Jennifer lost 35 pounds

Jennifer lost 35 pounds. In the past, fitness wasn’t something she had to work at. That all changed after her second pregnancy. After her mom was diagnosed with ALS and the family moved to another state, she was faced with stress and depression. This strong mom found herself in a rut and took action to take […]

Related posts:

1. Che lost 127 pounds
2. Frances lost over 100 pounds
3. Lataveya lost 46 pounds

via Black Weight Loss Success http://ift.tt/1kMwE09

Life

Happy Friday! It's finally the weekend (at least for me) and I am happy to have a little down time tonight and hopefully tomorrow. It's been a busy couple of weeks, but that doesn't mean I am neglecting my healthy eating. I have done much better with that since stopping the tracking. Using a more relaxed method is so much better for me, as I explained in my last post. I'm still enjoying my CSA box but that is coming to a close next week. I'll have to start hitting the produce section in the grocery store more often. I am really glad to have fresh locally grown squash available right now! We not only got the last of the summer squash, but we are getting delicious winter squash now, too. Zucchini, yellow squash, delicata, acorn squash, spaghetti squash and butternut squash are all in my pantry and I am roasting, baking and steaming them nearly every day. I hope to make some winter squash soup this week, too. I got a heck of a deal on grass fed beef and lamb (about $3 a pound!) so bought a bunch of that to stick in the freezer along with the pastured pork and free range chicken. Good stuff!

Someone asked about my schedule on the last post, and I've often gotten comments or emails asking whether I work outside the home and what I do with my time. I have posted about that in the past but things have changed a lot over the past few years. I no longer have little kids and teens taking up most of my time, so that has freed up my day for other things. I know I am very blessed to be able to spend much of my time as I wish; for most of my life, that was not the case, as I was either in school or working full time. I did have some great years when the boys were little, being a stay at home mom to 4+, homemaker, and farmer's wife (and that was a LOT of work, but joyous work!). My husband and I have chosen to have me stay home since our daughter was born, and even though she is in middle school now I am able to keep working part time from home and keep my priorities on home and family.

One of the passions of my heart is animal rescue. Ever since I was a child, I wanted to work with animals and help the less fortunate. I love all of God's creatures and it breaks my heart to see any animal suffering, neglected, or abused. So I spend a part of every day volunteering in rescue. My kids and I used to just go and walk dogs at the shelter; eventually it evolved into being even more involved. I do transports when a dog or cat needs to go to a different rescue or home, take animals to the vet when needed, do home checks on potential adopters, and foster dogs and cats in my home. I had planned to cut back and stop fostering for awhile to give myself more time to focus on my health, but we had an emergency foster come in last night who was in danger of being euthanized if I did not take her. Once she is adopted, and my other foster goes to her new home, I am not taking any more animals for awhile. I'd say I spend an average of 3 hours a day on rescue, plus 1-2 hours more in pet and foster care (just feeding, walking, exercising, grooming, etc). I also spend an hour or two a week working my Therapy dog, which is lots of fun, and 2-3 hours a week training my other dog. Having time to do what I love is amazing and not for one second do I take this for granted.  It's a hobby that I find very relaxing and fulfilling and it just downright makes me happy that I can give of myself in this way. And the animals give back 100 fold. They know when they have been helped and they love you for it.

So aside from that, I do the typical homemaker stuff, keeping up the house, shopping, cooking, laundry, yard work, help with homework and fundraisers, all the usual things all stay-at-home-moms do. On weekends and after school, I spend time with my family. We try to have dinner together most nights. I spend an hour or two most weekdays taking my daughter to her after-school sports and groups, and we're part of an active church family with regular church service and activities two or three days a week. (I have to say I never thought I would enjoy church as much as I do!) I take my two youngest kids to various appointments (doctors, dentist, orthodontist, specialists) and sometimes get together with other Moms to visit and have fun. Sometimes we take the kids to a movie together, or to a big park to play. Last week we went to a fall festival and the kids had a blast! We have dinner with friends about twice a week. I go to meetings related to my science career twice a month (trying to stay in the loop for when I do go back to work). Right now, as I type, I am listening to my daughter practice the violin and I'm pausing to play tug with my dog every so often. Multi-tasking at its best! I also do still work from home but spend less time on that than I used to (just a few hours a week). Plus, you know, I blog once in awhile and sometimes, when everyone is in bed, I just sit down and read or watch reality TV and drink decaf coffee! I love the quiet at night.

Anyway, it's not very weight-loss related, but if you wanted to get to know me better there you have it. I like a simple life. I like sleeping with the windows open and listening to the crickets chirp at night in the summer. I love the seven trees I planted around my house over a decade ago and the huge, mature maples that were already here when I moved in. I love sitting on my porch in a rocking chair and watching the birds and the squirrels in the yard. I love having children (even the adult ones!) and being with family. I do know that all of this will only get better and more sweet as I get to a healthier weight, so I am making time for that, too.  I have given a lot of thought to a comment I got some time ago, stating that the commenter looks at weight loss/better health as her "job" and so commits a certain number of hours a day specifically to that; this resonates with me, and when my fosters are adopted, I would like to take those hours I am now using on rescue and spend them specifically on bettering my health. Seems like a great idea to me!






via Escape from Obesity http://ift.tt/1DEL8xy

EDITORIAL: Vote yes on Proposition 56 to raise California’s too-low tobacco tax

http://ift.tt/2cGyulu

The battle to pass Proposition 56 will be tough, as always, because of the power of the tobacco lobby, which already is making deceptive claims like this one: ‘Prop 56 cheats schools out of at least $600 million per year.’

The post EDITORIAL: Vote yes on Proposition 56 to raise California’s too-low tobacco tax appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Los Angeles Times Endorses Proposition 56

http://ift.tt/2dxVGUv

a string of major newspaper endorsements for Prop 56: Sacramento Bee, San Francisco Chronicle, Fresno Bee, Bakersfield Californian, Santa Cruz Sentinel, Monterey County Herald, Santa Rosa Press Democrat, and East Bay Times. The Ventura County Star, which

The post Los Angeles Times Endorses Proposition 56 appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Smoking Bans May Keep Young Men From Heavy Smoking ($$)

http://ift.tt/2deexst

Researchers examined data from more than 4,300 people in 487 cities nationwide who were interviewed annually between 2004 and 2011 when they were aged 19 to 31. Among young men who were light smokers and lived in areas with smoking bans, their rate of

The post Smoking Bans May Keep Young Men From Heavy Smoking ($$) appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

China: Smoking prevalence greater in men while women kick habit

http://ift.tt/2cVR9L2

Women in China are giving up smoking in far greater numbers than men, according to a new study into smoking prevalence in the country. Researchers also found that smoking prevalence was highest in rural areas among Chinese men, with the reverse true for w

The post China: Smoking prevalence greater in men while women kick habit appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

LEVIN: How would the Prop. 56 tobacco tax really affect poor smokers?

http://ift.tt/2deekWz

So why do we have few smokers if tobacco is relatively cheap? Public health experts credit California’s low smoking rate partly to aggressive anti-smoking campaigns and other initiatives, such as banning workplace smoking and being the first state to ban

The post LEVIN: How would the Prop. 56 tobacco tax really affect poor smokers? appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Locals weigh in on cigarette tax hike on November ballot

http://ift.tt/2dxVCo7

"I think that, for me, it might help me to quit," said Brooke Brouett. Cigars, chewing tobacco and electronic cigarettes with nicotine would also be hit with the tax hike. "I think it will definitely cause people to smoke a little less or think more ab

The post Locals weigh in on cigarette tax hike on November ballot appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Vaping industry says federal government’s move to regulate e-cigarettes long overdue

http://ift.tt/2dtrv50

"In the [Health Canada] statement I think some of the things that we especially appreciate are the call for a balanced approach, balancing both the need to protect youth ... while at the same time also acknowledging the need to have relatively easy acces

The post Vaping industry says federal government’s move to regulate e-cigarettes long overdue appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Canadian Vaping Association Responds to Federal Vaping Regulation

http://ift.tt/2dxVl4t

welcomes the Minister's comments acknowledging that e-cigarettes are a less harmful alternative to cigarette smoking and, in fact, can be a useful tool in helping smokers switch from smoking altogether. "Canada has been a world leader in implementing pol

The post Canadian Vaping Association Responds to Federal Vaping Regulation appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Trudeau Liberals plan to regulate vaping products to help shield young people

http://ift.tt/2deedtU

The Liberal government says it plans to introduce legislation later this fall to regulate vaping. Health Canada offered few other details Tuesday beyond saying it would both protect young people from nicotine and allow adult smokers to use vaping as a qu

The post Trudeau Liberals plan to regulate vaping products to help shield young people appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Smoking rates among high school students drop as habit falls out of favour

http://ift.tt/2dxVOUb

The report released on Wednesday compared baseline and midpoint figures from a range of sources from 2007 to 2014, and found the habit seemed to be falling out of favour with young people. 19.1% of high school students aged between 12 and 17 had tried a

The post Smoking rates among high school students drop as habit falls out of favour appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

It’s O.K. for Me to Love Me

{ http://ift.tt/2ddhpmv

By Irene Conlan—

Some of us have been around for a long time and we’re just learning that it’s o.k. to love ourselves. We were taught never to put ourselves first, that we were born sinful or bad, that we would never amount to anything unless …  (fill in the blank). If we mentioned something positive about ourselves it was called bragging and was not acceptable. We were told in school, Sunday school and at home that “Pride goeth before a fall.” And we were warned about letting things “go to our head.”  Praise was considered dangerously ego inflating and the rule of thumb was  that if you didn’t hear that it was wrong you probably did a good job.

Those days, hopefully, are gone for good.

Now we know that not only is it o.k, but it’s essential to love yourself. Consider these questions:

• If I don’t love me, who else can?

• If I don’t love me, can I truly love someone else?

Call it what you want— self-love, self-esteem, self-worth—how you regard yourself determines how you will regard others and how you will respond to a relationship. It is NOT —I repeat—It is NOT the “pride” part of “pride goes before a fall.”

I’m not saying that we  love only ourselves. Balance requires that we are “other-centered” as well as “self-centered” (self centered in a good way.” It also requires that we can give love as well receive love.

So,  how do we build our self esteem, our love of self in a healthy way?

Hara Estroff Marano, in Psychology Today states:

Self-love doesn’t happen by luck or the grace of God. You have to create it. These are among the most important elements of it.

• Honoring yourself and who you really are. Love is your birthright. As Teilhard de Chardin said, “We are not human beings having a spiritual experience, we are spiritual beings having a human experience.”

• Telling the highest truth, which is that we are powerful beings capable of creating joy and success or pain and suffering in our lives. We are not destined to be victims. We have the power to choose, and this power is both the greatest responsibility we have and the greatest opportunity.

• Honoring who you are becoming. Self-love involves recognizing that you are constantly evolving and growing to become a more powerful and more loving being.

• Honoring your feelings and responding to those feelings. Remember, feelings are important signals, and even the so-called negative feelings of anger and fear serve the important purpose of alerting us to the obstacles in our life.

• Recognizing that the universe is literally made of love. “If we will just open ourselves to receive, like flowers opening to the sun, then everything is possible,” says Ti Caine, hypnotherapist and life coach based in Sherman Oaks, California.

How do you begin honoring yourself? It starts with awareness. Become aware of who you are, what your strengths are, what you like/love. Pay attention. Accept the fact that you are unique, special, one of a kind. Some of the tools to help you become more aware and accepting of who you are include:

Meditation—this is a time when you really get to know you. Silence of the mind can teach you more that you can possibly learn in a lecture. Use it as a time to commune with your inner self. Have a good chat with your Supreme Being. Do you think for a moment that the Creator made a mistake when you were created?

Journaling—writing down your thoughts and feelings on a daily basis can show you a clearer picture of your strengths and weaknesses. We all have weaknesses so don’t be afraid of them.

Gratitude and Appreciation—As you start being aware of those things you are grateful for and that you appreciate you will find it easier to be grateful for and appreciate things about yourself.

Service to others – There is absolutely no better way to feel better about yourself than to be of service to others. Not just because you receive sincere compliments but because the energy of giving creates something new in you. Try it and see.

There is never a better time to start loving yourself than right now. Go for it.

Self Esteem Feeds

Embarrassing admission..

http://ift.tt/2dwXt0P

The requested site can not be rendered by this script. In order to render this website in its entirety please proceed this link. Due to the viral nature of this special report and the amount of traffic its been receiving we have decided to to only allow looking at the report on our site.

Visit: http://ift.tt/2cJfFlA

Self Confidence Feeds

Smuggled smokes: The real cost of contraband cigarettes

http://ift.tt/2ddc4ue

WECHAT may be a popular app used for chatting, but some of its users have found a more creative use for it: to peddle contraband cigarettes. In May this year, four Chinese nationals were jailed for peddling contraband cigarettes on WeChat. The peddlers

The post Smuggled smokes: The real cost of contraband cigarettes appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

REYNOLDS, PHILIP MORRIS USA and LIGGETT, Appellants, v. MARVINE CALLOWAY (PDF)

http://ift.tt/2dwSOYf

TAYLOR, J, dissenting....Although I agree that many of the comments made by plaintiff’s counsel were improper, I would find no abuse of discretion in the trial court’s ruling that they did not constitute a sufficient basis for a mistrial. I would therefor

The post REYNOLDS, PHILIP MORRIS USA and LIGGETT, Appellants, v. MARVINE CALLOWAY (PDF) appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

$55M in punitive damages award against four tobacco companies overturned due to attorney misconduct

http://ift.tt/2dd1wiZ

The Florida Court of Appeal for the Fourth District issued a new opinion overturning a nearly $55 million punitive damages award against four tobacco companies and ordering a new trial based primarily on its finding that the cumulative effect of plaintif

The post $55M in punitive damages award against four tobacco companies overturned due to attorney misconduct appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Beware ‘heat not burn’ tobacco devices, e-cigarette seller warns Ministry of Health

http://ift.tt/2dwRzIm

E-cigarette retailer Cosmic has warned the Government to beware of "heat not burn" tobacco devices....has written to the ministry calling for devices that "heat not burn" tobacco to be more tightly controlled than the e-cigarettes it sells, which deliver

The post Beware ‘heat not burn’ tobacco devices, e-cigarette seller warns Ministry of Health appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Smoking Bans Prove Effective At Dissuading Casual Smokers

http://ift.tt/2cESp4e

researchers from Ohio State and Purdue Universities did, for the first time conducting a national study on how smoking bans in cities, states and counties have persuaded smokers to kick the habit, publishing their findings in the September 2016 issue of t

The post Smoking Bans Prove Effective At Dissuading Casual Smokers appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Tony Gwynn and the Push to Ban Dipping in Baseball

http://ift.tt/2dd0Da4

But the lawsuit is only one offensive in a campaign to ban chewing and dipping. Another, and perhaps the most promising, front lies in upcoming negotiations between the league and the players’ union. And advocates say if all else fails, they’ll fight it

The post Tony Gwynn and the Push to Ban Dipping in Baseball appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Morning Trade: WTO forum winds down with e-commerce in spotlight

http://ift.tt/2dgUyps

Paul Ryan on Wednesday repeated that he did not expect a vote on the TPP agreement in the lame-duck session because of provisions that disappointed the tobacco and pharmaceutical industries and their supporters in Congress.

The post Morning Trade: WTO forum winds down with e-commerce in spotlight appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Morning Trade: Hatch wants TPP and his 12 years, too

http://ift.tt/2cVy5MT

Ron Wyden also weighed in on the TPP debate Tuesday...“If you were to cut the public health protections and the big tobacco companies could roll the small countries with respect to tobacco control measures, that’s what I’m talking about.” A number of Rep

The post Morning Trade: Hatch wants TPP and his 12 years, too appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Editorial: Prop. 56 would make our state healthier

http://ift.tt/2dwSKrq

One of tobacco's tactics is a series of TV ads saying the proposition would take money away from education. That is false. The proposition is written so that the $1 billion-plus a year it generates would not be considered part of the Proposition 99 formu

The post Editorial: Prop. 56 would make our state healthier appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

African American leaders join efforts to push Anti-Smoking Initiative

http://ift.tt/2dwSAA8

Health advocates and political leaders in the African American community, joined efforts to push through anti smoking Prop 56 on September 23, during a press conference held in front of the Sentinel office on Crenshaw. Assemblyman Reggie Jones Sawyer (D

The post African American leaders join efforts to push Anti-Smoking Initiative appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Drug to treat alcohol use disorder shows promise among drinkers with high stress

http://ift.tt/2cGfecS

NIH-funded multi-site clinical trial suggests that smokers may also benefit.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Teja lost 51 pounds

Transformation of the Day: Teja lost 51 pounds. One day, she just didn’t recognize herself in the mirror and that was her wakeup call. Clean eating, exercise and a great support system has propelled this fit mom to achieve great results. Now, she is using her story to inspire thousand and thousands of others to change […]

No related posts.

via Black Weight Loss Success http://ift.tt/1kMwE09

Smoking bans persuade light users to give up the habit: New study provides best evidence to date of value of bans

http://ift.tt/2deF4n6

A new national study shows for the first time how smoking bans in cities, states and counties led young people living in those areas to give up, or never take up, the use of cigarettes.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Tobacco Companies Exploited Stressed Smokers, Attorney Says as Trial Over Fatal Lung Cancer Begins

http://ift.tt/2dvQvsM

Attorneys debated what drove a Florida man to smoke up to 2 packs of cigarettes a day for more than 30 years, even after doctors diagnosed him with the lung cancer that eventually killed him, as trial opened Tuesday against the country's two largest cigar

The post Tobacco Companies Exploited Stressed Smokers, Attorney Says as Trial Over Fatal Lung Cancer Begins appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Million-Dollar Punitive Disparity in Tobacco Trial Possibly Caused by Differences in Marketing, Defense Tactics, Attorney Says

http://ift.tt/2cFS41d

Key differences in modern-day tobacco marketing may have led a tobacco company defendant to receive double the punitive verdict of the co-defendant... Notably, however, jurors hit R.J. Reynolds with $2 million of the punitive verdict, despite the fact the

The post Million-Dollar Punitive Disparity in Tobacco Trial Possibly Caused by Differences in Marketing, Defense Tactics, Attorney Says appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Revealed: ‘Mentally ill’ Ugandan refugee took out an E-CIGARETTE and pointed it at cops before he was shot by an officer in San Diego

http://ift.tt/2dvQkOf

El Cajon police department have said the object was a silver vaping device, a Smok TFV4 MINI, about three inches long and an inch in diameter. El Cajon Police Department spokesman Lt. Rob Ransweilersaid that Olango also held the vape's box in his grip.

The post Revealed: ‘Mentally ill’ Ugandan refugee took out an E-CIGARETTE and pointed it at cops before he was shot by an officer in San Diego appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Sinclair Davidson Claims Freedom of Information Request Shows Australian Government Manipulated Plain Packs Data

http://ift.tt/2cNcs3R

Following a Freedom of Information request... will tell a meeting of the Global Tobacco & Nicotine Forum ('GTNF') in Brussels that despite what the Australian government claims, their own data simply does not support the notion that their policy on plain

The post Sinclair Davidson Claims Freedom of Information Request Shows Australian Government Manipulated Plain Packs Data appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

The Swedish Snus Store Opens on Abbot Kinney Boulevard

http://ift.tt/2dpjz3I

New pop up locale brings free Wi-Fi and device charging, indoor and outdoor workspaces, and complimentary coffee, water and snacks to Venice Beach..., the community-focused pop up will serve as a public hangout space, shared workplace and communal relaxa

The post The Swedish Snus Store Opens on Abbot Kinney Boulevard appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Dogovor o enaki embalaži cigaret dosežen, o tobačnem centu še ne Omejevanje uporabe tobačnih izdelkov [The agreement on the same packaging of cigarettes reached the center of the tobacco does not Restricting the use of tobacco products]

http://ift.tt/2dmeC8K

Representatives of the Ministries of Health and of Finance were harmonized, that under the draft law on the restriction of the use of tobacco products introduced unified packaging of tobacco products and license to sell tobacco.

The post Dogovor o enaki embalaži cigaret dosežen, o tobačnem centu še ne Omejevanje uporabe tobačnih izdelkov [The agreement on the same packaging of cigarettes reached the center of the tobacco does not Restricting the use of tobacco products] appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Police uncover cigarette sales scheme in Newark, authorities say

http://ift.tt/2dDt3si

The victim of a Newark carjacking turned out to be a suspect in an investigation that led authorities to seize two vehicles with a haul of counterfeit cigarette tax stamps and more than $18,000, authorities said Wednesday. Merysol Mendez-Reyes, 51, of Ne

The post Police uncover cigarette sales scheme in Newark, authorities say appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

New Jersey’s ‘Tobacco Road’: Cops Make Cigarette Counterfeiting Bust

http://ift.tt/2d0lHLA

Cigarette traffickers stock up in low-tax states like Virginia and sell them in New Jersey for a huge profit, police say.

The post New Jersey’s ‘Tobacco Road’: Cops Make Cigarette Counterfeiting Bust appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Most people will make it to 80: Wealthier and healthier lifestyles mean both men and women are living longer than ever

http://ift.tt/2dpiPvf

Attributed to decline in smoking and better diagnosis and treatment

The post Most people will make it to 80: Wealthier and healthier lifestyles mean both men and women are living longer than ever appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

8 Important Lessons Everyone Should Keep Learning For Better Life

You're reading 8 Important Lessons Everyone Should Keep Learning For Better Life, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you're enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

I am yet to meet anyone who wanted the best out of life but was keen to make changes. This is not to say such persons don’t exist, they do. The point here is that to get better in one area or the other in life, you need changes and there are accompanying lessons that makes it happen. Many have battled the fear of failure; others have an uphill to climb because they lack self-belief. Irrespective of what challenges you have, these 8 important lessons for a better life could prove more helpful than you think. While it is advisable not to get wrapped up in swaddles of preconceptions and misconceptions, you need to be open-minded to receive fresh insight in any area of life and here is how you can do this;

1. Handling Mistakes

There is no one who has attained any height in life that never made mistakes. In fact, when you make mistakes you are put on the spot and how you handle them makes a lot of difference. If you evaluate the steps that led to your missteps, you might be able to recognize where you went wrong. Some have said that learning from the mistakes of others can save you lots of heartaches and this is to be appreciated. However, it is not always that there is an open book to learn from; don’t beat yourself when you have to introspect and make amends where you faltered.

2. Attitude towards Learning

It is commonly said that no man is an island and this is trite. Education they say is a lifelong process and in other words, you never stop learning if you must make progress. Now, the sense here is not to be restricted to structured or formal learning as informal learning can hand you a huge leap of faith as well. When the opening comes to learn something new, be open to explore new ideas. It is commonly advocated that reading can broaden your horizon and this is so true! You can create a routine of reading a new book once a month and it will amaze you how your mind will be impacted by new ideas or a refresher of what you have previously learned. You need to be your own motivator and if you fall short of this, join a book club; there are many online and physical outlets to this around you if you bother to search it out.

3. Color Play

Life is not just black and white, so you will do well to improve your taste of color. Psychologists say the way or how you are dress impacts on your mood and outcome in many circumstances. If you wear what you feel good in, you are likely to be more confident and daring.  Some colors portray the bright side of life and others will make you appear confident when you step into that meeting or appraisal room. Blue portrays calmness and an air of stability; green imposes restfulness and eases eyestrain while orange boosts enthusiasm and is easily stimulating. Seeing the possibilities that exist with color picks , there is no doubt that you might want to play around this for better results.

4. Look Ahead

There is hardly anyone who has succeeded in making progress by constantly using the rear view. Where you find yourself in life today is an endpoint of all you ever did or accepted until now. To move on to the next phase of life with improved outcomes, you need to focus on the road ahead. While lessons from the days gone past can be handy, what is important is to be upbeat about the future. Habitual pessimism cannot give traction instead; this will pull you back and stymie your progress. A sage said ‘if you say you will fail, and then you will, so blame yourself”.  The road ahead might not be all rosy but be positive and nothing stops you from expecting the best in the midst of the contrary.

5. Making a Difference

Many people want to see themselves in the light of what they cannot do instead of what they are able to do. There is simply no one on the earth that lacks the ability to make a worthwhile input at one point or the other. It might not be sophisticated or so outstanding but even a smile can make a difference in the life of someone around you. Be committed to making a difference whether in your daily routine or your life’s calling.  Stick to excelling in what you do and you are likely to see a different set of results in life.  

6. Your Mind Power

It is commonly said that your mind is a mirror of your life. In other words, what goes on in your mind determines the outcomes you get daily. If you succeed in positioning your mind as a vital accessory for self-improvement, then you will enjoy a better life. Steps like developing a better outlook, accessing new information as well as scrutinizing what you are exposed to, are necessary here. A wise leader once said that “if you have no vision, others will give you one”. It means that your mind can be a depository for other people if you do not take control of it and determine how to put it to use.  Old patterns of thought can be replaced so that you open up a fresh trajectory into the future.

7. Stop Expecting to be Everyone‘s Favorite

There is no one person that is loved by all. Many might be widely accepted but there are others who won’t accept them for who they are. Presidents are elected on a majority-vote basis in most democracies and this means a sizeable portion of the electorate will have other favorites.   It is important you stick to people who appreciate who you are and keep them close. Success teacher, Mike Murdoch says “not everyone will celebrate you and never expect this to happen”.  Learn to play with your crew and those committed to your views and paradigm. Making progress can be easier and you might be saved lots of aches if you adhere to this admonition.

8. Accept Responsibility for Your Life and Actions

It is sheer lack of experience and a deficit of how life works to expect anyone to babysit you throughout life. It is a mindset that has led many to their fall and demise. If all your life you have taken steps and only made progress based on the validation of another, then when such an individual leaves your life, you are likely to go downhill.   You need to learn to take responsibility for what you do and how your life goes. The earlier you cultivate this trait, the easier it will be to expect less of people, be in control of your actions and lead a happy and healthy lifestyle. Conclusion Life is a gift that comes with fragility, deploying these 8 important lessons can be the trump card to better outcomes.

You've read 8 Important Lessons Everyone Should Keep Learning For Better Life, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you've enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Self Help Gurus etc

“I Physically Put My iPhone in a Different Room. Sometimes Under Lock and Key.”

Interview: Jeff Wilser.

I forget how I got to know Jeff Wilser, but when we met for coffee, he mentioned that he had an idea for a book about Alexander Hamilton — something fun, and also very informative. I told him that I thought his idea sounded terrific; this was even before I saw the Broadway show Hamilton, and now that I’ve seen the show — and loved it as much as everybody else — I think Jeff’s idea was even more terrific.

Well, he did write that book, and it just hit the shelves: Alexander’s Hamilton’s Guide to Life. It’s a book that manages to convey lots of information and big ideas with a light touch.

I was very interested in what Jeff had to say about Hamilton; I also wanted to hear what he had to say about habits and happiness.

Gretchen: Which habits are most important to you?

Jeff: Sticking to a reading schedule.  Everyone enjoys “reading,” but I’ve found that without a strict schedule, and without iron discipline, my reading habits quickly fade into oblivion. So I have a very concrete and nerdy plan: I aim to read a book a week. Sometimes two books in a week, sometimes three, sometimes 0, but at the end of the year, I need to have read at least 52 books. (I envy those super speedy readers who can devour books in one sitting; my speed is average at best.) The game of 52 books in 52 weeks becomes something of a puzzle, where to squeeze in, say, a 900-page biography, I’ll read maybe two short Graham Greene novels.  I’ve found that this habit—of obsessing over the schedule, even tracking it in a spreadsheet—keeps me focused on books and makes me a better reader.

What about writing habits?

I need to write first thing in the morning. I need to do this before I fuss around with anything else.  Before email, before housekeeping, before research, before tweaking my fantasy football lineup.  That’s how I wrote Alexander Hamilton’s Guide to Life.  First thing in the morning, every morning, I wrote for several hours and only then, later in the day, would I pivot to reading and research.

What gets in the way of your healthy habits?

I’m easily distracted. True, everyone says that they’re easily distracted, but in my case it’s so extreme it’s cartoonish.  Sometimes I can’t even read a single news article without re-checking twitter or my email 5 different times—not an exaggeration.  The siren song of the internet always gets in the way…especially when writing.  At times it’s crippling.

So what’s your hack for this?

I remove the internet from the equation. I use Freedom, a program on my Mac, to disable any connection to the internet. But that’s not enough—I also physically put my iPhone in a different room, sometimes under lock and key.

What’s a simple habit that consistently makes you happier?

The morning cup of coffee. It’s essential.  When I traveled to India for two weeks, at the risk of being an Ugly American, I lugged pouches of instant coffee.  If I were ever sent to prison, this is the thing I would miss the most. (Besides not getting shivved.)

What about habits do you wish your 18-year-old self knew?

Ladies are not always super thrilled with the habit of playing video games.

What habits do you wish you had?

I wish I was in the habit of speaking on the phone. I broke the habit many, many years ago, and now when the phone rings, I panic.  It doesn’t matter who it is—my family, my best friends in the world—the phone trips me out.   I thought about creating a new habit where, every day, I had to place one outgoing phone call. But that seemed too daunting so I tweaked it to once a week…and that still seemed too daunting.  Someday soon I will try and instill this new habit. Maybe tomorrow. Or next week.

Have you ever been hit by a lightning bolt, where you changed a major habit very suddenly?

 This might count as cheating, but I’ve adopted some habits very quickly for writing assignments. And I LOVE IT. One time I ate only junk food for 30 days (and lost 11 pounds…the secret was calorie counting.) One time I went on a juice cleanse. Or went vegan.  Even if the habits don’t stick long-term, a sudden immersion into a new habit gives perspective, challenges your old norms, and gets you to recalibrate your life a little. I’m a big fan of Habit Hopping.

Do you embrace habits or resist them?

 Habits are what make me tick.  When I get on a good habit groove then I’m firing on all cylinders, and when my habits lapse everything else seems to crumble.  Inertia is a powerful thing.

 Has another person ever had a big influence on your habits?

I’ll have to go with the obvious one here: Alexander Hamilton.  It’s a cliche to hear that you need to work really hard, but that’s exactly what he did, from a very young age, and it’s my belief that these habits of his, more than genetics, are what made him great.  He made it a point to read every day. He constantly scribbled notes in a journal. He collected facts and quotes and useful arguments. It looks like genius from the outside, but really it was the result of hard work and, well, excellent habits.  That’s one of the entries in the book: “Turn Grit into Genius.”

The post “I Physically Put My iPhone in a Different Room. Sometimes Under Lock and Key.” appeared first on Gretchen Rubin.

Self Help Gurus etc

Abi lost 16 pounds

Abi lost 16 pounds. She began her journey a few months ago and is celebrating her progress. Taking action by using portion control, group exercise and drinking lots of water are just some of the tools she used. My name is Abi and to be honest I don’t really have a story. I just knew a […]

Related posts:

1. Charnece lost 84 pounds
2. Ebony lost 42 pounds
3. Rokecia lost 47 pounds

via Black Weight Loss Success http://ift.tt/1kMwE09

Health experts make case against e-cigs, hookah

http://ift.tt/2cF3VRY

A panel of medical and public health professionals said Wednesday that given national concerns over secondhand smoke from e-cigarettes and hookah Louisville should adopt rules forbidding the use of the products in public indoor spaces... Mayor Greg Fisch

The post Health experts make case against e-cigs, hookah appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

German court rules landlord was wrong to evict heavy smoker

http://ift.tt/2dhQoxv

The Duesseldorf regional court ruled Wednesday there was insufficient evidence that Friedhelm Adolfs had exposed other tenants to secondhand smoke by failing to air his apartment properly, the grounds cited for his eviction.

The post German court rules landlord was wrong to evict heavy smoker appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Based on a True Story: Children and Youth Exposed to Smoking in Movies

http://ift.tt/2dIpQb6

On the opening weekend of the Toronto International Film Festival, youth activists from across Ontario will stage a demonstration march through downtown Toronto calling for youth-rated movies to be tobacco-free.

The post Based on a True Story: Children and Youth Exposed to Smoking in Movies appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Demonstrators Protest Fatal Police Shooting of a Black Man in El Cajon, Calif.

http://ift.tt/2djg2DN

A responding officer fatally shot Mr. Olango after he pulled an object from his pocket, the police said. On Wednesday night, the police identified the object as a vape smoking device with a silvery cylinder the police said “was pointed toward the officer

The post Demonstrators Protest Fatal Police Shooting of a Black Man in El Cajon, Calif. appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

African American Leaders Join Efforts to Push Anti-Smoking Initiative

http://ift.tt/2doiklb

joined the efforts to push through anti-smoking Prop 56 on September 23, during a press conference held in front of the Sentinel office on Crenshaw. Assemblyman Reggie Jones Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) and LA Community College Trustee Sydney Kamlager spoke ea

The post African American Leaders Join Efforts to Push Anti-Smoking Initiative appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Public housing residents skeptical of smoke-free rule

http://ift.tt/2cZslSp

A proposal to require all public housing properties in the nation to become smoke-free indoors in 2017 is receiving mixed reviews from Spartanburg residents. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development rule would require a ban on all lit smokin

The post Public housing residents skeptical of smoke-free rule appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Arizona’s smoking rate takes huge drop

http://ift.tt/2dojnBB

The number of Arizonans who smoke is dropping sharply, and experts are attributing the decline to new laws that limit the use of tobacco and the higher cost of cigarettes. A new federal study shows that about 170,000 of the state's adult residents kicke

The post Arizona’s smoking rate takes huge drop appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Growing number of adults in Arizona have quit smoking in past 5 years

http://ift.tt/2cDlvWE

New data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show 14 percent of Arizona adults smoke. That’s down from 19.3 percent in 2011. The Arizona Department of Health Services said that translated to more than 200,000 smokers who have quit in the

The post Growing number of adults in Arizona have quit smoking in past 5 years appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

EDITORIAL: Smoking rate in Arizona drops to historic low

http://ift.tt/2cZsnK1

Nicotine is addictive, and breaking that habit is tough. It takes time, courage and patience to make it through successfully. The process can be painful and stressful, both for the smoker and the people around him, but the end result is well worth it. T

The post EDITORIAL: Smoking rate in Arizona drops to historic low appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

HOW THE HELL ARE CANDY CIGARETTES STILL A THING?

http://ift.tt/2duA7Jh

"They are still out there, which is sort of amazing," said Truth Initiative CEO Robin Koval, who explained the problem with candy cigarettes: “Anything that normalizes the idea of cigarettes in culture is a bad idea. Even to the extent that they are only

The post HOW THE HELL ARE CANDY CIGARETTES STILL A THING? appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Mayo Ventures Ups Investment In Wearable Anti-Smoking Device Maker

http://ift.tt/2cEFqzB

A close relationship between the Mayo Clinic’s nicotine dependence researchers and a California company developing a wearable nicotine drug delivery device got closer this month with a follow-on investment from Mayo Clinic Ventures. Chrono Therapeutics

The post Mayo Ventures Ups Investment In Wearable Anti-Smoking Device Maker appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Smoke-free play zones gain popular support

http://ift.tt/2duAQKt

The CIEH called for the zones after research carried out on its behalf by YouGov found 89 per cent of adults in Britain would support a smoking ban in children’s play areas and 57 per cent would support a smoking ban in public parks. The organisation has

The post Smoke-free play zones gain popular support appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

West Norfolk kids able to buy cigarettes at ‘pocket money’ prices

http://ift.tt/2cEEMlu

Illegal tobacco sales in West Norfolk are enabling kids to buy cigarettes at pocket money prices. Norfolk's Trading Standards are starting a new campaign using sniffer dogs to combat criminals selling these products:.

The post West Norfolk kids able to buy cigarettes at ‘pocket money’ prices appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

How drinking and smoking epidemics have hit the North East – and what to do about it

http://ift.tt/2cAGUe1

A conference held at the Centre for Life by anti-smoking group Fresh and North East alcohol office Balance will explore the twin health dangers Experts are set to examine how the twin ‘man-made epidemics’ of smoking and drinking have hit the North East —

The post How drinking and smoking epidemics have hit the North East – and what to do about it appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

North-East to host inaugural conference to discuss alcohol and tobacco addiction

http://ift.tt/2cEJDDa

The first national conference of its kind will bring together organisations deemed to be leading the way in tackling addictions to smoking and drinking in the region. The conference will be jointly hosed by Balance, the North-East’s alcohol office, and

The post North-East to host inaugural conference to discuss alcohol and tobacco addiction appeared first on The Center.

Smoking Cessation Feeds

Hunger may motivate us more than thirst, fear, or anxiety

A mouse study reveals that hunger may be a stronger motivating force than a number of other driving states, including fear, anxiety, and social needs.



via Obesity / Weight Loss / Fitness News From Medical News Today http://ift.tt/O45xlc

24 Creative Geniuses Who Inspire Boldness (Even if You’re Shy or Socially Anxious)

You're reading 24 Creative Geniuses Who Inspire Boldness (Even if You’re Shy or Socially Anxious), originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you're enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

“Any step in the direction of expressing your creative impulses is a step in the direction of actualizing the genius that resides within you.” -Dr. Wayne Dyer Genius? Expressing creative impulses? Isn’t that aiming a little high? I’m just trying to survive. If this represents the tired record playing in your mind, stick around for some major inspiration. Perfection on the outside, with a sense of burning loneliness or numbness on the inside, is a dead-end approach.  It will sap your energy and leave a big hole in your life and heart. You get this. Do you hesitate when something new or exciting presents itself? You might tell yourself you tried before and failed, you don’t know how, or you'll look stupid. Imagine you couldn't fail with others, what would you do? Make friends and find love. Have fun at social events. Not assume you are the problem. Enjoy speaking with interesting people. Say yes to your purpose. Get so good at failing you succeed. Maybe you would simply be yourself and forget the rest. But how do you get there? You don’t do it by masking your feelings or scaring yourself.   Instead of putting up a wall and carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, lean on geniuses and use your imagination.  We are talking huge growth potential. These 24 creative geniuses will inspire you to take bold action through your struggles and fears.  They may not all be shy or anxious, but they figured something out through their mindset and actions that you can use.  You are capable of genius and already good enough to take your first step. See yourself as a creative genius capable of bold action.   You are unique and here for a reason and deserve a bold and full life as you are right now.  Take action as you become bold, not after.  Set targets, start small, and build. By the end of this post, you will know what it takes to transform fear of judgment, shyness, and anxiety towards bold action through AWARENESS, ACCEPTANCE, and (strategic) ACTION.  Your desires can become greater than fear of judgment.  You can continue to learn how to become more aware and accepting and shift your focus towards what matters. Apply the steps and mindsets from these enriching individuals until you find what works best for you.  There is an endless source of inspiration to access, so go straight to the source to truly get the best of what they have to offer.  These are all non-affiliate recommendations. A few disclaimers.  I reference social anxiety, sensitivity, shyness, and introversion, but they are all different from one another.  You can be a confident introvert, a socially anxious extrovert, or a shy and socially anxious introvert.  Over time, you may have come to perceive yourself a certain way and you may have built up limiting beliefs.  It’s time to break free of labels but still build your life up to suit you.  If you are introverted, that is just where you get your energy so don’t fight it. You can influence the fear and anxiety to improve your circumstances and journey through bold action.  So take different actions, based on what is holding you back. Consider the possibilities of going on a memorable journey to embellish your imperfect, bold, and creative life.  (Of course, I'm not a doctor, so always seek professional help as needed.)

AWARENESS is Bliss

It’s here, the truth, you can’t turn back now.  You can’t unlearn what you know.  Once you know the truth you will be accountable for your thoughts, emotions, and actions. If you don’t know what you want, then you owe it to yourself to spend some time on this. You probably think you don’t want to draw attention to yourself but this isn’t about ego.  Find what you want.  If it has anything to do with how others see you, keep digging deeper to get to the core as you build awareness. Shift from identifying yourself by how others see you to focus less on judgment and more on connecting with others and living your purpose. This group will help you develop AWARENESS to stop relying on things outside your control and align with your imagination and true self.

1. Dan Millman - bestselling author, former world champion athlete, popular international speaker, Stanford University coach, martial arts instructor and Oberlin College professor.  He authored 16 books, including his semi-autobiographical classic, Way of the Peaceful Warrior (released as a film with Nick Nolte by Universal in 2007). Dan has influenced people from all walks of life.  

In Way of the Peaceful Warrior, we see on the outside Dan's life is set, on the fast track to huge athletic success, but something haunts him.  He finds his future mentor and friend, he nicknames Socrates, in an all-night gas station.  A once-in-a-lifetime friendship and mentorship begins.  Through Soc's wisdom, lessons, and humor, he learns he was never awake. An accident proves to be a true test on a larger quest to rebuild everything.  He learns good habits outshine bad, anger is stronger than fear and anxiety, the value of action, and to not take it all so seriously.  He keeps showing up through frustrations, and must SURRENDER HIS EGO and impulses using SILENCE and MEDITATION. Dan’s paved road offered short-term happiness, but he would not have found peace there.  Break the pattern of the expected path and realize there's a better life, a WARRIOR, within you.  I’d recommend this wonderful book it if you want meaningful inspiration to meditate and transform. I also love his other book (and app) The Life You Were Born to Live for clarity and a deep and tailored approach to facing your issues and fulfilling your destiny.  Dan is also finishing up his newest book, The Hidden School, due out in 2017.  Learn more about his books, speaking events and online courses, audio programs and life-purpose guidance at:  http://ift.tt/1m6x3dN. Image Source: s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

2. Thandie Newton - actress known for roles in The Pursuit of Happyness, Mission: Impossible II, and Crash, in which she won a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress.

Thandie shares her difficulties being seen and fitting in, promoting awareness and oneness in her TED talk.  When she was younger, she felt rejection, panic, confusion, shame, anxiety, and hopelessness.  Things changed when she began expressing herself with dancing and acting.  She stopped getting in her own way and became present in moments of expression, afterwards returning to her “gnarly, awkward self'. Thandie explains we'd think it was about fitting into an ideal but it's actually a clever way our brains try to cheat out of the “reality of death”.  The solution is to find our ONENESS.  We will always be searching until we connect to the Creator through awareness. She also mistook her ability to feel others' pain as lacking substance herself but learned the very feelings she was avoiding was that awareness and connection.  She says when we practice more and more, swapping desensitization for living from our essence, incredible things will happen. Image Source: s_bukley / Shutterstock.com

3. Wayne W. Dyer, Ph.D. - was a 21 time best-selling author who helped millions find their inner gifts and destinies.

Wayne Dyer was called the ‘father of motivation’.  It is inspiring to learn he was bouncing around foster homes after his mother left him, his siblings, and alcoholic father for a time.  Many would take a different path, blaming others or hating their situation, but he chose boldness.  He learned self-reliance and took full ACCOUNTABILITY for his situation. He taught millions to honor their spirit and know the power of the limitless mind to create anything and transform beyond labels.  His book The Power of Intention: Change the Way You Look at Things and the Things You Look at Will Change will help you to use your energy effectively.  A moment of insight led him to see INTENTION as a field of energy to access, beyond your ego, to reshape your life. Respond to doubt by saying “intent” or “intention” as a reminder to be at peace.  Replace negative thoughts with abundance.  If you are not sure what you want, sync your energy up to your inner dialogue. Talk to your ego and take control.  Let go of the need to win, acquire, or care if others judge you.  Wayne told us to see ourselves as infinite and connected to the Source and to use the power of IMAGINATION, over ego and willpower, to influence action, change, and peace. Image Source

4. Steve Flowers, MS, MFT - author of The Mindful Path Through Shyness: How Mindfulness & Compassion Can Help free your from Social Anxiety, Fear & Avoidance.  Founder and director of the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Clinic in California.

Steve helps people with chronic shyness and social anxiety and learned to let his negative thoughts and feelings just be. Due to difficult circumstances growing up, he developed a fear of judgment.  He put up a wall and hid from fearful situations. When he stopped being so hard on himself, and trying to correct himself, he learned to connect. Break out of automatic pilot and shift towards what matters using mindfulness.  Build a MOMENT-TO-MOMENT AWARENESS to see how your thoughts and emotions impact your experiences and apply kindness and self-compassion. I related to Steve’s story and his advice on MINDFULNESS BASED COGNITIVE THERAPY (MBCT).  He provides first hand insight with great and humorous analogies that stick with you and activities to perform to build your awareness so you can break out of the prison you created to protect yourself.

5. David K. Reynolds PhD - author of Constructive Living and A Handbook for Constructive Living. Leading Western authority for Japanese Psychotherapies.  Constructive Living articles have appeared in top magazines.

When Dan Millman gives you a recommendation, you take it.  I’m so glad I did because Constructive Living is an excellent book of common sense actions to outgrow problems (yes, please). David recognized similar social tendencies he had with the Japanese culture and became an anthropologist and studied the mindful Morita Psychotherapy.  He helped himself and developed American Morita to help others, based on the solid Japanese history.  Constructive Living will help you to learn to solve the root of your problems with exercises to learn the principals. If you put on a false front and stay small, this book can help you be yourself.  If you dream of impossible goals, it will help you take grounded actions.  It can help you to stop comparing yourself to others, noticing the tiny errors you make, and wondering why or wishing you weren’t shy or anxious. Accept our uncontrollable FEELINGS and instead INFLUENCE THEM with ATTENTION and ACTION.  Consider the possibilities of redirecting your sensitive energy so you can respond better each day, help others, and build a rich and emotional life.  Check out the site for books, tapes, and quotes.  “You must take responsibility for what you do no matter how you feel.” Image Source Maintained by Scott Plous, Wesleyan University

6. Amy Cuddy - Harvard Social Psychologist and best-selling author of Presence: bringing your boldest self to your biggest challenges. Her groundbreaking research is published in top academic journals and has brought much praise and recognition.

Amy’s TED Talk explored nonverbal communication and the POWER POSE and it became one of the most popular talks ever.  It was clear this resonated with all types of people.  She poured into her research and wrote Presence. After a traumatic brain injury, as a passenger in a bad car accident, her whole life turned upside down.  She left college, doctors doubted her outlook, and her IQ dropped thirty points.  She had to go through various therapies and her closest friends pulled away.  Confused, anxious, and frustrated she did her best to fit in but felt like an impostor. Her abilities returned as she focused on relearning and building her interest in Psychology.  She graduated and focused on presence, power, confidence, and doubt.  Amy explains people will see through fake confidence and real relationships are built on presence. The goal is to shift your attention from the desired outcome to the present moment to harness your power.  Let your body tell your mind how you feel and your mind drive your behavior.  This book provides powerful tools, so become IN SYNC with YOURSELF and cut your anxiety by standing like a starfish and connecting with your core beliefs. Image Source

7. Lewis Howes - best-selling author, lifestyle entrepreneur, former world record holding pro athlete, and White House and Presidential recognition as one of the top 100 entrepreneurs in the US under 30.  He has been  featured in major media outlets, and top self-help podcast host of The School of Greatness.

One year into a professional football career left him in a cast, in debt, with a lost dream of turning professional, and living on his sister’s couch.  Instead of thinking his dream was over, he chose to zoom out his perspective.  He shifted his VISION over to greatness. He used his instincts, worked hard, and built and looked to his network for advice.  He went from reacting to responding and ego was no longer a barrier in his life and business. He promotes honesty, vulnerability, and overcoming fear so we can apply the ‘shameless urgency’ needed for success.  Tackle it on a small scale, incorporate positive habits, and build until you are skilled and equipped to hold yourself accountable to handle success. Lewis learned from the greatest thinkers and doers in the world.  His book The School of Greatness: a Real-World Guide to Living Bigger, Loving Deeper, and Leaving a Legacy is the accumulation of that education. He promotes a win-win attitude to build relationships and to step out of your comfort zone to grow your mindset.  The book provides everything needed to develop a meaningful purpose and the routine and mindset to support it.  Learn the power of awareness towards your vision. Image Source

8. Kain Ramsay - among the top UK’s best selling course creators, strategic life & Career coach.  Helps thousands overcome anxiety, cut stress, and increase self-confidence.

When Kain left the British Army, it shook his sense of identity.  After transitioning to business, he found he could not break out of the cycle of judgment and perfectionism. He decided he could no longer define himself by what he did.  He shifted his IDENTITY to be based on WHO HE WAS.  Now he knows if he makes a mistake, it does not define him. He transitioned again to Psychology & the Social Sciences, Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP), Counseling and Theology.  His knowledge, discoveries, and storytelling skills allowed him to create and sell various life-changing self-improvement courses to over 25,000. He overcame his limiting beliefs and shows how small changes in thinking can bring massive results.  In his course, Unshakable Confidence | The Ultimate Self Esteem Formula, he teaches the value of shifting from fear and security to FAITH and FREEDOM.

ACCEPTANCE

Accept yourself as you are to develop intuition and tune into your creativity.  How can you take bold action if you don’t accept who you are? You can fake it in the short term, but we need to overcome the ego as the driving force. It’s time to take a good look at how you treat yourself.  What are some things you tell yourself?  Are your thoughts fear-based or based upon how others perceive you? Are you afraid anything good might be taken from you at any moment? Maybe that there is no point and nothing ever works. Become more kind to yourself.  Your whole world will open up in unexpected ways.  You will start to build true connections with others and life a more full life built for bold action. Learn to accept and love your fear, instincts, creativity, heart, imperfection, good situations, bad situations, different personalities, and yourself. These eight will help you to heal your wounds and find joy so every day can be fresh and open for boldness, unexpected turns, feelings, and growth. Image Source © Timothy Greenfield-Sanders 2015

9. Elizabeth Gilbert - best-selling author who gives you permission to live a vibrant and creative life.  She is best known for Eat, pray, love: one woman's search for everything across Italy, India and Indonesia and Big magic: creative living beyond fear. Named by Time Magazine as one of the top 100 most influential people in the world.

Elizabeth collects experiences and pursues stories near and far when curiosity strikes.  By the end of Big Magic, you will think you made a cultured and hilarious best friend. As a child, she feared everything, but her mother would not allow her to use that as an excuse.  She offers that fear is boring but important to address it so it won't run the show.  She shares the most hilarious letter to her fear.  You need to GIVE YOUR FEAR ROOM to join, but not make decisions. Elizabeth says we are all ENTITLED to CREATIVE LIVING and it takes BRAVERY to FIND THE STRANGE JEWELS buried deep within us.  That magic ideas are floating out there wanting to find a home but need you to be open to them or they will move on to someone else. Dive deep and apply all of yourself to discover them.  Greet your fear with a letter and crack open a world of curiosity to pursue your creative life.

10. Danny Raede - CEO and co-founder of Asperger Experts, National Council on Independent Living’s Diana Vietz Award winner.  He shares his passion for leading a full and rich life and has earned over $1 million in revenue helping parents better understand their children.

What Danny has learned to apply to Asperger’s can be very helpful to those dealing with Social Anxiety. Danny believes self-knowledge is a great gift.  He educated himself on how to take action and overcome fear and doubt to live a successful, full, and independent life while living with Asperger’s.  As a child, he struggled with school, simple assignments took hours, and he spent most of his time numb and stuck with limited interaction and daily panic attacks. When he went to college, he changed his situation. He committed to studying success, personal development, psychology, and business.  He discovered he needed to get out of DEFENSE MODE.  Rather than fighting anxiety, he learned the solution in applying UNCONDITIONAL LOVE and TRUST.  He built up his life and teaches others to do the same. His site offers courses, videos, articles, workshops, and a support group for people and parents of kids with Aspergers.  He runs his company with parents, life coaches, and people on the spectrum and when he isn't at work he enjoys a great life with great friends and travel. Image Credit: Danny Clark

11. Brené Brown, PhD - Best-Selling Author, Research Professor, Founder and CEO of COURAGEworks. Her research on vulnerability, courage, worthiness, and shame can help you accept.  Her TEDx Houston talk, The Power of Vulnerability, is one of the top five most viewed.  

In her book Gift of Imperfection: Let go of who you think you are supposed to be and embrace who you are, Brené recommends being aware of anxiety and apply calmness and stillness to respond instead of react. Brené collected thousands of stories from a diverse group of people.  The one word she captured from reading them was ‘WHOLEHEARTED’ and being the pattern seeker she made a “Do” column for positive words and a “Don't” column for the negative.  She was shocked to find words she had given value in her own life were showing up in the negative column.  Hard work and following the rules was lining up with perfection, fitting in, and judgment. She knew she wasn't living or loving with her whole heart and went on a soul-searching journey captured on her blog.  She encourages boundaries, meaningful work, paying attention to and taking accountability for your feelings, and EMBRACING VULNERABILITIES.  This book offers down-to-earth, honest perspective and serves as a great guide with tangible steps and inspiration to apply a heartfelt approach. Clear away harmful clutter, don’t get caught up in self-doubt or just doing what is expected of you, and experience emotions again.  Overcome what is keeping you from living with your whole heart. Image Source. Credit: Amy Paulson

12. Glennon Doyle Melton - best-selling author of Carry on, warrior: thoughts on life unarmed and founder and president of Together Rising a non-profit raising over $4MM for vulnerable women and children.  Featured on major media outlets.

Glennon explains on her award-winning blog that years ago, on a Mother’s Day, she discovered she was pregnant.  She was unmarried and addicted to negative and destructive habits and not wanting to feel.  Right there she committed to turn around unhealthy relationships, addictions, and food around to a full and fabulous life. She explains she is most proud of being a recoverer who decided to get up from the cold bathroom floor, pregnancy test in hand, to show up for life.  Alcohol and eating disorders masked her sensitivity and feelings to hide and feel safe. Her philosophy now is that life is brutiful, that’s BRUTAL and BEAUTIFUL.  She said she has learned you can’t have one without the other. Bold and full living only comes when you embrace both. Her writing is rich, honest, humorous, and inspiring.  She has learned what she likes instead of being on the receiving end of life, to let go of perfection and focus on her higher purpose and working with her strengths.  She has an amazing wit and humility.  I recommend her blog and book where she says you can watch her fall and get back up again, just like the rest of us. Image Credit: © Jonathan Foust

13. Tara Brach, PhD - best selling author of Radical Acceptance and True Refuge.  Psychologist and leading teacher in the Western world of Buddhist thinking and meditation and applying it to emotional healing.

Tara explains the importance acknowledging and addressing your feelings with techniques offered in her book Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha.  Tara’s need to apply self-compassion and connect with others drew her to Buddhism. As a teenager, she was successful on the outside but sensed a distance which evolved into anxiety and fear of rejection and disappointing others.  She became persistently overly driven, depressed, and lonely.  When her friend said she was learning to be her own best friend, Tara lost it.  She was so far from that, being hard on herself and avoiding pain with addictions and by pursuing achievements.  When even small things triggered her, she realized it was time to be kinder to herself.  Now that's her message to us.  You can HEAL YOUR HEART and “trance of unworthiness” with AWARENESS and COMPASSION.  Find freedom to the degree with which you accept yourself. She shares the story of a student who had sat at her mother’s bedside as she was dying.  The mother told her daughter that her whole life she thought something was wrong with herself and shook her head as if to say ‘what a waste’ and passed soon after. Stop battling your life and experiences.  Heal your fears and wounds so you can connect and be your best self with an expansive heart.  Now Tara will always pause, ask herself, and name what needs her attention.  If she follows it through, she will connect and be genuine.  Check out her website for a free booklet on how to meditate and for downloadable lectures.

14. Pat Flynn - bestselling author, blogger, keynote speaker, and host of top rated business podcast The Smart Passive Income Podcast with over 30 million downloads.  An entrepreneurial champion and family man who demystifies running an online business. He created multiple businesses bringing awards and features in The New York Times and Forbes.  Advisor for LeadPages and other companies in the digital marketing arena.

I'm sure now he is so happy he lost his job years ago, but at the time I'm sure it was incredibly overwhelming.  Pat responded by overcoming self-doubt and using knowledge he had gained to write a book. He chronicles this journey in Let Go. There was a moment where his book was ready to be live, but fear and doubt tugged at him.  Pat said it strikes when he does something new or uncomfortable that can change his life.  He asked himself why he was afraid.  After eliminating the ridiculous reasons, he realized it boiled down simply to no sales.  Pat took a chance on himself and has since built up a full life. He uses this same mindset with his networking in order to start conversations and be a keynote speaker.  Just starting is what he has learned makes him comfortable.  By choosing how he reacts to UNPLANNED EVENTS, he chose to shape his reality and sees these as SEEDS of OPPORTUNITY. Consider an adversity or opportunity and how you can react to it to shape your life.  It’s not about money, it's about believing in yourself and your path and TAKING A CHANCE.  Take that first, uncomfortable step with your goals and with the people you meet.  It will get easier.  If you are also curious about creating an online business or podcast, I highly recommend his site. Image Source

15. Susan Cain - best selling author, most known for Quiet Power: The Secret Strengths of Introverts and Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking. Cofounder of Quiet Revolution.

Susan prefers “listening to talking, reading to socializing, and cozy chats to group settings”.  Ditto.  She helps introverted people unlock their power and apply their special talents.  There are ways to tune into your strengths to negotiate, give speeches, and built relationships. Susan’s books explain and celebrate introverts.  She says it's perfectly acceptable to be introverted and everyone should NOT HAVE to STRIVE to reach the EXTROVERTED IDEAL, except for when it will serve them.  Whether you are introverted or extroverted, we can all learn about different temperaments to understand how best to connect with one another because we all need one another. Introversion is not something to cure, it’s just not preferring social stimuli.  You can still have big goals and she is proof.  We should all tune into and apply our natural gifts and not take out good qualities in an attempt to fit into an ideal.  Introspection, sensitivity, and caring what people think are valuable. A great step towards accepting ourselves is to highlight what makes us unique.  No need to wait to be a different person to take action, you do it as who you are right now. Utilize your strengths and traits while LEARNING DIFFERENT TEMPERAMENTS.

STRATEGIC ACTION

Time for strategic, bold, creative action.  Actions is worth nothing if it is only in your head.  This group will help you set the stage to get the most out of your efforts.  Their inspiration will help if you ever worry that you never finish anything or if you get stuck because the journey seems too hard. Remember, you are already good enough to start so don’t wait.  Map out a plan and make it happen. Don’t worry about not being able to turn back, you won’t want to once your life starts to evolve.  You’ll know where you are headed so you don’t get stuck. You won’t do or say things right at first and it is the only way to learn.  Don’t get discouraged if solutions don’t immediately work, persistence is the key.  You didn’t learn to speak in a day.  It's a journey. Take strategic action.  Don’t overthink it, just a simple working plan.  Once it works, just learn and repeat and your confidence will grow.  You may become a leader in your life to make decisions. These eight will help you create action plans, strategies, and techniques that work.  Build a strong network.  Work your way up to bold action, to making decisions.  Commit fully and pour yourself into your new life:

16. Hal Elrod - high rated keynote speaker, host of top rated Achieve Your Goals podcast, best selling author of Miracle Morning book series, and ultra marathon runner.  Hal appeared in many television and radio shows and multiple books including the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.

A driver plowed into Hal’s car when he was 20 years old.  Doctors declared him dead for six minutes, he was in a coma for six days, and then was told he may never walk again.  He proved to be a warrior and wants us to know we are each capable of overcoming adversity and creating extraordinary results. Miracle Morning presents the incredible power of a positive morning routine to set your whole day up for success and realize cumulative benefits.  Start off the first hour of your day with Life SAVERS.  That’s SILENCE, using positive AFFIRMATIONS, VISUALIZING your success, EXERCISING, READING, and SCRIBING.  Expand your mind, body, and soul before others hit the snooze button. Gain clarity with a meditating and silence routine.  It’s the best possible consistent action to incorporate into your routine.  Positive Affirmations and Visualization can help materialize your purpose when paired with action.  Get up and move your body for just minutes a day.  It will improve your health and mindset.  Reading will supply a limitless river of inspiration and knowledge.  Writing for minutes a day can provide an outlet of stress or add up to a completed book.  The possibilities are endless. Don't settle for a mediocre life, have the discipline and COMMIT to a 30 DAY PRACTICE.  You have the control to carry out your purpose and overcome anything.

17. Dr. Anthony Metivier - best-selling author, professor, and memory course creator.

Anthony developed The Magnetic Memory Method which he describes on his site as “an elegant, effective and fun approach to using Memory Palaces, mnemonics and other memory techniques” to be able to remember and access any information you want to reference at any time. He lost a friend to cancer who wanted him to be a high school teacher.  He had to make the tough decision it wasn't for him by getting clear on his purpose and now educates thousands.  First, he learned to SELF-EDUCATE.  He grew up struggling with depression, cut school (which he does not recommend), and would listen to interviews in the mountains and read encyclopedias and books.  He recommends doing more than you are told to do and approach problems from all angles.  He learned to REVERSE ENGINEER SUCCESS from a diverse group of people he admired.  He’d ask questions and expand his social connections.  He developed SYSTEMS and TRACKED PROGRESS to spot gaps, bring consistency, and increase confidence. Anthony also co-teaches a top-selling course on branding which can also help you get clear on your story through your experiences and adversities.  This course led me down a path of discovering patterns to address with shyness and anxiety.  Honesty is important here.  It’s not about glamour or meeting an ideal. Others may have the best intentions for you, but you have to DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU in your heart.  I haven't learned his memorization technique, but I believe by committing yourself to a MIND TECHNIQUE, you can increase the discipline of the mind and replicate it to overcome any challenge and achieve any goal.

18. Ramit Sethi - best-selling author and acclaimed finance adviser and entrepreneur into big wins. NY Times best-selling author of I Will Teach You to Be Rich

Ramit gives 98% of his stuff away, better than the paid stuff out there and is now applying that approach and his methodology to social skills.  Goodie! These skills helped him go from a self-proclaimed “awkward weirdo” Stanford college kid to the, with a Fortune spread, a Good Morning America appearance, and in a photo with Warren Buffett in Forbes Magazine.  Like many of us, he made financial and social mistakes but instead of giving up, trying harder, or waiting for help, he cut through the excuses and decided to lead the way. He recommends PLANNING REAL SCENARIOS and taking action, instead of imagining lofty ideas.  Pay attention to the feedback you get in real life.  PRACTICE and CALIBRATE.  Each time you experiment, you’ll want to increase what works and decrease what doesn’t, based on the feedback.  Check out his powerful free help with shyness, social skills, getting invited to events (and spend less Friday’s alone) and planning group meetups. You can build a tangible plan for real-life scenarios right now and then practice and calibrate yourself each day.  If you need help with understanding your finances, also check out his amazing site and book.  He tells it like it is with humor and gives real, valuable, and actionable advice. Image Source. Credit: Andrew (Drew) Kelly

19. Tim Ferriss - best-selling author, angel-investor and adviser, entrepreneur and lifestyle design pioneer, and human guinea pig, featured by more than 100 media outlets.  Known for The 4-Hour Workweek, The 4-Hour Body, and The 4-Hour Chef.

The 4-Hour Workweek can help you break out your shell by no longer rationalizing your fears.  We all have doubts and can rise above them with bold and unconventional action, figuring things out as you go.  His approach is fresh and exciting, backed with tons of research and testing, and presented with genius simplicity towards acting on the top 20% of efforts to bring you the desired 80% results. See if you can identify patterns in his history: -He left college for a time out of frustration, tried a few jobs, opened gyms in Taiwan, learned kickboxing and won a national championship, returning to graduate from Princeton. -Jobless, he emailed a CEO 32 times landing a dial for dollars job.  After a year of 12-hour days, he created a company and his income increased from $40K per year to $40K per month. -Burned out, he went to Italy, taught, and deals fell through to sell his company.  He decided to remain indefinitely in Europe, empowered others, and unplugged except for one hour a week.  To his surprise, he found his profits increased 40%.  He cracked the code to his ideal lifestyle. This may seem like a stretch to most of us, but you can challenge assumptions and expand your comfort zone in your own way.  Tim’s approach is to not do what everyone else is doing or wait for things to happen.  You think? He makes INTERESTING DECISIONS, steps away and towards EXCITEMENT when things don’t seem right, and returns with unexpected solutions.  He DOESN’T SETTLE, EVEN FOR SUCCESS.  When you fail, try again or try something different towards your passions.  If you need to learn something new on your journey, check out the 4-Hour Chef to learn how to learn. Image Source: DFree / Shutterstock.com     

20. Shonda Rhimes - award-winning creator of Scandal, Grey's Anatomy, and Private Practice, and named one of 100 People Who Help Shape The World in Time Magazine.

Called out by her sister for always saying no.  She changes that and documents her journey in Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person.  She starts off by saying she is old and likes to lie which is so fantastic because she is a massively successful fiction writer who seems incapable of lying.  With a stack of declined invites and a speech folder called ‘Crap’ (isn't that great?), she changes her life with one powerful word: “Yes”. She learns to BRING the YES to HER LEVEL, to hold herself ACCOUNTABLE, and DO the HARD WORK.  I love where she agrees to do Jimmy Kimmel Live, because she must say yes, but only if it is not “Live”.  It takes boldness to say yes and to say it on your own terms.  This courage loosens up her shyness, awkwardness, and social fear.  Now she makes connections and gets involved with new and unexpected projects. She learned to express herself and live a bold and full life.  She talks about being a badass warrior at work and learning to apply it to other areas of her life.  Each yes required her to take a step-by-step, and I'm sure painful, process she compares to surgery.  She says the problem is the open chest, the wound is challenge, and “yes” is the operation. On her website she says EVERY YES CHANGES HER.  So, are you bored or numb? Instead of saying no to everything, consider the possibilities.  You may think there aren’t enough hours in the day but you will find you have more quality time when you can cut through wishy-washy, life-sucking apathy and the half ‘no’s’ and ‘maybe’s’.  See what happens when you start to say yes and get inspired by her hilarious, down-to-earth, and inspiring book. Image credit: Joni Kabana

21. Cheryl Strayed - best-selling author of her memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Coast Trail, later adapted into an Oscar-nominated film, Tiny Beautiful Things, Brave Enough, and her novel Torch.  

Cheryl will inspire you with her example of bravery and fierce step-by-step approach.  Her take on fear in Wild is that it’s born in the mind as a story and you can tell yourself a different one.  The story she creates plays out on an epic 1,100 mile hike along the Pacific Crest Trail, through California to Oregon to Washington. This is a physical and emotional journey of closure and self-discovery.  She confronts the pain she was avoiding, the grief over the death of her mother and the pain she caused in response to her grief.  Her addictions and betrayals caused her to lose her husband and herself. With no hiking experience, other than a pamphlet she had seen, Cheryl moves through her difficult journey, from beginning to end, one step at a time. This is a personal journey, she doesn’t go around telling her reasons or even writing the book for a long time.  I recommend this honest, gritty, and beautiful story.  You can apply inspiration of this fearlessness to your own life.  TELL YOURSELF A DIFFERENT STORY and deal with your skeletons.  You need not go on an 1,100 mile hike, or maybe you do, but commit and dedicate yourself to a mission and journey and WORK HARD THROUGH IT.  Take ONE STEP AT A TIME towards your bold life.  Read Wild for inspiration to take authentic and personal action that will put you in the driver’s seat.

22. Sebastiaan van der Schrier - Social Confidence Coach who blends Western traditional and Eastern Energy psychology and makes Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) accessible so everyone can attain effortless social confidence.

Seb experienced severe social anxiety and after years of dealing with the negative feelings that go along with social anxiety like fear, guilt, and shame, he decided to relentlessly pursue solutions until he found what worked.  He put himself in awkward situation, purposely getting rejected, and gained short-term confidence having to start all over again. Nothing was working for him until he discovered EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE (EFT).  After studying it and working with top therapists and practitioners for years, he learned how to apply it STRATEGICALLY.  He has fined tuned a STEP-BY-STEP approach that's helped him and his clients.  Everyone has their own timetable, but he has seen it dramatically speed up results by REMOVING the LEARNED NEGATIVE ASSOCIATIONS. He now enjoys effortless social confidence, a full life, connections, and a successful business as a digital nomad.  Seb offers free videos on YouTube that teach EFT and his Social Confidence System addresses social anxiety from all angles.  He says it doesn't have to be a painful, awkward, scary experience to face your fears.  There are gentle, effective, and lasting alternatives. On his podcast Social Anxiety Solutions, he is joined with top therapists, experts, and practitioners and you can find tangible, unique, non-gimmicky, and easy to carry out ideas here.  To hear more about his journey, listen to our interview on his podcast where he took an exception and let me interview him.

23. Jon Morrow - CEO of Smart Blogger - a company dedicated to teaching you what it really takes to attract loyal readers, get more traffic, and become a respected authority.  His company built an audience of over 100,000 subscribers and makes $100k monthly.

If Jon’s story doesn't get you taking action, I don't know who will.  When he was just one, a doctor diagnosed him with Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a neuromuscular disorder.  His mother left the hospital told to not to expect him to live over a year.  She took charge and refused to let this happen. He fought pneumonia 16 times in 16 years and his mother insisted on fighting for him, not just to survive, but to live the best life.  She didn't let him sit back and live a safe and boring life.  He credits her as the reason he is one of the oldest survivors of his disorder. Then, he was in a car accident breaking his legs in 14 places.  With his money already going to medical bills, he knew it was not going to work.  He quit his job and applied his mother’s warrior mentality towards his work ethic.  He fought and continues to fight with the best work and writing he has in him.  He poured all of his time and self into his blog. He sold it, as a best in business/money nominated blog, for five figures and moved to Mexico to start a new business focused on helping people.  I'm writing to you now due to Jon Morrow’s inspiration and knowledge. People will try to discount you and you can't wait for the world to hand you success.  You must THROW YOURSELF into your WORK with all your HEART and EFFORT.  You, your ideas, and the people you can help are all WORTH IT. Don’t expect anything worthwhile to be easy.  What fun would that be? Apply this mindset to anything you want as inspiration to take action despite adversity.  His site is an amazing resource of valuable information about running a blog at any stage and his story and work ethic is inspirational.

24. Jordan Harbinger - lawyer turned Social Dynamics expert and Entrepreneur, owner, and co-founder of The Art of Charm dating and coaching company and top 50 iTunes podcast.  Forbes named him one of the 50 best relationship-builders anywhere and Inc. Magazine called him “the Charlie Rose of Podcasting”.

Jordan’s company holds boot camps and coaching sessions for men that want to improve their emotional intelligence and confidence.  He brings business sense and industry knowledge and uses a contemporary approach to teaching.  He started out helping private companies test communications system security and worked with law enforcement agencies, spending several years in Europe and the developing world. He explains the value of HAVING A SYSTEM and LEARNING TO CALIBRATE on Pat Flynn’s Smart Passive Income Podcast episode where they discussed charisma and the VALUE OF NETWORKING.  Being an introverted person, he shared he would overcompensate early in his life.  He learned to dial back and find a balance while staying his honest and relatable self.  He also says you think you will remember how you know people, but it does not work this way.  Jordan recommends TRACKING PEOPLE YOU MEET ALONG WITH SOMETHING ABOUT THEM.  This will help you reference how you can connect people that can help one another.  This may seem like it should come naturally, but us shy folk might lose the art and value of connection without a strategy like this. His philosophy is to have a goal to always LEAVE PEOPLE BETTER THAN YOU FOUND THEM, even if you share a smile.  It will return to you when you need it.  It’s okay if you do not yet have a network, just start.  Yes, this is the opposite of what your instinct might be telling you, which is to not make eye contact and hope they won’t say anything to you. It’s time to bring more flavor to your life and become a connector.  It may not seem possible until you start.  Check out his website or podcast for more tools and techniques. CLOSING (and action) TIME So many struggle with shyness or anxiety, be one of the ones that breaks free and takes bold action despite it and through it. You may have been timid up to this point, but you cannot unlearn a sense of entitlement once you have it.  You are entitled to an exciting and rich life.  Through the stories of these 24 creative geniuses, you have no more excuses to living your own creative and bold life. Do you settle, not know what you want, or not know what to do when fear strikes? Build AWARENESS, apply ACCEPTANCE and use a STRATEGY to take ACTION once and for all! Become AWARE of your connection:

• Know your ONENESS. There is a WARRIOR beyond EGO through SILENCE and MEDITATION.
• You are ACCOUNTABLE and have the power to change and overcome any adversity with INTENTION and IMAGINATION.
• Learn MBCT to increase MOMENT-TO-MOMENT AWARENESS.
• Use BEHAVIOR, where it counts, to INFLUENCE your FEELINGS.
• Get IN SYNC with yourself using a POWER POSE and WRITE YOUR BELIEFS.
• Build a VISION of GREATNESS towards what you want and base your IDENTITY on WHO YOU ARE with FAITH.

Learn to ACCEPT:

• You are ENTITLED to CREATIVE LIVING.
• Give FEAR and ANXIETY ROOM TO JOIN with UNCONDITIONAL LOVE and TRUST.
• Be BRAVE to find your STRANGE JEWELS hidden deep.
• Live with your WHOLE HEART and EMBRACE VULNERABILITIES.
• Living boldly with the BRUTAL and the BEAUTIFUL.
• HEAL with AWARENESS and COMPASSION.
• See UNPLANNED EVENTS as SEEDS OF OPPORTUNITY and TAKE A CHANCE.
• There is nothing to correct in yourself.  Utilize your special strengths and traits. LEARN and ACCEPT DIFFERENT TEMPERAMENTS while others catch up.

Build and apply a Strategy to:

• Build good habits.  Start off the first hour of your day in SILENCE, using positive AFFIRMATIONS, VISUALIZING your success, EXERCISING, READING, and SCRIBING.
• Consider a strategy like a memorization or MIND TECHNIQUE and get clear on your brand stories to DO WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU.  SELF-EDUCATE, REVERSE ENGINEER SUCCESS, develop SYSTEMS, PLAN SCENARIOS, PRACTICE, and TRACK, and CALIBRATE.
• Make INTERESTING DECISIONS and create EXCITEMENT while EXPANDING your COMFORT ZONE.  NEVER SETTLE, EVEN FOR SUCCESS.  Say YES on YOUR LEVEL (possibly for a year!)
• TELL YOURSELF A DIFFERENT STORY than fear.  WORK HARD THROUGH your journey and address skeletons ONE STEP AT A TIME.  Apply a STRATEGIC and proven STEP-BY-STEP approach, like EFT, to overcome social anxiety, referencing experts as needed.
• THROW YOURSELF into your WORK with all your HEART and EFFORT because it is all WORTH IT.
• NETWORK, TRACK PEOPLE, and always LEAVE THEM BETTER THAN YOU FOUND THEM.

Don’t wait to be confident or better to take action, everyone has doubts. Don’t waste your life going through thinking something is wrong with you.  There isn’t. Decide it’s worth bravery to live a creative life with your whole heart, to find treasures. Now, all those years holding yourself back from bold actions are done. That’s it, no more excuses. You have the CURSE of knowing that you are responsible, entitled, and capable.  You can handle and accept the good and the bad. You have the tools and systems at your disposal. These 24 individuals will help lead you up to the starting line to your bold and creative life.  Now it’s up to you.  Of course, don’t take my word, go straight to the source and check out the sites of these creative individuals. Will you say YES, take the first step? Now is your time to take action and go after what you want.  Otherwise, another year will go by and nothing will change.  You'll keep feeling you need to be better before going after your happiness, excitement, and purpose.  Flip around that philosophy and take your first step towards your purpose. Believe in and invest in yourself. Become an aware, accepting, strategic badass who takes bold action. Become a WARRIOR!

You've read 24 Creative Geniuses Who Inspire Boldness (Even if You’re Shy or Socially Anxious), originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you've enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Self Help Gurus etc