A Powerful end of Month Strategy - Making Time for Friends A Goal

At the beginning of every month, I write down my goals for the month. The goals cover business and pleasure. We all seem to be moving at warp speed and if I don't write pleasure goals for myself, I do not do it! Too much too do and certainly less time to relax and enjoy friends.

One of the goals that I set for myself is time to meet with a friend. Guess what I have exceeded that goal and met with 2 friends this month. People that I enjoy spending time with and come back to work feeling refreshed and energized.

I'm off to exceed my goal right now! Now that's a wonderful end of month strategy!

Throw the Door Open!

How to make every day a positive and powerful day!

Step 1: Notice the images that you might be visualizing

These two images that popped into my head today.

Step 2: Reflect on what those images mean to you -

The brick wall came first. I don't really like to be limited or "walled in" and so I sensed immediately that I needed to notice what might help me over come that limited feeling and the open door leading into blue sky became wonderfully expansive.

Step 3: Take time to evaluate the results that you would like to achieve today, this week, this month, this quarter, this year. Sometimes the best I can do is look at the hour because the task might be really arduous.

Step 4: Review your strategy and plans. This really opened me up today. The door is thrown wide open and I have limitless opportunities in front of me and that feels really exciting.

Step 5: Take immediate action on one of your goals. In the first few hours of this day, I have already made great progress on an exciting new endeavor.

Powerful images - what about you how will you start the day?

A brick wall or a door thrown wide open!

Focused Yet Flexible

“Our thoughts create our reality --

where we put our focus is the direction

we tend to go."

Peter McWilliams

Author of Life 101

As I continue to research human behavior, I am once again impressed with the power of the human spirit. Each day, sometimes, each hour, we are faced with challenges - I am blessed with great health, great family and a great community. I realize that my attitude does help me a great deal, however, I'm not currently confronted with a life threatening illness, poverty, danger, downsizing. You can keep adding to the list. And, my situation could change in an instant.

Everyday I read about or talk with people who in spite of tremendous physical, mental, emotional and environmental challenges stay the course. These courageous spirits deal with the raging winds that attack their bodies, ravage their business, community and/or family and yet they still move forward.

I had a friend many years ago diagnosed with cancer. A lovely nurse with two small children. She worked night shift so that she could be home with her children during the day. She continued to work as an amazing RN - patient loved her. Loving her family- she made their Halloween costumes and decorated for the holiday every year - she made their costumes a little early the year she died - energy and life were rapidly draining away. She enjoyed October 31 her last year of life preparing her children to venture out in the neighbor hood. They didn't know this would be their mother's last time with them. She died November 14 of that same year.

Always flexible with the devastating changes, she focused on love, living and service. I do hope that presented with similar challenges that I will stay my course.

Get a Push and Fly!

"Come to the edge, he said.
They said: We are afraid.
Come to the edge, he said.
They came.
He pushed them and they flew."
Guillaum Apollinaire
French poet and critic
1880-1918

Being supported is terrific and yet often times all too limiting. The greatest mentors I have had in life have pushed me to grow. Have challenged me. Demanded that I be and do more.

A few years ago I co-authored a book. . When the first draft was completed. I sent the book to people that I valued and trusted to give me honest feedback. At least that what I thought that I wanted and needed.

The people's comments came back - all very supportive and encouraging, except for one. I thought he was a friend. His comment, "You are better than this."

I found it difficult to talk with this wonderful friend and mentor. After getting over the initial anger hurt, it took me six months to get over that feedback. I sat down with the co-author and we re-wrote the entire book. This version was better, still not great, but better.

This book has yet to be published and may never be. That push has helped to be better, not just as a write and author, but as a person. Everyone like to hear that they are terrific and wonderful. However, that feed back to be better changed me forever.

Seek feedback from people who want to help you be better. They want you to fly!

Expand Creativity - Add OXYGEN

Creativity is defined by the Business dictionary.com as

Mental characteristic that allows a person to think outside of the box, which results innovation or different approaches to a particular task."

How can we expand our creativity?
Add O.X.Y.G.E.N.

Openness - Be open to opportunities. Open your ears to really listen and hear what is around you. Be open to what you see - both stark and subtle contrasts.

What can you be open to today that will expand your creativity?

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eXcitement - Get excited and adventurous. Watch child play. Laugh out loud. Increase your energy and allow your self to feel anticipation.

What will excite you to expand your creativity?

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You - Discover YOU. Discover your interests, your talents, your strengths. Discover what you would like to learn more about your challenges and what you need to learn to expand your creativity.

Where are you currently creative?

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Gratitude - Be grateful for the potential that you and others possess. Be grateful that creativity is in the eye of the beholder and we all have the potential to masters of our own art.

How can you allow gratitude to help you to be more creative?

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Expectations - Expect that with each creativity is interesting, challenging, motivating and yes often times just plain hard work.

What are your expectations for and with your creativity?

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New Approaches - Take a new path, a new road, a new mindset.

What new approaches will you take today?

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It's all up to you.

Strategy for Effective Communication

Understand the Basic Elements of Communications

There are 3 basic elements to face-to face communication:

- Verbal words – what we actually say out loud

- Intonation – the inflection and tone of our voice
- Body language – our facial expressions and body gestures, movements and position

These three elements combined greatly affect the meaning of the message. Behavioral science studies show the following statistics

- Words account for 7%
- Tone of voice accounts for 38% and
- Body language accounts for 55% of the message.

It always amazes me how few individuals have any concept of this information. As I study and practice my skill with communication, I often see these statistics validated. This week I conducted a random study with 100 people. I asked how many knew what percentage of our communication was verbal. The findings – 1% - one person actually knew that 7% of our words affect our communications.

In a large group, often people don’t realize how much they are communicating. Interest – nodding, smiling and leaning forward. Disinterest – texting, slouching and a look of boredom. I mentioned that I was getting messages from everyone in the room without them saying a word. It was amazing to people shift in their seats, sitting taller, hands more exposed and faces more interested.

Great way to grab attention when you need to gain favorable attention or involvement.

Interesting statistics!

Failing to Lead is Leading to Failure - Lead to Succeed

If I know one thing about leadership, there is one huge flaw that impacts relationships, work, success and pretty much all of life and this is - Failing to lead will lead to failure!

I see it all too often! At home, a partner consistently fails to tell their spouse what they want and need. The spouse consistently fails to follow through and guess what - the relationship falls apart.

With friends and family, a person is involved in a new, big project. Not wanting to let the friend that time together might need to change, the individual continues to extend themselves and struggles, strains and then fails - either in the friendship, the project or both.

With employees, the boss is new and wants to make a great impression and be liked. Instead of clearly stating vision, wants, needs and expectations - the boss works on becoming a friend and being liked. The first quarter rolls by, goals not met - second quarter, goals not met - third quarter. The employee is failing and needs to be replaced.

Do any of these situations sound familiar? I hear about them, I read about them, I work with them - every single day.

Learning to lead self and others has become one of my greatest passions. If I can lead myself, I know I will have healthier personal and professional relationships and success in life. If I can lead others, than I am fulfilling my vision for myself to help others live fully actualized, wonderfully exhilarating and fulfilled lives.

It's about time we lead ourselves and others. Here's some simple tips:

Tip 1 - Clearly communicate your personal and professional vision personal and professional teams.

Tip 2 - Create clearly defined goals and results and communicate them to your personal and professional teams.

Tip 3 - Clearly communicate your wants, needs and expectations to your personal and professional teams.

Tip 4 - Ask for honest feedback about how clear your personal and professional teams are about the above. (a little word to the wise - our communication may not be as effective as we would like it to be)

Tip 5 - Be accountable. Own the blame and your role in the relationship and not fix blame on others.

Tip 6 - Lead others to success with you or help them leave the situation, role or relationship.

Leading is a learned talent. Whether you have natural talent or not, this particular attribute with make or break you in life.

Rather than Failing to Lead - Lead to Succeed!

Define High Expectations - Strategies for Building Positive Personal Power

"Your attitude is an expression of your values, beliefs and expectations."
Brian Tracy

Brian Tracy is an interesting man. Brian tells a story of how he left high school. He walked with his senior class on graduation and did not receiving a diploma - his grades were too low and so were his expectations. He became laborer, tramp and world traveler for a few years and then he returned home to try his had at sales.

Obviously smart, he struggled (for less than a year) and decided to interview all the top sales people he could find. At the end of that first year he was just 25 years old, he attained the top sales status for his company!

His initial expectations of himself were exceedingly low for a variety of reasons. Something changed - his values, beliefs and expectations. After his second year, he became a Vice President. As time passed and his expectations for success became more clearly defined, Tracy created a success system that he wanted to share and the rest is history.

Today Brian Tracy is an international speaker, author, entrepreneur, researcher in the self help arena. For more information go to www.briantracy.com.

Strategies for Building Personal Power - Socrates' Triple Filter Test

One of the greatest tests that I learn came from the wise philosopher Socrates - It's called the Triple Filter Test. Socrates used 3 filters before he engaged in a conversation. This way he ensured that the conversation was meaningful. Now I'd like to review them with you. It's also a great way to start a meeting or a conversation with yourself.

Filter number one - Truth

Is what you are about to say totally truthful?
If it is not - don't say it!

Filter number two - Goodness

Is what you are about to say kind or positive?
If it is not - don't say it!

Filter number three - Useful

Is what you are about to say necessary?
If it is not - don't say it!

These filters from Socrates have saved me countless hours of grief and misunderstanding. We are not only in constant conversation with others but with ourselves as well. Reflecting on this Triple Filter Test even in our internal communication can save countless hours of internal grief and misunderstanding.

Was this Truthful, Good and Useful?

Strategies for Building Positive Personal Power - Be Limitless!

A disclaimer up front -
To Be Limitless does NOT mean to break a law or rule
that is morally or ethically sound.

Now let's discuss 3 tips to help us to Be Limitless:

Tip #1: Realize that we are acting or thinking in a limiting manner. For example,the pat response to resisting change (even when it is desperately needed). "But, we've always done it that way."

If nothing changes, nothing changes."

Anonymous

Tip #2: Appreciate that obstacles are can be bridges not barriers. By changing a mental image from a negative to a positive picture for me.

"People are lonely because they build walls (barriers)
instead of bridges."

Anonymous

Tip #3: Be open to new possibilities. See life as full of opportunities to learn, grow and flourish.

The only way to discover the limits of the possible
is to go beyond them into the impossible."
Arthur C. Clarke

Enjoy the day!

Strategies for Building Positive Personal Power - A Daily Goals List

In the 1970's, there was a Harvard University study done regarding goal setting. The findings of revealed that of the students studied only 3% actually wrote their goals down. This 3% were continued to be studied over the course of their lives and the results proved that they were significantly more successful than the population that did not write their goals.

I often share these findings with my clients and ask, "How many write goals?" Interestingly, the numbers remain consistent with the Harvard study - only about 3% or less think that they write their actual goals down. A cloud of failure becomes almost palpable, a sense of helplessness is immediately felt and a so what's the use attitude would start to set in.

As I continued to study and review the attitudes and behaviors that I would observe, I realized that I needed to support a feeling of hope and self confidence. I decided to introduce a second question. "How many write a to-do list?"

Guess what? Almost all of the hands in the room go up. The energy in the room is starting to shift. Next, I ask how many believe that the actions are the list could be considered short term goals. Now, all the hands in the room go up and the energy continues to rise.

Next we discuss how items on the to-do list has the potential to meet the criteria for a SMART goal - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistically High, and Timed. I am finding it is much easier to build on a current habit and behavior than to have to start from scratch. Keeping this in mind, it is much easier to change the quality of a actions to meet the SMART criteria.

What is now communicated to the team is a simple shift in an approach - an expectation for success. The sense of pride and eagerness to take the project, the work, and lives to the next level is wonderful.

Beginning today, consider treating your to-do list as if it were your Daily Goals List. Please let me know if it makes any difference for you in your goals achievement process.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

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Strategies for Building Personal Power - Find Joy - A Great Responsibility!

We are in the midst of tremendous economic, political, environmental, health and day-today life changes. Companies change direction which cause jobs and lives to change drastically. Every day there are new regulations, laws and standards being introduced. Yes it is hot, we are in the midst of the lazy, hazy days of summer. Finding time to eat properly and exercise seems almost a monumental task. And last, but not least, our everyday responsibilities include home caring, work caring, relationship caring and even community caring.

All of these responsibilities leave very little time for finding and sharing our own joy and peace of mind. How does one become more responsible for finding Joy when life is so overwhelming?

Some tips I am learning from a very wise and wonderful person.

Find what makes you want to create.

Find what makes you smile and laugh out loud.

Find what makes you want to sing.

Find what makes you want to share.

Find down time to enjoy nature or a great book.

Find moments of time when you can capture the pure joy of YOU!

That's how I intend to spend today - Finding Joy!

All the best in health and wealth,

Laura

Strategies for Building Personal Power - Create YOUR Destination

One of the most powerful strategies in building personal power is to create a destination and live everyday moving towards that VISION. I'd like to share an exercise that I am sure some of you have even engaged in at some point in your life -Write your own obituary.

My Obituary

• What and/or who did I impact or change? How?
• What character traits and values did I consistently demonstrate over my life? At my core, who was I?
• Who did I care for? How did I impact or change this person/these people?
• What were major accomplishments in my life? At the ages of 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70?
• What did I show interest in? What was I passionate or enthusiastic about?
• What was my legacy?

BE THOUGHTFUL
IMAGINE POSSIBILITIES
DREAM BIG
ENVISION INSPIRING EVENTS

Taking the time to write may feel uncomfortable at first, but this is our life. It is time to build it and own all of it. Today is the day to rocket towards success. Enjoy the ride!

All the best in health and wealth,

Laura

Strategies for Building Personal Power - Be Unconquerable

INVICTUS

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds and shall find me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

In 1875, while lying in a hospital bed after having his leg amputated below the knee, 25-year old William Ernest Henley wrote this poem. Invictus is Latin for unconquerable.

I read this poem as a young child and immediately chose the last stanza as a mantra.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Years later, I matted and framed the poem to hang on the wall in my home and office. I realize now, it carried me through many, many challenging times.

A few years again, I had the honor of hearing Invictus read aloud by Maya Angelou - needless to say I mouthed every word with her, tears streaming down my cheeks.

I recently watched the movie, produced and directed by Clint Eastwood. There was a subtle message that Nelson Mandela was conveying to Francois Pienaar (captain of the South African Rugby team). That message was conveyed in many, many ways before he shared the poem he too had memorized. Learn to live and lead with an unconquerable soul.

Today, let's be unconquerable!

All the best in health and wealth,

Laura

Strategies for Building Personal Power - Assess Your Expectations

"In life, you often don't get what you want. But,... here's what you do get - You get what you expect."

From the Go-Give A Little Story About a Powerful Business Idea
by Bob Burg & John David Mann

I've read the The Go-Give numerous times and taken away many, many pearls of wisdom from that little book, but, I don't think I really ever appreciated the lines from the above quote. We whine, complain, even cry because we don't get what we want, not realizing that the reality is we expected not to get what we wanted anyway.

I met with a very dear friend yesterday. We hadn't seen each other for more than a year and spent time catching up. After many years of self employment, she had to give up what she thought she wanted and went back to a "real" j0b, which is what she and everyone around her expected that she would do. She said something that really struck a cord, I've always believe it to be true myself. She said, "I'm not really going back. You can never go back. I'm actually going forward."

What a marvelous point of view and expectation. She shared with me how much she realized her experiences and talents actually helped her to be much more observant and insightful to her new work environment. She started part time and within a matter of months has already been invited to be a supervisor. She expects to move forward. Guess what - she's is getting exactly what she is expecting.

All the best in health and wealth,

Laura

Strategies for Building Personal Power - Assess Talents

Assessing talents, both personally and professionally is a great way to start the week. Besides, personal reflection, which is still one of my personal favorites, there are many tools and instruments that can help you to discover your talents and strengths. One instrument that I find to be particularly useful is DISC Index.

The DISC Index, designed and trademark protected by the company Innermetrix, is based on Dr. William Marstan's foundational work in behavioral science. The DISC Index, according to research done by Innermetrix, is one of the most used behavioral instruments in the world.

Several key areas that the DISC Index is used both personally and professionally to understand their talents and tendencies and well as those opportunities to grow and change are:

• Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Communication
• Goal Achievement
• Role Building
• Job Selection
  
• Performance Managment

Certification is required to administer this particular behavioral instrument. And as with any diagnostic, the value is not in just taking an assessment but also working with an experienced interpreter helps to clarify and promote focus. In personally and professionally over the years, I have personally found the DISC Index to be right on target. The secondary benefit for continued study of my own Index has helped me to understand others as well.

I have a new appreciation that even with the talents I possess there is sometimes a need to reign in and re-evaluate. Fortunately,when I follow my ACTS strategy, I am more focused on what I want and need to support, modify or change.

As a clinician and nurse, working with assessments is essential to complete understanding of our inner talents. Finding the right instruments and resources takes work, but in my opinion, is really worth the effort

All the best in health and wealth,

Laura

Strategies for Building Personal Power - - A Personal and Professional Accountability Approach

A.C.T.S.

A Personal Accountability Approach

to Achieve Tomorrow’s Results Today!

Copyright Notice

Copyright©2009, 2010 - Laura R. Novakowski

All rights reserved

Enjoy!

More tomorrow.

All the best in Health & Wealth,

Laura

Strategies for Building Personal Power - Read Drucker

Finding a great resource is always a great strategy. One of my favorite resources is Peter F. Drucker. According to Wikipedia, Drucker was a writer, management consultant, and self-described “social ecologist." In my book, he is a tremendous asset to any toolkit to build personal and professional power. He was a leader in management consulting.

In 1999 , the Harvard Business Review published an article entitled Managing Oneself. The essenence of this article is distilled into the following five questions. Drucker believed that if one asked themselves these five key questions they could and would build a life of excellence.

What are my strengths?
How do I work?
What are my values?
Where do I belong?
What can I contribute?

For the entire publication, please follow this link to the rest of the publication: http://academy.clevelandclinic.org/Portals/40/managingoneself.pdf


I am always open to new resources and tools, please feel free to share your favorites.

All the best in health and wealth,

Laura

Strategies for Building Personal Power - Find Your Strengths

What are our strengths?

Dr. Donald O. Clifton, a graduate student in the mid 1950's, started to look at the "hyper focus on deficits and disease" and wondered “What would happen if we actually studied what is right with people?” This question stimulated some profound research with Gallup that resulted in the late 1990's created an assessment called Clifton's StrengthsFinders. This instrument has been used by millions of people to discover and develop their talents.

Clifton's studies showed that "people who do have the opportunity to focus on their strengths every day are SIX times more likely to be engaged in their jobs and more than THREE times as likely to report having and excellent quality of life in general." (Source: StrengthsFinders 2.0) This research is profoundly impacting levels of engagement personally and professionally around the globe.

The more work I do, the more convinced I am that we needed to create a hyper focus on health, prosperity, hope, contributions and so many more strengths that we all can find in our lives and our world.

Let's spend this day finding our strengths.

All the best in health and wealth,

Laura

Strategies for Buidling Positive Personal Power - Promoting Health and Wealth

`Creating a system that will help us to live the life of our dreams may at first seem like too much work and yet, in reality the more strategic we become in our thoughts. goals and actions, the more likely we will be to achieve personal and professional success. Over the years, I have almost made a game out of building positive personal power and I would like to share some of those strategies now.

Strategy #1- Identify what is important to YOU. When we identify what is important to us individually, it is much easier to choose a career, a partner, a life style, even an income. Review your dreams and ideas. Share with others, like minded and even those who are not so like minded and really challenge you. I learned a long time ago, my life is my life. I am the author of this particular book. Identifying how important it is to me to help others become full actualized and able to tap into their potential, actually helps me access my own positive personal power.

Strategy #2 - Define a positive personal vision. Establishing a clear and positive vision helps me stay focused and on purpose. My grandmother introduced me to a wonderful book called The Power of Positive Thinking written by Norman Vincent Peale, hence, my company's name of Positive Power Strategies, Inc. Dr. Peale was a man that because he defined his personal vision was able to influence countless individuals around the world.

If you paint in your mind a picture of bright and happy expectations, you put yourself into a condition conducive to your goal.
Norman Vincent Peale

Strategy #3 - Treat your strengths and talents like muscles. Our strengths and talents, just like any muscle becomes stronger and more pronounce with repetitive exercise. When we slack off, those muscles atrophy and become wasted.

Strategy #4 - Set significant goals and take positive action. I like to treat even the smallest activity as if it were a goal, this mindset helps me to take positive action. When I feel like stopping, I review my daily to-do list (which in reality is short term goals) I am amazed with how much I can accomplish.

Strategy #5 - Seek resources and acknowledge support. No one can do it alone. I have been blessed by wonderful family, friends, mentors, colleagues, clients and acquaintances. I travel extensively and every single day I am continually impressed with how much assistance and service I receive. I now make it a personal goal to notice how a person contributes to making my day better - yes even the person that cuts me off in traffic - I then slow down and pay more attention.

These are just a few strategies that I thought might help you on your journey.

All the best in health and wealth,

Laura

Promoting Health & Wealth - The Silence Between the Notes

I once heard that music occurs because of the silence between the notes. Banging away at the keys of a piano, pulling on the strings of a violin or a constant stream of air in a flute does not make for great music. Thoughtful pressure, changes in tension, finger movements, breathe and silence make the music come alive and almost magical.

Can we compare life to music? Is it possible that success really happens when there is silence between the goals and actions?

Some tips to use the "silence" wisely:

• Be quiet - this can be as brief as a 30 minute escape from phones, computers and any other chatter that is showing up in life. In this silence, close your eyes and allow your mind to clear.

How does being quiet feel?

• Be an observer - Look around and observe all the wonderful colors, objects and people that surround you.

What do you observe?

• Be an evaluator - Finally, review and reflect on what you are doing and have in your life and work.
  

What are you doing and what do you have?

In this silence, we find that our our success surrounds us in so many wonderful ways. If we just stop all that banging and just be we will connect with our extraordinary music.

All the best in health and wealth,

Laura

Promoting Health and Wealth - Putting our INSIDE Together

For the past 2 months, I have been exploring and researching the components and elements of Wheels of Life. In this time, I have barely scratched the surface and yet, now, I realize that with each new discovery I have a new appreciation for the what it takes to become a person who lives in flow.

It is so exciting to learn that there is so much more to discover. Earl Nightingale, an American motivational speaker was known to many as the Dean of Personal Development once told a story about a father and a son. The father was trying to read his newspaper and his young son was trying to get his father to play. In order to distract the son, the father found an full page ad with a picture of the world and tore it into small pieces and gave his son some tape. He then told him that once he put the world together they would go outside and play.

A few minutes later the little boy handed his father a fully recreated world. His father was astonished, "How could you put that together so quickly?"

The young boy's response, "There was a picture of a man on the other side. When I put the man together, the world came together."

Earl Nighingale died in 1989. A company he co-founded Nightingale Conant is still one of the leading publishers of motivational works in the world. A great source to help each of us - Working on the person inside will always help us to put our world together.

All the best in health and wealth,

Laura

Promoting Health & Wealth - The Power of Beliefs

As I continue to travel and learn, it is becoming more clear how much beliefs and opinions shape our world. Reflecting back over the past year, many events and experiences have happened and relationships have changed, fortunately for the better.

One particular conversation caused a wonderful satori (instant awakening.) I was seeking some insight on what was working for or against me personally and professionally and so I asked a very dear friend what she thought was one of my strengths might be.

Her response, "Your ability to work with people." She went on to explain that I worked with her, not at her or for her. Very empowering, not enabling. That day my belief in myself and how I related to others totally crytalized.

In the past, I had thought that I was fixing people and making their lives easier. I was not really clear on my beliefs. Now I realize that our belief in our self, in what we can control, in what we hope to accomplish is the most powerful tool we have in our tool kit. Working with people to discover the power of their beliefs is proving to be amazing. Thank you again dear friend.

All the best,

Laura

Promoting Health & Wealth - Emotions and Meaning

When obstacles show up, life often feels like climbing up a ladder. Lots of space and very little place for a foothold. Viktor Frankle, Austrian born neurologist, psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor wrote a book in 1946 entitled Man's Search for Meaning. Dr. Frankl offers much insight into how emotions affected the outcome of the prisoners' experiences in the concentration camps.

For me, one of the most significant insights with the emotion that Frankl engaged to help in his personal survival - Hope. In his direct observation of other prisioners, Frankl discovered that as soon as hope was gone, the person died - there was no reason to live. He, at the same time, had no direct knowledge of his young wife or the rest of his family's safety. He chose to hope that they were alive and thinking of him. He used this emotion to carry him through many, many dark times. After the war, all of Frankl's family had died. He survived - what a wonderful contribution.

Emotions can support or destroy us. In our climb, we have the opportunity to choose emotions that helps us or hold us back in life, in health and in success. I appreciate that not every emotion is positive, but I also know that positive emotions have helped me through many tough times.

Thoughts?

All the best in health and wealth,

Laura

Promoting Health & Wealth - Four Components of Attitude

BusinessDictionary.com defines attitude as a predisposition or a tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person or situation. Attitude influences an individual's choice of action, and responds to challenges, incentives, and rewards (together called stimuli).

This source expands the definition by adding there are four major components of attitude, which are

1. Affective - emotions or feelings.
2. Cognitive belief or opinion held consciously
3. Conative - inclination for action.
   
4. Evaluative - positive or negative response to stimuli

Interestingly enough, I never had really thought about attitude in regards to specific components. Breaking attitude into bite sized parts makes sense. First, deciding that I can and will be aware of my emotions and feelings as I approach a situation or a person can certainly will affect the experience.

What are some emotions and feelings that might affect our relationships and performance?

As I learn to consciously aware, I become more cognizant of how my beliefs and opinions might be limiting or helping me with that situation or relationship.

What beliefs and opinions do I presently hold?

The conative component, that understanding of our inclination to action, now becomes more important than ever. When we become more conscious of what affects our performance and relationships we can make better decisions in what actions we will take to make a change.

What actions have I taken or not taken lately?

The fourth component, evaluative, is now imperative. All the above questions were WHAT questions. Let's ask the HOW questions?

How are my emotions and feelings affecting my relationships, performance and results? How are my beliefs and opinions affecting my relationships, performance and results? How is my level of consciousness affecting my relationships, performance and results?

Evaluation is an element of attitude that is probably the area where we fall short, I for one know that it is mine. Finding approaches, tools and resources to help us really create an attitude that supports a health, wealth and a life that we want and need is the greatest gift we can give to our selves.

I have an entirely different appreciation and approach for changing my attitude. What about you?

All the best in health and wealth,

Laura