8 Reasons Why You Fail at Creating New Habits

Creating a new habit is hard.

It’s so hard that we fail at it repeatedly.

We begin with great intentions, but inevitably we begin to slack off and ultimately drop the habit altogether.

And that does a number on our self-esteem. We feel like losers. So we pretend we don’t really need the habit — that we never wanted it in the first place.

But without the habit we hoped to create, we live a life of lesser-than . . .

• Lesser than the person we dream of being.

• Lesser than the person we really are inside.

• Lesser than our own best expectations.

• Lesser than what we know we are capable of.

If only we could figure it out, get it right this time, stay committed, try harder.

If you’ve tried to create a good habit and failed, then tried again, then again, then again, and continued to fail, you aren’t alone. Read the Rest of This Article »

20 Simple Ways to Stoke Your Self-Confidence

Once upon a time there was a small child known as you.

This child was born into the world pure and perfect, aware only of its own needs. If those needs were met, if someone held you, fed you, kept you safe and warm, your world was perfect.

Even as you got a bit older, if your parents were loving and kind, you still had a strong sense of yourself as you explored the world and discovered the wonders of living. Read the Rest of This Article »

25 Ways to Make This the Best Christmas Season Ever

The holidays can be stressful.

Your to-do list has suddenly quadrupled. You may be spending more money than you intended. Perhaps you are entertaining house guests, hosting a party, or traveling. For most of us, life is simply busier and more expensive during the holiday season.

And for some, the holidays are a reminder of lost or absent loved ones, feelings of loneliness, or financial difficulties and stress.

We may have dreams of a Norman Rockwell Christmas, but the reality is probably closer to National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation — at least at some point during the holidays. Read the Rest of This Article »

36 Ways to Feel Absolutely Beautiful

“You are beautiful no matter what they say. Words can’t bring you down, no, no. Cause you are beautiful in every single way. Yes words can’t bring you down.” ~lyrics from ‘Beautiful’ by Christina Aguilera

(Note: Men, please share this with the women in your life.)

It’s hard to be beautiful — and even harder to feel beautiful.

The current media ideal for womenís overall appearance is achievable by less than 2% of the female population. But we are bombarded with this unrealistic ideal.

Young women today see more images of exceptionally beautiful women in one day than our mothers saw throughout their entire teenage years. It’s no wonder that 8 out of 10 women are dissatisfied with their appearance.

The standards of female beauty have become progressively more unrealistic and unattainable. We need full-time hairdressers, make-up artists, physical trainers, and dietitians just to attempt to keep up.

The truth is that most of us aren’t “beautiful” by the current media standards of beauty. And even models and actresses are outed as less than perfect when they are caught in their natural state by lurking tabloid photographers. Maintaining that standard of perfection must be exhausting and humiliating. Read the Rest of This Article »

12 Fail-Proof Ways to Strengthen Your Resolve

‘There is no chance, no destiny, no fate, that can circumvent or hinder or control the firm resolve of a determined soul.’ ~Ella Wheeler Wilcox

You want to lose weight, but you keep eating poorly.

You know you need to exercise, but you just can’t seem to get moving.

You’d like to start that project, but maybe you’ll do it tomorrow when you aren’t so tired.

Our dreams and good intentions are powerful, real, and hold the promise of a happier life, a better you, a sense of pride and accomplishment. But when the rubber meets the road, when it’s time to take action, it feels like you are wading waist-high in water with weights tied to your feet. Your heart is willing, but your mind and body resist. The mental difficulty of even the smallest actions can be shocking and immensely disappointing. Read the Rest of This Article »

Next Page »