Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment

Here are some quick tips to improve your Self Confidence. If we are committed to have a healthy self confidence there are many things you can do every day to boost your self confidence, each small steps that will help you to reach your goal. The good news is that self-esteem is not fixed and can be improved, try some of the steps below to boost your confidence and self-esteem.

1) Identify your successes. Everyone is good at something, so discover the things at which you excel, then focus on your talents. Give yourself permission to take pride in them. Give yourself credit for your successes. Inferiority is a state of mind in which you've declared yourself a victim. Do not allow yourself to be victimized.

2) Look in the mirror and smile. Studies surrounding what's called the "facial feedback theory" suggest that the expressions on your face can actually encourage your brain to register certain emotions. So by looking in the mirror and smiling every day, you might feel happier with yourself and more confident in the long run.


3) Exercise and eat healthy. Exercise raises adrenaline and makes one feel happier and healthier. It is certainly an easy and effective way to boost your self-confidence.

4) Turn feelings of envy or jealousy into a desire to achieve. Stop wanting what others have just because they have it; seek things simply because you want them, whether anybody else has them or not.

5) When you're feeling superbly insecure, write down a list of things that are good about you. Then read the list back. You'd be surprised at what you can come up with.

6) Don't be afraid to push yourself a bit - a little bit of pressure can actually show just how good you are!

7) You can try taking a martial arts or fitness class/course (or both). This will help build confidence and strength.

Invest in some new clothing and donate some of your old clothing to send a message to yourself that you both look sharp and feel sharp.

9) Try to make yourself talk positively at all times. When you hear yourself saying you can't do something, stop and say you can. Unless you try, you will never know whether you are able to or not.

10) Don't get wrapped up in your mistakes and dwell on bad points; they can contrast your good points or even give you something to improve. There's no feeling like being good at something you were really bad at.

11) Don't confuse what you have with who you are. People degrade their self worth when comparing possessions.

12) Surround yourself with nurturing friends, not overly critical individuals who make you feel inadequate or insecure. This could do great harm and damage to your self confidence.

Always remember "There is hair line crack between success and failure" Be sure to push your self a bit, who knows that bit may lead you to success

But the real secret to total gorgeousness is to believe in yourself, have self confindence, and try to be secure in your decisions and thoughts.

Empty jar and 2 Cups of Coffee

When things in your life seem, Almost too much to handle, When 24 Hours in a day is not enough,
Remember the story of the empty jar and 2 cups of coffee.


A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him.
When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very large and empty jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls.
He then asked the students, If the jar was full.
They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar.

He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open Areas between the golf balls.
He then asked The students again If the jar was full..

They agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else.
He asked once more if the jar was full.

The students responded with an unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced Two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents Into the jar, effectively
Filling the Empty space between the sand.
The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, As the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognize that This jar represents your life.
The golf balls are the important things - God, family, children, health, friends, and favorite passions – things that if everything else was lost
and only they remained, Your life would still be full.
The pebbles are the other things that matter Like your job, house, and car.

The sand is everything else -- The small stuff.

'If you put the sand into the jar first,' He continued, 'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls..
The same goes for life.

If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are important to you.

So...

Pay attention to the things That are critical to your happiness.
Play With your children.
Take time to get medical checkups.
Take your partner out to dinner.

There will always be time
To clean the house and fix the disposal.

'Take care of the golf balls first -- The things that really matter.
Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.'

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented.

The professor smiled.
'I'm glad you asked'.

It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there's always room for a cup of coffee with a friend.'

Warning Signs

Do you feel so exhausted that even combing your hair or brushing your teeth seems like climbing Everest? If you do feel this way and also keep coming down with skin allergies and joint pain, then it's time to seek a specialist's help. There's a debilitating syndrome that's silently creeping upon urban Indians, but is little known and often misdiagnosed. Known as Sjogren's Syndrome (ss) and pronounced 'show grins', it is an autoimmune disease wherein the body's immune system mistakenly attacks its own moisture-producing glands.

Genetic and environmental factors are one of the several causes of this syndrome but not much is known about the exact triggers. It is more prevalent in people where there is a family history of autoimmune illnesses like hypothyroidism and type I diabetes. Low-levels of SS-B (La) antibodies in the blood could activate the syndrome while physical and mental stress can make a person more susceptible to it. Pollution is also cited as one of the causes of SS; however, no research has been carried out to determine the exact pollutants. Women above the age of 35 have reason to worry as 90 per cent of ss patients belong to this category. It progresses slowly and takes over five to six years to get diagnosed.

"Sjogren's Syndrome cases are on the rise in India. At least four to five patients visit my clinic every month."Dr Reena Sharma, Ahmedabad

"I have been living with this syndrome for over five years now. I always carry a bottle of water and eye drops with me."Kirtida Oza, Ahmedabad

As Sjogren's is a syndrome, it is a combination of several signs and symptoms. Patients affected by SS are more prone to pneumonia, liver failure, kidney failure and other internal organ damage. A small percentage of patients could even develop cancer of the lymph glands. "The probability of a SS patient getting cancer has increased by over 30 times as compared to the general population," says Dr Amita Aggarwal, vice-president of the Indian Rheumatology Association and assistant professor, Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow. Sjogren's is classified into two types-primary and secondary. In primary syndrome, the tear and salivary glands are affected which results in the dryness of the eyes and mouth; secondary SS occurs with another disease like rheumatic arthritis, lupus or scleroderma. According to Dr Aggarwal, "Doctors are finding it difficult to spot the primary syndrome compared to the secondary one."

Like it happened with Pratibha Gupta, a 50-year-old housewife from Lucknow, who went to the doctor following joint pain. It was diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis. Meanwhile, she lost five teeth due to caries and her dentist had advised filling. These tell-tale symptoms were accompanied by a gritty sensation in her eyes and oral dryness. Further, she had two episodes of parotid swelling that were treated with antibiotics and painkillers. But her doctors had missed out completely on suspecting Sjogren's Syndrome.

Some of the major manifestations of the ss include hypokalemic periodic paralysis in which excessive dehydration leads to low level of potassium in the blood leading to the paralysis and renal tubular acidosis in which the kidneys fail to excrete acids into urine. In some cases, SS patients might also develop parotid swelling, the swelling of the largest salivary gland in the mouth. In India, people are unaware of the existence of ss. For almost five years, Ahmedabad-based Kirtida Oza, 47, made several rounds to the doctor's clinic until she was diagnosed with SS. "I didn't know what was happening to me and even the doctors failed to diagnose it," she says. However, such cases are on the rise. Dr Reena Sharma, rheumatologist at Shalby Hospital, Ahmedabad, says at least four to five patients suffering from SS visit her in a month.

Besides general blood tests, a number of simple diagnostic tests like the Schirmer eye test, lip biopsy, salivary scintigraphy and parotid scans can be performed to determine whether a person is suffering from Sjogren's or not. Though there is no specific cure, SS can be kept under control with medication and precautions. Treatment depends on the organ that is affected in the syndrome. Currently, research to find a concrete cure is underway at the Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMC), Vellore. "We are working on the use of Omega-3 fatty acid (fish oil) to treat SS. However, it is still at an observational stage," says Dr Debashish Danda, professor and head, clinical immunology and rheumatology, CMC. But SS leads to alterations in the lifestyle as performing hectic activities becomes difficult as these patients tend to get exhausted easily. Other symptoms like breathlessness or dryness of the eyes also need care. "You will never see me without eye drops and a water bottle. They are the two most indispensable things of my life now," Oza says.

Dr Ramani Atkuri, 46, who lives near Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh, was diagnosed with primary SS five years ago. "I am a doctor and so is my husband but even then we couldn't diagnose it initially," says Atkuri. Severe phases of exhaustion would take her by surprise but she didn't pay much heed. Her ophthalmologist referred her to a rheumatologist and it was then SS was detected. Atkuri's work requires her to travel a lot but now she has cut down on it considerably. "After a day at work, I can't do anything. I just reach home and fall asleep," she says, adding that it takes her a couple of days to regain her lost energy. The message is clear. Ignoring those subtle signs of dryness, exhaustion and joint pains can lead to serious complications and a little known syndrome called Sjogren's.

Related AilmentsMajor manifestations of Sjogren's Syndrome

- Autoimmune thyroiditis can lead to abnormal thyroid hormone levels.
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease can cause heartburn and difficulty in swallowing.
- Primary biliary cirrhosis, an autoimmune disease of the liver, can lead to scarring of liver tissues.
- Cancer of the lymph glands.
- Hypokalemic periodic paralysis in which excessive dehydration leads to low level of potassium in the blood leading to paralysis.
- Renal tubular acidosis in which the kidneys fail to excrete acids into urine.

Preventive MeasuresPrecautions that keep this syndrome under control
- Moisture replacement therapy to ease dryness.
- Eye drops to reduce inflammation of the tear glands.
- Drinking plenty of fluids to treat oral dryness.
- Proper dental hygiene to avoid dental decay.
- Sucking sugarless lemon drops or glycerin swabs to help stimulate salivary glands.

Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul

Most people would be glad to have some peace of mind in their life. They would be happy to forget their troubles, problems and worries, and enjoy a few moments of inner calmness and freedom from obsessing thoughts.

What is peace of mind? It is a state of inner calmness and tranquility, together with a sense of freedom, when thoughts and worries cease, and there is no stress, strain or fear. Such moments are not so rare. They may be experienced while being engaged in some kind of an absorbing or interesting activity, such as while watching an interesting movie or TV program, while being with someone you love, while reading a book or while lying on the sand at the beach.

When you are on vacation, do you experience some sort of mental numbness? At this time the mind becomes calmer, with fewer thoughts and fewer worries. Even while you are deeply asleep, not aware of your thoughts, you are in a state of inner peace.

Such and similar activities take away the mind from its usual thoughts and worries, and bring some temporary inner peace.

The question is, how to bring more peace of mind into our life, and more importantly, how to experience it in times of trouble. You might also ask whether it is possible to make it a habit, and enjoy it always and under all circumstances. First, you need to learn to bring more moments of inner peace into your daily life. Later, you will be able to experience these moments in times of trouble or difficulties too, when you most need inner calmness and tranquility.

You can turn peace of mind into a natural habit, but to do so, special training is required, through concentration exercises, meditation and other means.

Here are a few simple things that can help you:

Reduce the amount of time you read the newspapers or watch the news on TV.

Stay away from negative conversations and from negative people.

Don't hold grudges. Learn to forget and forgive. Nurturing ill feelings and grievances hurts you and causes lack of sleep.

Don't be jealous of others. Being jealous means that you have low self-esteem and consider yourself inferior to others. This again, causes lack of inner peace.

Accept what cannot be changed. This saves a lot of time, energy and worries.

Every day we face numerous inconveniences, irritations and situations that are beyond our control. If we can change them, that's fine, but this is not always possible. We must learn to put up with such things and accept them cheerfully.

Learn to be more patient and tolerant with people and events.

Don't take everything too personally. Some emotional and mental detachment is desirable. Try to view your life and other people with a little detachment and less involvement. Detachment is not indifference, lack of interest or coldness. It is the ability to think and judge impartially and logically. Don't worry if again and again you fail to manifest detachment. Just keep trying.

Let bygones be gone. Forget the past and concentrate on the present moment. There is no need to evoke unpleasant memories and immerse yourself in them.

Practice some concentration exercises. This will help you to reject unpleasant thoughts and worries that steal away your peace of mind.

Learn to practice meditation. Even a few minutes a day will make a change in your life.

Inner peace ultimately leads to external peace. By creating peace in our inner world, we bring it into the external world, affecting other people too.

Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself.

Daily life can be made happier. It is a matter of choice. It is our attitude that makes us feel happy or unhappy. It is true, we meet all kinds of situations during the day, and some of them may not be conductive to happiness. We can choose to keep thinking about the unhappy events, and we can choose to refuse to think about them, and instead, relish the happy moments. All of us constantly go through various situations and circumstances, but we do not have to let them influence our reactions and feelings.

If we let outer events influence our moods, we become their slaves. We lose our freedom. We let our happiness be determined by outer forces. On the other hand, we can free ourselves from outer influences. We can choose to be happy, and we can do a lot to add happiness to our lives.
What is happiness? It is a feeling of inner peace and satisfaction. It is usually experienced when there are no worries, fears or obsessing thoughts, and this usually happens, when we do something we love to do or when we get, win, gain or achieve something that we value. It seems to be the outcome of positive events, but it actually comes from the inside, triggered by outer events.

For most people happiness seems fleeting, because they let changing outer circumstances affect it. One of the best ways to keep it, is by gaining inner peace through daily meditation. As the mind becomes more peaceful, it becomes easier to choose the happiness habit.

Here are a few tips for increasing happiness in daily life:

1) Endeavor to change the way you look at things. Always look at the bright side. The mind may drag you to think about negativity and difficulties. Don't let it. Look at the good and positive side of every situation.
2) Think of solutions, not problems.
3) Listen to relaxing, uplifting music.
4) Watch funny comedies that make you laugh.
5) Each day, devote some time to reading a few pages of an inspiring book or article.
6) Watch your thoughts. Whenever you catch yourself thinking negative thoughts, start thinking of pleasant things.
7) Always look at what you have done and not at what you haven't.Sometimes you may begin the day with the desire to accomplish several objectives. At the end of the day you might feel frustrated and unhappy, because you haven't been able to do all of those things.
Look at what you have done, not at what you have not been able to do. You may have accomplished a lot during the day, and yet you let yourself become frustrated, because of some small things that you did not accomplish. You have spent all day successfully carrying out many plans, and instead of feeling happy and satisfied, you look at what was not accomplished and feel unhappy. It is unfair toward yourself.
8) Each day do something good for yourself. It can be something small, such buying a book, eating something you love, watching you favorite program on TV, going to a movie, or just having a stroll on the beach.
9) Each day do at least one act to make others happy. This can be a kind word, helping your colleagues, stopping your car at the crossroad to let people cross, giving your seat in a bus to someone else, or giving a small present to someone you love. The possibilities are infinite. When you make someone happy, you become happy, and then people try to make you happy.
10) Always expect happiness.
11) Do not envy people who are happy. On the contrary, be happy for their happiness.
12) Associate with happy people, and try to learn from them to be happy. Remember, happiness is contagious.
13) Do your best to stay detached, when things do not proceed as intended and desired. Detachment will help you stay calm and control your moods and reactions. Detachment is not indifference. It is the acceptance of the good and the bad and staying balanced. Detachment has much to do with inner peace, and inner peace is conductive to happiness.
14) Smile more often.

"Happiness is a conscious choice, not an automatic response."

In a small village in the valley, there lived a man who was always happy, kind, and well disposed to everyone he met. He always smiled and had a kind and encouraging word to say whenever necessary. Everyone who met him left feeling, better, happier and elated. People knew they could count on him, and regarded him as a great friend.

One of the village dwellers was curious to know what his secret was, how could he be always so kind and helpful? How is it that he held no grudge towards anyone and was always happy?
Once, upon meeting him in the street he asked him: "Most people are selfish and unsatisfied. They do not smile as often as you do; neither are they as helpful or kind as you are. How do you explain it?"

"When you make peace with yourself, then you can be in peace with the rest of the world. If you can recognize the spirit in yourself, you can recognize the spirit in everyone, and then you find it natural to be kind and well disposed to all. If your thoughts are under your control you become strong and firm. The outer mask of the personality is like a robot programmed to do certain tasks. Your habits and thoughts are the programs. Be free from these programming and then the inner good that resides in you will be revealed."

"But a lot of work is necessary. Good habits have to be developed. The ability to concentrate and to control the thoughts has to be strengthened. The work is difficult and endless. There are many walls that need to be to climbed. It is not an easy task." Lamented the villager.
"Do not think about the difficulties, otherwise that what you will see and experience. Just quieten your feelings and thoughts and try to stay in this peace. All the abilities and powers awaken spontaneously. You do not work on them directly. They are by-products of your peace of mind. Just try to be calm and do not let yourself be carried away by your thoughts."
"Is that all?" Asked the villager.

"Try to watch your thoughts and see how they come and go. Stay in the quietness that arises. The moments of peace will be brief at first, but in time they will get longer. This peace is also strength, power, kindness, and love. When you realize that you are one with the Universal Power, you begin to act from a different dimension, not from the selfish, small, limited ego."
"I will try to remember your words," said the villager and continued, "there is another thing that I am curious about. You do not seem to be influenced by the environment. You have a kind word to everyone and are helpful. Yet people do not exploit your goodness, and they treat you well."
"Goodness and being kind do not necessarily point to weakness. When you are good you can also be strong. People sense your strength and do not impose on you. When you are strong and calm inside, you help people because you can and you want to. You then act from strength and not from weakness. Goodness can also go with power and strength, it is not a sign of weakness as some people erroneously think."

"Thank you very much for your advice", said the villager and went away happy and satisfied.

By believing passionately in something that does not yet exist, we create it.

The term mind power and the subconscious mind power are described in many different ways. In the psychosomatic sense mind power is labeled as ability to have emotions, imagination, memory, and will; and subconscious mind power is labeled as part of the normal individual’s personality in which mental processes function without consciousness under normal waking conditions.
Contents
1. How Mind Power and Subconscious Mind Power work2. How to use Subconscious Mind for success
Mind power is our conscious mind, the way we think. The mind is similar to a constantly flowing spring however a natural spring cannot send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening, nor yield both salt water and fresh. So it is with the mind and its thoughts; it cannot equally think negative and positive thoughts at the same time. One will rule the other.

Since the mind reflects habitual thoughts, it is therefore our responsibility to influence our mind and brain with positive emotions, thoughts and energy as the dominating factors in our mind. Mind power is beyond positive thinking or brain power, it is thinking than believing what you think that will manifest your reality. Since this mind power is power of thought and beliefs, and these thoughts and beliefs will create the outcome of your now, you will want to stay aware to the reflections you are thinking.

Now mind power is a dual system that includes your power of thought(brain) and your subconscious mind. We all have subconscious mind power; it can be as small as smiling at your boss in the hopes of improving the odds of acquiring a raise.

It can be the way you unconsciously handle a situation whether appropriately or not. Power of the subconscious mind comes from the thoughts and beliefs of your the power of the your mind. However you think and believe is what your subconscious mind power will produce. This is done continuously, one minute at a time. Every thought nourished regularly by your mind power will activate your subconscious mind to generate those thoughts and energy whether good or bad into your life. This is how you’re present and future is created.

Your mind power and your subconscious mind work together and they fashion your reality. Let’s use a parallel to help you visualize how this works. Your subconscious mind power is similar to fertile soil that consents to any seed planted inside it. Your habitual thoughts and beliefs are the seeds which are being continually sown and they will eventually produce a crop. So if you plant weeds you will get weeds, if you plant fruit, you will get fruit. In other words, you reap what you sow. Now the conscious mind is the gardener, and it is the mind power to choose what reaches our inner garden- the subconscious.

Unfortunately, most of us do not have green thumbs because of lack of knowledge of this law, the psychology behind this success and because of this ignorance we have allowed all kinds of seeds, both good and bad, to enter. So our subconscious mind power will manifest failure, ill health and all kinds of misfortunes just as effortlessly as it will manifest success and abundance. However, it cannot manifest it both at the same time, which is why the need to constantly actuate the positive until the fertile soil of your subconscious mind power reaps only abundance. Success is only a choice away.