Welcome and Beginning the Best Self Journey

Welcome to “To Be My Best Self”. It is my hope that everyone who visits here, no matter how often finds something they are looking for. However, if you are looking for someone to act as your professional life coach or personal life instructor, you won’t be able find that here. To Be My Best Self is not a moneymaking venture. I don’t view self-help as a means for financial gain, even though there are many people who have made and will continue to make quite successful incomes marketing their ‘road to happiness,’ their personal spin on a ‘success formula.’

The purpose of To Be My Best Self is just to share what I have found works for me and what I’ve seen work for others. There is no right and wrong. While we share many commonalities as people, we also possess very unique features as individuals. It’s that simple. I don’t profess to have answers, but I do take copious notes on life. I always have. Trying to figure out how people tick and what makes them tick ‘better’ has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember.

To Be My Best Self will provide weekly topics that will include strategies that if captured – which means understood, internalized and practiced – may very well improve the quality of your life, no matter where you are and what you’re dealing with.

Here are some of the main ingredients you will need in this recipe for a better life, for being able to say, “I am committing ‘To Be My Best Self’ from this day forward!”

Willingness/Attitude – this is where it all begins. A deep desire, a strong yearning, an inner drive.

"Any fact facing us is not as important as our attitude toward it, for that determines our success or failure. The way you think about a fact may defeat you before you ever do anything about it. You are overcome by the fact because you think you are."

-- Norman Vincent Peale.

If Reverend Peale is correct, the opposite is also correct. If we can defeat ourselves by thinking we will fail, we can achieve success by believing we will be victorious.

Courage – to look inside yourself and to see things as they truly are.

“Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them.”

-- Orison Swett Marden.

Here we combine attitude with courage – by convincing ourselves to act and move ahead. We are promised relief from what blocks our path.

Determination – to continue even at times when there is no visible proof of results.

“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.”

-- Thomas Alva Edison.

Mr. Edison too, demonstrates how his viewpoint, his positive attitude denies failure and translates it into opportunity and growth toward success.

Respect – for the sanctity of life, our own and that of others.

“I’m not concerned with you liking or disliking me…All I ask is that you respect me as a human being.”

-- Jackie Robinson

Having people like us is a bonus, not the destination. Popularity may not always be included in success, but if we strive for respect rather than approval, we will not falter.

Honesty – acceptance of both the good and the bad in ourselves, others and events.

“Our lives improve only when we take chances – and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves.”

-- Walter Anderson

Mr. Anderson combines honesty, self-appraisal with courage. The two are inseparable.

Responsibility – not for the outcome, but for the part we play in the outcome.

“I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still, I can do something; I will not refuse to do something I can do.”

-- Helen Keller

There is only one person in this entire world that we can change. It is more than our ability to do so; it is also our responsibility.

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Week 1 Strategy: Daily Check-Up

Part A: Best done at night, prior to closing the day.

• Were we honest throughout the day, to ourselves and to others? If not, what stood in our way?

• Do we feel resentment toward anyone or anything? What is it about?

• Did anything happen for which we are sorry? Did we say so?

• What, if anything caused us to become fearful or anxious?

• What two things could we have done better today?

Part B: Best done first thing in the morning, upon awakening.

• Consider plans for this upcoming day.

• Review something spiritual in nature – anything that connects you to something powerful outside yourself.

• Any upcoming indecision or anticipated difficulty is to be met in a relaxed, non-struggling frame of mind so we can be open to inspiration.

• Develop or find a few prayers or affirmations to recite during morning meditation and repeated throughout the day as needed.

Part C: As needed throughout the day.

• Recite prayers and affirmations that ‘speak’ to you.

It is recommended that you journal briefly on these questions and suggestions and the responses and feelings they bring up. For those who have yet to experience the benefits of journaling, it is very strongly recommended. For those who are not yet ready to journal, secure a brief time for silent meditation and go through your day with these as guidelines.

Commit to these recommendations and questions daily until we meet here again next week. I encourage you to post about your experiences as the week goes by.

If you would like to see more, visit http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/

Much success on your journey!

Blogme