Archive for the ‘Article by Sharon Capehart’ Category

When setting goals for yourself, you want to make sure that you keep them within reach.  In other words, don’t set your goals so high that you can’t achieve them.  There is nothing more upsetting then never being able to accomplish the things you want out of life.  Instead, break your goals into measurable ones. For instance, let’s say that you have to write a 150-page book in a month. Instead of getting frustrated and believing that you can’t get it done, break down the task. So, on week one you’ll research. On week two you’ll write 50 pages, on week three you will write 50 more and on week four you’ll write 50 more and then you’ll be finished.

Here are some additional guidelines to follow when you are setting your goals.

1.         Visualize success.  You must visualize yourself accomplishing the goal.  By being able to see the end result in your eye, you will do what it takes to get the job done.  By visualizing the end, you will feel powerful and can make your vision a reality. By seeing it and then believing it, your goal will be much easier to accomplish.

2.         Feel Motivated.  If you do not feel motivated to accomplish your goals then you might not achieve them.  By choosing goals that you truly want to accomplish, you can and will succeed. Your drive and determination will propel you forward even when you think that you can’t.

3.         Stay focused.  When you face an obstacle, rely on strength and ability to get through it. Focus on the end result.  Stretch and challenge yourself at all times. Go beyond your limits.

4.         Bask in your glory. Take a look at those things you accomplished last year and feel proud that you can achieve greatness. Then set those past goals against future ones.  For instance, let’s say that last year you finished a 10 mile race. This year plan to finish a 13 mile one.  By making your end result better than before and trusting that you can do it again, you’ll be successful.

5.         Enlist support.   To truly accomplish your goals, enlist the help of others. Ask them for help and let your friends, family and acquaintances keep you on task.

Having goals is a wonderful tool to accomplishing greatness because it inspires and motivates you. By following the above tips, you can accomplish your goals one step at a time and you’ll be closer to being the successful person that your mind sees and believes in.

THE GIFT OF GIVING TO YOURSELF

Most people find more joy in giving than receiving. Unfortunately, while they continuously give they manage to neglect themselves. Put your name on the top of your shopping list this year and receive 6 free things from the Santa in you…

1. GOOD HEALTH is something that we all need. If you are a person who doesn’t feel it is important to take care of yourself, eventually you will start to complain that you have an ache here and an ache there. Do not let that happen, get up and get moving! As your body ages, it requires more TLC, more vitamins, definitely more attention. Start by modifying your diet; find the good in vegetables, fruits and nuts. Get off of the couch and go for a nice brisk walk. Exercise. Do something that will get that heart muscle pumping and those body parts jumping.

2. PEACE OF MIND starts by thinking positive thoughts. Strengthen your mind; read positive literature, get a journal to write down your innermost thoughts. You can always go back to read them and notice the changes, as you change. Give yourself time away from the demands of the day, meditate for 10 minutes to free your mind. Breathe. Surround yourself with people who can inspire you to be better.

3. HAPPINESS: know what it truly is and not just what it looks like. Be honest and steadfast with your belief that self-satisfaction will bring you internal peace, love and happiness. It is something that a person can not give you or steal from you. Smile. Try to imagine what this world would be like, if happiness was contagious.

4. FRIENDSHIP has a way of making you feel that you are never alone. As a child, you may have had more than enough close, favorite or best friends, and to be popular was more important than to be respected. Now as a mature adult, your values may have changed and so did the number of friends; down to just a few important people in your life that you can trust. Everyone needs a friend – that buddy to talk to during the good and bad times. Relate. The best way to keep a good friend, is to be a good friend.

5. FAITH is having confidence that things will change. While experiencing the “ups and downs” of life, never give up and continue to move forward. Believe. Keep your focus and never let fear stop you from reaching your goals.

6. LOVE comes from within. You must love yourself first in order to love another. No matter if it is a man, woman, child or your most adorable pet, never deny yourself the opportunity to love or to be loved. It is a feeling you will never forget. Enjoy. Be good to yourself.

The Gift of Life is the most special thing that money can not buy.

Hiring a coach is the best thing anyone could for both their business and their own individual development. Almost everyone is trying to get to a better place of either success in business or personal improvement, an awareness of self and a balanced life.  The coach will assist in looking at where you currently are and give you pointers on ways to grow into where you want to be.

A coach helps to validate who you are and find solutions and possible meaning in what you are experiencing. Hiring a coach gives you an edge into reaching your destined goal. You are able to have someone who will hold you accountable for your actions. Unbiased feedback and continued motivation are some of the things that a coach brings to the relationship whether business or personal.

Trained coaches will be able to help any business client to leverage their ability to increase their bottom line, attract new business, live a stress-free life, reduce stress, gain clarity, help the prospective entrepreneur to start a business, help to improve employee relationships and add more value to customer service

Most business owners want to increase their productivity and a good coach will help to target goals, mission statements, and the company’s master plan.  A personal coach is equipped to uplift and provide an atmosphere of trust and belief in self.

You will need to hire a coach for his/her expert communication skills; one who will train you on how to communicate with your clients and with others. A coach will teach you how to be a better listener and how implement proven solutions to achieve the best results. 

When you hire a coach, you have the advantage of getting rid of old habits, reach your goals faster, get training in the life design process and determine the action steps you need to take for your success. Hiring a coach puts you in the driver’s seat of self-awareness to be able to identify your fears and negative conceptions that keep you back. You will be able to have a specific strategy to manage your inner thoughts and to be confident in the things that you believe that you can accomplish.

Some people will hire a coach to help them to manage their time. When they work with a coach, they will be able to become more efficient and effective in whatever they do in business or in their personal lives. The coach provides great tools, advise and techniques that are proven to get results. 

A professional coach is an experienced individual who is committed to helping business owners to take their business to the next level. Together both you and your coach will develop a solid partnership that will help you to shift your focus toward your goals over a specific period of time.  Awaken your passion, fulfill your purpose and have a joy-filled life by hiring a coach to hold your hand and give you that little push that you may need to reach success.

Personal mastery is about approaching life from a different perspective.  Sometimes people would refer to it as a journey towards continuous improvement.  Personal  mastery is guided by key principles like vision, personal purpose, creative tension, commitment to truth and understanding the subconscious mind.

One of the most important fundamental aspects of personal mastery is personal vision.  Personal mastery when combined with personal vision can create a framework or guiding philosophy on how you can operate and live your life.  Some people would say that personal vision serves as a guide that will keep you on track.

Followers of personal mastery see that there are great opportunities to improve their growth.  Followers recognize that there are many avenues for growth and opportunities like books, tapes, lectures and school courses.  People may also benefit from organizations in their quest for personal mastery.

Personal mastery is about loving yourself and expressing your gifts to their fullest.  Some would think that personal mastery is controlling and limiting one self, but actually it is about understanding your personality.  To control or overcome some habits, it would be important to identify how and why those habits occur.  The more you suppress things, the more you will have difficulty in conquering and overcoming it.

Personal mastery is self-discipline.  It is about taking responsibility for the direction that your life is going to take.  You begin to slowly realize that you can do anything with the aid of your unique set of skills and talents.  Discipline will clarify and deepen your perspective in life.  Those who quest for personal mastery can develop patience and see life objectively.

Personal mastery can help you become successful in life.  You can say that you have developed personal mastery if you are starting to fully understand your strengths, talents and your purpose in life.  Personal mastery enables you to be inspired, energized and happy.  You start to show a sense of commitment in changing on how people perceive life and the world.  The ultimate thing about personal mastery is that you would always feel that you are guided and supported by a higher power.

It is also important for a person who is in quest for personal mastery to develop integrity, humility, justice and industry.  Actually, these are “rules” on how we could conduct ourselves professionally, socially and spiritually.

Peter Senge said that attaining personal mastery has no shortcuts or no “quick fixes.”  Sometimes it will take a lifetime for personal mastery to be attained.  Personal mastery detaches a person from self-interest or selfishness and encourage people towards providing care and service to other people.  Also individuals who follow personal mastery see the connections in their surroundings and perceive  everything as a whole.

Proactive behavior is also something that personal mastery helps you to develop.  Reactive behavior-  like thinking before-hand hand that you cannot do something -  is dealt with when developing personal mastery.  Actions and service that you provide are based on how you can creatively maximize your skills.

Experts would say that personal mastery could be truly gained by living purposefully and by living with integrity.  Living purposefully would include showing talents, gifts and strengths to achieve your goals and be successful.  Living with integrity is by integrating your ideals, standards and behavior.

To summarize it, personal mastery guides you to develop being aware with what your beliefs, attitudes and behavior impact.  It also enables you to accept yourself and be responsible for  your own actions, attitudes, and thoughts. If you are having a hard time with this please check out my new program “Prosperous Women”. It’s quick, easy, affordable and it will have you on the road to living the life you have always dreamed of.

- Sharon

Everyone has to make certain decisions in their lives every day; both in their own personal lives, at work, and in other situations.  Many people wait until the last minute to make decisions that are important. The longer you wait to make the decision, the more chaos you will cause in your life.

To become a better decision maker requires that you take charge of every situation and don’t wait too long to take immediate action. Some decisions may require that you include others so that is understandable if that is the case. However, if you are the sole decision make for a particular issue, you should take the “bull by the horns,” and do what your gut feeling is telling you to do.

In certain situations, you may have to do some research in order to make your decision. When that is the case, you need to make sure that you do enough research to warrant the best decision.

Important decisions are made at different levels of management and even if you are not involved in the decision making process firsthand, your input in the end result is also of utmost importance.

When making good decisions, don’t just think of the here and now, but think about how your decision will impact your future as well as the people around you. Look at the advantages and disadvantages of your decision and what it will cause to happen; whether negative or positive.

Consider any options that you may have so that you are open to other possibilities. Ask for help if you have to. Never think that you have to do this all by yourself. The more help you can solicit, the easier your decisions may be.

Have specific goals set for your personal and financial life and when issues arise, you will be able to revisit those goals and reflect on where you envision yourself to be and this will aid you in making the kind of decisions that will keep your goals at the forefront.

Deciding what you want to do about any particular issue takes commitment to the end. You have to be prepared for the outcome of your decision. If you end up regretting your decision, you still can make adjustments to it or change it. Nothing is cut in stone.

If you are the kind of person who does not follow through, you might want to find someone that you can be accountable to. If you mess up, then that person can confront you amicable and help you to be more forthcoming and proactive.

Trust your own instincts because for the most part, someone’s gut feeling is usually close to the answer that they are trying to find. Write things down. It relieves you from being drained mentally. When you see it on paper, it becomes more real, logical and the facts are more apparent.

Your decision whether it is a small one or a big one depends on who you are as a person, what you hold as dear to your heart, what you consider as being important to you and your sensitivity towards those who may be affected.

What do you plan to do to change how you make decisions?

- Sharon

If you want to be truly successful in how you achieve your goals, then you need to start having the right habits and attitudes that will keep you on track. There are a number of good traits you have to put to work in your life so that you can discover that more opportunities and then you’ll see that good things are bound to happen, if you allow them. Here are some of the features that goal achievers have.

Being Industrious

Hard work always pays off. There is no single famous individual person in history who achieved several goals in life without working. Being industrious means working harder than anyone else, studying more than anyone else and even suffering more than anyone else. You have to understand the importance of delayed gratification as you work towards your ultimate goal. To begin hard work, you can begin by fixing your schedule, writing down tasks and functions of the day and finding the right people and resources that can assist you. Keep in mind that you have to be as independent as possible to finish more in the long term.

Discipline and Consistency

Discipline is what separates the leaders from the followers. If you truly want to make changes in your life, you have to understand doing things even if you do not want to at times, and maintaining excellent quality and optimum performance each time. Being consistent is intertwined with patience, wherein you continue performing well, regardless of the situations and hindrances, to render the results you want in the end.

Discipline and consistency are also interrelated, in the sense that discipline breeds consistency. If you continue practicing good habits and sticking to the functions that lead to your main goal, you will find it easier to do over time. You will change as an entire person and experience the opportunities that come with being dedicated.

Resilience

Problems are a part of every man’s life, but it is the resilient person who always prevails and achieves their goals. You need to learn from your past mistakes and convert these into more productive actions the next time. Learn to pick yourself up after each fall and put in double effort to become better. Some of the most successful people, as well as those who truly left a mark in history are known to have faced big difficulties and resentment before they let others understand their own way of doing things.

Optimism

You need to stay positive about your situation, regardless of the problems that you face. It is vital that you stay optimistic and always believe that you will get to your goal, no matter what. If you tell yourself that you will reach it sooner, chances are you will. It might help to believe in the powers of the Universal Law of Attraction which draws opportunities toward you just the way you intend to, and in the right intensity as you desired.

Patience

Some goals are very big and will take time to accomplish. Do not allow yourself to think that some goals are just too huge to be possible. Be specific and set goals that are attainable to your current situation and start working to achieve these. You can break it down into smaller tasks that are much easier to do within the given time frame that you have.

So, what do you think? Do YOU have the right attitude? I’ve got a new 12 week coaching program that can help you to do just that – check it out at http://www.positivelywomen.com/prosperouswomen.html

- Sharon

Instant everything—including convenience, solutions, and results among so many others—is one of the major causes of stress that eventually lead to serious problems. Because of this stress, more and more people are learning to practice one of the most powerful means of concentration called “meditation.”

Described as a state wherein a person is in deep concentration on something, either awareness or some object of thought, meditation can be considered as one of the oldest means of calming the mind and the soul. Usually involving one’s attention to be turned into a single point of reference, meditation is practiced by so many people because it can lead a person to a consciousness an inch higher than the ordinary person.

If you are one of those who planning to indulge in practicing meditation or just interested in its seemingly limitless possibilities, then you should start by familiarizing yourself with the various forms of meditation known today. The most common forms of meditation include “Bodhidharma,” “Hinduism,” “Bahá’í Faith,” “Buddhism,” “Christian meditation,” “Islam Meditation,” “Jainism,” “Judaism,” “Sikhism,” and “Taoism.” Each and every one of these forms mentioned has their own understanding of meditation and also have different sets of practices that come with it.

Another important thing to take note about meditation is that it involves various physical postures to be able to perform the practice well. These postures include standing, sitting, and supine depending on the tradition of that you would want to follow.

Aside from the postures that are used, it is also important to take note about the various types of meditation before finally indulging into it. Experts say that the most common type is the prayer because this is the one of the most practiced types people does. Aside from the simple prayer, other types of meditation also include what is called transcendental meditation (TM), the mindfulness meditation, and some of the forms included in the Eastern tradition including the buddhist, Taoist, and zen meditation.

If you are just starting, the first thing that you need to concentrate on is the elements for involved in a basic traditional meditation. Usually, there are four elements that greatly affect traditional meditation including a place that is quiet, a posture that is comfortable, an object that a person can to focus his or her attention and n attitude that is relatively passive.

Learning meditation techniques

Meditation techniques are known to vary depending on the origin of the practice and the culture in that place. It also varies depending on the personality of the person and where he or she comfortable with.

Meditation techniques can be classified as “concentrative” that involves the means of focusing into a specific object and the other can be termed as “expansive” that involves a person’s free flowing thoughts, observation, and reflection. The most common meditation techniques that are being practiced by many people today include the “Mantra Meditation” which involve production of sound or the combination of one or more sounds that are played in a very spontaneous manner, the “trataka” or Steady Gaze where the person meditating is asked to gaze steadily in a certain an object and focus his or her attention to it, and the “Chakra Meditation” which greatly helps in the manifestation of energy and mind control.

Those who are practicing advanced meditation are also learning other effective meditation techniques including Vipassana Meditation, Raja Yoga Meditation, Zazen, and Nada Yoga, which have their own respective practices and postures.

Why don’t you try this out and let me know how you do?

- Sharon

A lot of people stay unsuccessful or have alternating experiences with success and failure, simply because they do not know that they have bad traits working against them. Bad traits are  habits and personal characteristics that ultimately lead to failure. Some of the things you’ve been so used to doing for your whole life may be the main reason why you struggle so much.

The Basic Bad Habits

Laziness is one of the worst habits that you can have. The worse thing is, lazy people usually do not want to get rid of the problem. If you want to achieve your goals, you need to understand the value of hard work and perseverance. Some of the greatest people in the world are known to work way more than those who did not leave a mark. The greats work longer hours, sleep less, eat less, wake up earlier and suffer more than anybody else. It takes sacrifice to reach your goals. The most important thing to know is that everything you have ever wanted is just outside your comfort zone.

Another bad habit that people can deal with for  years is fear. They fear things and events without even trying. Some people are even afraid of success subconsciously in a way that they refute any opportunity that can make them great. Some people do not realize that they just do not or cannot handle the bigger responsibilities that achieved goals come with. You should understand that once you reach a certain goal, it can mean that the bar has just been raised for you to accomplish more.

Personal Bad Traits

Selfishness is a bad trait that you need to get rid of to achieve your goals. There are individuals who do not want to get help from others because they do not want to share their expected success. What’s sad is that most of them do not actually reach their goals. There is so much joy and celebration for every success that can be shared between several individuals. There is even so much money in the world for everyone to stay rich. Even if you may be better off doing some things yourself, still you cannot do everything.

Being Negative

Pessimism is a trait of losers. Losers always find a reason to lose, even if the situation or opportunity is already presenting itself. In most cases, pessimism is tied up to fear. Seeing things in a negative light will result to bad results too, most of the time. If you start your day negatively, everything else will already seem bad, so you will focus more on the little things that do not matter and let them bother you, instead of keeping your mind on your goals.

Seeking Help

The first step to treating bad habits to achieve your goals is to look at yourself as a confident, capable and strong individual. You are responsible for whatever happens in your life. Although problems are bound to happen, you know that you always have the ability to stay successful in life as you choose. Minor setbacks are supposed to be a means for you to become better and stronger.

Write a list down indicating all your weaknesses and bad traits. Next, put the opposite trait for each. The opposite traits are now your new characteristics to be adopted. Start practicing one good trait per week or month, then add another one for consistency. Over time, you will realize that success follows you because of your positive aura.

If you need help with this – why not set up a short coaching session with me?

- Sharon

Stress doesn’t only affect the mind; it can also have some adverse effects on your body if left unchecked. Even if we are mentally capable of doing all our tasks, there is a possibility that our body is not fit enough to cope with the burden you are subjecting it to. If you push it to the limit, then you will surely feel a breakdown that could disable you permanently.

We can never deny the fact that all of us have our limits. Like our minds, our body can only take so much until it falls apart. It is a common fact that we can do anything if we set our minds into it, but we need to realize that our body should be able to cope with what we want it to do.

Your Body And Stress

Stress affects us different depending on the state of our body. The most common ailment attributed to mental stress is headache or migraine, or even dizziness from time to time. We would also feel some minor cramps, aches and pains on our back, shoulder, or in different parts of our body when under the grip of stress.

There is also a possibility that stress can affect our body chemistry as well. Too much brain activity can lead to nausea, dizziness, diarrhea, or even constipation. There were even reports that stress is attributed to a bout of ulcer when a hyperactive body produced too much acid that can abrade the linings of your organs.

There is a chance that a person might need to go to the hospital or undergo a series of medication to remedy the problem. But if you don’t take the initiative to nip stress at the bud, then you will sure to experience the same thing all over again.

Stress And Your Behavior

A person under the grip of stress tends to act rash and outside their normal behavior. Depending on the level of stress a person is subjected to, they might have trouble sleeping or might affect their sleeping time altogether. You might no longer want to sleep in the evening since you tend to think more of your problems when you lie down in bed during the quiet of the night. Unconsciously, our bodies would slowly get sleepy during the day and remain active at night.

Stress can also affect the emotional state of the person. They will either go into depression and self-pity; or give in to their rage by venting it out on everyone they see. There were even cases that stress can drive a person berserk or permanently affect their state of mind if not properly addressed.

Stress Management 101 – Coping With Your Problems

The mind is where stress starts so it is up to you to take the necessary steps to teach your mind how to cope with your problems when they crop up. Determining the source of your stress is the first step to getting rid of it.

It is essential that a person undergoes stress management to help them relax even when they are swamped with problems. You can delve into your favorite hobby to divert your mind to help it relax. Watching movies and listening to your favorite songs is also a good idea on getting your stress level under control.

- Sharon

My guest on this week’s Blog Talk Radio Show is Karen Keeney – Karen is an author and coach whose specialty is finding success with purpose. I’d like to share with you some of the things that I’ve noticed along the way on this topic:

Do you know that you can actually earn from the results of your hard work in finding your passion? And that is not the only goal that you will likely get in the process. If you feel like you are stuck in your current job, you have to rethink your life and where you are taking it. You are the driver of your own vehicle and you decide where you will go. But you are only human so you must be open for mistakes and other challenges that life may bring along your journey.

Living to earn is very different from earning a living. With the latter, you can be more adventurous. Life can be more fun, especially when you are pursuing the things that you really like and earning money in the process. This is the reason why people who have chosen an unlikely route just so they can earn good amount of cash will likely feel the downside of their decision at some point on their lives.

Comfort Zone

Are you at a place where you feel like you are already too comfortable? This is not really a good thing. If you have been working the same job, which was not what you really wanted to do deep in your heart, through time, you will be able to master the craft. You will know how to work your way through the job where you won’t get into any trouble. You will get your job done, you will be paid, then you will have to work over and over again the same tasks every day. This set up may be giving you enough money to live by. But are your living the life that you really wanted to attain? If not, then maybe it is time to get out of your comfort zone.

You have to take risks in order to know your capabilities. You must not be afraid to fail because that is part of the whole ballgame. You just have to learn from your own mistakes.

Earning from Your Passion

If you really love what you are doing, you will eventually excel on it. You can even pursue your passion as a side project aside from your real job. This is ideal for people who are afraid to lose their main source of income. Your passion can actually bring in more cash if you will be able to utilize them well to your advantage. For example, you are good in writing or painting. You only have to use your talents, hone them and soon enough, you will surprise everyone that your passion has led you to more profitable source of income.

If you will open yourself to these kinds of possibilities, there will come a time when you can comfortably choose your passion and drop the job that you don’t really like and earn as much as well. This is a very ideal situation because when you love what you are doing, it will show in the quality of work that you are producing. It will also reflect on how you live your life and your attitude towards anything that you may encounter as you go through it. Setting the right goals and finding your passion may not be as easy as it seems to be. You really have to think hard about it so that you can be led to the right course.

Are you living your passion? Let me know -

- Sharon