The Gobstopper Trick

Ever said something you wish you hadn't? For the times when your emotions are charged, & the best thing to say, is nothing at all, try this simple trick: imagine having a gobstopper in your mouth!

You remember gobstoppers, those huge sweets that dissolve slowly in your mouth? Remember how you can't say anything when you have a gobstopper in your mouth?

Try keeping an imaginary gobstopper in your mouth, & it may just dissolve the charged emotions. And then when you say something, it may just make a positive impact.

Why You Need Hobbies

Don't have time for hobbies? Well make the time, break out of your routines and do something that’s just for you, do something that brings a sense of play. It’ll boost your creative thinking and make you better at everything else.

Come on, indulge in the hobbies you enjoy. Whether it's gardening, volunteering, walking the dogs, crafting, knitting, photography, painting, doodling, solving puzzles….

Nowhere to Now Here

If you keep thinking about something, over and over again, most often, it's as if you're going nowhere. Next time your thinking is getting you nowhere, go from nowhere to now here.

Shift your attention to the present moment. Be here in the now, and your thinking is most likely to get you somewhere.

It's All Gone Pear Shaped!

“It’s all gone pear-shaped.” When things go pear-shaped, leave no space for doubt. No matter what shape things are in, have faith that all is exactly as it should be. Have faith that you have what it takes to handle pear-shaped situations.

When life gives you pears, make….

Healthy Distraction

Feeling stressed, worried, upset? Sometimes, but not always, what works well is distraction.

Distract yourself in a healthy way by doing something that interrupts and redirects your attention away from your stress, worries, and upsets. Read, listen, cook, watch, play, exercise, walk, sing, write....

Select a healthy distraction but try not to overdo the distraction. Once you've reduced the pressure and feel calm and refreshed, try to come up with a solution for your stress, worry, upset.

How to be with different people

Everyone’s different. The key is to adapt yourself to different people. This does not mean that you have to be someone you're not. To be able to adapt, you first need to know yourself well enough to understand a broad range of facets of yourself so that you can call up the right one with the right crowd.

Find Your Sunshine

Yesterday was the longest day of the year, the first day of summer. So start planning your summertime fun, the beach trips, the picnics.... Treat yourself to some sunshine and boost your mood.

Even when it's not "mainly dry with sunny spells", find your own sunshine. Create your own feel-good factor, and then no matter what the weather, carry your own sunshine with you.

Getting People On Board

Sometimes people are uninspired, and sometimes they're simply unhelpful. When some people are against you, do you try to get them on board?

Try to understand why they're not on board. Discuss the situation, hear what they have to say, and try to clear the air and earn their confidence. Try to get them on board by getting them inspired and involved.

If you can't get them on board, take responsibility for your role in the situation, learn from it and move on.

Leave Work Thoughts At Work

Want to leave 'work thoughts' at work? As you walk away from work, take a few minutes to clear your mind.

Think of the mind as a computer desktop. You can a) minimize and come back to it later, b) save, close and file it away, or c) delete it. And then you can a) log off, b) restart, or c) switch off the screen of your mind.

Take a few more minutes to breathe. Leave work thoughts behind, and now you're ready to walk into the rest of your evening with a clear mind.

Acceptance and Peace

Peace of mind comes not from wanting to change others, but by simply accepting them as they are.

For your peace of mind, can you let go of what you want others to do or how you want them to be? Can you accept everyone as they are?

One Step At A Time

When faced with a problem, a habit change, a task that seems insurmountable, do this: lay it out & break it down into steps. Remember, everything takes time & involves many steps.

When you start worrying about it all, remind yourself to concentrate on one step at a time. Take it step by step & take charge of what seems insurmountable.

Like the Rose

Just look at a rose, isn't it extraordinary how something so beautiful comes out from a hard, spiky stick, which grows out from the dirt! Actually, the thorns, the stems, the roots, enable the rose to flourish and grow in strength.

When life gets a bit thorny, a bit prickly, a bit muddy, remember how a rose grows. Allow life to cultivate your personal strength and growth. And then you too, can thrive and blossom like the rose.

Too Dependent on Technology?

Technology makes life easier, efficient and enjoyable! But do you get anxious when a particular technology is unavailable? If nothing was available, would you still be able to find your way? Make the best use of what's available. But if you feel you’re too dependent on technology and it's making you lazy (physically or mentally); know when to curb your use of technology.

Acknowledge Your Teachers

We've all had at least one teacher in our lives, who encouraged us, believed in us, inspired us.

Today, look back and:
1. Acknowledge the impact of a teacher(s) in your life (past and present).
2. Recognize the lessons they taught you.

One Of Those Days

Having a low self-esteem day can be a bit like having a bad hair day. You just wake up feeling not so good about yourself. So, how to get through one of those days?

Embrace how you feel and then remind yourself, just as a bad hair day don't last forever, in the same way, your low self-esteem isn't permanent, this too, shall pass. So, lighten up, do something to feel good about yourself and move on with your day.

Now, you probably have tricks up your sleeve for a bad hair day. In the same way, for any future low self-esteem days, have a list of tricks to boost your self-esteem.