Having less pushes me to work harder.

Each day provides a chance for me to do something great with my life. I am motivated to excel by my desire to attain more.

When I set goals, I remind myself of what I intend for them to help me attain. Each target is aimed at moving me from one level to the next. I know that I am able to shine brighter through hard work and dedication.

When my financial situation is less than ideal, I work towards strengthening it each day. I sacrifice my short term desires in favor of long term dreams and projects.

Being around friends who are well off shows me the steps I must take to achieve my own success. Seeing myself as less secure than others pushes me to go after my aspirations.

Although I take pride in my work, I yearn for more responsibility and accountability. Those things come from proving myself worthy of promotions.

Stepping up the corporate ladder means paying my dues at the bottom. I work silently and with resolve. I stay away from complaining because I am far away from my ultimate goal. Each grateful day leads to fulfillment and determination to keep going.

Today, the extent of my effort lies in my focus on achieving my goals. I am committed to working diligently and receiving due rewards. My persistent endeavors in life are geared towards propelling myself to higher heights.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. What is the difference between being motivated and being greedy for more?
2. What activities do I undertake to make myself more marketable in the workplace?
3. How do I rebuild my resolve when I become exhausted from hard work?

I am naturally motivated to persevere

I am naturally motivated to persevere.

My every instinct knows that I am a winner. The wealth of experience and knowledge I gain in every circumstance allows me to be better prepared in the future.

When I experience failure, I allow myself to feel disappointed. I let myself experience sadness and inadequacy for a while because I know that they are effective in the healing process.

At the end of that phase, I bounce back with even more fire than before. I use my experiences of disappointment to fuel my motivation the next time around. Because of my prior challenges, I approach new situations with more confidence in my abilities to come out on top.

Perseverance is the easy road for me. Motivation and determination are my way of life, and these traits constitute the ideology that differentiates me from my competitors. Whether I am competing against a co-worker for a key promotion, or just against the hardships of life, continuing on until I win is easy for me.

My motivation to keep going comes from deep inside me. I am confident that I know what is best for me and once I make that decision, there is no turning back. I can push through.

Today, I rely on my inborn strength to persevere. Regardless of my circumstances, I ride the tide of life’s challenges. If I fall overboard, I simply pick up the pieces and start again. Each situation I encounter is worthy of my resolve and determination.

Self-Reflection Questions:

  1. How do my actions show that I persevere in the face of adversity?
  2. Can determination and motivation help me move past insecurity?
  3. When do I most feel like a winner? When would I like to feel more confident in myself?

Motivation comes from within me.

My body is the outer shell that protects the most intimate parts of my being. My spirit and soul play a large part in forming my character. Having inborn determination is a blessing because external factors are unable to take it away.

I am my biggest fan. There are very few things that I consider myself unable to accomplish. Self-confidence results in ongoing success and greater assurance.

When I look in the mirror each morning, I see an image of purpose. I see someone who is hungry to achieve greatness. By identifying with that reflection, I pump myself up to take on even the toughest days.

My ability to bypass potential distractions is profound. It keeps me focused. Whenever I see that peer pressure is aiming to take me off course, I shut it down. My friends are aware that I am committed to whatever mission I set my mind to. I appreciate those special people who respect my drive and sense of purpose.

Doubts serve as sources of creativity for me. I use them as drivers to find solutions to challenges. Very rarely do I give up when one alternative is found to be unsuitable.

Today, I am proud to be born with the heart of a fighter. My ability to do great things comes from my firm belief that anything is possible for me.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. What are some of the affirmations I repeat each day to motivate myself?
2. How do I heal my soul when it is damaged by the hurtful actions of others?
3. What are some of the scary but worthwhile ventures that I have undertaken?

Love motivates me.

Love gives me energy. I feel alive and awake. I accomplish more when I act from my heart. Love inspires me to reach higher. I raise the bar for my performance. I set challenging but realistic goals.

Love encourages me to put forth more effort. I am willing to work hard and stretch my skills. When I run into an obstacle, I find another way to move ahead. My enthusiasm makes hard work feel like fun.

Love pushes me to take risks. My courage soars. I can handle feeling vulnerable. I am brave enough to break out of my comfort zone. I am excited about learning and growing.

Love reminds me to take care of my health. I eat nutritious whole foods. I deal with stress constructively. I give my body lots of good quality sleep and exercise.

Love shows me how to nurture my relationships. I cherish others and express my appreciation. I care about their needs. I enjoy sharing my time and resources. I take pleasure in helping others.

Love opens up my eyes. The world looks beautiful to me. I count my blessings and focus on the miracles that happen each day.

Love sets me free. I let go of fears and resentments. My mind is calm and clear. I am comfortable with myself and my surroundings. I am content with what I have.

Today, I examine my motivation. I return to my purpose. I express my love through my actions.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. What changes when I act out of love rather than fear?
2. What can I do today to plant seeds of love?
3. Why is love stronger than other forms of motivation?

I reignite my passions through self-reflection.

I take time each day to reflect. Reflecting helps me identify things that are important to me. The best way for me to reflect is to remove myself from the whirlwind that surrounds me. I look for a quiet place with a comfortable place to sit and I enjoy the beautiful sound of silence.

With my eyes closed, I draw up times when I felt pure joy. Allowing myself to go back to that time gives me inner peace. The pictures in my mind do not consist of possessions because my joy does not come from things I own.

What I see are the faces of my family and friends. I hear the laughter of children and I feel the gentleness of the ocean’s breeze. That’s when my passions erupt like a volcano.

It is essential that everything I do is driven by passion so I can live a fulfilling life. I cannot be led by greed or selfishness. I feel real happiness when I am aware of my passions and I pursue them.

I find myself going through the motions of a meaningless life when I do not reflect. I take on obligations just to have something to do. Even a worthy cause can become a burden if I am doing it for the wrong reasons.

Exercising reflection tones my soul’s muscles. My soul gains unnecessary weight from distractions and stress. When I pause and search my heart, I can distinguish between those distractions and my true calling.

I am excited about what is to come. My vision is focused on fulfilling my calling. I do my best when I am passionate and I am passionate when I pause for reflection.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. What are the things that bring me the most joy?
2. Am I taking enough time to relax and reflect?
3. What unnecessary weight am I carrying?

My life choices are linked to my passion.

Passionate exploits are the ones I enjoy the most. I love taking part in things that bring me true satisfaction. As a result, my choices in life are tied directly to things I am zealous about. That is the path towards living a full life.

My job brings me a lot of fulfillment and personal satisfaction. Even though it is labor, I am devoted to doing it because I get pleasure from it. My work is also meaningful. When I see the positive impact my work has on others, I am thrilled. The well-being of others is worth my efforts.

The people I socialize with share interests similar to mine. Our relationships are meaningful because we complement each other on many levels.

I choose hobbies that I am able to spend hours on without getting bored. It is easy to focus on writing poetry for a long time. It gets me to express my innermost feelings about the things that matter most to me.

It is easy to make tough decisions in life based on what I am most fervent about. The happiness of my family is a priority, so I decide based on their well-being.

Today, I choose to live according to the things that drive my heart and soul. I realize that I am more at peace when I take that route. My commitment lies in making each moment of my life count.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. How do I know when I have lost the passion for something I used to enjoy?
2. What are some of the things that drive my passion in life?
3. How do I handle it when my passionate exploit brings less than favorable results?

I use positive results as motivation to keep pursuing my goals.

I fully understand that there are some goals which are achieved through a series of smaller steps and objectives. I accept that I sometimes need to go through different channels to reach the final pathway to success.

I use positive results from each small success as motivation to keep pursuing my bigger goals and dreams. I avoid looking at how much farther I have to go to reach my goal. I never let that distance discourage me. Instead, I celebrate each tiny victory and then move on to the next step.

When I am faced with financial challenges and debt, I design a plan to become debt free. I set a realistic timeline based on what I know I can achieve if I set smaller objectives.

I take one credit card at a time and commit to making a set payment each month until it is fully paid. I avoid letting unexpected circumstances cause me to renege on my financial responsibility.

When it comes to my physical health, I set a target for reaching various fitness milestones. I create my goals based on the time and resources I have at my disposal. I promise to devote 30 minutes each day to exercising and I stick to that commitment.

Today, I acknowledge that sometimes the tiny steps towards a goal are more effective than taking giant steps to reach it. I relish in the excitement of achieving smaller objectives, knowing that I am one step closer to the ultimate prize.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. Do I sometimes feel discouraged when even my smaller goals seem unattainable?
2. Do I believe in my ability to reach my goals?
3. How do I motivate myself to keep pursuing my goals when they seem far away?

Increasing-Your-Passion-for-Life-by-Building-Your-Self-Esteem

Increasing Your Passion for Life by Building Your Self-Esteem

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love & affection.” ~Buddha

Have you ever wished that you felt better about yourself? Maybe you’ve felt kind of “blah” about your life and where it’s going.

The good news is if you put your mind to it, you do have the power to grow your self-esteem! When you do, you’ll also, as a happy result, turn up your passion and galvanize your efforts to live the life you seek and deserve.

This guide provides specific actions to take in seven different areas of your life to achieve greater self-esteem:

  • Discover how your job can increase positive feelings about yourself.
  • How to use your thoughts to feel better about yourself
  • The importance of doing some physical and emotional “house-cleaning”
  • Engaging regularly in cherished activities to cultivate feelings of self-love and self-worth
  • In re-connecting with your life roles as a partner and parent, you’ll find your opinion of yourself improves quickly.
  • Your physical well-being is intimately aligned with what you think and believe about yourself, so we’ve included a chapter about how to enhance your physical self.
  • Finally, learn the powerful impact that recognizing your uniqueness can have on your efforts to increase your self-esteem.

Begin your journey now to construct self-esteem that will drive you to valiantly create the existence you’ve always dreamed of for you and your family.

“A man is but the product of his thoughts; what he thinks, he becomes.” ~Mahatma Gandhi

1. Apply Yourself at Work to Increase Your Self-Esteem

One of the main sources of your self-esteem as an adult is your career. Regardless of the kind of work you do, it’s important to recognize its value in your life.

Your job is the source of your livelihood. It provides much of the main structure to your existence. How you feel about your work plays a major role in how you feel about yourself.

Hopefully, you have a positive view of your career and put forth your best efforts at work. But even if you don’t, it’s time to realize its impact on your life. Your work can bring you positive experiences, feelings, and self-esteem if you choose to apply yourself.

Consider these points to galvanize your job efforts and pump up your self-esteem:

  1. Discover the value in working hard. No matter how you feel about your job, if you can re-frame it so you focus on your efforts, your self-esteem will improve. Whether you’re working diligently at filing and answering the phones or making as many sales calls as you can in a day, you’ll feel better about yourself.
  • At the end of the day, when you step back and look around at all you accomplished, you can’t help but have positive feelings.
  1. Learn to love your job. After all, someone somewhere benefits because of the work you complete. Work toward finding an inner peace related to your career.
  • Make a conscious decision to love your work. In order to allow yourself to love your job, let go of the negativity and seek to find the love for what you’re doing for a living. There is something positive to be said about every job.
  • Identify the positives of your job and focus on them each day. Make something great happen by loving your job.
  1. Be the best office assistant, garbage collector, or insurance agent you can be. What will it take for you to be the star worker at your workplace? If you’re unsure where to start, begin observing a co-worker whom you believe does a top-notch job.
  • How does the person conduct himself? What do you notice about their work ethic? What about work habits? Do they consistently arrive early and stay a bit late? Perhaps they ask questions to clarify assignments and works creatively on each project.
  • Use your observational skills to find out how to be the best, and then apply what you’ve learned to rise to the top.

Putting your nose to the grindstone will aid you to re-discover what’s important to you in terms of your career. Make every effort to re-connect with your job. When you see the value of working hard, decide to love your job, and strive to be the best worker you can, you’ll increase your self-esteem tenfold.

“Work joyfully and peacefully, knowing that right thoughts and right efforts will inevitably bring about right results.” ~James Allen

2. Use Your Cognitions to Build a Positive View of Yourself

Although self-esteem has to do with how you feel, you can affect your level of self-esteem by using your thoughts or “cognitions.” The good news is that you have control over your thoughts and can change them if it will help you feel better or progress toward improved self-esteem.

Survey this list of strategies to utilize your cognitions to increase your self-esteem:

  1. Refrain from negative self-talk. What do you say when you talk to yourself? Perhaps you say mostly positive things. “I know I’m going to do a good job” or “No one can make better cakes than I can” are examples of positive self-talk that serve to enhance how you feel about yourself.
  • On the other hand, negative self-talk can be destructive to your self-esteem. Examples of negative self-talk are comments like, “I know I’ll never amount to anything” or “My boss will never pick me to work on an important project.”
  • Strive to avoid negative self-talk by practicing the subsequent strategies in this chapter.
  1. Learn to distract yourself from negative thoughts. As soon as you begin to think negatively, it’s your responsibility to change those thoughts.
  • Notice right away when negativity is floating through your mind. Then, make a decision to think about something else.
  • Tell yourself, “I’m not going to think about that right now. Instead, I’m going to watch a movie.” Or you could say, “I’m going to do something positive right now, like wash the car.”
  • The key is to be aware of your thoughts so you can immediately change your thinking (and perhaps your activity) at the time you begin thinking negatively.
  1. Reflect on your successes. Remembering what you’ve done well in the past will help you gain some wind beneath your wings. When you remind yourself that you’ve enjoyed some great successes, you’ll realize that you can also have great success in your present and future.
  • Consider the skills and character traits that helped you succeed. Perhaps you used patience and tact when dealing with someone in power over you. Maybe you persevered through a very rough time by thinking positively and received a promotion as a result.
  • Those elements are still inside of you. Vow to re-discover the aspects of yourself that kept you going to achieve past successes. You’ll feel great about yourself.
  1. Do some self-evaluation—what are you really good at? Delve in further to your personality and preferences. List the talents, skills, and activities you do well.
  • Perhaps you’re creative and make beautiful scrapbooks or like to stay busy so everything around the house is always in tip-top condition. Maybe you decided to get in shape a few years ago and have done a great job maintaining your good health.
  • Look deep inside to acknowledge what you excel at. As you recognize the positive traits within you, you’ll realize you have a lot of reasons to have a healthy self-esteem.
  1. What positive elements do people notice about you? Do they say, “You’re really good with numbers” or “You type faster than anyone I know?”
  • Recognize that people usually don’t make complimentary statements unless they really believe you possess those qualities. Use those statements to remind yourself of more positives about yourself. Find personal strength in the idea that you’re good at some things and people notice.

It’s smart to use your thoughts however you can to feel better about yourself. Avoid engaging in negative self-talk. Distract yourself when you begin to think negatively. Ponder past successes and think about what you’re good at. Take a look at what others say you do well. Re-align your thoughts to produce more self-esteem and you’ll like what happens.

“Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you’ll start having positive results.” ~Willie Nelson

3. Do Some Housecleaning—Physically and Emotionally

When you’re looking to ignite your passion, it’s helpful to live an uncluttered existence, physically and emotionally. Have you considered that maybe it’s time to do a bit of housecleaning?

Whether it’s your physical or emotional “environment” that is cluttered, why not gussy up your surroundings?

Ponder these points:

  1. Clutter is a deterrent to positive self-esteem. Because clutter in and of itself is distracting, it’s wise to tidy up the world around you. Physical clutter draws your attention away from what’s important and on to the messy situations surrounding you. Emotional clutter serves to do the same thing—divert attentions from what really matters.
  • Banishing chaos and messy spaces from your life will help you re-gain the space to work on things that matter to you. When you do, you’ll build your self-esteem immensely.
  • If you’re unsure about the suggestion to physically clean up your surroundings, try cleaning out just one drawer, cabinet, or closet. You’ll see you completed a task and made something better. Then, you’ll feel pretty good about it.
  • If you’re overwhelmed at the prospect of getting your home in order, start small. For example, focus on one room at a time, or even one corner of the room or a piece of furniture that’s piled with clothing.
  1. Bring order into your life. When there’s order in your home, you can look around and feel good about your environment and yourself. You’ll feel calmer and self-esteem will grow.
  • Elicit your partner’s help to get things organized at home.
  1. Examine your close relationships. Our close relationships have a profound impact on how we feel about ourselves. If you’re in a relationship with someone who’s supportive, kind, and loving, you’ll believe you’re worthy of love and affection.
  • On the other hand, if one or more of your major relationships causes you to feel hurt, discouraged, disappointed, or angry, your self-esteem probably suffers because of it.
  • Are most of the people you’re close to positive and encouraging toward you? Do you feel emotionally supported by them? When you fill your life with loving, caring people, it will make it easier for you to maintain healthy self-esteem.
  1. Take action to change relationships that bring you down. Tell the person how you feel when they speak negatively toward you and then share what you want the person to do instead.
  • “It hurts my feelings when you call me, ‘Tubby.’ I’d like you to call me by my name instead.” You could also say something like, “When you yell at me, I get scared. Can you please lower your voice or wait until you’re not angry before you talk to me?”
  • There may be times when you must make a decision to end the relationship for your own best interests. If you feel unhappy more than you feel happy about being with a person, it’s wise to consider moving on to a more emotionally uncluttered existence.
  • Nothing will bring down your self-esteem quicker than a relationship filled with negativity and angst.

Having a cluttered home or emotional state can hamper your efforts to build self-esteem. Take action to bring order into your life. Evaluate close personal relationships and work to resolve any that are messy or chaotic. Clean up your act in every way and you’ll feel better about you.

Plus, when you find yourself without chaos, you can better focus on the life you’ve always wanted.

“Remember always that you not only have the right to be an individual, you have an obligation to be one.” ~Eleanor Roosevelt

4. Immerse Yourself in Hobbies and Activities You Love

Part of stoking your self-esteem is allowing yourself the time, space, and supplies to just be you—to enjoy taking part in the activities that you choose.

If you’ve found yourself feeling angry, resentful, or just empty lately, maybe it’s time to get back into doing what you love to do.

  1. Recognize that doing something you love ignites your passion for life. You tend to be good at things you like to do. People will praise your efforts. You’ll feel great about doing what you love. In essence, your self-esteem can be found by doing your special pastime.
  2. Focus your efforts. Rather than trying three new activities or hobbies you want to explore, pick one that you get excited about. Then, channel your efforts into that hobby. You’ll see yourself getting better and better and it will feel marvelous!
  3. Schedule “fun time” into your appointment book. When you do what you love on a regular basis (at least once weekly), your interest and excitement in the activity is piqued. You have something to look forward to. You want to learn more and do more. It’s exhilarating.
  • There’s no easier way to get excited about life than to get in to something you really want to do.

How can you not feel better about yourself when you’re taking part in activities you adore? When you do those things, you develop more passion in your life. Immerse yourself into your beloved hobbies and you will truly enhance your self-esteem.

“The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are.” ~Joseph Campbell

5. Concentrate on Being a Great Partner or Parent

When you demonstrate who the most important people in your life are, something wonderful happens. The relationships bloom and so does your self-esteem.

Review the strategies below to increase your efforts to be a fabulous partner or parent and in turn, cultivate your self-esteem and happiness:

  1. Notice what you’re good at in your role as a partner or parent. Pat yourself on the back. Recognizing your strengths in your relationship will help you realize what a giving, caring person you are.
  2. Decide what you can do to improve as a partner, mother, or father. And then do it. Perhaps you could deepen your relationships with your kids by spending one-on-one time with each of them every week. In your partner relationship, bring some romance to the time you spend together to re-ignite sparks and keep the fires of romantic passion burning.
  • You’ll boost your positive feelings about yourself when you work to be a better partner or parent.
  1. Find the joy in your role. What is it about being a mom, dad, wife, husband, or partner that makes you happy? Recognize there was a time in your life when you likely yearned to be in the very role you now have. Take some time to find the real satisfaction and joy in your important life role(s).
  • Immerse yourself in the joy of the stage of life you find yourself in right now. Notice the attraction you feel toward your partner. Smile at your child’s sweet ways. Recognize all that is good, fresh, and true around you.
  1. Identify with your gratitude for your partner or children. It’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of working and paying the bills. Take some moments to give thanks for those special people in your life.
  • When you recognize the fascinating, loving people you have close to you, you’ll realize you must be a pretty worthy person, too.
  1. Refuse to take your relationship for granted. Stay in tune emotionally with the people closest to you. Notice their wants and needs. Be there for that special someone as much as you can.
  • When you connect with the fact that neither of you really have to be where you are, you can see that you each chose the other. And that’s pretty awesome, don’t you think?

Focusing your efforts to be the best partner or parent you can be will bring incredible feelings of passion, joy, and self-satisfaction to your life. Figure out what you’re good at and determine the areas you need to work on. See the fun and joy in your role.

Let yourself feel thankful and vow to never take your relationship for granted. Your self-esteem will bloom.

“Tell me how a person judges his or her self-esteem and I will tell you how that person operates at work, in love, in sex, in parenting, in every important aspect of existence – and how high he or she is likely to rise. The reputation you have with yourself – your self-esteem – is the single most important factor for a fulfilling life.” ~Nathaniel Branden

6. Recognize Physical Well-Being is Intimately Connected with Your Self-Esteem

The state of your physical self is an integral aspect to how you feel about yourself. Think about the time, effort, and money you put in to your physical appearance. Regular haircuts, professional shaves, facials, manicures, pedicures, and nice clothes are investments, not only in your appearance, but your self-esteem as well.

Try these tips for keeping up your physical appearance to build your self-esteem:

  1. Take part in regular physical activity at least four times a week. Exercising five or six times weekly is even better.
  • When you exercise consistently you look better. Your skin is clearer. Your eyes are brighter. You appear more toned. And you walk with a certain renewed sense of confidence.
  1. Become good at one sport. Read about it. Study it. Practice it. Make it your “thing.” When you do, you’ll feel physically stronger. And when you feel physically stronger, your confidence thrives.
  • People will come to you and ask your advice on the sport. You’ll feel proud about what you know and how you excel.
  1. Discover a hair style or haircut that’s exactly right for you. A good barber or hair dresser can help. Rather than continually try to change your hair to go with the trends, instead, find the right cut for you that consistently looks great.
  2. Take care of your skin. Whether you’re male or female, take care of your skin, especially your face.
  • Check out the cosmetics counter at a local department store and inquire about an effective skin care regimen. Don’t forget some body lotion for your arms and legs, too.
  1. Wear good-fitting, classic clothing. Your clothes don’t have to be expensive, but they should fit and flatter your body. If you struggle to select the styles that look best on you, ask for help when you’re shopping. Or seek assistance from a friend who always looks fantastic.
  • Even a small wardrobe of 8-10 high quality, nice-fitting pieces that mix and match can make you feel really great about yourself.

You’ve probably suspected that how you care for yourself physically is connected with how you feel overall about yourself. Take pride in how you appear physically and self-esteem will grow.

“Regardless of how you feel inside, always try to look like a winner. Even if you are behind, a sustained look of control and confidence can give you a mental edge that results in victory.” ~Arthur Ashe

7. Rejoice in Your Uniqueness

When you recognize your special sense of uniqueness and fully accept every part of yourself, you have successfully embraced the essence of you. And when you do, you’ll have achieved great comfort and satisfaction with yourself.

Reflect on these strategies to move ahead in your quest for self-esteem:

  1. Identify that there is only one you. That’s right: no one else on this earth is quite like you. Your one-of-a-kind blend of character traits isn’t repeated by anyone else.
  2. Take note of your unique mix of talents and skills. Maybe you’re a highly talented artist or musician and can wash a car or mow the lawn quicker than anybody else on your block.
  • You love to tell stories and your friends always call you to seek advice of how to deal with challenges with their friends.
  • Write down every talent and skill you believe you have. Then enjoy the glory of all the great things you can do. Let yourself feel marvelous about what’s on your list.
  1. Acknowledge the compliments you receive from others. Learn to be open and accepting of what others tell you that you do really well. If you pay attention, your friends and loved ones will mention what you’re fantastic at through the compliments they give you.
  • Maybe you’re the safest driver, funniest person to be around, or the best cook in your group of friends. When your friends remind you of these things, tell them you appreciate their comments. Let yourself feel the love.
  1. Realize you’ve survived troubles before. You’ve no doubt survived your own set of struggles to make it to where you are right now. So, thank your lucky stars for providing you with the skills and talents that can help you survive and thrive.

There’s no one else quite like you, and that’s something to feel good about. Notice your own mix of personality characteristics, talents, and skills. Bask in the compliments you receive from others. And rejoice about whatever you have that’s good in your life.

“The greatest difficulty is that men do not think enough of themselves, do not consider what it is that they are sacrificing when they follow in a herd, or when they cater for their establishment.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

8. Summary

You enhance your passion for life whenever you increase your self-esteem. Some activities to take part in include applying yourself at work, using your thoughts to help yourself feel better, and doing some housecleaning, physically and emotionally. Also, take time to practice the hobbies and activities you love and work to be the best partner or parent you can be.

Focus on sprucing up your physical self and allow yourself to feel joy about your special set of talents and skills—there is only one you.

As you begin working on these areas of your life, you’ll notice something slowly flowering: your self-esteem! And when you have self-esteem, you’re ready to build the life you crave and so richly deserve.

“Think like a queen. A queen is not afraid to fail. Failure is another steppingstone to greatness.” ~Oprah Winfrey

Achieving small goals motivates me to keep going.

There is so much I want to achieve. I know I can achieve each goal if I break it into smaller milestones. These smaller goals are stepping stones on the path to completing the large one, and each step I take encourages me to move on to the next one.

I always look ahead to what I can achieve in five year increments. Then, I set smaller targets for each year.

Setting smaller goals with shorter timeframes prevents me from feeling overwhelmed. When I take 100 small steps instead of one big step, I feel myself progressing, because I know it is just one small step at a time.

When I make a savings commitment, I tie it to something I want to acquire later on. I am realistic with my goals. I set attainable savings targets for each month.

Self-acceptance is a work in progress and I work towards this goal on a regular basis. Each morning, I remind myself to focus on accepting one thing about myself.

Today, I am confident that I can achieve anything I set my mind to. Each day is a chance to move one step closer to my goal.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. What large goal is my greatest priority?
2. How can I break it down into smaller, attainable goals with short timeframes?
3. How can I make working toward my goals a regular part of my daily routine?

I create excitement in my life by discovering new ways of handling routine tasks.

Doing things a little differently makes even common, every day tasks more fun and exciting.

I have a set routine of tasks I need to accomplish every day. I keep things interesting by doing them in different ways. My daily life stays fresh and exciting because I am creative and shake things up a bit each day.

As a result, my day is more productive because I remain interested and energetic about my every day activities.

I never get bored doing the same tasks because I use my creativity to do them differently every time. This challenges my mind to come up with fun ways of doing them and keeps me energetic and excited about lackluster chores.

Doing things in a different order or challenging myself by performing tasks alphabetically are some of the ways I make routine activities more fun. Adding music to my day always keeps the level of excitement and energy high!

I have many tools available to me to make routine tasks exciting.

Today I will look for new ways of accomplishing my routine tasks. I will create excitement and challenge myself. In doing so, I am adding fun to my day, which helps me be more productive.

When I keep myself interested and excited every day, I can accomplish far more in life because of my increased energy and passion.

Self-Reflection Questions:

1. What routine task can I do differently?
2. What can I try that will make my every day routine more exciting?
3. How does my excitement energize me?