger, resentment and other negative beliefs. Feel them, acknowledge them and then let them go. When you hang on, you not only prevent yourself from attracting joy into your life, but you poison your body which leaves you vulnerable to all types of negative circumstances, disease and illness. If you have an illness, holding on to negative thoughts only worsens the condition.
So, how do we let go?
Understanding and accepting that your thoughts and actions are the only thing which you have absolute control over is the first step in the letting go process. There are many other rituals you can incorporate into your daily life which will make letting go easier like meditation, positive affirmations and continuing to read, listen, watch and learn about yourself and others.
There is no magic formula to letting go; this is one of those things that you have to learn with practice. Breathe deep, continue to remind yourself that you only have control over yourself and let go. When the negative feelings begin to creep back into your mind and body, repeat. Keep repeating this process as the need to hold on to all of those negative feelings returns. By making this a habit, it becomes easier and easier to let go until eventually it becomes a way of life.
You will always be faced with challenges, negative thoughts and feelings, but how you respond to them determines your reality. By teaching yourself the art of letting go, you are transforming your entire life, inspiring those around you and allowing yourself to experience true joy.
*Danielle Pierre is a personal development author and certified life coach. If you would like to learn more about how she can help you reach your personal, physical or financial goals, or to take advantage of the many free offers, tools and other resources she has made available to you, visit http://daniellepierre.com
There is often a misconception as to what “letting go” really means, so first I’d like to clear that up.
I (and many others) discuss and teach that taking action is a mandatory part of any type of success, and of course my first book is titled “Just Make It Happen” which appears to conflict with “letting go”, doesn’t it? Not at all, if you understand what it truly means to let go.
See, when we let go, we let go of the fears and other negative beliefs that hold us back from moving forward. In essence, we are letting the universe know “Okay, it’s in your hands. I’m not going to fear any obstacle or outcome. I will accept what comes my way and deal with each day and circumstance as it arises", and then sincerely trusting that everything will be okay so we can move forward with confidence and courage. In short, we do not allow our negative belief systems to get in our way and we stop worrying about the things which we cannot change.
Once you’re able to let go, you dispel an enormous amount of negative energy from your body and allow positive, loving energy to move through you. When we hold on to the negative belief system, we block the flow of positive energy – our life source and it cannot move through us. How can we manifest our desires if the source of our power, our strength, is held up at the gate? Do you see how this works?
The misconception is this:
Letting go does not mean to sit back and wait for something to happen. Absolutely not. You’re in for a huge disappointment if that’s what you believe, and often the people who believe this end up asking God why they are being ignored and then they fall into the victim trap. Letting go means to move forward with faith and confidence and without fear of failure or rejection. You most certainly have to take action in order to make it happen – but you can only do so if you let go.
Learning acceptance and letting go applies to everything in your life. If your spouse or partner leaves you; if a family member isn’t speaking to you; if you’re diagnosed with a serious illness. As difficult as it may seem at the time, you have the ability to let go of fear, anger, resentment and other negative beliefs. Feel them, acknowledge them and then let them go. When you hang on, you not only prevent yourself from attracting joy into your life, but you poison your body which leaves you vulnerable to all types of negative circumstances, disease and illness. If you have an illness, holding on to negative thoughts only worsens the condition.
So, how do we let go?
Understanding and accepting that your thoughts and actions are the only thing which you have absolute control over is the first step in the letting go process. There are many other rituals you can incorporate into your daily life which will make letting go easier like meditation, positive affirmations and continuing to read, listen, watch and learn about yourself and others.
There is no magic formula to letting go; this is one of those things that you have to learn with practice. Breathe deep, continue to remind yourself that you only have control over yourself and let go. When the negative feelings begin to creep back into your mind and body, repeat. Keep repeating this process as the need to hold on to all of those negative feelings returns. By making this a habit, it becomes easier and easier to let go until eventually it becomes a way of life.
You will always be faced with challenges, negative thoughts and feelings, but how you respond to them determines your reality. By teaching yourself the art of letting go, you are transforming your entire life, inspiring those around you and allowing yourself to experience true joy.
*Danielle Pierre is a personal development author and certified life coach. If you would like to learn more about how she can help you reach your personal, physical or financial goals, or to take advantage of the many free offers, tools and other resources she has made available to you, visit http://daniellepierre.com
April 20, 2011
Finding Inner Peace
How do we reach and maintain a point of inner peace and happiness in such a seemingly unstable world?
Perhaps the answer lies within the mind of each of us. While natural disasters, political discord and failing economics are just a few of the things wreaking havoc on society, we must find a way to discover and maintain our own peaceful inner world. As long as we continue to worry, panic, become angry, stressed or fall into depression, we are only adding to the chaos that we perceive in the world around us. So, how do we do it? How to we find inner peace?
There is so much more to changing our inner world than simply stating “I think I’ll have a positive outlook from now on.” While this seems the logical solution, it’s not so simple for most people otherwise; they’d have done it already. Attaining inner peace can be compared to building muscle. It has to be done over a period of time, but once it’s acquired, it’s fairly simple to maintain.
It took some time to develop all of our fears and doubts, so it’s going to take a little bit of time to unravel and override them. I know we often hear that it can be done overnight, but I would suggest that buying into that theory puts us at great risk of further fueling our fears and doubts. That's not what we want. We want to find the true path to inner peace, not an unstable fast track. I’m not suggesting that it’s impossible to change our direction almost instantly, but I am suggesting that there is going to be some issues along the way and they need to be addressed before moving to the next step, otherwise we may find ourselves re-visiting the same steps over and over again. I strongly believe that we each hold within us the absolute power to transform our lives and create the reality that we want, however I also believe that it will take effort, commitment and determination to make it happen.
One of the key steps to attaining inner peace is acceptance. Simply understanding and accepting the fact that everything in this physical realm has its beginning and its end is the first step to inner peace and perhaps the most difficult part of the journey. Once we are able to accept this, we are half way there. Acceptance will eliminate the tendency to hold on to things and people too tightly. No matter what we do, we cannot control the ending of a job, relationship, material item or a life. We simply cannot. This is the part of reality that so many of us reject and is what causes us to not only live in fear, but to actually chase away the very thing or person we are trying to hold on to. This is also where living for the moment becomes important. Enjoy today, for we do not know how tomorrow will unfold.
The next step is the understanding that our fears are feeling based. There are two things that we are afraid of and only two. We are afraid of feeling pain, emotionally and physically. Every fear that we have is based on one of these two things. Grasping this concept will move us from the passenger’s seat into the driver’s seat because now we’re aware. Awareness plays a key role in finding inner peace because once we become aware of why it is that we feel a particular way, it is much easier to identify and change our thought process.
This brings me to the next key point in attaining inner peace. As I stated in the last paragraph, our fears are based on our feelings. So, what are our feelings based on? Our feelings are based on our thoughts. When we become aware that we’re feeling bad (fear, doubt, etc.) then we can immediately pay attention to our thoughts. What am I thinking right now that is causing me to feel this way? Once we have determined the source, we can work to change the thought or thoughts. This takes practice and will probably not be mastered overnight, but eventually, it will become a honed skill. This skill has the potential to completely transform our reality.
Another very important step is to learn to be patient and kind to ourselves and others. When patience is applied to every situation, an enormous amount of stress and worry is eliminated. Practicing kindness has an equal effect and in itself gives us a strong sense of joy and peace. After all, that is what we’re here to do.
Let’s recap: First accept the fact that we live in an ever-changing world and nothing lasts forever. Secondly, become aware and understand that most of our negative feelings derive from the fear of feeling pain, physically and/or emotionally. Now that we are aware, we can work on controlling the thoughts that are causing the fears. Lastly, but in no way least, be patient and kind. These are a few of the major key points in the achievement of inner peace. Like any achievement, inner peace is a skill that can be acquired over time and each day is better than the one that came before it.
Perhaps the answer lies within the mind of each of us. While natural disasters, political discord and failing economics are just a few of the things wreaking havoc on society, we must find a way to discover and maintain our own peaceful inner world. As long as we continue to worry, panic, become angry, stressed or fall into depression, we are only adding to the chaos that we perceive in the world around us. So, how do we do it? How to we find inner peace?
There is so much more to changing our inner world than simply stating “I think I’ll have a positive outlook from now on.” While this seems the logical solution, it’s not so simple for most people otherwise; they’d have done it already. Attaining inner peace can be compared to building muscle. It has to be done over a period of time, but once it’s acquired, it’s fairly simple to maintain.
It took some time to develop all of our fears and doubts, so it’s going to take a little bit of time to unravel and override them. I know we often hear that it can be done overnight, but I would suggest that buying into that theory puts us at great risk of further fueling our fears and doubts. That's not what we want. We want to find the true path to inner peace, not an unstable fast track. I’m not suggesting that it’s impossible to change our direction almost instantly, but I am suggesting that there is going to be some issues along the way and they need to be addressed before moving to the next step, otherwise we may find ourselves re-visiting the same steps over and over again. I strongly believe that we each hold within us the absolute power to transform our lives and create the reality that we want, however I also believe that it will take effort, commitment and determination to make it happen.
One of the key steps to attaining inner peace is acceptance. Simply understanding and accepting the fact that everything in this physical realm has its beginning and its end is the first step to inner peace and perhaps the most difficult part of the journey. Once we are able to accept this, we are half way there. Acceptance will eliminate the tendency to hold on to things and people too tightly. No matter what we do, we cannot control the ending of a job, relationship, material item or a life. We simply cannot. This is the part of reality that so many of us reject and is what causes us to not only live in fear, but to actually chase away the very thing or person we are trying to hold on to. This is also where living for the moment becomes important. Enjoy today, for we do not know how tomorrow will unfold.
The next step is the understanding that our fears are feeling based. There are two things that we are afraid of and only two. We are afraid of feeling pain, emotionally and physically. Every fear that we have is based on one of these two things. Grasping this concept will move us from the passenger’s seat into the driver’s seat because now we’re aware. Awareness plays a key role in finding inner peace because once we become aware of why it is that we feel a particular way, it is much easier to identify and change our thought process.
This brings me to the next key point in attaining inner peace. As I stated in the last paragraph, our fears are based on our feelings. So, what are our feelings based on? Our feelings are based on our thoughts. When we become aware that we’re feeling bad (fear, doubt, etc.) then we can immediately pay attention to our thoughts. What am I thinking right now that is causing me to feel this way? Once we have determined the source, we can work to change the thought or thoughts. This takes practice and will probably not be mastered overnight, but eventually, it will become a honed skill. This skill has the potential to completely transform our reality.
Another very important step is to learn to be patient and kind to ourselves and others. When patience is applied to every situation, an enormous amount of stress and worry is eliminated. Practicing kindness has an equal effect and in itself gives us a strong sense of joy and peace. After all, that is what we’re here to do.
Let’s recap: First accept the fact that we live in an ever-changing world and nothing lasts forever. Secondly, become aware and understand that most of our negative feelings derive from the fear of feeling pain, physically and/or emotionally. Now that we are aware, we can work on controlling the thoughts that are causing the fears. Lastly, but in no way least, be patient and kind. These are a few of the major key points in the achievement of inner peace. Like any achievement, inner peace is a skill that can be acquired over time and each day is better than the one that came before it.
The Value in Providing Value
It often appears that the term “providing value” is labeled, put in a box and placed on a shelf, when value should truly be something that encompasses the entire room. I’ll elaborate. When we provide value, it should not be limited to the goods and/or services that we provide, but rather, it should be the way in which we approach our relationships, our career, our self-care, and life in general.
It is not uncommon for some of us to provide value in one area of our life and not another. For instance, perhaps we place a lot of value on our career and therefore we spend a lot of time and energy focused on being the best that we can be at work. However, the opposite is true of the value we place on our relationships with others, so we don’t bring very much to the table in that area. We expect and accept from others yet we offer very little of ourselves in return. Our career is thriving, yet our relationships are strained and dissolving. Soon, we begin to feel isolation with respect to our relationships and eventually turn it inward. It then begins to affect our confidence and self-esteem and guess where that’s going to rear its ugly head? You guessed it – at work. Rather than giving value to specific people, events or things, we should focus on becoming a person of value.
To become a person of value is a more balanced effort and considerably more rewarding than simply providing value in only a few areas of our lives. Becoming a person of value means that we apply value to every area of our lives. That is the mindset that we should be striving for as it will greatly assist in creating a happier, healthier and more balanced life.
We’ve all heard the term “you get what you give”. It won’t take very long to see significant positive changes once the decision has been made to become a person of value. Once we begin to give our all to everything that we do, even in something as simple as doing the dishes, the universe responds in like. It is amazing how quickly this transformation takes place once we've adopted this mindset. With little hesitation we begin to notice people, circumstances and things of value coming into our lives.
Here is my take on the concept that there are no shortcuts in life. I believe that we can find many shortcuts if we look for them, however there are no valuable results when we take them. In other words, we must give life our absolute best and add value to the lives of others. This, in turn, will bring value into our own lives and add to the overall quality of life as a whole. Attempting to short change this process and take a shortcut without providing any real value, will ultimately cost us. Therefore I concur, there are no shortcuts in life.
Give life exactly what you expect from it – value. If you develop this mindset, you will thrive in every area of your life.
It is not uncommon for some of us to provide value in one area of our life and not another. For instance, perhaps we place a lot of value on our career and therefore we spend a lot of time and energy focused on being the best that we can be at work. However, the opposite is true of the value we place on our relationships with others, so we don’t bring very much to the table in that area. We expect and accept from others yet we offer very little of ourselves in return. Our career is thriving, yet our relationships are strained and dissolving. Soon, we begin to feel isolation with respect to our relationships and eventually turn it inward. It then begins to affect our confidence and self-esteem and guess where that’s going to rear its ugly head? You guessed it – at work. Rather than giving value to specific people, events or things, we should focus on becoming a person of value.
To become a person of value is a more balanced effort and considerably more rewarding than simply providing value in only a few areas of our lives. Becoming a person of value means that we apply value to every area of our lives. That is the mindset that we should be striving for as it will greatly assist in creating a happier, healthier and more balanced life.
We’ve all heard the term “you get what you give”. It won’t take very long to see significant positive changes once the decision has been made to become a person of value. Once we begin to give our all to everything that we do, even in something as simple as doing the dishes, the universe responds in like. It is amazing how quickly this transformation takes place once we've adopted this mindset. With little hesitation we begin to notice people, circumstances and things of value coming into our lives.
Here is my take on the concept that there are no shortcuts in life. I believe that we can find many shortcuts if we look for them, however there are no valuable results when we take them. In other words, we must give life our absolute best and add value to the lives of others. This, in turn, will bring value into our own lives and add to the overall quality of life as a whole. Attempting to short change this process and take a shortcut without providing any real value, will ultimately cost us. Therefore I concur, there are no shortcuts in life.
Give life exactly what you expect from it – value. If you develop this mindset, you will thrive in every area of your life.
April 4, 2011
The Freedom of Forgiveness
There are times when forgiveness can be the furthest thing from our minds, particularly when the person we should forgive has done something we deem to be unforgivable. It took me years to understand that forgiveness is not for the sake of the other person, but for our own sakes. It takes very little effort to harbor anger, resentment, hurt and other negative feelings associated with the betrayal of another. The real effort and strength is in the forgiveness; in the ability to let go. There is a sense of personal freedom that we acquire when we learn how to forgive which may very well add years to our lives. In letting go, we allow life’s vibrant energy to flow through us rather than blocking it with the bad feelings we're holding on to.
When we harbor bad feelings, our bodies eventually begin to fail us, and so do our minds. We’ve all experienced, either as the receiver or the perpetrator, the ugliness and destruction that negative interactions with others begets. It is not too difficult to figure out why society suffers from such a wide array of illnesses, both physical and mental. I equate this to breathing in fresh air or toxic air. One promotes good health and wellness while the other promotes death.
There is a complete science to health, wealth and happiness; it is not simply a matter of good fortune or “luck”, and forgiveness is one of the main ingredients to acquiring such a state of well-being. When we forgive, we bring forth the ability to feel happiness and to experience abundance and good health. Without forgiveness, not only do we imprison ourselves in an unhealthy mind and body, but we block the ability to enjoy the blessings life has to offer. I don’t believe that one can experience true happiness and good health in a tainted mind any more than I believe a person can experience a healthy mind in a tainted body and impoverished conditions. So often these things are viewed as separate when they are very much a part of the same whole.
Not only do scientists now acknowledge the fact that our mindset has a tremendous impact on our health, but many illnesses are attributed to factors such as stress, depression and the like. In fact, more and more doctors are incorporating holistic medicine into their treatment methods.
When we hold on to bad feelings about another person, we are basically holding poison in our minds and bodies and the long term damage can be devastating. In short, when we don’t forgive, we are refusing to expel the poison from our bodies. Anger, jealously, resentment, guilt, stress, fear – these are all forms of poison.
Practicing forgiveness will set us free from those toxins and allow us to live happier and healthier lives. It really doesn’t matter whether or not we believe the other person is deserving of our forgiveness, what matters is whether or not we believe ourselves to be deserving of forgiving. It’s not only beneficial to our health, but it’s incredibly freeing when we operate from a place of calmness and love.
Let’s not forget that most of us have asked for forgiveness at one time or another. It only seems fitting to continue the rotation.
Read more articles by Danielle at http://dp-motivation.blogspot.com
About the Author: Danielle Pierre is an author, life coach and the owner of DPM Enterprises - a service dedicated to those who seek to improve the quality of their lives. Visit http://dpmotivation.com for access to free empowerment tools and other personal development resources or visit http://daniellepierre.com for income and training opportunities. To schedule a complimentary coaching consultation with Danielle call 800-399-4618
When we harbor bad feelings, our bodies eventually begin to fail us, and so do our minds. We’ve all experienced, either as the receiver or the perpetrator, the ugliness and destruction that negative interactions with others begets. It is not too difficult to figure out why society suffers from such a wide array of illnesses, both physical and mental. I equate this to breathing in fresh air or toxic air. One promotes good health and wellness while the other promotes death.
There is a complete science to health, wealth and happiness; it is not simply a matter of good fortune or “luck”, and forgiveness is one of the main ingredients to acquiring such a state of well-being. When we forgive, we bring forth the ability to feel happiness and to experience abundance and good health. Without forgiveness, not only do we imprison ourselves in an unhealthy mind and body, but we block the ability to enjoy the blessings life has to offer. I don’t believe that one can experience true happiness and good health in a tainted mind any more than I believe a person can experience a healthy mind in a tainted body and impoverished conditions. So often these things are viewed as separate when they are very much a part of the same whole.
Not only do scientists now acknowledge the fact that our mindset has a tremendous impact on our health, but many illnesses are attributed to factors such as stress, depression and the like. In fact, more and more doctors are incorporating holistic medicine into their treatment methods.
When we hold on to bad feelings about another person, we are basically holding poison in our minds and bodies and the long term damage can be devastating. In short, when we don’t forgive, we are refusing to expel the poison from our bodies. Anger, jealously, resentment, guilt, stress, fear – these are all forms of poison.
Practicing forgiveness will set us free from those toxins and allow us to live happier and healthier lives. It really doesn’t matter whether or not we believe the other person is deserving of our forgiveness, what matters is whether or not we believe ourselves to be deserving of forgiving. It’s not only beneficial to our health, but it’s incredibly freeing when we operate from a place of calmness and love.
Let’s not forget that most of us have asked for forgiveness at one time or another. It only seems fitting to continue the rotation.
Read more articles by Danielle at http://dp-motivation.blogspot.com
About the Author: Danielle Pierre is an author, life coach and the owner of DPM Enterprises - a service dedicated to those who seek to improve the quality of their lives. Visit http://dpmotivation.com for access to free empowerment tools and other personal development resources or visit http://daniellepierre.com for income and training opportunities. To schedule a complimentary coaching consultation with Danielle call 800-399-4618
The Spirit of Success
Within each of us lies a power so great that many of us cannot comprehend the potential it holds to change our lives forever. We doubt, we worry, we cry, we fear and yet while all of these emotions are completely normal and part of what makes us human, too often we surrender to them for prolonged periods, never realizing that we had the ability to change our reality the entire time.
Over the course of my life, I can remember spending days, and sometimes even weeks in despair. These were during times when I didn’t think my career, or my relationships, or my life in general would ever reach the level of success I longed for. There were also times that I didn’t believe I was taken seriously and felt as though I was being ignored. In many ways, I did not believe in myself.
So, how do we move from a defeatist mindset into a mindset that will enable us to achieve the level of success we desire or the lifestyle we truly want? How can we prevent our subconscious mind from convincing us to stay small when we aren’t even aware that it’s whispering words of defeat into our ears? We read positive material, we pray, we meditate, we sing and we keep going and yet many of us seem to remain where we are, in that element of fear, frustration and discord. What is the real secret? What is the way out of struggle? We read, we spend, we work, and we wait. Then we hear the stories of how others changed their mindsets and bam - new life! What gives? What am I doing wrong?
It is at this juncture that over 90% of the population quits. It takes a lot of strength, courage and energy to keep moving forward when it appears that there is no help on the way. It takes a lot of strength, courage and energy to keep moving forward when all of your efforts seem to fall flat. It takes a lot of strength, courage and energy to keep moving forward when it appears to be a never ending struggle.
You must believe in yourself and keep going even when it seems to be a waste of time; even when all of your efforts seem to be failing; even when you don’t feel like you have the strength to take one… more… step. Take it anyway. But when you take it, don’t take it with a “me” attitude. Take your next step with an attitude of contribution. What you contribute to the world will return to you. It may not return to you in the manner in which it was given, but an equal value will be returned to you.
If you adopt the spirit of giving and contribution rather than thinking only of personal gain, you will then be successful, for this is the secret; this is the spirit of success. It is at this point that so many find themselves facing defeat or struggle for long periods of time. There must be a mindset change from personal gain and competition to that of creating and contributing. It’s a difficult concept to grasp for many, but adding value to yourself in order to bless others will eventually bring to you what you desire. Become proficient in every area of your life and give with an open heart. Go the extra mile. Create methods, products or services that will enhance the lives of others. If you do these things, you will find success - guaranteed. Actually, success will find you.
Success is what you think it is, not what others tell you it is - remember that. To another, it may be a big house and a six figure income, but to you it may be great health and strong personal relationships. It really doesn’t matter how you define your own success, the key to getting there remains the same. The "key" word is give. Give value and don’t give up.
Read more articles by Danielle at http://dp-motivation.blogspot.com
About the Author: Danielle Pierre is an author, life coach and the owner of DPM Enterprises - a service dedicated to those who seek to improve the quality of their lives. Visit http://dpmotivation.com for access to free empowerment tools and other personal development resources or visit http://daniellepierre.com for income and training opportunities. To schedule a complimentary coaching consultation with Danielle call 800-399-4618
Over the course of my life, I can remember spending days, and sometimes even weeks in despair. These were during times when I didn’t think my career, or my relationships, or my life in general would ever reach the level of success I longed for. There were also times that I didn’t believe I was taken seriously and felt as though I was being ignored. In many ways, I did not believe in myself.
So, how do we move from a defeatist mindset into a mindset that will enable us to achieve the level of success we desire or the lifestyle we truly want? How can we prevent our subconscious mind from convincing us to stay small when we aren’t even aware that it’s whispering words of defeat into our ears? We read positive material, we pray, we meditate, we sing and we keep going and yet many of us seem to remain where we are, in that element of fear, frustration and discord. What is the real secret? What is the way out of struggle? We read, we spend, we work, and we wait. Then we hear the stories of how others changed their mindsets and bam - new life! What gives? What am I doing wrong?
It is at this juncture that over 90% of the population quits. It takes a lot of strength, courage and energy to keep moving forward when it appears that there is no help on the way. It takes a lot of strength, courage and energy to keep moving forward when all of your efforts seem to fall flat. It takes a lot of strength, courage and energy to keep moving forward when it appears to be a never ending struggle.
You must believe in yourself and keep going even when it seems to be a waste of time; even when all of your efforts seem to be failing; even when you don’t feel like you have the strength to take one… more… step. Take it anyway. But when you take it, don’t take it with a “me” attitude. Take your next step with an attitude of contribution. What you contribute to the world will return to you. It may not return to you in the manner in which it was given, but an equal value will be returned to you.
If you adopt the spirit of giving and contribution rather than thinking only of personal gain, you will then be successful, for this is the secret; this is the spirit of success. It is at this point that so many find themselves facing defeat or struggle for long periods of time. There must be a mindset change from personal gain and competition to that of creating and contributing. It’s a difficult concept to grasp for many, but adding value to yourself in order to bless others will eventually bring to you what you desire. Become proficient in every area of your life and give with an open heart. Go the extra mile. Create methods, products or services that will enhance the lives of others. If you do these things, you will find success - guaranteed. Actually, success will find you.
Success is what you think it is, not what others tell you it is - remember that. To another, it may be a big house and a six figure income, but to you it may be great health and strong personal relationships. It really doesn’t matter how you define your own success, the key to getting there remains the same. The "key" word is give. Give value and don’t give up.
Read more articles by Danielle at http://dp-motivation.blogspot.com
About the Author: Danielle Pierre is an author, life coach and the owner of DPM Enterprises - a service dedicated to those who seek to improve the quality of their lives. Visit http://dpmotivation.com for access to free empowerment tools and other personal development resources or visit http://daniellepierre.com for income and training opportunities. To schedule a complimentary coaching consultation with Danielle call 800-399-4618
Facing Rejection with Courage
Rejection can be very painful and if our self-esteem isn’t where it should be ideally (and many of ours isn’t) then rejection can throw us a devastating blow. The ability to handle rejection without turning it inward, attacking ourselves with thoughts of unworthiness and losing our ability to think rationally is not something one can find a quick fix to. The ability to deal courageously with rejection happens naturally as we build up our self-esteem by beginning to love and accept ourselves. Believe it or not, rejection is part of life’s journey and plays a significant role in our learning and growing process.
Being rejected is something everyone experiences. Yes, everyone. You are not alone, nor is there anything wrong with you. Just like we don’t all have the same taste in clothes, food and music, similarly neither do we all have the same beliefs and realities. Simply put, not everyone is going to appreciate the way you walk and talk. It’s the way it is and it doesn’t mean that someone else’s opinion of you is everyone’s opinion of you nor does it mean that you should accept anyone else’s opinion as your truth. So many of us do this – a person tells us we’re not good enough and we immediately internalize it and accept it as truth. If this is you, understand that your opinion of yourself is who you project to the world. If you have a low opinion of yourself, that is what others see – and likewise, if you have a high opinion of yourself, that is what others see. Loving and accepting yourself is the key to handling rejection with courage and confidence.
We all have our fears, our doubts, our little quirks and weird habits, our insecurities and equally we have our strengths, our talents, our abilities, our passions and many other things to be proud of. If you are in the company of someone who continuously points out what is wrong with as opposed to what is right with you, then my suggestion is to find a way to severe that relationship because it is not healthy and it could hinder your efforts to build your self-esteem. If it’s a family member and you can’t severe the ties, then limit the amount of time you spend with that person.
Being accepted by others is something we all desire, even though there are people who claim they do not care whether or not they are accepted. I cannot judge that statement one way or another, however I will say that unless you are willing to go to the grocery store in your blue polka dotted pajamas with a mud pack on your face – you care, at least at some level, about the acceptance of others. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be accepted - we all require love and acceptance to some degree. But we should not center our life goals and decisions around the acceptance of others, or allow rejection to hinder those goals and decisions.
The long term solution to facing rejection with courage is to continuously work on your personal development. Feed yourself daily positive messages and affirmations, eat right and exercise (yes, this plays a very significant role in your level of self-esteem) and continue to learn and grow. Make every effort not to judge and blame others and accept total responsibility for your life and where you are right now. All of these things tie into developing a strong sense of self, heightening self-esteem and gaining the courage to see rejection as a part of life and not a personal attack on your character or worthiness. Although it may not be recognizable at first, more often than not we realize some time down the road that most of the rejection we encountered was a blessing in disguise and necessary for our personal growth and success.
Here are a few short term tips to help you push through the powerful emotions rejection can cause, so you can move forward. As I stated earlier, in order to develop long-lasting courage and resilience when it comes to rejection, it will take time as you develop yourself personally and spiritually. These tips are simply to help you get out of the quicksand and back onto solid ground.
1. Let yourself feel the grief or pain, and then let go. Feeling it is the easy part. Letting go is the tough part. You have to train yourself to be emotionally fit and to not wallow in self-pity. If it’s a relationship rejection, fight the urge to call and cry to that person. Say what you have to say and then leave it alone. I’ve seen so many people give in to their emotions during this period and it becomes more damaging as they set themselves up for further rejection. There’s a song by Usher titled “Let it Burn”. Find the strength and let it burn, then let it go.
2. If you don’t already practice meditation, now's a good time to start. Below I’ve included a beginning meditation video. Learn to breathe, relax and visualize a place of peace and comfort. Do this as often as you’d like and are able to.
3. Stay busy. Find projects or tasks that you enjoy and keep moving. Do not allow yourself the opportunity to fall apart.
4. Write a blog, journal or talk to a close friend. Express yourself, but don’t dwell or linger. The key to getting out is getting on. Keep moving forward.
5. Listen to inspirational audios, watch and read inspirational movies, videos and books. Do not listen to sad, heart breaking, poor me music under any circumstances.
6. Do something kind for yourself. Get a pedicure or take a trip to the bookstore and hang out for the afternoon (in the self-help section of course).
Notice that most of these tips include some sort of action. Action is life's vehicle. It's when we stagnate and linger on one thought or in one place that we cause ourselves damage. You have to find the inner strength to pull through and keep going, no one else can find it for you. It's there - it's always been there, you just have to seek it.
These tips are simply to help you re-focus and direct your attention on the path ahead of you. There’s no one in the world like you and you have an entire life to live and give. Don't allow one person or situation to block your path. This too shall pass.
Here's the link to your meditation video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8GrUe...
Read more articles by Danielle at http://dp-motivation.blogspot.com
About the Author: Danielle Pierre is an author, life coach and the owner of DPM Enterprises - a service dedicated to those who seek to improve the quality of their lives. Visit http://dpmotivation.com for access to free empowerment tools and other personal development resources or visit http://daniellepierre.com for income and training opportunities. To schedule a complimentary coaching consultation with Danielle call 800-399-4618
Being rejected is something everyone experiences. Yes, everyone. You are not alone, nor is there anything wrong with you. Just like we don’t all have the same taste in clothes, food and music, similarly neither do we all have the same beliefs and realities. Simply put, not everyone is going to appreciate the way you walk and talk. It’s the way it is and it doesn’t mean that someone else’s opinion of you is everyone’s opinion of you nor does it mean that you should accept anyone else’s opinion as your truth. So many of us do this – a person tells us we’re not good enough and we immediately internalize it and accept it as truth. If this is you, understand that your opinion of yourself is who you project to the world. If you have a low opinion of yourself, that is what others see – and likewise, if you have a high opinion of yourself, that is what others see. Loving and accepting yourself is the key to handling rejection with courage and confidence.
We all have our fears, our doubts, our little quirks and weird habits, our insecurities and equally we have our strengths, our talents, our abilities, our passions and many other things to be proud of. If you are in the company of someone who continuously points out what is wrong with as opposed to what is right with you, then my suggestion is to find a way to severe that relationship because it is not healthy and it could hinder your efforts to build your self-esteem. If it’s a family member and you can’t severe the ties, then limit the amount of time you spend with that person.
Being accepted by others is something we all desire, even though there are people who claim they do not care whether or not they are accepted. I cannot judge that statement one way or another, however I will say that unless you are willing to go to the grocery store in your blue polka dotted pajamas with a mud pack on your face – you care, at least at some level, about the acceptance of others. There's nothing wrong with wanting to be accepted - we all require love and acceptance to some degree. But we should not center our life goals and decisions around the acceptance of others, or allow rejection to hinder those goals and decisions.
The long term solution to facing rejection with courage is to continuously work on your personal development. Feed yourself daily positive messages and affirmations, eat right and exercise (yes, this plays a very significant role in your level of self-esteem) and continue to learn and grow. Make every effort not to judge and blame others and accept total responsibility for your life and where you are right now. All of these things tie into developing a strong sense of self, heightening self-esteem and gaining the courage to see rejection as a part of life and not a personal attack on your character or worthiness. Although it may not be recognizable at first, more often than not we realize some time down the road that most of the rejection we encountered was a blessing in disguise and necessary for our personal growth and success.
Here are a few short term tips to help you push through the powerful emotions rejection can cause, so you can move forward. As I stated earlier, in order to develop long-lasting courage and resilience when it comes to rejection, it will take time as you develop yourself personally and spiritually. These tips are simply to help you get out of the quicksand and back onto solid ground.
1. Let yourself feel the grief or pain, and then let go. Feeling it is the easy part. Letting go is the tough part. You have to train yourself to be emotionally fit and to not wallow in self-pity. If it’s a relationship rejection, fight the urge to call and cry to that person. Say what you have to say and then leave it alone. I’ve seen so many people give in to their emotions during this period and it becomes more damaging as they set themselves up for further rejection. There’s a song by Usher titled “Let it Burn”. Find the strength and let it burn, then let it go.
2. If you don’t already practice meditation, now's a good time to start. Below I’ve included a beginning meditation video. Learn to breathe, relax and visualize a place of peace and comfort. Do this as often as you’d like and are able to.
3. Stay busy. Find projects or tasks that you enjoy and keep moving. Do not allow yourself the opportunity to fall apart.
4. Write a blog, journal or talk to a close friend. Express yourself, but don’t dwell or linger. The key to getting out is getting on. Keep moving forward.
5. Listen to inspirational audios, watch and read inspirational movies, videos and books. Do not listen to sad, heart breaking, poor me music under any circumstances.
6. Do something kind for yourself. Get a pedicure or take a trip to the bookstore and hang out for the afternoon (in the self-help section of course).
Notice that most of these tips include some sort of action. Action is life's vehicle. It's when we stagnate and linger on one thought or in one place that we cause ourselves damage. You have to find the inner strength to pull through and keep going, no one else can find it for you. It's there - it's always been there, you just have to seek it.
These tips are simply to help you re-focus and direct your attention on the path ahead of you. There’s no one in the world like you and you have an entire life to live and give. Don't allow one person or situation to block your path. This too shall pass.
Here's the link to your meditation video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a8GrUe...
Read more articles by Danielle at http://dp-motivation.blogspot.com
About the Author: Danielle Pierre is an author, life coach and the owner of DPM Enterprises - a service dedicated to those who seek to improve the quality of their lives. Visit http://dpmotivation.com for access to free empowerment tools and other personal development resources or visit http://daniellepierre.com for income and training opportunities. To schedule a complimentary coaching consultation with Danielle call 800-399-4618
