How People End Up With Boring Jobs

 

Sad though it surely is, most of us do not end up in the jobs that we dreamed of when we were younger. In fact, most of us won’t end up with jobs that are even close to being as exciting or as inspiring as the ones we used to tell people we wanted when we were five or six.

When we were young and we believed anything could happen, we wanted to be astronauts, rock stars, the owners of huge international businesses, action heroes, superheroes…

So the question then becomes: why are so many of us stuck working in offices? Why are so many of us entering data into spreadsheets? Why is it so common for us to work late hours in jobs we hate? Why does ‘success’ mean more responsibility but no more job satisfaction?

How did this happen?

• The Unfortunate Story

The answer varies from person to person but unfortunately, there are a few consistent elements that seem to hold true across the board. Many of us will go through essentially the same story that will lead us to the same end destination. 

It starts early when we’re at school and we’re forced to start specializing and choosing. Which course at school is most likely to help you to become a bestselling author? Or a pop star? Hmm. We end up biding our time by doing something that we enjoyed at school – history or geography maybe.

Then we go to college and we study that course for a year or three, only to find ourselves back at home living with our parents and without a job when we leave. If we want to get back our independence, then we’re going to need to take on a job just to pay the bills. 

So we start working for our friend’s Dad’s company. Or we work in a supermarket. Or maybe an estate agent.

Then we get a few promotions and we find ourselves climbing the ranks – actually, we’re on an okay salary.

And it’s just as well too – because our responsibilities are beginning to increase as we find ourselves with partners, maybe wanting to buy a house, maybe with children.

And before you know it, you’re ‘area manager’, or you’re ‘director of logistics’, or you’re an estate agent.

They’re not bad jobs but they sure aren’t exciting and they sure don’t fill you with impassioned excitement. But you have kids on the way and you really need the money: now is not the time to do something foolish like starting your own business, or changing jobs, or taking out a loan. And nor do you have the time in the evening to do the things you want to do…

• It Doesn’t Have to End This Way

But here’s the good news: the story isn’t over yet. You can still be the things you’ve always dreamed of being. In fact, with more money behind, more experience and more contacts, it’s more likely than ever. All it is going to take is for you to acknowledge just how important it is to you and to decide that you’re not going to settle for the way things turned out.

There’s still time…

Written by Yola Bastos
yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix  

Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  
Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

Some ‘Impossible Goals’ and How to Make Them Happen

 

Many of us have goals and dreams that sound impossible and that other people will perhaps tell us can’t be done. Sometimes, those goals are so preposterous that we don’t tell anyone at all – and in some cases, we’ll hardly even admit those goals to ourselves!

For example, if you have always dreamed of being a film star, then there’s a good chance that on some level you don’t think it’s going to happen and so you won’t actually pursue it with the vigour that you should pursue it.

Likewise, if you always dreamed of being an astronaut, then you probably know it can’t be done and so won’t even try.

Except that this is entirely the wrong attitude. Rather, you should be working toward your goals but simply taking a different approach to making them possible. Because anything is truly possible, as long as you know how to think outside the box…

To demonstrate this, let’s take a look at some highly unlikely goals and see how you could really go about making them happen…

• Recording Artist

Want to be a pop star or a guitarist? Then how about starting your own music channel on YouTube? Perform your songs and build a following and then you could eventually start charging for your full albums through Band Camp and similar sites. It’s probably only a matter of time until someone offers to give you a recording contract once you have the numbers behind you!

• Bestselling Author

These days you don’t need to find a big publisher to become a bestselling author. Of course, that is one route to the top but another option is just to write your own book and publish it yourself.

This is possible today thanks to sites like Lulu. Lulu is a website that allows you to use ‘POD’ publishing, which in turn stands for ‘Print On Demand’. This means that you can create a book and only pay for the printing costs each time someone orders one of them. That means that you don’t have to order a huge number of books and then try to sell them – instead, you can simply start selling right away and you’ll just lose a fraction of the cover price each time you do. That also means you’re not splitting your profits with a publisher!

Of course, the downside is that you’ll have to do all of your own marketing and editing. But if you can do that, then you’re good to go!

• Astronaut

Always wanted to visit space? Then one way you can do that is to sign up for Virgin Galactic. That will give you a chance to visit space, without needing any training!

Now of course there is the chance that it will never happen, and it’s a lot of money too – you might just have to start saving. But the point is that as soon as you start working toward the goal you always dreamed of, life becomes a whole lot more exciting!

Written by Yola Bastos
yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix  
Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  
Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

The Most Important Question to Always Ask: Does it Help Me Achieve My Goals?

Why do so many people not get what they want out of life?

Why do so many people find themselves falling into jobs they don’t really want? Or living places that don’t make them happy? Or with lifestyles that they find stressful?

How does someone go from dreaming of being a rock star to being locked in an office to enter data onto a spreadsheet?

Well, there are many factors. But it usually starts by not clearly defining your goals or what you want. Because until you know exactly what it is you actually want, how can you possibly expect to get it?

That means it isn’t good enough to decide you want to be ‘rich’, you need to know what you want to do to become rich. What kind of work you enjoy, how many hours you’re willing to work etc.

Likewise, if you hope to become a rock star, then you might want to think about how you actually intend to make that happen. What does being a ‘rock star’ entail for you and how are you going to make it happen? What would you settle for?

And when you make all these decisions, you need to ensure that this is truly what you’re passionate about – that your intended goal is something that you enjoy thinking about, enjoy working on and can’t wait to make a reality.

• The Simple Way to Make Decisions

The reason this is all so important is that it will then allow you to make all your future decisions that much more easily. This is going to act like your barometer and your road map, to help you to get to the end destination that you want. 

Now, whenever you find yourself making a decision, the question to ask is: does it help you achieve your goals?

So for instance, if you’re umming and having over buying an expensive piece of equipment, then the simplest way to decide if it is a good idea or not is to ask if it will help you to accomplish your goals. Likewise, if you’re unsure about where to live, or whether you should take a particular job opportunity, ask whether the decision is going to take you nearer or further from your goals.

The problem with many people who aren’t quite sure what they want is that their objectives end up on a kind of back burner and that other things seem to start getting in the way.

But if you really want to achieve something amazing – if you have a dream business idea that you really want to make happen – then you need to make this your priority and you need to change the way you think about everything else.

And it shouldn’t feel like a sacrifice either. Because if you really love what you’re working toward then it will mean fully embracing the thing you really want to be doing anyway. You just need to find what that passion is…

Written by Yola Bastos
yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix  
Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  
Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

Why it’s Never too Late to be What You Always Wanted to Be

Many of us wanted to be amazing things when we were younger. Some of us wanted to be astronauts, some of us wanted to be rock stars and some of us wanted to be rock stars. Maybe you dreamed of owning your own business.

Then you reached your twenties and realized that achieving those dreams was harder than you thought and that you needed money faster. So you start working a regular job in the meantime. Then you reach 30 and have a spouse and kids. Then you reach 40 and realize you’re old and tired. And in short, you realize that you’re never going to be that thing you always wanted to be.

Dreams are for younger people, right?

• Why Dreams Get Easier, the Older You Get

This is certainly the stance taken by many people but in reality, the opposite should be true. As long as you hold on to those dreams, they actually often become more attainable the older you get.

Why? For starters, being older gives you more experience and means you’re going to have a better idea of how to go after what you want. Then there’s the fact that you’ll have had longer to accumulate useful assets. That includes money – you’ll have more funds to put behind you – but also other intangible and tangible assets such as property, contacts, a better CV etc.

And if you’re retired, or if your children have moved away from home, then you’ll have more time as well.

And if you combine all that with a savvy knowledge of how to leverage your age, there’s no reason that you can’t get things done even when you’re older.

• Some Examples…

Many people want to be actors for example but never get around to it when they’re younger. When you’re older, however, you have the option of applying to appear as an extra in films and to play bit parts. You have the time now to attend and the older you are, the more in-demand you’ll find you become for smaller roles. Build up a CV and who knows!

Or you could start a YouTube channel. Silver surfers make up a massive proportion of the web and there isn’t as much content there for them. You could make a fitness YouTube channel for over 50s for example and it would likely be a huge hit.

You’ll likewise have more time to write books and more time to pursue hobbies. And if you can’t become an astronaut (admittedly unlikely), then how about signing up for a Virgin Galactic flight? If you can’t be a football player, you could certainly maybe be a coach or join an older team.

And this post isn’t just for people in their 80s. It applies to those in their 40s too. Did you know that the average age for successful startup founders is 40? Did you know that you’re twice as likely to start a successful business at the age of 55 as you are at 20-34? 

Never give up. 

Written by Yola Bastos
yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/yolatvbastos

Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  
Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

Yes! You Really Can Launch That Dream Start-Up Business

 

They say that all of us have a book in us but it’s also true that all of us have an idea in us. Nearly everyone will have at some point had an idea for a business, for a product, for an app, or for a service. We all have ideas that we think could make money, maybe even have a positive impact on the world.

The problem is that we don’t have the know-how to make it happen or the time. Or money.

So, the question then, is how you take that chance and how you build a business even if you don’t just so happen to have a ton of experience, financial backing and all the right contacts. Let’s take a look at what you need to do…

• Start Now!

The first thing to do is to start your business right now. Too many of us mistakenly make the assumption that we need to quit our current jobs and then put all of our resources, time and effort into our businesses. It’s ‘all or nothing’ and there’s no way you can start a business half-heartedly…

Except that’s not true. In fact, there’s no reason that you can’t start your business in the evenings and weekends. Even if you just start a ‘shell’ of your business, it’s better to test that the idea has legs before you invest a lot of time and money into it. 

Start a website in the evenings, start buying and selling shirts in small quantities with a small budget. Just start now and only once you know you can earn a full-time salary do you need to consider quitting your current job.

• Bootstrap

Another reason a lot of people hold themselves back from starting a dream business is that they don’t have the funds that they believe they need. If you’re planning on selling a product you invented for example, then you will probably make the assumption that you need to invest in a large order (called the MOQ – Minimum Order Quantity) to start.

In fact, though, you can once again get by without doing that. One way around the problem is to start your business with two revenue streams, or maybe three. Find a way to start raising capital through your other services or products and then only once you’re making more money do you invest in R&D or large bulk orders.

For instance, you might sell a hand-made product and use that money to invest in manufacturing!

Otherwise, you can also get funding in a range of other ways. How about Kickstarter? This way you can generate funds from the web and not even need to give away any of your equity! Or how about a PayPal loan that won’t impact your credit score?

• Fail Fast

Another tip is to create an MVP – or Minimal Viable Product – and to start trying to make money from it as soon as possible. This is simply a way to test your business model before you invest too much in it. Don’t make the mistake of investing in an idea that you have no proof will work and don’t put off getting your business up and running. You can refine it once you’re live!

Written by Yola Bastos
yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/yolatvbastos
Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  
Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

How To Stop Holding Grudges And Start Forgiving People

Figuring out how to pardon someone who really wronged you is not an easy thing. Most time we imagine that we are over it and have forgiven them but in most cases, we usually hold a grudge against them. However, holding resentment only hurts you more. You only end up stressing yourself over it which cannot only cause psychological problems but also more serious health problems. It is therefore essential to learn the act of forgiveness and to avoid grudges.

Acknowledge the cause of the grudge.

To start with, try to find out the root cause of your grudge. You can only try to find a solution after you are aware of the problem. At times you may come to realize that you were just overreacting and holding a grudge over such a petty thing. Once you have seen the main problem you can then settle on a decision to push ahead from that point. 

Consider the positive side. 

Everything in life has its positive and negative side. Instead of getting angry other the whole issue, try and take it as an invaluable lesson to you. Take in an important lesson or leave with a superior understanding that can assist you to let go of the issue and not despise the one who wronged you.

Put yourself into their shoes. 

At times we may be quick at judging people when they do something bad to us but try fitting yourself into their shoes and you may get a better understanding of why they had to do what they did. This doesn't legitimize their actions; however, it will assist you to comprehend it. The better you understand their intentions, the easier you will find it to forgive them.

Share your thoughts with the other party.. 

A grudge could be as a result of just a small misunderstanding or by confronting the issue the wrong way. Without being biased clarify your feelings on the issue. At that point, choose if this is something you will chip away at in your own heart or by reaching the other individual to come up with a solution. Wait until you have calmed down and then confront the other party in a calm and non-judgmental way. You may choose to solve it among yourselves or try involving a third party. But regardless of the approach, this will help you to get rid of the tension built up in you allowing you to feel more relaxed.

Finally, forgive them.

Obviously, forgiveness does not imply that you will forget the whole incidence. It only means that you have accepted your disparities and acknowledged that we are all human who is prone to error. Forgiveness isn’t easy but it is worth it. It allows you to get rid of that burden off your heart, therefore, giving you peace.

Written by Yola Bastos

yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/yolatvbastos  
Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  
Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

Why You Should Look At Mistakes as Lessons Instead of Regrets

“I wish I had put more effort in my classes, by now I would have risen many ranks higher. If only I could turn back time and avoided the mistakes that made my business go under. It’s because of not taking her seriously that she left and now is in the arms of another man.” These are but some examples of regrets that some of us are having now. Yes, you aren’t at the position you would have wished to be at. Yes, you are nearing 40 years and you still haven’t found your footing. But this doesn’t mean you have to keep beating up yourself for past failures and mistakes. And as Richard Branson once said, “You don't learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing and by falling over”.

Robert Kiyosaki’s famous quote “Don’t waste a good mistake, learn from it” is aimed at encouraging people to not live on regrets but rather learn from their mistakes. These sentiments are supported by Albert Einstein who said that if you have never made a mistake then you have never tried something new. I mean, if you didn’t fail, how would you know you were ill-prepared? Or if you did get that job, how would you know that your skills are a bit behind?

The way you view a mistake will determine how fast you dust yourself and move on. The mistake is a doorway to learning about yourself better. Theory and practical are totally different, and by making mistakes you are able to know how knowledgeable you are and how far you can go. This helps you prepare yourself better just as Napoleon Hill said “every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed on an equal or greater benefit’.

Accepting you made a mistake and moving on is better than analyzing and re-analyzing your situation. Living on regret is the same as insanity which Albert Einstein defined as doing the same thing over and over again, yet expecting different outcomes. The truth is that if you are wise you can never repeat the same mistake again. Would you continue driving while drunk after getting involved in a fatal accident? Would you run your business hands-off after winding up because you over depended on an incompetent person? Of course not!

“If you live for long, you'll make mistakes. However, if you understand and learn from the mistakes, you'll be a better individual. It's how you handle hardships, not how it has affected you. The key thing is never to give up, and never quit.” - Bill Clinton. From this quote by the former US president, we see that no one is immune to mistakes. The difference between the wise and the ordinary person is that the former accepts and learns from it while the latter will be absorbed in it and live in regret. This is well brought out through this popular quote by Winston Churchill, one of the founding fathers of the US “All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes”. Mistakes should be viewed like stepping stones and an eye-opener and not a barrier to success or happiness.

Yes, you are living a life of regret. You are knee-deep in debt, your partner has issued you divorce papers, you just flanked your finals, your business is getting liquidated, or you are losing your home. However, nothing stays forever. Even the strongest storm eventually passes just like daylight eventually shines in the darkest of nights. Wipe your tears, dust yourself up, get up and face life. “Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.” - Oscar Wilde

And as I conclude, I would like to encourage you to press on and always fix your eyes on the goal. Remember, Bill Gates, the world’s richest man said: “it's fine to celebrate success but it is more important to heed the lessons of failure”.

Written by Yola Bastos
yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/yolatvbastos  
Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  
Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

How To Overcome Feeling Depressed

In the normal course of our life, we come across a lot of things, most of which affect our emotions either positively or negatively. Among such things are our lifestyles, the people we associate with, our personal achievements and objectives, the weather conditions, our state of mind among others. Luckily, most of these factors are within our control which means that you can always manipulate them to work to your advantage. The last thing you want is to let this emotion get the better part of you. Depression is one of those emotions that need to be handled with a lot of care as it does not only affect the state of your health but in the extreme case can lead to death. 

This article will take you through some important tips on how you can overcome depression.

Work on your lifestyle: Available research indicates that one of the major causes of depression today is our way of life; that is our eating regime, exercises, the way we associate with people, the way we live at our homes among others. Health experts recommend that you eat a healthy diet and pair it with some regular workouts if you want to help manage your mood swings. Some diets are known to cause a lot of anxiety to different types of people which mean that the earlier you know about such foods, the higher your chances of managing such situations. On the other hand, workouts are known to keep your mind and your body engaged which reduces the chances of you thinking about your personal issues that may be causing the depression.

Get some rest: Usually, after a busy day or activity, there is a high chance that your mind or the body will be exhausted which may result in depression if you fail to get some rest. Most people especially the parents have a lot in the plate be it taking care of their family, doing the normal chores among other activities that the would wish to do before they can get some rest. In the long run, such activities cause dizziness and fatigue as you are forcing your mind to handle more than it is supposed to. Most physicians recommend that you at least sleep for six hours a day to give your mind enough time to get enough rest.

Finally, there is time for everything, do not let your work issues affect your family life. Most people make the mistake of dragging their personal issues to their work which ends causing more problems and making the situations even worse. It is therefore highly recommended that you draw a line to everything, leave your work issues at your office and have fun with your family. Try as much as possible to remain relaxed without worrying about tomorrow or how your days has been.

Written by Yola Bastos
yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix  
Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  
Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

Almost all of us have this one common destructive daily habit, that is, to compare ourselves to others. We compare houses, jobs, phones, cars, relationships, money, and social position and so on. What this habit does is creates negativity within us and this may also reflect in our behaviour. So what should we do? How can we get rid of this habit of comparing? If this is what you are now thinking, then the three tips given below will surely prove to be of help.

1. Understand that you never will win if you do not stop comparing

Even if you keep repeating this in your mind, and realize this consciously, it will help. Despite whatever you do, how much efforts you put in, how hard you strive, there always has to be someone who is better than you or has more than you.

Of course, you may feel nice if you buy a new smartphone which is better than the one your colleague has. But pretty soon you will find someone who has a phone better than yours. So, understand that comparing is futile.

2. If at all, compare yourself only to yourself

Rather than comparing yourself with others, it will be better if you develop the habit of comparing yourself to your own self. Sit back and think how much you have progressed, how much you have grown, and how close you have reached towards your aims.

This habit will help develop kindness, appreciation, and gratitude towards yourself as you notice how much you have done, and all the hurdles you have crossed. So you will be feeling good about yourself without feeling less of others.

It will be a good idea to make this a habit, say by spending a few minutes every weekend to write down how much you have achieved, how closer you now are to your life goals, what you have learned, etc.

3. Learn to be kind

Perhaps you never might have even imagined so, but the way you behave with others also has an impact on how you think about yourself. If you have this habit of always criticizing and judging others, chances are bright you will also criticize and judge yourself often, even if unconsciously. So, try to help others and be kinder to them and you automatically will learn to be kinder to yourself.

Just try to focus on the positive things in life, the positives in others, and the positives within yourself. The more you start seeing just the good things in others and in yourself, you gradually will stop comparing, and lead a happier and more satisfying life.

Written by Yola Bastos
yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix  

Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  

Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

How To Stay Positive In Stressful Situations

Sometimes nothing seems to turn out the way you had planned, no matter how hard you attempt. Regardless of where the stress is stemming from, it is essential to equip yourself with resources to rise above the negativity and stay positive. Maintaining a positive attitude can help alleviate stress and assist in accomplishing your objectives. When you feel like you have hit a dead end, and start to sense any negativity, stop! Here are a few tips on how to remain positive even when you are in challenging situations.

Count your blessings

Regardless of how rough things are, if you think about it, you have lots of things to be grateful for. Whether it’s having a job when a lot of people are jobless, having a supportive family, or simply being in a good health. By revisiting everything you have in your life, you can’t hold on to the negativities. You will feel confident, proud and positive. There are countless things in your life that you can be thankful for.

Reward yourself

When you achieve something, regardless of how little it is, pat yourself in the back for the job well done. The list of ways that you can reward yourself is endless. You can reward yourself with new opportunities to explore something new or to learn something new. You can even take your friends out for coffee. A positive attitude can hardly arise if you don’t even feel great about yourself.

Exercise regularly 

Another great way to manage stress and remain positive is by exercising on a regular basis. If you don't exercise, try to find something that you enjoy doing such as swimming, biking, playing golf, playing tennis, or going for a walk. Breathing exercise can also help alleviate stress. Breathing has been proven to help manage stress and can help a lot in countless situations.

Take time out

If all you think about is work, you can easily be overwhelmed by stress. Be sure to give yourself time off and read a book, listen to music or do whatever it is that you find relaxing. You can also go out with your family and friends. This will help you remain focused and positive when you are at your work station. You will ultimately thank yourself for it.

There you have it! How to always stay positive in a challenging environment. While you will not alleviate stress overnight, following these simple steps will help you develop and maintain a good attitude about your family, your work and your life.

Written by Yola Bastos
yolabastos@womenflix.org
https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix  
Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  
Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

How To Find Your Calling In Life

Many people go around perplexed about their calling in life. Some might wonder what their calling in life has to do with anything. There is a good reason for people to think about their life calling. The reason is that most people need to feel a higher cause for their lives and existence. Most people have a spiritual side. They need to feel that they aren't born to just live through a series of experiences, just to die.

They need to feel that there are reasons why they experience the things that they do. They need to feel that they, or we can use the various experiences that we go through in life for a higher calling or good.

So, with all of this said, just how does one go about finding their calling in life? There are many ways to go about this task. For one thing, a person can set aside some time for contemplation and meditation. As a matter of fact, deep contemplation and meditation are necessary for this accomplishment. So find a nice quiet place that allows you to open up your mind. Think about the things that you have experienced so far in your life. Joyful or painful, those experiences have taught you something about people, and about yourself. Think about how you handled those situations. Did you learn how to handle the situation in a healthy way? Did you handle things in an unhealthy way? Do you know the difference? All of these questions and more can be clues to finding your calling in life.

Particularly for those who have lived lives full of pain and suffering, using those experiences to find your life purpose can be healing. If people thought that they were simply suffering in vain, then this could make a person feel that they have no worth, or that their lives don't matter. If they can share their sufferings, and how they overcame those sufferings, then they now have a life purpose. Their purpose could be uplifting others who have suffered the same fate. You could become a light of hope and aspiration to those who might feel that nobody understands what they are going through.

Another way to find your calling in life is to meditate and contemplate the things that make you happy, and that makes you feel joy. Wouldn't it be great to be able to use your energy, especially professionally doing the things that bring happiness and joy to others? Of course, it would! So take the time to calculate out how you can use your positive energy and light as the purpose of your life.

Finding your life purpose can take years, and sometimes it takes all of your life to look back, and realize what your purpose in life was. However, once you find it, you will find such a sense of fulfilment and peace that others who don't realize their life purpose will never have.

Written by Yola Bastos

yolabastos@womenflix.org

https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix  

Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  

Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

How Kindness Can Get Your Further In Life

 

There are two things I know for sure about kindness. 

1. Kindness is not weak.

2. Often, kindness not easy.

Kindness is often characterised as an individual who is missing his backbone. Someone who apologizes for something that's neither his responsibility nor doing nor who is standing in the background being trampled on and taken advantage of because he has no boundaries.

True kindness, however, is neither weak nor easy. It takes strength, patience, and wisdom to be kind. The "kind" acts that we do to be "nice" to avoid conflict, confrontation or seem to mean aren't kind at all. Unfortunately, by being "nice" we neglect the potential negative impact of our actions. 

Everyone has heard of people doing random acts of kindness and paying kind acts forward without expecting anything in return for themselves. The payout or payoff as many self-help people would say is that they get a good feeling and make their own lives happier just by doing kind acts for others. If you are kind to yourself, kind to others, and kind and gentle to the earth, as Michael J. Chase has said in speaking engagements, your life will be better. Also, your relationships are sweeter and your health is much improved.

Chase is a unique person. He did not experience much kindness in his early life; rather, he endured hard times that caused him to do much soul searching. Eventually, he had a startling and profound realization that completely turned his life around. Rather than keep this new knowledge for himself along, he decided to share it with others and teach them what he had learned. The main way he did this was to write a book about the philosophy of kindness, which explains how spreading good feelings helps everyone in the world.

He'll be the first to tell you that kindness is about much more than just being 'nice'. Paying for the coffee for the car behind you at the drive-thru is being kind, and taking brownies in for your coworkers is kind. As he asks in "Am I Being Kind" it's far more than just being nice, and once you discover these things deep inside yourself, you'll truly understand its full potential for enhancing your own life.

It's so easy to be kind if you just think about it as you go about your day. It won't take anything from your wallet, but it certainly pays in at least a moment or two of happiness for everyone involved. When you do something kind, hopefully, it encourages that person to do the same; and it continues from one person to the next and the next and the next. The result? A better outlook, a renewed sense of the good in others, a desire to be kind and experience the positive feelings for you and others. Don't just read about it here though, try it for yourself and see how your attitude and mood changes; it's hard to be negative or depressed after a simple act of kindness.

Even if you're depressed and feel like you have nothing to give to others, you should realize that this is not true. The next time you have that negative attitude, turn it around by doing something kind for someone else. Share positive feelings, and in turn, you will feel more positive about yourself and your life, and so will those around you. Everyone benefits when people are kind.

Written by Yola Bastos

Co-Founder

Women Flix

yolabastos@womenflix.org

https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix  

Women Flix, Supporting Women all the way to Success!  

Women Flix Limited, a company limited by guarantee, incorporated in England and Wales (company no. 13047578 ). 

Embrace and Just Be Yourself

Fears, doubts and insecurities are all around us, outside and inside of us. Sometimes it may even seem easier to "just want to be someone else" as we wrap ourselves up in these negative feelings. The grass may appear much greener on the other side based on our perceptions and ideas. Which may or may not be slanted in the right direction, based on the past or current experiences we have had. The reality is often the exact opposite and others are more afraid than we are.

What if the person you think has everything going for them looks in the mirror and hates the way they smile, or how large they think their eyes are? What if everyone else in their family has brown eyes and they are made to feel out of place for having blue ones? If the messages they have heard from family, friends or loved ones has always been negative regarding a certain characteristic or feature, their self-esteem will have taken solid hits from that.

It's comical how others are envied for superficial beauty, wealth or relationships that people would fight to trade places with them because many of them are looking at us and thinking the same thing. You appear as the smartest person around and they wish they had the same people or conversation skills that you do. That feeling of quiet desperation to "be someone else" results in the lack of confidence, low self-esteem and any hope that we can ever improve our situations in life.

This is a perception and not your reality. Rather than spend your life wringing your hands about who you can't be, or what you don't have in it, concentrate on finding out how to make things better for yourself. Ask questions and find solutions to how to be a better person and to accept yourself for who you are. You can always learn new skills, ask trusted friends or advisers for areas they think you could improve in and how.

Just because that's the way "you have always been" doesn't mean that's the way you must always remain. Taking steps to self-improvement can open up new doors of experiences and opportunities for you. Then you can, in turn, inspire and motivate others.

Get rid of the regrets in your conversations with yourself and focus on being a first-class citizen in your own mind. Accept yourself for who you are, improve what and where you can and stop constantly comparing yourself to others. All of us will always be insecure at times but that doesn't have to be a life sentence for being unhappy. Loving ourselves no matter what begins with the act of self-acceptance. Once we achieve that, contentment will follow. 

How To Use The Law of Attraction To Reduce Stress

As much as stress is witnessed in a large portion of our lives, is it important that we practice and appreciate some of the best possible ways to help us calm down the nerves? 

Stress can manifest itself in many ways causing physical, emotional, or even mental issues. It is therefore very critical for stress victims to recognize the source of anxiety and find the optimal approach to either minimize or end it.

The law of attraction together with stress management can help you achieve the much-needed balance. And although most stress reduction techniques are subjective; meaning that what may work for you may not work for another, the law of attraction can work for almost anyone. The law basically uses the power of the mind to achieve a specific outcome where the conscious and subconscious thoughts are put into focus – It is simply using our thoughts to attract what we want.  

There are four steps to be followed when using the law of attraction to reduce or end stress:

1. Focus on what you want

This is achieved by focusing on your life and find out the main cause of stress. Is it your partner? Is it school? Is it work? Would you do a different job to have a piece of mind? – You should focus on what you really want and have a rough sketch of how you are going to achieve that.

2. Ask what you want

Once your focus is on whatever it is that you want, it is now the time to put the power of your mind to work. Let the universe and the energy of your thoughts work together; Choose a different partner, apply for a better pay job, ask for a raise, or you can explore your talent. Let people feel and know your desire.

3. Visualize whatever you want

To visualize whatever you want is to feel, behave, and act as if you already have what you desire. Positive thinking is critical in the law of attraction; negativity and fear should not be within you. Your general outlook should be optimistic then relaxation will follow. Pessimism and doubt should be avoided to have the law work according to plan.

4. Let go of your preconceptions

You never know; there may be another way to reduce your stress level that you’ve never thought of. It is for this reason that you should always remain open to other outcomes to improve your life. This can mean extra cash from working overtime, getting another job, or even getting your superior’s job.

The law of attraction is often used together with other stress relief options to effectively gain the desired outcome. The power of positive thinking is indeed a very powerful option. 

Written by Yola Bastos

Women Flix, Supporting women all the way to success.

https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix

5 Tips To Avoid Being Negative

Everyone does get negative at some point in his or her life. Whether it is at work or home negative situations happen almost all the time. It is rather unfortunate that we cannot avoid them and thus beg the question of how can we change these negative thoughts to positive ones. It is important to be positive in adverse situations, even though it might sound hard or rather impossible, it is very much possible to stay positive no matter the situation. Learning the power of positive thinking assists us to remain in a positive state of mind even in the midst of a tragedy. Additionally, knowing how to convert that negative energy into positive energy can lead to a healthy and comfortable lifestyle.

5 Tips To Avoid Being Negative

I have come up with five ways of how you can avoid being negative and when you put this five key points in mind you will be cheerful and even see some light of positivity in any situation that you may encounter.

1. Stay around positive people.

Hanging out with positive people will certainly help you stay positive. You should avoid negative people because they will only rub off their negativity off on you. They will bring you down from trying to achieve positivity to be a cynical person once more.

2. Remind yourself what you are grateful for.

In negative situations, we tend to find ourselves thinking of the good things in our lives. You should voice those good thoughts and practice gratitude. Develop a culture of talking about the good things that happen to you other than focusing on the bad ones. Also, it is ideal to keep a journal of all the good things that you have done on a daily basis. By acknowledging what you are grateful and thankful for will help you nature a grateful heart and mind, even in adverse situations.

3. Own up to your mistakes.

If you mess up, take responsibility. If you do something good, reward yourself. Do not blame other people for things that are your fault. This only brings negative energy towards you by thinking about all the negative things about that situation. Instead, accept the situation as it is and move on with life.

4. Avoid drama in your life.

Drama is an unfortunate and nasty characteristic to have. Part of avoiding drama is preventing dramatic people. Avert the gossip at all cost. It will do you no good and only helps to spread negativity.

5. Be kind to people.

By being kind, you will not have time for negative thoughts. Do various acts of kindness every day. This will keep you in a happy spirit. Besides, karma will also pay you back handsomely for your kind deeds.

Conclusion.

Negativity is everywhere, heck even in weddings, days that are considered to be the happiest days in a person's life. You will most likely find some few negative people there. 

It is important to transform yourself into a positive thinker since you will end up living a happy and healthy life. So be positive, and life will be positive with you.

Written by Yola Bastos

Women Flix, Supporting women all the way to success.

https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix

5 Reasons Why Self-Awareness is Important

 

There are many great ways of improving yourself. One of these ways is to look for the positive attributes you possess and appreciating that part of you. Another important way of becoming a better person is by acknowledging your weaknesses and actively working on improving. These two methods of self-improvement define what it means to be self-aware. Being self-aware can help you relate well with people and increase your ability to achieve your goals. These are not the only benefits of self-awareness, however. Here are some more reasons why it is important to be self-aware.

• Increases your social abilities

Human beings are social beings who thrive on relationships. People who are self-aware are very successful when creating relationships. This is because they are able to realize exactly what they want in each person they meet. That certainty comes from knowing one’s own abilities and challenges. Self-awareness also promotes emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence helps us relate to the feelings of other people. Lacking this skill can leave us in conflicts with others. The best way to improve your level of emotional intelligence is by learning your own emotional patterns.

• Promotes versatility and open-mindedness

Knowing yourself can be very crucial to affecting the approach that you have on issues. Self-awareness in itself is the ability to actively seek to listen to the body and mind to know your natural response to change. This consciousness can thus help you have a clear focus when dealing with issues. You are also able to accept opinions, feedback, and criticism from other people without being subjective. Ultimately, you are able to have multiple solutions to a single problem.

• Promotes productivity

People who are self-aware are fast thinkers. They understand themselves and are able to focus on the challenges of the day without hindrances. Without understanding yourself, there is a big challenge where you are held back by uncertainty. This results in time wastage caused by pondering over many different courses of action even when a swift decision is needed.

• Improves leadership skills

One of the most important attributes of a good leader is swift decision-making. A leader should also be impartial and confident. All these are things that we gain by becoming self-aware. Knowing yourself removes internal fear and you are able to focus on important matters.

• Promotes Overall Objectivity

Being self-aware promotes objectivity. People who are self-aware are also self-confident. This means that they can easily make decisions without being clouded by poor judgment.

Written by Yola Bastos

Women Flix, Supporting women all the way to success.

https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix

Dramatically Increase Your Twitter Following with These 5 Tips

 

Unless you are a celebrity like Katy Perry or Barack Obama, you’re going to have to work hard to build your initial following on Twitter. Rather than making slow-and-steady progress, you need to treat your Twitter account as a priority for a couple of months and create lots of content. Studies have shown that the more you tweet, the quicker you can build your followers. 

To help you dramatically increase your Twitter following, here are five methods you can try. 

• Utilize Your LinkedIn and Email Connections

Studies have shown that you are more likely to be followed by someone that you already know. One easy way to do this is by finding your LinkedIn connections on Twitter and following them. While Twitter doesn’t have a way to do this, you can export your contacts into a .CSV file and upload them to your email account contacts. From there you can import your email contact into Twitter. 

• Schedule Your Tweets

There are several free and low-cost tools that you can use to schedule your tweets. Using tools like Hootsuite, save you time and ensure that you are tweeting on a regular basis. When you post content on a regular basis, you tend to see more engagement and have more followers.

• Tweet Inspirational Quotes

Quotes tend to see more significant engagement on Twitter because people enjoy reading them and sharing them with their friends and followers. You can use a free app like Forismatic, to receive a wide variety of inspiring quotes that you can post to Twitter instantly. Along with increasing engagement, this will also save you time. 

• Join a Twitter Chat

Groups within various industries get together on Twitter every week to talk about multiple topics. When you join these chats and engage with others in your industry, you are given the opportunity to meet new people in your industry, play the role of an industry expert, and gain valuable information.

• Respond to People

Consider the following users who engage in the same posts that you do. When you comment on, favourite, or retweet a post on Twitter, it will show other users that you are interested in the same type of content, making them more inclined to follow you. 

Using Twitter for your small business will help to bring in new customers. Users are more likely to buy from brands that they follow on Twitter, making it a powerful tool to help grow your business. Use these tips to increase your followers and grow your business. 

Written by Yola Bastos

Women Flix, Supporting women all the way to success.

https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix

Top 5 Ways to Gain More Social Media Followers

 

If you own a small business, you are probably well aware of how important social media can be for increasing your bottom line. However, getting started on social media can be incredibly daunting. With all the different options and ways to gain followers, one can quickly become overwhelmed. Here are the top five ways your business can gain more social media followers and increase your bottom line.

1. Create Strong Profiles and Pages

The best way to start growing your audience on any of the social media platforms is to create strong profiles and pages for your accounts. You need to include branded cover photos as well as profile photos, and detailed descriptions of your business. 

2. Share Quality Content

As you begin your journey to gain more social media followers, you need to create and share high-quality, value-added content that your target audience will enjoy. This can include blog content, videos, podcasts, infographics, presentations, etc. This content can be created by you or by others.

3. Add Links

Not only do you want to be sure to include links to all your social media profiles on your business website, but you want to include your site link in all your social media profiles. It will also help to add links to your top social accounts in your email signature. Adding these links will help you to expand your reach and broaden your exposure.

4. Use friend-finding Features

Most of the social media networks provide ways for their users to connect with other people they know. As you first start to use social media to build your brand, you want to ask people you know to follow your account. By having them like and follow you on different platforms, you gain more exposure to a broader audience base.

5. Cross-Promote Your Social Accounts

If you already have a large audience on one of your social media accounts, why not use that to your advantage. Ask followers to connect with you on your other accounts. This can be as simple as sending out a tweet to your Twitter followers asking them if they are on Instagram, and if they are, asking them to follow you there as well. 

Growing your social media followers is easy to do but will take some time. The more effort you put into creating valuable content for your target audience the more followers you’ll gain. 

Written by Yola Bastos

Women Flix, Supporting women all the way to success.

https://linktr.ee/LifeCoachWomenFlix