Seize Your Power

Happiness is as much about what you don't want as it is about what you do want. You have much more power over your happiness level than you probably realize. When you make positive changes in yourself and your environment, you raise your disposition toward happiness.

Studies show a big gap between what we believe will make us happy and what actually does. Often, we have the tendency to overestimate how things will affect us, thinking we'll be much happy “When” or “Down the road.”

So stay in the moment. Focus on happiness here and now.

Have a joyful day everyone. And remember to live a flourishing life.
Rita
www.ritaschiano.com

To learn more about how you can live a flourishing life, please visit my web site, www.liveaflourishinglife.com.

Handling Rejection

Fear is a distressing negative emotion brought on by a perceived threat. It is a basic survival mechanism that triggers the 'fight or flight' response. Our fears, however, can often take on a life of their own and stop us dead in our tracks.

Rejection is an irrational fear that others will not accept us for who we are. Fear of rejection is one of those insidious, perceived threats that can hold us back, keep us from achieving our goals. Fear of rejection pervades our minds, often rendering us incapable of doing or saying anything for fear of others' rejection, lack of acceptance, or disapproval.

Yet, there will be times in our lives when we will face rejection. How will you handle rejection if it does happen? To start, be prepared. Identify your limiting thoughts, such as...

• People dislike me
• I am a failure
• I am not worthy of their approval

...and then dismiss them one by one. To do so effectively you need to build your self-esteem. And you build self-esteem by understanding your self-worth.

So make this list instead...

• People like me because...
• I have been successful in...
• I am worthy of others' approval because...

Work on your self-worth list everyday by adding just one good trait about you. Remember my equation:

Self-confident + Self-worth = Self-esteem

Have a joyful day everyone. And remember to live a flourishing life.
Rita
www.ritaschiano.com

To learn more about how you can live a flourishing life, please visit my web site, www.liveaflourishinglife.com.

The Importance of Resilience in Light of World Events

Resilience is not a trait that people either have or do not have. 

Resilience involves behaviors, thoughts, and actions that 

can be learned and developed in anyone.

~ The National Institute of Mental Health

May people have expressed concern that the death of Osama Bin Laden could increase the threat of a domestic attack. How well one will weather the aftermath of another attack on our nation depends on the strength of one's resilience.

Resilience, as defined by the American Psychological Association, is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or even significant sources of stress. It is the ability to ‘bounce back’ to homeostasis after a disruption in our lives.

Resilience is not a trait that people either have or do not have. Rather, resilience involves behaviors, thoughts, and actions that can be learned and developed in anyone. Research on resilience has also shown us that people who cannot deal with their emotions, fear in particularly, may become more narrow-minded and rigid in their view of the themselves and their place in the world.

Building a resilience plan may reduce the frequency and intensity of post-traumatic stress disorders and other health problems that occur after a national or a personal disaster, allowing those affected to recover more quickly and completely.

To get a snapshot of how resilient you are, think back to September 11, 2001.  Recall how you felt in the hours, days, and weeks following those horrific events.

• Did you find yourself glued to the news channels throughout that day, and the days that followed? How did you feel watching the news?
• How safe did you feel?
• Did you participate in any religious or community memorial services?
• Did you drink more alcohol, smoke more, or start smoking cigarettes since the attacks?

For more information on how you can develop your resilience, visit my web site, www.ritaschiano.com

Have a joyful day everyone. And remember to live a flourishing life.
Rita
www.ritaschiano.com

To learn more about how you can live a flourishing life, please visit my web site, www.liveaflourishinglife.com.

*Excerpt from Live A Flourishing Life