Sweet N Social

Tag: handling challenges

  • Examine Your Motives First: How to Develop a Positive Attitude

    Examine Your Motives First: How to Develop a Positive Attitude

    “It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.” ― Dale Carnegie

    I love choosing questions from Quora to answer. I chose this question about how to develop a positive attitude towards reading, but you can apply this principle to just about any thing we do, so feel free to check out my answer below.

    How can I develop a positive attitude towards reading?-Quora

    I did not invest in reading books until I reached my forties. I never had a real desire to pick up a book until I was going through a difficult period in my life.  I wanted answers and so I turned to books for answers, answers that my friends could not help me with.  

    I think when you take time out to examine why you do anything is the key to determining how you feel about doing it in the first place. So many times, we just jump in and start doing things without examining the “why” behind it.  

    • Are you doing it because it is popular?
    • Are you doing it to fit in?
    • Are you doing it because someone else told you that you should?
    • Are you doing it because you want to learn something, and you feel drawn to do it?

    The intention behind the activity will help you either stay motivated to continue or eventually cause you to fizzle out.

    Here are some suggestions I would like to offer:

    1. Before diving into anything, take a moment to think about why you are about do it in the first place.  Be honest with yourself and if you need to, write it out. What do you hope to gain?
    2. If it is something you must put money into it, place a cushion between the thought and the action. That helps to reduce impulsive actions. 
    3. Regarding reading, you can look for free resources before committing to any kind of subscription or purchasing books that you might not even want to read after you buy them.  This reduces the emotional energy and guilt that comes with buyer’s remorse. 
    4. Connect with other readers and create or join a book club. It’s always more fun when others get involved.  
    5. Don’t feel like you must stick with one genre.  Lessons can be found anywhere when you are looking for them.

    Whether you are looking to create a reading habit, workout regiment, or jump into a new career, take a moment to examine your intentions behind the action.  By taking a moment to understand the driving force behind our desires, we are also preparing ourselves for the obstacles and the resistance that will inevitably come with that change. 

    In all that you do, the key to achieving your desired goal is your mental attitude towards obtaining that goal. With a positive mental attitude, you will become unstoppable!

    I also would love to learn more about who you are and what you do. Feel free to connect with me through a Meetup group.

    1. Confident Strides Women’s Empowerment Network https://bit.ly/CSWENMeetup
    2. Confident Strides Personal Development Network Group https://bit.ly/CSPDNMeetup
    3. Confident Strides Women’s Professional Network https://bit.ly/CSWPNMeetup

    Quote Source: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/attitude

    To connect with me: https:///confidentstrides

  • Appreciate Yours Strengths: Advice on How to Have More Self-Discipline

    Appreciate Yours Strengths: Advice on How to Have More Self-Discipline

    “No person is free who is not master of himself.” ― Epictetus

    I was going to pass on answering the following Quora question because it was geared toward school but the more I thought about this question I realized, this is not only relevant for people in school but you can also have the same challenge at work. So I decided to post an answer and I am sharing it here with you.

    How can I have more self-discipline? I never do homework and I’m not doing well in school because I’m lazy and have no self-discipline. – Quora

    The first thing I would change is the label you identify yourself with. You are not lazy; you are just not enthusiastic about learning. It could be that you are bored, and you need other ways to stimulate your brain.

    For instance, I don’t like learning about money or finances, but I love learning about how our brains work. 

    When you find something that gets you excited in learning new things, look for ways that you can apply that enthusiasm towards the challenging subjects. If you enjoy gaming, use it to reward yourself for doing something you don’t like. For example, if you study for an upcoming test, after the test reward yourself with extra gaming time. 

    We all have something that is challenging for ourselves, the key is to not beat yourself up. Find what you are good at and use it as a catalyst to help you through the challenges.

    As I mentioned in the beginning, I have always struggled with managing my finances, but I am great at management my time. I had to learn how to use the same disciple principles I learn in managing my time and apply it towards managing my finances. It’s harder but the concept is the same. I just had to learn to make the connection.

    Here are some other suggestions you can consider:

    • Everyone must overcome something to achieve their goals, read a few biographies and see how others overcame their challenges. Let their stories inspire you.
    • Change the way you talk about yourself and to yourself. Your words and thoughts carry great power. 
    • Partner with others who help you become better. Join a study group or create one. 
    • Set a goal for yourself. If you have something to aim for, you know when you are off track and can adjust when you are heading in the wrong direction. 

    The most important takeaway I would like to close out with is the give yourself some grace. Be patient and loving with who you are. You just haven’t found what gets you excited yet and that’s okay.

    I also would love to learn more about who you are and what you do. Feel free to connect with me through a Meetup group.

    1. Confident Strides Women’s Empowerment Network https://bit.ly/CSWENMeetup
    2. Confident Strides Personal Development Network Group https://bit.ly/CSPDNMeetup
    3. Confident Strides Women’s Professional Network https://bit.ly/CSWPNMeetup

    Quote Source: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/self-discipline

    To connect with me: https:///confidentstrides