THISCLOSE to Success - The After Life Tally

I wonder when we die, if we have the opportunity to look back over our lifetime and see just how many times we were THISCLOSE to success, to having what we wanted, to gaining the life we desired; but had it all taken away because we did not see the results we wanted and a sense of hopelessness and negativity prevented us from getting what we desired. How many times did a feeling of disbelief prevent us from reaching a goal?

 Never give up in your belief of what you want to achieve. It might be just beyond the next hurdle!

A NEW DAY OF POSSIBILITIES

This day is a door to a whole new set of possibilities. Open it!

THINK POSITIVE ~ It's Not Always Easy

Yesterday I spent hours sitting by myself doing a tedious job that required using my hands only. My mind wondered all over the place, but it kept coming back to two recent events that really bug me.


The first stems from a family cookout the other day inwhich someone made a shocking accusations about a very beloved family member. This incident happened over 25 years ago - but apparently this member of our extended family has been harboring anger (reflected by the fist slamming into her hand motion - not once but twice!) all these years about something the rest of the family didn't even know was an issue - until this outburst.  I could go on forever relaying the story but suffice it to say - this is not a well liked family member to begin with and this outburst the other day only cemented the entire families viewpoint about this woman.


The second topic I was dwelling on yesterday involves someone I know who recently won her disability claim and is now being awarded $30,000.00 in back payments plus $5,000.00 for each of her two kids. This woman, who has barely worked in her young lifetime is being paid 40K in a lump payment for past due welfare and then will receive $1,600.00 a month in disability. I'm enraged because I know this person and am not happy about her victory. While some people truly deserve welfare, her career in life seems to be getting disability for everyone in her family. That would be her 3rd victory out of her 4 family members!

Anyhow, I was dwelling on these two subjects for much of my day yesterday when it occurred to me that I was thinking only bad thoughts. Once I realized what I was doing, I made a conscious effort to change my thoughts to happy ones, but sometimes it can be so hard!


I have my 'Happy Song' that I use often to help lift my spirits but somedays that doesn't even work. I would love to hear from my readers on what helps you keep positive thoughts flowing in your mind! Please share!

The Original Positive Thinker - Norman Vincent Peale

A couple great short articles regarding the beliefs of Norman Vincent Peale - The Original Positive Thinker. Both the article and link come from Seeds of Success magazine. May 2012

Even the Father of Positive Thinking Has Self-Doubts

It’s hard to believe that the father of positive thinking, Norman Vincent Peale, was once a young boy plagued by an inferiority complex. But through faith, and his realization that people take you at your own self-appraisal, Peale began a journey to a new way of thinking. If your self-appraisal needs some refinement, incorporate Peale’s timeless truths into your life: 

Start thinking you can do things. When people believe in themselves they learn the first secret of success.

Practice hope. As hopefulness becomes a habit, you can achieve a permanently happy spirit.

Get fired up with enthusiasm. Those fired with an enthusiastic idea, and who allow it to take hold and dominate their thoughts, find that new worlds open for them.

Stretch beyond your current limits. We can do just about anything that we really want and make up our minds to do. We are all capable of greater things than we realize.

Practice happy thinking. Our happiness depends on the habit of mind we cultivate. Cultivate the merry heart, develop the happiness habit, and life will become a continual feast.

Like attracts like. If you have zest and enthusiasm you attract zest and enthusiasm. Life does give back in kind.

Maintain enthusiasm through tough times. Cushion the painful effects of hard blows by keeping the enthusiasm going strong.

Believe things will turn out well. Believe it is possible to solve your problem. Tremendous things happen to the believer. So believe the answer will come. It will.

Tips for Living With Enthusiasm.

Changing Your Negative Thoughts to Positive Thoughts

I was reading the 5/17/10 issue of Woman's World magazine the other day and it reported on a study that states the average woman has 36 negative thoughts about herself every day - one every 26 minutes!

On my personal quest to practice Gratitude and The Law of Attraction, I struggle DAILY with keeping positive thoughts in my head. Sometimes I catch myself having a negative thought and can 'reset' my mindset on my own - but I wonder how many times a day I have a negative thought without being aware of what I am thinking. The main goal is for all of us to be aware of what we are thinking. Monitoring our thoughts sounds like a daunting task.

The article suggests wearing a rubber band on your wrist and gently snapping it when you catch yourself having a negative thought - they refer to it as a 'reset button'. I've heard of this wrist band trick before but I admit I have never tried it.

The article claims that over a few weeks you will begin to have fewer and fewer negative thoughts. I don't know if this method of 'resetting' works, but it is worth a try.

Do you have a favorite way of 'resetting' your thoughts?

Happy Song

Remember that song from childhood, 'If you're happy and you know it clap your hands'? I have a confession.........I sing that song to myself all the time! (and I clap!!) For whatever reason, whenever I'm NOT feeling happy, if I sing this song and clap my hands, it always puts a smile on my face.

If you're happy and you know it clap your hands...........(clap clap)
If you're happy and you know it clap your hands...........(clap clap)
If you're happy and you know then your face will surely show it,
If you're happy and you know it clap your hands...........(clap clap)


But my singing doesn't end there. I use variations of this song ALL THE TIME in other ways, by simply replacing a few words.

For instance happy with healthy and face with body..

If you're healthy and you know it clap your hands...........(clap clap)
If you're healthy and you know it clap your hands...........(clap clap)
If you're healthy and you know then your body will surely show it,
If you're healthy and you know it clap your hands...........(clap clap).

I also swap out happy for wealthy and face for portfolio and numberous other combos. Secretly, I have a blast coming up with some none lyrical versions of this song. I'll never be mistaken for a songwriter!

In my personal quest to keep positive and focused on what I want, this works for me when my mind is wandering or I'm not feeling positive. Perhaps this will work for someone else.

If you would love to share what works for you, please do. I'd love to hear from readers on how they stay focused and positive.