by Remez Sasson

Positive thinking is a mental attitude that admits into the mind thoughts, words and images that are conductive to growth, expansion and success. It is a mental attitude that expects good and favorable results. A positive mind anticipates happiness, joy, health and a successful outcome of every situation and action. Whatever the mind expects, it finds.

Not everyone accepts or believes in positive thinking. Some consider the subject as just nonsense, and others scoff at people who believe and accept it. Among the people who accept it, not many know how to use it effectively to get results. Yet, it seems that many are becoming attracted to this subject, as evidenced by the many books, lectures and courses about it. This is a subject that is gaining popularity.

It is quite common to hear people say: "Think positive!", to someone who feels down and worried. Most people do not take these words seriously, as they do not know what they really mean, or do not consider them as useful and effective. How many people do you know, who stop to think what the power of positive thinking means?

The following story illustrates how this power works.
Allan applied for a new job, but as his self-esteem was low, and he considered himself as a failure and unworthy of success, he was sure that he was not going to get the job. He had a negative attitude towards himself, and believed that the other applicants were better and more qualified than him. Allan manifested this attitude, due to his negative past experiences with job interviews.

His mind was filled with negative thoughts and fears concerning the job for the whole week before the job interview. He was sure he would be rejected. On the day of the interview he got up late, and to his horror he discovered that the shirt he had planned to wear was dirty, and the other one needed ironing. As it was already too late, he went out wearing a shirt full of wrinkles.

During the interview he was tense, displayed a negative attitude, worried about his shirt, and felt hungry because he did not have enough time to eat breakfast. All this distracted his mind and made it difficult for him to focus on the interview. His overall behavior made a bad impression, and consequently he materialized his fear and did not get the job.

Jim applied for the same job too, but approached the matter in a different way. He was sure that he was going to get the job. During the week preceding the interview he often visualized himself making a good impression and getting the job.

In the evening before the interview he prepared the clothes he was going to wear, and went to sleep a little earlier. On day of the interview he woke up earlier than usual, and had ample time to eat breakfast, and then to arrive to the interview before the scheduled time.

He got the job because he made a good impression. Of course he had also the proper qualifications for the job, but so had Allan.

What do we learn from these two stories? Is there any magic employed here? No, it is all natural. When the attitude is positive we entertain pleasant feelings and constructive images, and see in our mind's eye what we really want to happen. This brings brightness to the eyes, more energy and happiness. The whole being broadcasts good will, happiness and success. Even the health is affected in a beneficial way. We walk tall and the voice is more powerful. Our body language shows the way you feel inside.

Positive and negative thinking are both contagious. All of us affect, in one way or another, the people we meet. This happens instinctively and on a subconscious level, through thoughts and feelings transference and through body language. People sense our aura and are affected by our thoughts. Is it any wonder that we want to be around positive persons and shun negative ones? People are more disposed to help us if we are positive. They dislike and avoid anyone broadcasting negativity.

Negative thoughts, words and attitude bring up negative and unhappy moods and actions. When the mind is negative, poisons are released into the blood, which cause more unhappiness and negativity. This is the way to failure, frustration and disappointment.



Practical Instructions
In order to turn the mind toward the positive, inner work and training are required. Attitude and thoughts do not change overnight.

Read about this subject, think about its benefits and persuade yourself to try it. The power of thoughts is a mighty power that is always shaping our life. This shaping is usually done subconsciously, but it is possible to make the process a conscious one. Even if the idea seems strange give it a try, as you have nothing to lose, but only to gain. Ignore what others might say or think about you, if they discover that you are changing the way you think.

Always visualize only favorable and beneficial situations. Use positive words in your inner dialogues or when talking with others. Smile a little more, as this helps to think positively. Disregard any feelings of laziness or a desire to quit. If you persevere, you will transform the way your mind thinks.

Once a negative thought enters your mind, you have to be aware of it and endeavor to replace it with a constructive one. The negative thought will try again to enter your mind, and then you have to replace it again with a positive one. It is as if there are two pictures in front of you, and you choose to look at one of them and disregard the other. Persistence will eventually teach your mind to think positively and ignore negative thoughts.

In case you feel any inner resistance when replacing negative thoughts with positive ones, do not give up, but keep looking only at the beneficial, good and happy thoughts in your mind.

It does not matter what your circumstances are at the present moment. Think positively, expect only favorable results and situations, and circumstances will change accordingly. It may take some time for the changes to take place, but eventually they do.

Another method to employ is the repetition of affirmations. It is a method which resembles creative visualization, and which can be used in conjunction with it. It is the subject of another article on this website.

The other articles at this website, about the power of concentration, will power, self-discipline and peace of mind also contribute to the development of a positive mind, and are recommended for reading and practicing.

By Remez Sasson

Stress consumes your time and energy and weakens your immune system. It causes restlessness, unhappiness, impatience and anger. It can harm your life, ambitions, relationships and health. There is no doubt that it better to live without it.

There are various methods to reduce, control and manage stress. Some stress management techniques may suit some people, and other techniques may suit other people.

In my opinion, one of the best methods for stress management is meditation. It exerts a calming effect on the body, nerves, and blood pressure. It reduces restlessness and brings peace of mind, detachment and equanimity. To start tasting the benefits of meditation you need to meditate everyday for some time. The problem is that not everyone has the perseverance, discipline and desire to meditate and persevere in this practice, even though the benefits are great.

In this short article I don't intend to analyze the reasons for stress, neither describe programs for stress management and reduction. I only want to suggest some tips to help you reduce stress.

It is not always possible to control or eliminate the reasons of stress, but it is possible to perform certain actions that might reduce and alleviate it. You cannot always control the conditions of your life and your circumstances, but you can learn to choose not to be internally influenced by them too much.

The following tips for stress management serve as first aid against stress. They will not prevent it, but they can reduce or elminate it when you experience it. The best action is of course to practice meditation or follow a stress management program, which will put you in a better position to handle, reduce or elimnate stress.

Tips for stress management:

# When you feel that stress is building up within you, if possible, stop what you are doing and take a short walk.

# When stressed drink some water or juice.

# Take a few slow deep breaths.

# You may say that you cannot eat when in stress, yet, try eat something tasty or something you like, because food can calm you down a bit.

# Listen to your favorite music.

# Do something that you like doing.

# Watch a funny movie.

# Repeat affirmations to calm you down, such as:
- My mind is getting calm.
- I am relaxed and happy.
- I can meet any situation with calmness and inner strength.
- Everything is going to turn out great.
- I feel how my body, feelings and mind are getting calmer.

# Think, and persuade yourself about the futility of stress, and how much it is better to live without it.

# Exercise your inner freedom, and do not to let other people thoughts, opinions, words and actions affect you.

# Engage in some sort of sport or physical activity.

You can manage stress if you put your mind to it. It is only the first steps that seem difficult.

By Remez Sasson

Anger comes out as a response to feelings of dissatisfaction, frustration and unhappiness, which usually arise when we dislike a person, an object or a situation.

It usually appears when we re unable to fulfill our wishes and desires, or when we are forced to do something we dislike doing or we would better avoid. In such situations, the mind reacts by feeling unhappy and stressed, which leads to anger.

Day-to-day life confronts us with many situations, which can produce anger. Your partner, children or friends might not do what you expect them to do. You might run out of coffee for your morning coffee. You might arrive late to the station and find that the bus or train has already left. You might need to meet someone you don't like, or someone might criticize you. All these situations, and many similar ones, can cause anger. The question is, do we have to react automatically or can we change our reactions and avoid anger?

Anger is a most negative reaction, and should be avoided as much as possible, if you wish to progress on the path of self improvement. You cannot avoid all the situations that cause anger, however, with some training you can learn to control and change your reactions and attitude. You can teach yourself not to get angry.

You need to be aware of the situations that could lead to anger, and be alert enough when you experience them. Do you want to react automatically, like a robot, or do you want to act consciously and control your reactions? You can overcome anger, but this requires some inner work.

1. When you feel uncomfortable and unhappy, stop what you are doing and visualize some pleasant mental scene from the past. Think of something that made you happy.

2. When you feel that you are getting angry, breathe deeply about 5 deep times. This will delay the anger and calm you down.

3. Count slowly frpm one to ten. This will delay your angry reaction and weaken it.

4. During your spare time, think about what anger leads to, and how worthwhile it is to avoid it.

5. Drink some water. This has a calming effect on the body.

6. Learn to develop some patience. Take simple tasks and do them slowly. This will develop patience.

7. One of the best remedies to anger is detachment. When you are emotionally and mentally detached, you cannot get angry.

8. The best way to avoid anger is to develop the habit of peace of mind. This of course needs some training and time, but is most worthwhile. Positive thinking, detachment, concentration and meditation, all lead to peace of mind.

By Remez Sasson

How many times have you told yourself that you are going to improve your life, but ended doing nothing? How many times have been dissatisfied with some aspects of your life and vowed to change them, but did not follow through with your decision? What is holding you back, preventing you from improving your life? It is lack of enthusiasm, motivation, desire, determination, willpower and discipline.

Often, especially at the beginning of a new year, people make all kinds of promises to start making changes in their life. This also happens after a reading a book or an article about someone who has attained success or transformed his life. However, the desire to make improvements does not last long, and the enthusiasm quickly wanes away.

So, is it really possible to make positive changes? Yes, it is quite possible, but you have to have a plan, follow certain strategies and act in a certain way.

1. Decide what it is you want to improve. Be specific. Sit down where you can be alone and undisturbed, and make a list of what you want to improve. Next, analyze what you have written, to find out whether you really want to achieve the items on your list. You will most probably discover that you don't really want to achieve some of these goals.

2. Write down on another piece of paper the items left in your list, which you really want to achieve. Write them down in the order of their importance to you.

3. Think about a plan, how you can make them come true. Be as practical as possible and use your common sense, intuition, imagination and creativity.

4. Come up with something, even quite small, that you can do right now, such as buying a book with information about what you want to do, attending a lecture, listening to motivating CDs, looking for courses or workshops to help you improve your ability to improve your life, or any other step that will take you closer to achieving your goal.

5. Read inspiring books and articles about people who have attained success in the area, where you want to improve your life. This will enhance your enthusiasm and motivation.

6. Visualize the improvements you want to bring about, as already real and true. Make the mental pictures vivid and alive.

7. Keep your desire, enthusiasm and motivation alive, by thinking often of how you would like your life to look like. Also think often about the benefits and advantages you will gain by improving your life.

8. Repeat affirmations. They will constantly remind you of your goals and program your subconscious mind to assist you in achieving your aims.

9. Don't let anything deter you from improving your life. Don't give in if there are obstacles, delays or difficulties. Be determined to do what you have decided to do, no matter how much time or effort it takes. This is the way successful people act.

10. Developing strong willpower and self-discipline will endow you with the power to overcome any obstacle and difficulty and make you persistent in your efforts. These two skills can be developed through special techniques and exercises.

11. Have faith in yourself and in your ability to improve your life, you financial condition, your habits and your behavior.

12. Be willing and open to change. Don't just say that you want to improve your life. This is not enough. Take action, grab opportunities, and be willing to change your habits and lifestyle.

Remember, making resolutions is not enough; you need to do something about them. If you made resolutions in the past, but did not follow them through, it was because you were not serious enough and your desire was not strong enough.

You can improve your life on all levels, but you need to follow a plan, keep up your enthusiasm, desire and motivation, and don't give in when confronting difficulties and obstacles. It might take some time and effort to improve your life, but this is worthwhile and rewarding.

By Remez Sasson

Motivation is the inner power or energy that pushes one toward performing a certain action. Motivation has much to do with desire and ambition, and if they are absent, motivation is absent too.

Often, a person has the desire and ambition to get something done or achieve a certain goal, but lacks the push, the initiative and the willingness to take action. This shows a lack of motivation and inner drive.

Motivation strengthens the ambition, increases initiative and gives direction, courage energy and the persistence to follow one's goals. A motivated person takes action to achieve his/her goals.

Motivation is usually strong, when one has a vision, a clear mental image of a certain situation or achievement, and also a strong desire to materialize it. In this case motivation pushes one forward, toward taking action and making the vision a reality.

Motivation can be applied to every action and goal. It could be motivation to study a foreign language, to get good grades at school, bake a cake, write a poem, take a walk everyday or make more money, get a better job, buy a new house, own a business or become a writer, a doctor or a lawyer. Motivation is present whenever there is a clear vision, precise knowledge of what one wants to do, a strong desire and faith in one's abilities.

Actually, motivation is one of the most important keys to success. Lack of motivation either does not bring results or brings only mediocre results, whereas motivation brings faster, better and bigger results. Compare a student who lacks motivation and who hardly studies, and a student who is highly motivated and devotes many hour for studying. They will get absolutely different grades.

Lack of motivation shows lack of enthusiasm, zest, and ambition, whereas the possession of motivation makes one full of life, and willng to do whatever it takes to achieve what one sets out to do. A motivated person is a happier person, who sees the positive end result in his/her mind.

What can you do to enhance your motivation and awaken the power that will push you toward accomplishing your dreams, small and big? Here are a few suggestions:

1. Set a goal. If you have a major goal, it would be a good idea if you split it into several minor goals, each leading to your major goal. In this way, you will find it easier to motivate yourself, as you will not feel overwhelmed, and the goal would seem more feasible and easier to accomplish.

2. Understand that finishing what you start is important. Hammer into your mind that whatever you start you have to finish. Develop the habit of going to the finish line.

3. Socialize with others of similar interest. Motivation and positive attitudes are contagious. Associate with motivated people, who share your interests.

4. Never procrastinate anything. Procrastination leads to laziness, and laziness leads to lack of motivation.

5. Persistence, patience and not giving up in spite of failure strengthen the motivation to succeed.

6. Read about the subjects of your interest. This will keep your enthusiasm and ambition alive.

7. Constantly affirm to yourself that you can and will succeed.

8. Look at photos of what you want to do, get or achieve.

9. Visualize your goals with happiness and joy.

Remember, if a certain goal is really important, you need motivation to keep you going.

By Remez Sasson
Motivation has become a popular word nowadays. There are motivational coaches and speakers, and motivational books and articles. What is it actually, and why do you need it?

Motivation is a driving force. In order to accomplish anything, you need a driving force, otherwise nothing will happen. A wish is not strong enough to make you take action. A wish is a weak desire. Only a strong desire can drive forward, to act and accomplish aims and goals.

In order to get motivated, you need to know exactly what it is that you want, to possess a strong desire, and to be willing to do whatever it takes to accomplish your goal.

More than often there is lack of motivation or only a short-lived one. How many times have you started enthusiastically a weight loss program, began a bodybuilding or aerobics training program or started to learn a foreign language, only to stop after a short while? Few people possess enough willpower and self-discipline to go through to the end with what they begin (this is one of the reasons I have written the book "Will Power and Self Discipline").

It easier to show motivation in connection with a subject that is dear to you. If you desire something, but you don't feel motivated enough to act, this means that the desire is not important enough. To be motivated to take action and do something in respect to your desire, you need to possess a really strong desire.

Motivation has much to do with the emotions and the imagination, which means that if you want to increase it, you have to work on your feelings and imagination.

Tips to increase your motivation:

1. Think, meditate and find out whether you really want to achieve your desire, and whether it is worth the effort and time.

2. Make your goal very clear. Writing it down will help.

3. Think often about your goal or desire.

4. Visualize your goal as already accomplished, and close your mind to contrary thoughts.

5. Read books or articles about the subject of your goal.

6. Read about people who have achieved success.

7. Think often about the benefits you will gain by achieving your goal.

8. Visualize, and think about how you would feel after achieving your goal.

9. Repeat positive affirmations such as: "I have the desire and inner strength to achieve my goal". Repeat this affirmation often, with faith and strong feelings.

10. Start with doing something small concerning your goal. Success in small matters leads to greater success.

Motivation is the powerful engine that moves you towards success and accomplishments in every area.