Current mood: optimistic Category: Goals, Plans, Hopes 1. AFFIRM EACH DAY THAT YOU AND ONLY YOU DETERMINE YOUR SELF-WORTH. DON'T JUDGE YOURSELF BASED UPON THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS 2. PRACTICE LIVING YOUR LIFE BASED ON INNER SIGNALS. PERMITTING YOUR LIFE TO BE TAKEN OVER BY ANOTHER PERSON IS LIKE LETTING A WAITER EAT YOUR DINNER, AND YOU'RE STILL STUCK WITH THE BILL. 3. LEARN TO WELCOME FAILURE. HIGH SELF-ESTEEM COMES FROM THE BELIEF THAT ALL OBSTACLES ARE LESSONS RATHER THAN PROOF OF YOUR INCOMPETENCE AS A PERSON. REMEMBER THAT YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE AS A PERSON SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU FAILED AT SOMETHING. 4. REMIND YOURSELF EACH DAY THAT NOW IS THE WORKING UNIT OF YOUR LIFE. LEAVE THE PAST BEHIND: EVERYTHING YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED IS, PURELY AND SIMPLY, OVER! AND YOU CAN NO MORE ENJOY LIFE BY HOPING FOR A FUTURE RESULT THAN YOU CAN ENJOY MUSIC BY WAITING FOR THE FINAL NOTE. THIS MOMENT IS ALL THAT YOU HAVE. 5. ELIMINATE SELF-DEPRECIATING STATEMENTS FROM YOUR VOCABULARY. STOP TELLING YOURSELF: "I'LL PROBABLY LOOK STUPID", OR "I HAVE NO TALENT", AND REPLACE THESE STATEMENTS WITH:"I'LL GIVE IT A TRY", AND "I KNOW I CAN LEARN THIS BY BEING PROACTIVE." CORRECT YOURSELF IN MID-SENTENCE, IF NECESSARY, UNTIL THINKING POSITIVELY COMES NATURALLY. 6. STOP EXPECTING OTHER PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND YOU. YOU MUST DECIDE IF YOU LIKE YOUR BEHAVIOR. IF NOT, THEN CHANGE IT WITHOUT EXPECTING ANYONE ELSE TO AGREE WITH YOU OR UNDERSTAND YOU. YOUR LIFE WILL ONLY MAKE SENSE WHEN YOU DON'T NEED OTHER PEOPLE TO CONFIRM IT DOES. THE GREATEST UNDERSTANDING YOU CAN HAVE ABOUT YOURSELF AND OTHERS IS THAT NO ONE WILL EVER UNDERSTAND YOU COMPLETELY. 7. TAKE SMALL RISKS EACH DAY AND PRAISE YOURSELF HOW TERRIFIC YOU ARE FOR TAKING A RISK AND GROWING AS A HUMAN. 8. CEASE ASKING PERMISSION. SUBSTITUTE DECLARATIVE SENTENCES FOR SUPPLICATION. INSTAED OF SAYING, "IS IT ALL RIGHT I ORDER SHRIMP?" SAY, "I AM HAVING SHRIMP. WHAT ARE YOU HAVING?" AS AN ADULT, ASKING PERMISSION MEANS ABDICATING RESPONSIBILITY AND GIVING SOMEONE ELSE CONTROL OVER YOU. I'TS DIFFICULT TO HOLD YOURSELF IN HIGH ESTEEM WHEN THERE IS NO SELF TO ESTEEM. 9. REDUCE YOUR EMPHASIS ON EXTERNALS AS MEASUREMENTS OF SUCCESS. IF YOUR SELF-ESTEEM IS BASED UPON ACQUISITIONS, THEN YOU WILL ALWAYS SUFFER FROM THE DISEASE CALLED "MORE." YOUR ESTEEM, AS A PERSON IS A MATTER OF ATTITUDES NOT ACCUMULATIONS, AND UNTIL YOUR REALLY UNDERSTAND THIS YOU WILL ALWAYS LACK SELF-ESTEEM. 10. KEEP IN MIND EVERY DAY: THERE ARE NO ORDINARY MOMENTS. EVERY EXPERIENCE OF YOUR LIFE IS A MIRACLE TO SAVOR AND ENJOY. WHEN YOU LEARN TO THINK THIS WAY YOU WILL NEVER DOUBT YOUR OWN WORTH BECAUSE YOU WILL SEE FULLY THAT YOU YOURSELF ARE A MIRACLE.