OUR CAREER

                                             CAREER WILL CHANGE ALL

                 

                    MY OWN CAREER TRANSITION IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW BENEFITS COME FROM PROBLEMS AND DIFFICULTIES. I WAS NEVER INTERESTED IN SELF-DEVELOPMENT MATERIALS UNTIL I HAD YEARS OF UNHAPPINESS AFTER GRADUATING FROM LAW SCHOOL. I ONLY FOUND THESE PRINCIPLES AFTER I'D REACHED A LOW POINT IN MY LIFE.

                 I NOW REALIZE THAL ALL THE MISERIES I ENDURED I CAN SEE, QUITE CLEARLY, HOW THE EVENTS OF MY LIFE, SET ME UP, FOR WHAT WAS TO COME. I HAD TO GO THROUGH THE TOUGH TIMES AND THE UNHAPPINESS AND TO BREAK THROUGH THAT LOW MOOD SO I WOULD UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF A POSITIVE ATTITUDE.

                SO, WHEN SOMEONE TELLS ME THEY'RE DISCOURAGED OR IT'S OBVIOUS THEY HAVE A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE, I KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE. I'VE BEEN THERE! BY GOING THROUGH SOME CHALLENGING TIMES, I LEARNED THINGS THAT ARE INVALUABLE TO ME- AND I CAN RELATE MUCH BETTER TO THOSE WHO HEAR MY PRESENTATIONS AND READ MY WRITINGS.

                 AND THE REALITY IS, IF HADN'T GROWN MORE AND MORE DISSATISFIED WITH MY WORK AS AN ATTORNEY, I NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN OPEN TO SWITCHING CAREERS. IF I HAD RATED JOB AS A 'C' OR 'C', I WOULD HAVE KEPT PRACTICING LAW. I WOULD HAVE SETTLED FOR LIVING A 'C' LIFE. IT'S ONLY BECAUSE I WAS A 'D'... AND HEADING FOR AN 'F' ... THAT I WAS MOTIVATED TO MAKE A CHANGE!

                  WHEN SOMEONE ASKES ME WHY I CHANGED CAREERS, I REPLY, WITHOUT HESITATION, 'LOTS OF PAIN',  - PHYSICALLY, EMOTIONALLY AND SPIRITUALLY. AND IT'S THAT PAIN - TOO INTENSE TO IGNORE- THAT FORCED ME TO MAKE A DECISION AND MOVE IN ANOTHER DIRECTION. LIFE IS NOW AN 'A' ... AND THINGS ARE ONLY GETTING BETTER!

                 NOW, LET'S LOOK AT YOUR LIFE. CAN YOU THINK OF ANY SITUATION WHERE A SEEMINGLY NEGAYIVE EXPERIENCE TURNED INTO SOMETHING POSITIVE? MAY BE YOU WERE DISMISSED FROM A JOB... AND THEN LADDED A BETTER POSITION, OR, PERHAPS YOU HAD A HEALTH PROBLEM AND IT CAUSED YOU TO CHANGE YOUR DIET OR TO START EXCISING REGULARLY. CAREFULLY REVIEW THE DIFFICULTIES ADN SEBACKS YOU'VE FACED - AND IDENTIFY AND BENEFITS AND LESSONS AND IDENTIFY THE BENEFITS AND LESSONS THAT COME OUT OF THESE EXPERIENCE. THE POSITIVES ARE THERE... IF YOU LOOK FOR THEM!

                                                   HOW ADVERSITY SERVES US

                  AT THIS POINT, LET'S EXAMINE SEVEN WAYS IN WHICH ADVERSITY IN                             SERVE US.

 

               1. ADVERSITY GIVE US PERSPECTIVE. ONCE YOU'VE RECOVERED FROM A LIFE-THREATENING ILLNESS. A FLAT OR A LEAKY ROOF DOESN'T SEEM TO TROUBLING ANYMORE. YOU'RE  ABLE TO RISE ABOVE THE PETTY ANNOYANCES OF DAILY LIVING AND FOCUS YOUR ATTENTION ON THE TRULY IMPORTANT THINGS IN YOUR LIFE.

              2. ADVERSITY TEACHES US TO BE GRATEFUL. THROUGH PROBLEMS AND DIFFUCULTIES, ESPECIALLY THOSE WHICH INVOLVE LOSS OR DEPRIVATION, YOU DEVELOP A DEEPER APPRECIATION FOR MANY ASPECTS OF YOUR LIFE. IT'S TRITE BUT TRUE - YOU DON'T USUALLY APPRECIATE SOMETHING UNTIL IT'S TAKEN AWAY FROM YOU. WHEN YOU HAVE NO HOT WATER, YOU SUDDENLY VALUE HOT WATER. NOT UNTIL YOU'RE SICK TO DO CHERISH GOOD HEALTH. THE WISE PERSON CONTINUES TO DWELL ON BLESSINGS, EVEN AFTER THE PERIOD OF LOSS OR DEPREVATION HAS PASSED. REMEMBER, WE'RE ALWAYS MOVING IN THE DIRECTION OF OUR DOMINANT THOUGHTS, THEREFORE, CANCENTRATING ON WHAT YOU HAVE TO BE GRATEFUL FOR BRINGS EVEN MORE GOOD THINGS INTO YOUR LIFE.

                     3. ADVERSITY BRINGS OUT OUR HIDDEN POTENTIAL. AFTER SURVIVING A DIFFICULT ORDEAL OR OVERCOMING AN OBSTACLE, YOU EMERGE EMOTIONALLY STRONGER. LIFE HAS TESTED YOU AND YOU WERE EQUAL TO THE TASK. THEN, WHEN THE NEXT HURDLE APPEARS, YOU'RE BETTER EQUIPPED TO HALDLE IT. PROBLEMS AND CHALLENGES BRING OUT THE BEST WITHIN US- WE DISCOVER ABILITIES WE NEVER KNEW WE POSSESSED. MANY OF US WOULD NEVER HAVE DISCOVERED THESE TALENTS IF LIFE HADN'T MADE US TRAVEL OVER SOME BUMPY GROUND. ADVERSITY REVEALS TO YOU YOUR OWN STRENGTHS AND CAPACITIES, AND BECKONS YOU TO DEVELOP THOSE QUALITIES EVEN FURTHER.

                   4. ADVERSITY ENCOURAGES US TO MAKE CHANGES AND TAKE ACTION. MOST PEOPLE CLING TO OLD, FAMILIAR PATTERNS REGARDLESS OF HOW BORING OR PAINFUL THEIR LIVES HAVE BECOME. IT OFTEN TAKES A CRISIS OR A SERIES OF DIFFICULTIES TO MOTIVATE THE TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS. PROBLEMS ARE OFTEN LIFE'S WAY OF LETTING YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE OFF COURSE AND NEED TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION.

                  5. ADVERSITY TEACHES US VALUABLE LESSONS. TAKE THE EXAMPLE OF A FAILED BUSINESS VENTURE. THE ENTREPRENEUR MAY LEARN SOMETHING THAT ENABLES HIM OR HER TO SUCCEED SPECTACULARLY ON THE NEXT VENTURE.

                 6. ADVERSITY OPENS A NEW DOOR. A RELATIONSHIP TERMINATES AND YOU GO ON TO A MORE SATISFYING RELATIONSHIP. YOU LOSE YOUR JOB AND FIND A BETTER ONE. IN THESE INSTANCES, THE PROBLEM IS NOT A PROBLEM AT ALL, BUT RATHER AN OPPORTUNITY IN DISGUISE. ONE DOOR IN YOUR LIFE HAS BEEN SHUT, BUT THERE IS A BETTER ONE WATING TO BE OPENED.

              7. ADVERSITY BUILDS CONFIDENCE AND SELF-ESTEEM. WHEN YOU MUSTER ALL OF YOUR COURAGE AND DETERMINATION TO OVERCOME AN OBSTACLE, YOU FEEL COMPETENT AND GAIN CONFIDENCE. YOU HAVE A GREATER FEELING OF SELF-WORTH AND YOU CARRY THESE POSITIVE FEELINGS INTO SUBSEQUENT ACTIVITIES.

             

                                        RELAX  AND INVOLVE YOUR SENSES

                WHAT'S THE BEST METHOD TO USE WHEN CONCENTRATING ON YOUR NEW IMAGES? IT'S BEEN PROVEN THAT YOUR MIND IS MOST RECEPTIVE TO VISUALIZATION WHEN YOU'RE CALM AND NOT THINKING ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS SIMULTANEOUSLY. SO, SIT DOWN IN A COMFORTABLE CHAIR AT HOME, CLOSE YOUR EYES AND DO SOME DEEP BREATHING EXERCISE TO CLEAR YOUR MIND AND RELAX YOUR BODY. NOW DEVELOP IMAGES THAT INVOLVES AS MANY SENSES AS YOU CAN. THE MORE SLIGHTS, SOUNDS, SMELLS, TASTES AND TOUCHES YOU PUT IN YOUR PICTURES, THE MORE POWERFUL THE 'PULL' FOR TOUCHES YOU PUT IN YOUR PICTURES, THE MORE POWERFUL THE TO MAKE YOUR VISION A REALITY.

                HERE'S AN EXAMPLE, LETS SAY YOU'VE ALWAYS DREAMED OF OWNING A BEACH-FRONT HOUSE IN THE CARIBBEAN. PICTURE THE WHITE AND PEACH-COLORED HOUSE. SEE THE GREEN PALM TRESS SLOWLY SWAYING IN THE GENTLE BREEZE. SMELL THE SALT AIR. FEEL THE WARM SAND BETWEEN YOUR TOES. FEEL THE SUNSHINE ON YOUR FACE, ISN'T THIS PARADISE?

 

                  AND ALL THIS CAN BE YOURS IF YOU HOLD ONTO THIS IMAGE AND DO WHAT IT TAKES A CHIEVE IT! ALSO, REMEMBER THAT THOSE IMAGES ASSOCIATED WITH STRONG EMOTIONS HAVE ENVEN MORE POWER, SO BE SURE TO ADD POSITIVE FEELINGS TO YOUR VISION. FOR INSTANCE, WHEN VISUAL

IZING YOUR IDEAL JOB, COMBINE THE VIVID MENTAL PICTURE AND THE PHYSICAL SENSES WITH THE TERRIFIC EMOTIONS OF PRIDE AND SATISFACTION YOU'LL HAVE WORKING IN THAT NEW POSITION.

                 FINALLY, DON'T BE CONCERNED WITH THE QUALTIY OF YOUR IMAGES AT THE OUTSET. SOME PEOPLE CAN CREATE LIVELY COLOR PICTURES WHILE OTHERS HAVE TROUBLE GETTING ANYTHING MORE THAN A FUZZY IMAGE. IT'S ALSO POSSIBLE YOU MAY ONLY TO ABLE TO GET A PARTICULAR FEELING AT THE BEGINNING AS OPPOSITE TO A CLEAR IMAGE.

                 IN ANY CASE, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. DO THE BEST YOU CAN DO DON'T COMPARE YOURSELF TO ANYONE ELSE. YOUR IMAGES WILL BECOME SHARPER OVER TIME. THE KEY IS TO SPEND SEVERAL MINUTES EACH DAY RUNNING THESE NEW MOVIES IN YOUR MIND.

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