Self Discipline

Are you good at being self-disciplined? If not, here are a few tips to help you get started.

1). Pick one area to be organized in. A desktop, a drawer, a shelf...one little area that you can be successful in keeping organized. As you manage the one space you will find that you will begin to expand the areas you are organized in. You will become more self-disciplined in picking up after yourself and keeping your space organized and neat.

2). Be on time. When a person is one time and not rushing in late to everything you will find yourself in a more calm state. Being self-disciplined means watching the clock and being on time.

3). Finish what you start. Practice with small tasks first. Example: if you empty all the waste baskets finish the job by actually taking it out to the trash bin. Pulling weeds? Finish the job by putting away the garden tools and disposing of the weeds. As you find small successes you will then be able to move into bigger projects.

Self discipline is like any other skill---it can be learned a little bit at a time. Pick one little thing and be a success at it and then add another. Don't be discouraged if you make a mistake, just start again, and keep trying. Never give up!

We would LOVE to here some of your tips, ideas, and suggestions on how you have found successful ways to be self-disciplined.

Quote

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

                                                ~Marianne Williamson

Loneliness

Are you feeling alone?
Feeling like there is no one to call with your good news?
No one to share your sadness with?

Some of us may be surrounded with people all the time and yet still feel lonely. Others may spend their time in solitude in which they didn't choose. Either way, loneliness can be painful.

Being human means at times we are going to feel a range of emotions and one of them is loneliness. All of us will experience it, all of us will fill it's pain and heart-ache.

So, what's the cure? It's a 2-step process.

1) Service. When you serve others you get lost in your work and not in your own problems. Everyone knows that whether you call it blessings or karma, that when you serve others you reap rewards. Serve your children, your neighbor, volunteer at the hospital, or elementary school. The simplest random act of kindness will fill your saddened heart with love.

2). Connect with your family. When you re-connect with family (or a "like-family" friend), you heal and you feel valued. If there have been problems, forgive old hurts, and let the past be in the past. If it is just a matter of loosing touch, reach out. We now live in a world full of technology. Use it! Call, email, instant-message, twitter, or even use snail-mail. Whatever you choose, connecting with your roots, your family, is where you will find your greatest happiness.

Want to share your "reach-out" success story? Email us!
www.continualcare@gmail.com

Fears

What are you afraid of?

Of course we are all afraid of certain things that scare us. All of us have fears. To some it may be the dark or spiders, while for others it is a fear of loosing their job. These fears create anxiety and are frustrating when we must face them.

But sometimes fear is good. Fears can motivate us to change, especially when we recognize that the fear may be irrational and paralyzing us. For example, you may be scared to ask for a promotion. When searching you discover the real fear is not that you might get turned down for the job, but that what would you do if you got it?

You know your life could change with a title after your name or a pay raise all for the better, but how would you handle it? What the real fear is not in applying for the job, but of success and happiness if you got the job. How silly is it to rob ourselves of our own personal growth and happiness?

What fear is holding you down today? What keeps you sitting on the couch day after day watching life go by on the tv instead of going outside and living it?

Do you have a fear that is paralyzing you? We would love to hear!!

Simple question

Do you want to be right, or happy?

~Dr. Phil.

If there were only the two choices, being right all the time, or being happy, which would you choose? Is it worth your whole relationship with your spouse to argue over whose turn it is to do the dishes night after night? Even with your teenager there is always a compromise. Look for them.

Love or Fear?

What if you asked yourself before every choice you made,

"am I doing this out of love, or out of fear?"

Often times we make decisions and situations more complicated than they need to be, especially females!

Love is easy for most people to understand. As we change diapers, cook dinner, do laundry, pay bills, iron our husbands shirt, or do a favor for a friend we are doing those things out of love.

Fear, is harder. If we are struggling with something or someone, it is probably because of a fear. Are we fearful of speaking up for ourselves, fearful of not being good enough, successful, fearful we are not good communicators or listeners, or maybe we are just fearful that we will be hurt again?

Fears hold us back. Fears create stress and tensions. Fears keep us up at night.

So now what? Once you consciously practice asking, "am I doing this out of love or fear?" then you will be able to start to see patterns. Record your fears in a journal. Often times once you are aware of the choices you are making, you can then face the fear and make a loving choice the next time.

Remember, "God did not give you the spirit of fear," you did.

Forgiveness. Its for you.

All people make mistakes. On occasion, a choice we make might hurt someone's feelings. Hopefully, we are remorseful and apologize and do whatever is necessary to make amends. But, have you ever been in a situation where after your error, you apologize, and do everything to make amends to find that the other person(s) involved won't forgive you? They are just not ready to let it go.

Often times those situations are the most painful because you need to move on. You have done all that you can and to the other person, it is just not enough. What then?

Some may feel that is when you turn it over to your Higher Power while others may make a conscious decision to allow themselves freedom from it.

This may also be the time when you have to supply the forgiveness, even if you don't feel you are the one obligated to do so. Forgiveness is not about letting another person "off the hook." Forgiveness is really for you. Forgiveness is freedom for you.

Remember if you really have done everything you can to right a wrong and it is not being received, that's all you have to do. It's all you can do.

Being the best you is enough.