Have you ever been the midst of fog?

Driving down the highway with only a few feet of visibility?

You could be just a short distance from a beautiful vast ocean and not be able to see it.

You look up in the sky and all you see is a dense heavy layer of fog.

Driving in the fog can be quite scary at times.  You have your headlights on, drive slower, more cautiously, keeping your eyes open for other vehicles on the road – especially slower vehicles.  Sometimes you have to strain to see the lines on the road in order for you to stay in your lane and not cross over into oncoming traffic.

You keep driving in faith that you will reach your destination.  You know your destination is there -  Even if you’ve never been there before, you know it is there.

This is the way life is.  We never really know what’s up ahead. We thrust forward believing that what lays ahead will provide a happier brighter future for us.

Would you be driving around in the fog if you had no destination?

Probably not.  The question is – Are you living your life in this fog?

Do you know where you’re going and how to get there?

Have you pulled out your map of life and written down the directions to get where you want to go?

You say there is no map of life???

But, there is …..

If you’re like most people, you probably find a car to follow when you’re driving in the fog.  You utilize not only the light of their car – but also rely on the fact that they have already driven the road that you will soon be on.

You’ll find that many people have been where you are now and have arrived at where you want to be.  They have taken various roads to get there.  Discover the various paths they took and find the road with the least resistance to follow.

This is the map of life – Find somebody that is where you want to be … and follow their map.  It’s so much easier than driving down an unmarked dirt road that has never been travelled before.  Stop driving aimlessly in the fog of life.

Change can be a scary thing. When you make a change in your life, you bring yourself into the unknown. You travel from a safe place to one where you don’t know exactly what will happen.

The truth is, there is nothing you can do to stop change. This world is always changing – sometimes for good and sometimes not. The best thing you can do for yourself is to learn the best ways to adapt to change. You’ll soon learn that there’s no reason to fear!

Here is a list of strategies to conquer your fear of change:

1. Think Positive Thoughts. When you embark on a change in your life, think it through in a positive way. Instead of thinking about what could go wrong, picture it all going right.

2. Learning Life Lessons. Think about some of the past changes you’ve gone through in your life and include both the positive outcomes and the negative ones. Regardless of your past, it’s likely that you’ve learned an important life lesson. Yet, if you keep your life stagnant, you’ll lose out on the many important life lessons and experiences.

3. Write Your Thoughts Down. Writing down your innermost thoughts can provide a similar release as confiding with a close friend. Change can be scary, but if you provide yourself with a way to conquer the fear, you can find the courage underneath.

4. Try Hypnosis. Hypnosis and self-hypnosis techniques have been known to help when we need to alter our thinking. Hypnosis can help you relax by feeding you transformative thoughts.

5. Positive Motivation. If you want to get over your fear of change, you have to actually want the change. If you do, you’ll do whatever it takes to get motivated. You can do this by reciting affirmations, writing directions down for yourself, or asking a trusted friend or family member for help.

6. Stay in the Present. Staying in the present moment can help you conquer any fear. It’s far too easy for your mind to get caught up with regrets about the past or worries about the future. In moments of self-doubt, focus only on whatever you’re doing at the moment. This moment is all you have, so you might as well enjoy it!

7. Break Down the Change. If you’re planning a big change in your life, perhaps it will help to break down the change into a series of smaller steps. Doing so will help you to feel less overwhelmed if you can easily transition into a change instead of feeling shocked and scared.

8. The Right Time. Remember that it’s always the right time to change. Don’t make excuses for yourself. Believe that you can do it and go for it!

9. The Back Up Plan. When you embark on a path of change, it may be the unknown that scares you most. If possible, carefully plan through your change. Think about all the possible scenarios and outcomes – positive or negative – then make a plan. When you have a plan, you’ll ease your fears of the unknown and feel at least a little more comfortable with the change.

Change for the Better

Change is going to find you one way or another, so you might as well learn how to go with the flow and learn how to let go. Sure, this is easier said than done, however, learning how to better adapt to change can improve all aspects of your life!

Do you feel like you have so much to do and not enough time to get everything done?

When your life gets crazy, you can’t let the busyness take over your mind. You need to put yourself first to maintain your mental health.

Here are eight tips for keeping a clear mind:

1. Get organized. Your life can be much easier if you maintain a good level of organization. You’ll save time and gain a feeling of control over your circumstances. The time you save allows you the opportunity to take care of yourself with relaxation exercises or the pursuit of hobbies that you enjoy.

* Each day, create a to-do list. Rank your items from the most important to the least important. As you go through your day, attack the most important items on the list first. At the end of the day, you walk away with the peace of mind that comes from knowing that you used your time in the most effective way possible.

2. Take time for yourself. Carve out time for yourself every day, no matter how busy you are. Give yourself permission to relax and enjoy these moments, even though you know that things remain undone. You must allow your body, mind, and spirit to recharge itself so you’re productive when you return to your tasks.

3. Find something you find relaxing. Everyone has their own activities that help them relax. Perhaps you feel pampered by a long, warm bubble bath. Or curl up on the couch and read a book. Find something that you enjoy, take deep breaths and relax.

4. Count to ten. If you find the stresses of life getting to you, catch yourself before lashing out or losing your cool. Instead, take a step back and count to ten slowly. This will allow you time to clear your mind and decide on the most effective and appropriate response.

5. Meditate. Meditation is a great way to calm your mind and regain focus when life seems out of control. With meditation, you learn to focus on deep breathing while you discover more about yourself.

* When you learn to focus on your breath, you’ll likely discover that your breathing is shallow during stressful situations. Learn to breathe deeply from your belly to feel a greater sense of peace in the midst of the storms of your life.

6. Exercise. Exercise is a perfect way to relieve stress and regain a clear perspective. A moderate amount of exercise each day is all you need for improved fitness. Find a type of exercise that you enjoy, and stick with it until it becomes a habit. Soon, you’ll hate missing a workout and have more energy throughout your stressful days.

7. Go for a nature walk. Find the time to get out and enjoy the outdoors. Get your mind off of the many tasks you need to complete. Instead of thinking about the endless list of things you have to accomplish, become aware of what’s really important by really paying attention to the sights and sounds of your natural surroundings.

8. Take it one step at a time. Life often requires you to juggle many different situations at once. It’s overwhelming if you try to think of each one of those things at the same time.

* Focus on one task at a time and work at the task until it’s complete. Then move on to the next task. If you keep putting one foot in front of the other, everything on your to-do list will eventually get accomplished.

Remember that you’re not alone. If you need to talk to someone else about your busy life, reach out to positive people in your life who truly care about you. Sometimes, just talking may help you to clear your mind of everything.

Try these ideas and begin to experience the peace you deserve today!

Anxiety is not just a word that is thrashed around in everyday chatter as a loose equivalent for stress, pressure, or worry. Anxiety is a serious mental health concern affecting more than 40 million people around the world. Most of which are women.

Anxiety disorders are disabling conditions that take their form from irrational fears and worries. Women, in general, may go off into series of anxiety attacks in the face of increased pressure and biological changes such as monthly periods, pregnancy, or menopause.

To manage these anxiety attacks and their corresponding symptoms, here are 5 easy steps that every woman can put into practice to change her life.

1. Sweating Stress Away

Doctors often lecture about the physical benefits of exercise. But, rarely do the psychological benefits of increased physical activity being promoted. Because of this, scientists hold studies to test their hypotheses.

As a result, researchers have discovered the indisputable link between exercise and improved mental health condition. They revealed that engaging in aerobics, cycling, running, swimming, or any another form of physical activity helps relieve stress and works as well as medications in reducing anxiety. This is because exercise does not only train the body to learn new skills and new patterns of movement. It also trains the brain to become more anxiety-resistant.

The physical stress that working out puts the body into creates a lot of the same effects that mental stress does to the body. Therefore, as the body becomes more attuned to the effects of working out, such as increased heart rate, breathing pattern, blood pressure and sweating, the brain becomes more able to handle these changes as well. So when anxiety strikes, the body recognizes the changes similar to that of working out and becomes more able to handle the changes.

2. Sound Nutrition

A good diet that includes lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meat, and fish is found to act almost like medications to the brain. Experts say that with a solid foundation on good nutrition a lot of women will unlikely experience anxiety attacks and anxiety disorders.

During stressful times, proper nutrition reinforces the body’s resistance against the effects of stress. The vitamins and minerals absorbed from the diet act as buffers as well as boosters. They help support and stabilize the entire nervous system and adrenal glands from the damaging effects of stress. Moreover, good nutrition prevents inflammation to the brain and blood vessels that could lead to neurotransmitter imbalances and blood pressure spikes, common to anxiety sufferers.

With this fact, it is then absolutely important that women not only invest on their make-up but on their diet as well.

3. Soothing Aromatherapy

There is still little research to prove the truth behind the anxiety-reducing effects of aromatherapy. But preliminary researches show that this ingenious practice can alter a person’s brain waves and behavior.

Aromatherapy is the kind of therapy that uses essential oils and other scents to improve physical and mental state. The soothing scents of various essential oils like lavender, grapefruit, bergamot, ylang ylang, and peppermint help to reduce the perception of anxiety and stress. Their aroma, when inhaled or massaged on the skin, evokes pleasant memories and positive physiological responses that pave the way for the release of tension from the muscles and joints.

Aside from relieving stress, aromatherapy is also known for its medicinal benefits. It can be used as a first aid kit for minor burns and cuts. For women’s problems such as menopausal distress and PMS, these oils are particularly helpful, too. They decrease muscle spasms and enhance circulation. In addition, they are also known to induce sleep in people who have trouble sleeping or staying asleep.

4. Stabilizing Sex Hormones

Little do women know that sex hormones act on the brain to directly influence mood, cognition and behavior. With an imbalance of any of the sex hormones, women nearing menopause are likely to experience some anxiety and symptoms of hot flushes as an effect.

With low estrogen (when normally there was a surge before the menopausal stage), women are at risk for anxiety and depression. Estrogen is important to the integrity of the brain since this chemical promotes the production of neurotransmitters, particularly serotonin, which is responsible for reducing depressive moods.

Progesterone is also an important sex hormone. A drop in its levels leads to an increase risk for anxiety and insomnia.

Correcting these problems then through hormonal replacement therapy is an option worth looking at. By replacing the lost hormones, women can avoid the unpleasant effects of aging as well as anxiety.

5. Seeking Professional Help

When lifestyle changes prove to make little difference in creating a better, anxiety-free state, women experiencing anxiety attacks need to visit their trusted general practitioner and/or psychiatrist.

The expertise of a doctor can greatly shed light to the fears and anxieties that one feels. Through a complete physical examination, history taking, and symptoms checking, a doctor can eliminate any medical condition as a cause for the anxiety episodes. Once physical causes are ruled out, referral to a psychiatrist or therapist can follow.

The psychiatrist can prescribe certain drugs or perform psychotherapies that help alleviate anxiety symptoms. Over time, the combination of drugs and cognitive-behavioral therapy proves to restore the chemical imbalances in the brain, modify negative thinking, and reinforce better ways of coping with anxiety.

Anxiety disorders and its symptoms no longer have to be a problem as long as one takes appropriate measures to correct them. With the 5 easy steps of managing anxiety listed above, women can take power and rise above the troubles of anxiety.

Guest Post by Ryan Rivera:
Ryan Rivera survived his battle with anxiety using these steps and more. To learn about the other steps and techniques on managing anxiety, visit CalmClinic.com.

Forgiveness does not mean that you forget the incident or relieve the offender from the consequences of his actions, but that you no longer resent your friend.

It is necessary to forgive a friend in order to restore a friendship where one friend has offended or wronged the other.

Take the following 9 steps to repair and restore your friendship once you have decided to forgive your friend, or once he decides to forgive you.

1. Write down what occurred and how it made you feel. Clear your thoughts and be detailed. Be fair to yourself and your friend by looking at the situation both perspectives.
2. Determine if both of you need forgiveness — or if only one of you were completely in the wrong.

3. Accept responsibility for your part in the broken relationship.

4. Contact your friend and ask if you can set up a meeting. Choose a neutral setting that won’t drudge up bad memories or make either of you feel trapped and uncomfortable.

5. Explain how what he did or said made you feel and why it bothered you. Tell him you forgive her.

6. Ask for forgiveness if you are the one who did something wrong. Do not make excuses for your actions or words; sincerely apologize for what you did or said.

7. Listen to what your friend has to say with an open mind. Mentally note how your actions and words made her feel to avoid offending her in the future. Clearing the air is the only way to truly make an effort to restore the relationship. Bottled up and unresolved feelings with destroy the friendship.

8. Allow time for healing and rebuilding trust. Even when someone forgives you, he may never forget what happened. Be patient, as future incidents may stir up bad memories.

9. Schedule an outing that both of you will enjoy. For example, go shopping, see a movie or attend a sporting event. Agree not to discuss the incident again.

The Importance of Looking to the Future Rather than Dwelling on the Past

Your past shapes who you are. The experiences you have throughout your life play an integral part in how you behave and look at the world.

This may not seem like a big deal, but in certain circumstances, it can become a detriment to your success.

Keeping your focus on your past can actually negatively affect things in the future. From your work life to your love life, even your day-to-day things can be affected by an inability to move past negative experiences.

Romance

It’s perfectly normal to feel sad after a breakup, and even spend some time licking your emotional wounds. However, focusing on relationships that are long over is an unhealthy way to live your life.

You can sabotage your future love life by idealizing your ex. This sets up a standard in your mind that no future romantic interests can meet. This robs you of potential opportunities for what could be even greater relationships.

Each romantic relationship, however, has something valuable you can take from it. Allow yourself to learn the lessons that the relationship teaches, then give yourself permission to move on.

Fears

Most fears are caused by prior experiences. People who are afraid of dogs usually had a bad experience with a dog. People who avoid eating certain foods likely had a really bad reaction to that food when they tried it.

While this is a rather indirect way of dwelling on the past, it can close you off to new experiences.

Forgiveness

Grudges can run deep. If a person feels that someone has wronged them, they could be hard pressed to let the person attempt to atone for their mistake.

Anger seems justified in a lot of circumstances. However, forgiveness is a major part of the healing process that can result in a tremendous restoration. People who were once alienated after a falling out can let bygones be bygones and start fresh.

Keep the Past in the Past

After a particularly negative experience, it’s human nature to put some emphasis on it. It’s important to remember that tomorrow is a brand new day. You can choose to start off with a completely blank slate.

Emotional responses are normal and grieving is a necessary process in tragic circumstances, but remaining stuck in that state is the danger. Emotional wounds begin to heal when, after a time of grieving, you move on with your life.

Take time to recover from negative experiences. Get  your complimentary Rapid Coaching session today! However, it’s equally important that you make an effort to let bygones be bygones. Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of your life. Keep a positive outlook, even after a bad experience. Learn the lesson that the experience offers, file it away in your mind and choose to head in a positive direction.

The past has value, and should not be discarded entirely. But once you’ve learned the lessons from the past and gotten all the benefit it offers, take what you’ve learned and use it to move forward with a positive attitude in the direction of your dreams.

Believe in Yourself and Become Your Own #1 Fan!

If you’re looking to lead a happier life, It’s an absolute necessity that you believe in yourself. If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you expect others to believe in you?

You may have gone through some rough times in your life making it difficult to be the happy person you want to be. Maybe you even suffer from a lack of self-confidence because of past conflicts and pains. No matter what you’ve been through, you can choose to overcome these obstacles.

It’s time to be your own #1 fan and there’s no better time than right now to believe in yourself!

1. Gain more confidence in yourself by facing your fears.

* Fear of failure may have caused you to ignore your dreams, desires or goals. Don’t let fear stop you from getting what you want and achieving your goals. If Thomas Edison had been afraid of failure, we wouldn’t have the luxury of indoor lighting today. He never gave up trying to find the right way to make a light bulb and he experienced over 10,000 ways of how not to make a light bulb. Just because you don’t reach your goals or dreams the first time, don’t give up, believe in yourself. Keep trying until you succeed.

* Fear of being alone may stop you from going away to school or moving to a new city where you can pursue your dreams. Realize that you will make new friends and that you’re current friends will always be there. Now with the Internet, staying in touch with your friends and family is easier and more convenient than ever.

* Once you begin facing your fears, you’ll discover that what you feared may not be such a big deal after all. But, you’ll never know until you start.

When you Believe in Yourself, you will be free from the paralysis of self-doubt, find easy solutions to difficult problems and eliminate worry, fear and resentment.

2. Self-talk can also determine whether you believe in yourself or not.

* Do you often say negative things like, “I’m an idiot,” or “That was a dumb thing to do,” or “I’m ugly?” How you perceive yourself comes out in what you say. However, what you say to yourself can also change how you see yourself.

* Start speaking positively to yourself, about yourself. When you’re getting ready for the day, while looking in the mirror, point out positive characteristics about yourself and say them out loud. Phrases such as:

• “I am an attractive person.”
• “I am a good parent.”
• “I am a hard worker.”
• “I love myself.”
• “I like how I look in these clothes.
• “”I am brilliant.”

* Even if you don’t believe it, say it! You’ll soon realize these things really are true. You can also post positive quotes or scriptures where you would see them several times a day to keep your spirits high.

3.Learn to be secure.  Insecurity can be a source of disbelief. Learning to be more secure in certain areas of your life will help you believe in yourself more, plus others will begin to believe in you as well.

4. Continuous growth: There may be certain areas in your life that you feel you need to work on, so work on them!

* Are you bad at financial management? Take a class to help you learn how to budget so you can be in control of your money, instead of your money controlling you.

* Are you a slow reader? Take a speed-reading class or get a tutor to help you build speed.

* Do you find it challenging to speak in public? Take a public speaking course or become an intern for an organization where you must speak in public.

* Is your weight stopping you from believing yourself? First of all, remember that today’s society has a skewed view of beauty. Don’t allow the media to determine your worth! However, if your weight is at an unhealthy level, learn how to eat healthy and get regular exercise to take some weight off.

No matter what’s stopping you from believing in yourself, there’s a way to overcome it. You’ll first need to figure out what’s causing your self-doubt. Is it fear, insecurity, mental attitudes, or something else? Only then can you face the obstacle and overcome it.

Ever have one of those days where it seems every thing is going wrong?

Take a few moments to step back from every challenging situation, catch your breath and calm yourself down. Remaining calm helps reduce stress from building into an unmanageable monster.

Here are  7 Tips to Calm Yourself Down and Reduce Stress …

1.  Breathe

Take 10 long deep breaths. You have probably heard this all of your life – the trick is to breather properly. You want to take a long slow deep breath in so that your stomach rises, not your chest. Next, breathe out just as slowly while your stomach descends. As you breathe in, gradually count from 1 to 10. As you breathe out, count down from 10 to 1 at the same pace. Concentrate on your breaths as you count, releasing any thoughts as they come. This is an excellent method to calm yourself down and reduce stress, regardless of where you are. It can be done sitting or standing and in front of anyone. People around you will probably not even realize what you are doing.

2.  Reframe

Reframing is the mental act of stepping back and looking at the situation from a different point of view. We all have had times where we see a person loose it at a restaurant, grocery store or other public place. I once witnessed a man having a full melt-down because the waitress served him peas instead of corn. Yet, we all have times where we become just as stressed over something trivial. Is it the end of the world if your husband is late for dinner, little Johnny puts treats in your grocery basket, if you make a mistake in your checkbook or if your boss disciplines you? Put yourself in the situation as an observer and see how it looks different. Ask yourself “On a scale of 1 to 10, how does this matter in the bigger picture of my life and my well-being?” Looking at things differently opens you up to see opportunities instead of challenges, compassion in place of anger and strengths instead of weaknesses.  To quote Wayne Dyer “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”

3.  Self Talk

Be aware of what you are telling yourself and change what you are saying. Instead of telling yourself “I’m going to be fired” after your boss reprimands you, say “That was a good lesson for me to learn, and I will do better next time.” Instead of saying my husband is late because he doesn’t like being around me or he wants a divorce, remind yourself what a great guy he is and think of all the ways he shows you he loves you. Tell yourself that you are loving, worthy and capable and are ok just the way you are. Self talk can go a long way to help calm yourself down and reduce stress, because your self talk is what created the stress in the first place.

4.  Anchor

To be able to use this method to calm yourself down and reduce stress – you need to be prepared. When you feel calm and happy choose a physical action to “anchor” the peaceful emotion. This can be as something as simple as touching your ear, placing your hand over your heart or on your knee. Practice this anchoring technique as often as possible when things are going well. When you begin to feel yourself becoming stressed, use the anchoring action to help yourself calm down.

5.  Get Away

If possible take a walk, go to they gym, ride your bicycle or take in a movie. It is especially important to take breaks and get away if you are becoming stressed at work. A quick walk around the building coupled with breathing in fresh air can do wonders for your mental state. Sunlight is a natural mood booster and can be a great way to lift your spirits. The same applies at home if you feel a heated argument with your spouse on the horizon or if your children are fighting and not listening to you.

6.  Indulge

If you are at work or a public place, listen to some soothing music. Put a couple soothing songs on your phone or mp3 player that have a calming affect on you. Other ways to indulge to calm yourself down and reduce stress includes reading a book, taking a bubble bath, getting a massage or having a glass of wine.

7.  Meditate

When you begin to feel overwhelmed take a few minutes to go to a quiet place and meditate – even 2 or 3 minutes can do wonders to reduce stress! When meditating focus on clearing your thoughts, by focusing on your breathing, an object or a certain word, like wellbeing or calm. You can also use guided tapes or music designed for meditation. To remain calm and prevent stress, meditate every day.

Are you living the life that you want to live?

Why or Why Not?

It could be that you are too afraid to step out of your comfort zone. Maybe you want to start a new business online, change jobs, move to another city or a host of other desires that you are keeping an arm’s length away.

You tell yourself that your really want to have this experience in life. In the same breath, they will list a thousand reasons why they can’t. Whether your reason is fear of failing, fear of being made fun of, fear of not being smart enough, fear that you don’t have enough time or fear that you don’t have the right resources … They are ALL excuses that keep you from expanding.

True fear is an emotion experienced in anticipation of pain or danger towards ourselves or our loved ones. This is when our body acts in the “Fight or Fleet” mode for our basic survivor.

The fear most of us experience today is more along the line of anxiety or stress. This fear leads to procrastination and keeps us from living the life we want.

The acronym for FEAR is False Evidence Appearing Real. You may be wondering what this means to you. It means that you create your own fear by your thoughts. You have imagined scenarios or events that have never actually occurred. You have become a prisoner of your own mind – frozen in fear. You believe it’s safer to stay in your “box” then it is to climb out of it and begin living the life you claim you want.

What is it you really want?

Most people want the same thing …. Freedom, Happiness and Love.

One of the ways to achieve this is by having your own online business. Have you ever thought about how great it would be to have your own business? How would it feel to have a thriving business that could grow, while giving you the freedom to share quality time with your family and pursue other hobbies and interests?

If you have ever thought of beginning your own business, have a dream of helping others or already have a small website that is just sitting there and not doing much, consider signing up for the Success Charged Master Mind Group. You’ll learn the ropes of creating a successful online business and meet like-minded people.

Keep in mind that freedom, happiness and love CAN NOT CO-EXIST with FEAR. You can overcome fear by taking action – even if it’s a teeny-weeny step. With each step you take, you will realize that there was nothing to fear at all. With each step you will adapt to a new way of thinking and living which expands your life and your opportunities during your path to success.