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Do you ever notice that everyone seems to have an opinion on who or what we should be, what we should do, how we spend our time, who we should spend it with. And we are bombarded with this from such a young age we barely know who we are or what we really want in life. And if we are lucky enough to discover what we want there are plenty of naysayers out there telling us we can’t, or that we shouldn’t. It takes real courage to be who you are to be yourself, to go after what you want. You can do this! These 10 quotes (and my take on them) are here to inspire you to be YOU, to follow your dreams and reach your goals. 1. To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you into something else is the greatest accomplishment – Ralph Waldo Emerson. Everyone seems to have an opinion on who or what we should be, what we should do, how we spend our time, who we should spend it with. And we are bombarded with this from such a young age we barely know who we are or what we want in life. And if we do discover what we want there are plenty of naysayers out there telling us we can’t. It takes courage to be who we are, to go after what we want. 2. Here's my hunch; nobody’s secure and nobody feels like she completely belongs. Those insecurities are just hazards of being human. But some people dance anyway, and those people have more fun. - Glennon Metton We all have insecurities; it’s discovering that you also have the courage to overcome them and do it anyway that will get you where you want to be. Courage in innate, you were born with it, it just gets buried beneath the ‘no you cant’s’ and the ‘you’re not good enoughs’ and any other limiting belief you have heard. 3. Close your eyes and imagine the best version of you possible. That’s who you really are, let go of any part of you that doesn’t believe it. - C. Assaad Take time out to discover who you are and what you want, not what others say you should be, not what’s expected of you by family and friends – that won’t make you happy, unless it’s what you truly want. If you could be anything, do anything what you be/do? When you can answer this question honestly to yourself, you can truly start to live your life. 4. Do what you feel in your heart to be right, for you'll be criticised anyway. – Eleanor Roosevelt Everyone’s a critic when they don’t understand your journey. Surround yourself with people who love and support you for who you really are. It can be hard when the ones closest to us don’t allow us to be ourselves – just remind yourself that its their own insecurities and limiting beliefs that make them act this way – it has nothing to do with you. 5. To go wrong in one's own way is better than to go right in someone elses. - Fyodor Dostoevsky Yes, you’ll make mistakes – you are human after all. But they are your mistakes, made for you to learn and grow. Own them, learn from them, then let them go. 6. One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself. - Shannon L Alder When you look back at your life when you are in your autumn years, how do you want to see your life? As one lived to the fullest or are you going to look back and say ‘I wish I had…’? 7. Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. Margaret Mead That’s the paradox of being unique, it makes you just like everyone else. We are all unique, we all have different likes and dislikes, different dreams and goals, different passions. If we each embraced them and followed our uniqueness instead of following the crowd, just think how wonderful the world could be. 8. To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself. Thich Nhat Hanh Learning to accept yourself for who you are is a self-discovery journey. The more self-aware you become, the more you will recognise what you need to let go of - things you do and think that are not in keeping with who you are and have a negative impact on you - and what you need to embrace and maybe expand on - things that are truly part of you and make you feel good, inspire you, motivate you, get you excited for life. 9. Don't you ever let a soul in the world tell you that you can't be exactly who you are. – Lady Gaga When you accept who you are, what you want to be, what you want to do, you send out a clear message to everyone around you that this is who you are, and even those who put up a resistance to your changes may surprise you and embrace the new you. And if they don’t… well they don’t. Your opinion of you is the only one that matters. 10. Let today be the day you give up who you’ve been for who you can become. - Hal Elrod Find your courage, find yourself and become the person you want to be, the person you can look at in the mirror and say “you know what, you’re okay” or better still “you’re pretty awesome”. Do things that make you happy, share your happiness and your love for life with everyone around you. Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

No matter what journey you are on or how positive your outlook is, life will inevitably throw you a curve ball every now and then, there will be obstacles to overcome. There are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path. Don't allow yourself to become one of them. - Ralph Waldo Emerson I remember school sports day I was back in primary school, I was not a sporty kid, but I always loved the obstacle race. It seemed more like a game than a race. It was the only one I ever enjoyed. I think, looking back that the obstacle race was a metaphor for how I would live my life, never really in competition with anyone else but focusing on how I would navigate the obstacles in my way. I’ve had a couple of rather large obstacles thrown in my path these last couple of weeks, there have been moments when they have seemed insurmountable. Then I remember who I am and the size and complexity of the obstacles I have already overcome, moved, climbed, conquered, eliminated, surpassed, beaten, some small, some huge, some were a barrier, some tried to take me down, but I'm still here, still growing. Each and every one of them have made me stronger, made me wiser, and made me more determined to keep going and be the best me that I can be. Below are 15 quotes that help keep me on track and remind me that I am strong, able, and willing to overcome anything, read through these quotes to remind yourself that you are too, because you deserve to live the life you want. 1. Stand up to your obstacles and do something about them. You will find that they haven't half the strength you think they have. – Norman Vincent Peale 2. An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward. When life is dragging you backwards with difficulties it means it's going to launch you into something great. So just focus, and keep aiming. – Unknown 3. The mind that perceives the limitation is the limitation. – Buddha 4. Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle. - Christian D. Larson 5. A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. - Christopher Reeve 6. Everything is either an opportunity to grow or an obstacle to keep you from growing. You get to choose. - Wayne Dyer 7. Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway. - Earl Nightingale 8. If there is no struggle, there is no progress. - Frederick Douglass 9. Strength doesn’t come from what you can do, it comes from overcoming the things you thought you couldn’t do. – Unknown 10. There are no great people in this world, only great challenges which ordinary people rise to meet. - William Frederick Halsey Jr. 11. Not every door is locked - PUSH. – Unknown 12. You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice. – Bob Marley 13. Don't dwell on what went wrong. Instead, focus on what to do next. Spend your energy moving forward together towards an answer. – Denis Waitley 14. It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. – Seneca 15. There are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path. Don't allow yourself to become one of them. – Ralph Waldo Emerson You have the strength, the tools, the courage and the ability to overcome any obstacle that stands between you and the life you want and deserve. All you need is a positive outlook and to trust in yourself. Find whats holding you back, and why positive thinking may not be working for you. When things get too much, a little bit of laughter spreads a lot of happiness. Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Remember you are better than you think you are xx Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

Courage; we all need to have it, we all want to have it, what we tend to forget is that we have it. It’s in all of us, including you. You were born with it. From the moment you entered this world you had the courage to yell out when you needed something before you could stand you had courage to pull yourself to your knees and crawl. You had courage when you grabbed a hold of the coffee table and pulled yourself up for the first time, you had it again when you were brave enough to let go of the coffee table and take your first steps. You had the courage to do all these things, you had the courage and self-belief, and if it didn’t work the first time, you didn’t give up. you kept on trying until we nailed it. How any times did you have to pull your self up before you could stand up with out toppling over? How many times did you take one or two steps before you fell? You never gave up, you knew you could do it, and you kept going until you could walk across the living room unaided, and before long you were running, skipping, jumping. You didn’t once say to yourself ‘this is too hard I’ll just stay sitting on the floor forever’. You had courage on your first day of school, your first day in college, you first day at a new job. The first time you did anything took courage. You are still that person, the one who has courage, self-belief and an ability to keep on going until you nail it. It’s easy to forget all the amazing things we have done and the courage it took to achieve them. We listen to others who say we can’t do the things we want to (no one ever said to a baby ‘you can’t learn to stand or walk’, so I’ve never understood why we tell children and adults that they can’t do something!) the courage disappears behind a belief that we shouldn’t even bother to try, and the self-belief becomes buried beneath self-doubt. Let go of the doubt and the courage will show itself. It’s there, it always has been, set it free and see where it takes you. Below are 15 of my favourite quotes on courage to remind you of the courage you have, take inspiration and unleash you inner courage to follow your dreams and reach your goals. 1. Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important that fear. - Ambrose Redman 2. You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. – Eleanor Roosevelt 3. How can a man be brave when he is afraid? It is the only time a man can be brave. - George R.R. Martin 4. Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear – not absence of fear. – Mark Twain 5. Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day, saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow’. - Mary Anne Radmacher 6. He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life. - Muhammad Ali 7. I've learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear. - Nelson Mandela 8. Real courage is being afraid but doing it anyway. - Oprah Winfrey 9. A hero is no braver than an ordinary man, but he is brave 5 minutes longer. – Ralph Waldo Emerson 10. Courage is like a muscle; it is strengthened by use. – Ruth Gordon 11. Success is not final; failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts. – Winston Churchill 12. Courage faces fear and thereby masters it. Cowardice represses fear and thereby mastered by it. – Martin Luther King Jr 13. Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway. – John Wayne 14. You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. - Christopher Columbus 15. Whatever you are doing today, do it with the confidence of a four-year-old in a batman t-shirt. – Unknown I hope you enjoyed these 15 Quotes on Courage to Get You Out of Your Comfort Zone and Into the Life You Want, don't forget to Save them to your Pinterest boards for later :) Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

I am writing this particular blog today as I am in serious need of letting go of some of my old limiting beliefs and have been working on it all day. The beliefs I am needing to let go of are not mine, but ones instilled in me by others, as they so often are. Why do we find it so damn hard to let go of something we don’t even want, and was never ours in the first place? “There is only one cause of unhappiness: the false beliefs you have in your head, beliefs so widespread, so commonly held, that it never occurs to you to question them.” - Anthony de Mello Beliefs that get stuck in our minds so deep that our unconscious mind believes them to be true, can send us down the wrong path in life. We end up in a place that is not where we want and not what we want, with a job we don’t like which does nothing to fulfil us, and surrounded by people who don’t encourage us or make us feel bad about ourselves. Yes, I know this blog is starting to sound more like a ‘Dear Diary’, but it’s something that right now I am feeling truly impassioned about. Almost everything I write about, I have learned the hard way first, then gone on to learn more so I could understand better, letting go of limiting beliefs is no exception. Except I am still in the ‘learning the hard way’ part of my journey. This area has been the hardest one for me, I think it is because these beliefs are buried so deep in my unconscious mind that it took me a long time to even discover they were there, then I had to find out what they were, and how on earth they had got there. This is where I stalled. Knowing where, when and how was such a huge learning curve for me that I put all my energies into understanding them. When you spend so much time thinking about them, it has the opposite effect to what I wanted and needed. I was wanting to move on from them, but it seems I have just held on tighter to them. So, once we’ve found these limiting beliefs, identified them, discovered how they got there in the first place, how do we let them go? 1. We start by acknowledging that they don’t belong to us, they are not ours, never have been and never will be. Say it out loud that they are not yours and don’t belong in your mind. 2. The words ‘letting go’ sounds like we are parting with an old friend, just because they have been with us for so long, we seem to have an attachment to them. Letting go, sounds as though we need to hold on, sounds sudden, like we will fall if we let go. Try using the word ‘release’ instead. To release something is to set it free. By setting your limiting beliefs free, you are setting yourself free. 3. Positive affirmations are a great help in putting in the positive unlimited beliefs that are true to who you are. Work out what you want, where you want to be, who you want to be and make sure your positive affirmations are clear, concise, to the point, and worded in the positive. Not, don’t, won’t, can’t etc. can not be part of any positive affirmation. Do’s, will’s, can’s and even ‘I’m gonna’s’ are the way to keep the positive affirmation, positive. Positive affirmations are personal to your needs, take some time out with a pen and paper and write down everything you want, everything you want to be, the kind of people you want to be surrounded with. Then from the notes you have made, write out YOUR personal positive affirmations. Pin them up where you can see them every day to remind you to say them loud and proud until they become part of you and your everyday life. 4. As you do your positive affirmations and your old limiting beliefs start to try and override what you are saying, tell them they are no longer welcome, and that they can go back to where they came from. Don’t give them time or energy in your mind, they are obsolete. Any focus you give them with strengthen them, the positive affirmations will weaken them. 5. Other tools that may help: · Writing them down and then burning the paper they are written on. · Tapping – Tap on your limiting beliefs, and your positive affirmations until the Positives are strong and the negatives are weak and can no longer fight for your attention. · Talking through the process with a friend, a therapist or even your pet (they tend to be great listeners). Ok, so I’m going to get started on ‘releasing’ the last (I hope) of my limiting beliefs. If you are doing this too, please let me know how you get on, and if you have any tips on releasing limiting beliefs please feel free to share them with us all, I’d love to hear your story. I hope you enjoyed Why Letting Go of Your Old Limiting Beliefs is Essential", don't forget to Save it to your Pinterest boards for later :) Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

Starting the day with positive affirmations is a great way to get you in the right frame of mind to have your best day being your best self. Pin this to your Pinterest board and maybe even print it off and pin it up by your bathroom mirror or next to your bed so you see it when you first wake up in the morning. The way we start our day invariably has an impact on how the rest of the day goes.  So, getting the right start is the best thing you can do to ensure you create a day that you enjoy and maybe even memorable enough for you to look back on in years to come Pick one or more positive affirmations to repeat to yourself, first in your head then out loud, say it loud and mean it! If it brings a smile to your face as you say it...you know it's working :) 1. Today is a great day to have a great day. 2. I am so much better than I think I am. 3. I look for the positives in every experience. 4. I am open and receptive to new ideas. 5. Whatever it is I want to achieve today; I CAN do it. 6. I look and feel fabulous all day today. 7. I go through my day today radiating positive energy. 8. Some people look for problems, I look for solutions. 9. If I believe I can do it, I can do it. 10. Every challenge is an opportunity to learn something new. 11. I feel great today and I pass on my happy demeanour to everyone I meet. 12. The only limitations I have are the ones I set myself. 13. I let go of the negatives and focus on the positives. 14. Being kind to everyone I meet has become second nature to me. 15. Today I let go of who I was for who I can become. Save this image to your pinterest board or right click and save it to your computer to print off and put it in a place you will see it every morning. Have a fabulous day! And I love for you to let me know which of these is your favourite positive morning affirmation to get your day off to a good start! I hope you enjoyed these 15 Positive Affirmations to Make Today a Good Day! Don't forget to Save them to your Pinterest boards for later :) Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

Most people aren’t who they think they are, they are an amalgamation of what others think they should be. Without taking the time to find out who we are we miss who we could be, what we could become and achieve. It’s easy to bury our desires and write them off as fantasies and dreams when all the time, we could be turning them into goals and achievements. Be true to yourself, follow your dreams even if others are telling you that you can’t. You know deep down what is going to make you happy and fulfilled. Be yourself, and make it happen for you. 1. To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment. – Ralph Waldo Emerson 2. Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself. – Coco Chanel 3. Remember always that you not only have the right to be individual, you have an obligation to be one. – Eleanor Roosevelt 4. Just don't give up trying to do what you really want to do. Where there's love and inspiration, I don't think you can go wrong. – Ella Fitzgerald 5. Let today be the day you give up who you’ve been for who you can become. - Hal Elrod 6. You have just one life to live. It is yours. Own it, claim it, live it, do the best you can with it. - Hillary Clinton 7. You're supposed to be the leading lady in your own life. - Iris (The Holiday) 8. As one goes through life one learns that if you don't paddle your own canoe, you don't move. - Katherine Hepburn 9. Don't you ever let a soul in the world tell you that you can't be exactly who you are. – Lady Gaga 10. There is only one success - to be able to spend your life in your own way. – Christopher Morley Success is not how much money you make or how big your house is, success is doing what you love. Success is waking up every day looking forward to the day ahead. Success is getting excited by what you do. Success is learning and discovering new things. Success is enjoying each and every day, sharing what you love with others. Success looks different for everyone. Discover what makes you come alive, what makes your heart sing, what makes you want to jump out of bed in the morning to get started on the day, then do it, do it every day. 11. Be happy, be fabulous and always be true, be adventurous and always be YOU. – Lisa Edwards 12. When you compare yourself to others, you miss the miracle of who you are. - Martin Kipp 13. Your happiness cannot be taken by others if it not given by others. – Osho 14. No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else. - P.T. Barnum 15. Stress, anxiety and depression are caused when we are living to please others. - Paulo Coelho 16. To accept ourselves as we are means to value our imperfections as much as our perfections. - Sandra Bierig 17. Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical. - Sophia Loren 18. This is my life... My story... My book. I will no longer let anyone else write it; nor will I apologise for the edits I make. - Steve Maraboli 19. To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don’t need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself. - Thich Nhat Hanh 20. If you always try to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be. – Unknown Fitting in, blending in, stops you from being who you really are. Every single one of us has something unique to offer the world. Hiding amongst the masses does not allow anyone to be their unique self. Discover yourself, then be yourself and you’ll soon wonder why you ever tried to be anything else. 21. When you know clearly what you want, you'll wake up every morning excited about life. - Mark Victor Hansen 22. I think the reward for conformity is that everyone likes you except yourself. - Rita Mae Brown 23. When you truly don't care what anyone thinks of you, you have reached a dangerously awesome level of freedom. – Unknown 24. Your time is too valuable to be wasting on people that can't accept who you are. - Turcois Ominek 25. One of the greatest regrets in life is being what others would want you to be, rather than being yourself. - Shannon L Alder I hope you enjoyed these 25 Quotes on Why Being Yourself is The Best Gift You Can Give the World, don't forget to Save them to your Pinterest boards for later. 95 of the best Positive Thinking quotes to inspire a positive mind-set Why self-care is more important than you think 7 things you should never underestimate the power of... 30 Quotes to help you discover who you are and what you want in life Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

Kindness is such a simple act, it can take but a moment and yet make someone’s day brighter. We’ve all been on the receiving end at some point or another and know how it lifts the spirits of the receiver. But what about those going around being kind – it does the same to them too, as said by Mark Twain who is starting off these 25 Kindness quotes. 1. The best way to cheer yourself is to cheer somebody else up. – Mark Twain Being kind can be a simple word of encouragement, a compliment, praise, reassurance, support, comfort, help, assistance, help someone solve a problem, listen to someone etc. It may even seem trivial to the provider, yet it can change someone’s day, someone’s outlook. The difference this seemingly small gesture can make can be immense. Some acts of kindness may be more obvious, like giving up your time to assist someone or providing them with something they need. Whatever act of kindness you give whether it appears big or small, makes a difference. 2. When you're good to others, your best to yourself. – Benjamin Franklin 3. Those who bring sunshine to the lives of others cannot keep it from themselves. – J.M. Barrie 4. There is no better exercise for the heart than reaching down and lifting people up. – John Holmes 5. You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late. – Ralph Waldo Emerson 6. Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody. - Robby Novak 7. Good people do things for other people. That's it. The end. - Ricky Gervais (Afterlife) 8. Listening is a hug you give with you mind. - Barbra Nixon 9. When words are both true and kind, they can change the world. – Buddha 10. Kindness is more important than wisdom, and the recognition of this is the beginning of wisdom. - Theodore Isaac Rubin 11. The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated. – William James 12. If you can't think of anything nice to say, you're not thinking hard enough – Unknown 13. Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. – Mother Teresa 14. Remember there’s no such thing a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end. – Scott Adamas 15. The positive energy and love we give to others, heals our own wounds. - Angie Karen 16. No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another. – Charles Dickens 17. The greatest pleasure I know, is to do a good action by stealth, and to have it found out by accident. – Charles Lamb 18. If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. - Dalai Lama 19. Being listened to is so close to being loved that most people cannot tell the difference. - David Oxber 20. Etiquette – a fancy word for simple kindness. - Elsa Maxwell 21. Never look down on anybody, unless you are helping them up. - Jesse Jackson 22. Everywhere you go, make positive deposits rather than negative withdrawals. You can be a people builder. – Joel Osteen 23. In everyday there are 1,440 minutes. That means we have 1,440 daily opportunities to make a positive impact. - Les Brown 24. We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give. – Winston Churchill 25. No matter what happens in life, be good to people. Being good to people is a wonderful legacy to leave behind. – Taylor Swift What will your act of kindness be today? I hope you enjoyed reading 25 Quotes About Kindness and How Valuable It Is to You and Those Around You, don't forget to Save this to your Pinterest boards for later :) Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners Please remember this site is all about being positive, it would be great if we could all try to keep that in mind when commenting and only spread positivity. Thank you x

Self-care is now finally being recognised as one of, if not the most important thing we can do for ourselves. But why is it so important? And what exactly is it? If you are stressed or overwhelmed or so busy you can’t even recognise that you are stressed and overwhelmed is a clear sign you need to add self-care to your busy schedule. Without self-care you could hit burnout. Self-care helps you to manage stress, prioritise what’s important and see things in a clearer light. A lot of people think it’s taking care of the outside – a face mask here and there, a manicure, a massage etc. and it is to some extent, but that is only a small part of self-care. True self-care is taking care of the whole you, not just the outside but inside too. Your physical health including: · a healthy balanced diet · regular check-ups, doctors, dentist, optometrists · regular exercise · plenty of fresh air and sunshine · getting a good night’s sleep Your emotional/psychological health including: · letting go of past traumas and events · learning to trust yourself and others · doing the things you have been putting off · connecting with others · forgive yourself and others · doing things you love to do · be creative Your cognitive health including: · learning something new · understanding your thought processes · facing or taking on new challenges · getting out of your comfort zone · meditation · challenge yourself with games, puzzles & trivia Your appearance including: · keeping yourself clean and smelling fresh · clean finger and toenails · clean and tidy hair · wearing clothes that make you feel good · being comfortable in your own skin · using accessories that make you feel good Your environment including: · creating yourself a sanctuary to unwind in · de-cluttering excess and unnecessary items · keeping your home clean and tidy · organising your storage areas for easy access · use of air fresheners, diffusers, scented candles · things that make you smile/happy on display · fresh air and daylight – open windows and blinds/curtains All about you · discover who you are and what you want out of life · set yourself goals · learn what you want or need to learn to get to where you want to be · are your relationships good for you? The reason all of the above are so important and why you need to take care of yourself in each and every way is that with great self-care comes self -love. And self-love becomes self-confidence, self-confidence added with a passion for life means you will be unstoppable. Self-Care = Self Love Self-Love = Self-Confidence Self-Confidence + Passion for life = Great happiness, Success, Great relationships, etc… Self-Care is the beginning of all that you want in life. If you start with self-care, the rest will follow, you will slowly fall in love with yourself, you will begin to like the person who stares back at you in the mirror. You will treat your self with respect. And a person who respects themselves doesn’t spend their life in a job they hate, with people who make them feel bad about themselves. They go after what they want. They make changes to any area of their life that is not fulfilling them. Self-Care is just the beginning of a wonderful journey to the rest of your wonderful life. I hope you enjoyed reading Why Self-Care is More Important Than You Think. Don't forget to Save it to your Pinterest boards for later :) Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your self-care journey, where you find great self care checklists and other great items. Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners Please remember this site is all about being positive, it would be great if we could all try to keep that in mind when commenting and only spread positivity. Thank you x

Having a positive outlook not only makes each day more pleasurable for you and for those around you, it makes the bad days, the stressful days and the challenging days easier. A positive mind looks at the problems and finds solutions. A positive mind knows when it’s time to take a step back or some time out. A positive mind knows that whatever is going on right now, it is just temporary and that you will get through this. A positive mind learns the lessons being taught and moves on. 1. In the long run the pessimist may be right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip. – Daniel L. Reardon 2. The energy of the mind is the essence of life. – Aristotle 3. Optimism is the one quality more associated with success and happiness than any other. – Brain Tracy 4. When you wake up every day, you have two choices. You can either be positive or negative; an optimist or a pessimist. I choose to be an optimist. It’s all a matter of perspective. - Harvey Mackay 5. The real battle is taking place in your mind. What you are dwelling on, that's what you are attracting. Have a positive mindset. - Joel Osteen 6. Positive thinking is a valuable tool that can help you overcome obstacles, deal with pain and reach new goals. – Amy Morris 7. Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you. - Mary Lou Retton 8. Positive thoughts = Positive life. – Mel Robbins 9. A positive thinker does not refuse to recognise the negative, he refuses to dwell on it. Positive thinking is a form of thought which habitually looks for the best results from the worst conditions. – Norman Vincent Peale 10. Affirm the positive, visualise the positive and expect the positive, and your life will change accordingly. - Remez Sasson 11. Every negative situation contains the possibility for something positive, an opportunity. It is how you look at it that matters. - Robert Greene 12. Positive thinking is the key which unlocks the doors of the world. - Samuel McChord Crothers 13. Positive thinking helps you stand back up again when you are knocked down by bad luck or negativity. - Tom Laurie 14. A positive mind finds opportunity in everything. A negative mind finds fault in everything. – Unknown 15. She quietly expected great things to happen to her, and no doubt that’s one of the reasons they did. – Zelda Fitzgerald 16. Make the most of the best and the least of the worst. – Robert Louis Stevenson 17. Positive thinking isn’t about expecting the best to happen every time but, accepting that whatever happens is the best for this moment. – Unknown 18. When you fill your life with positive thoughts and feelings, you'll find that guilt, resentment and any negative feelings will leave you. – Rhonda Byrne 19. When you have a positive mindset, you can't be defeated. No matter what comes your way, shake it off and move forward. – Joel Osteen 20. Things turn out best for the people who make the best of the way things turn out. – John Wooden 21. Staying positive doesn't mean you have to be happy all the time. It means that even on hard days you know that there are better ones coming. – Unknown Have an amazing day and stay positive :) I hope you enjoyed these 21 Quotes on Being Positive & Having a Positive Outlook, don't forget to Save them to your Pinterest boards for later :) Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

Every single one of us has a fundamental need to be loved. We all want to feel cherished and worthy of love. The trouble is many of us look for it in all the wrong places. We turn to others to fulfill this innate need, this burning desire. Which probably has some bearing on why so many relationships fail in the long term. In the words of RuPaul “If you can’t love yourself, how the hell you gonna love somebody else?” We each have everything we need to fulfill our own desires, our own worthiness. If we focused on that instead of waiting for someone else to do it for us, we would be so much happier in ourselves, which would make it far easier to find and attract the people that will love us for who we are and that will compliment us and our life. The people who will help us be a better version of ourselves and encourage us to reach our full potential. The love and attention you always thought you wanted from someone else, is the love and attention you first need to give yourself. - Bryant McGill We want other people to treat us as though we are special, valuable, desirable, unique, extraordinary, important, invaluable, attractive… We want them to treat us with kindness, respect, generosity, compassion, thoughtfulness… We want them to bring us joy, laughter, fun, adventure, security, safety, excitement, happiness, opportunities… We want them to make us feel as though they can’t live without us… well guess what, you can’t live without you either! So how about you start to treat yourself with kindness, generosity, compassion, thoughtfulness… bring yourself joy, laughter, fun, adventure, security, safety, excitement, happiness, opportunities… treat yourself as special, valuable, desirable, unique, extraordinary, important, invaluable, attractive, as you really are. "Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others." - Christopher Germer And if you can’t see that you are worthy of all the above, you need to take a good look in the mirror and see who’s really there, not what the negative committee in your head tells you is there, no, that’s not real at all. Look for yourself and you will see a person that deserves love, deserves to be treated with respect and kindness, someone who wants to spend their live enjoying it and everything it has to offer. While you are standing there looking in the mirror, look yourself in the eye and remind yourself of all the wonderful things you have done for others, remind yourself of the obstacles you have overcome, remind yourself how amazing you really are. Do this on a daily basis until you final get the message and understand that you yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and attention. “You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and attention.” - Buddha And once you fall in love with yourself, life will hold no bounds for you. And once other people can see how you treat yourself, they will assume that that is what’s expected, and they will do the same as you. So if you want to be loved, love yourself, if you want to be respected, respect yourself, you have to give to yourself what you want from others. Take some time out to do the things that are important to you. Create a space that reflects how much you value yourself. People treat you the way you treat yourself, so treat yourself like you are the extraordinary person that you truly are. Love yourself like you deserve to be loved. And know that you are worthy of every single bit of it all. I hope you enjoyed reading 1 Big Reason You Should be Saying “Happy Valentines Day” to Yourself, don't forget to Save them to your Pinterest boards for later :) Remember, you are better than you think you are xx Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

After a long, tiring day, all most of us want to do is to unwind and relax, but with everything that we have going on, all the things we still have to do it’s not always easy. The environment we spend our time in can either hinder our ability to unwind or it can help us calm our mind and relax our body. Having at least one room in the house where we can get away from it all and switch off, makes it all so much easier. Finding a space where you can fully relax and unwind is vital to your physical and mental health. Make your bedroom into your sanctuary and get the rest and relaxation you need and deserve. The one place we really need to be able to relax is our bedroom. We all know that a good night’s sleep is important, but so few of us manage to do it well on a regular basis. Having a good nights sleep is great for both physical and mental health, providing higher energy levels, productivity and concentration. On average an adult needs 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. When your bedroom is clean, tidy an organised it is much easier to relax, unwind and get a restful night’s sleep. And the better sleep we have, the more energy we have the next day. So how relaxing is your bedroom? 1. First things first… de-clutter your room: · Bed - Start by making your bed – this is the main attraction in this room so make it look good. A made bed is much more inviting to get into, so start by making the bed and arranging the pillows. · Floor - Pick any clothes up off the floor or draped over the chair – put them in the wash basket or hang them up (depending on if they have been worn or not). · Floor (part 2) - Pick up anything else on the floor such as books, magazines etc. Find a home for them or if you have finished with the magazine put in the recycling. · Bedside cabinets – Put away (find a home for) anything that does not need to be there. · Dresser top or other furniture tops – As above - put away (find a home for) anything that does not need to be there. · Under the bed – Yes, I know you can’t see it, but just because you can’t see it, it doesn’t mean that it’s not having a negative effect on your peace and tranquillity – put out anything from under the bed and sort through. Decide if you need it/want it (is it useful or beautiful?) if the answer is yes then find it a home, if not - donate it/recycle it/ bin it. · Wardrobe - If you have got this far and you’re still feeling inspired and motivated, now may be a good time to clear out the wardrobe – if doing the above steps has taken you longer than you thought and you are almost de-cluttered out, you may be best to save this for another day, when you can focus and think straight. For those of you ready to keep going… keep going! Go through each item in your wardrobe one-by-one. Ask yourself the following: 1. Is it in good condition? 2. When was the last time I wore this? 3. Did I feel good in it? 4. Do I still like it? 5. Am I ever going to wear it again? If you answered yes to questions 1, 2,3,4 & 5 it’s probably a keeper, unless you answered more than 12 months ago for question 2. If you haven’t worn it in the last 12 months, ask yourself why. You should now be able to make a very sensible decision on whether it stays or goes. If you answered no to questions 1, 2,3,4 or 5, you know what to do :) Donate it / Recycle it / Bin it To make it a real sanctuary, it is advisable to clear out any distractions. Ideally remove any tv’s, computers, work related items etc. You may think it’s relaxing to watch tv in bed before you go to sleep, when in fact it acts as stimulant and is likely to keep you awake longer, or affect your sleep quality, as it can reduce your natural production of melatonin. If you really enjoy watching tv in bed make sure you turn it off half an hour to an hour before you want to go to sleep. Same thing goes with your laptop and phone, neither one of these is going to help you get a good night’s sleep. If you must have your phone in your room, leave it slightly out of your reach, to make you less tempted to pick it up and start scrolling. Okay so that’s the de-cluttering and re-organising done, now for the cleaning. Get out your cleaning products and clean every surface, and any items on display. We want dust and dirt free, shiny surfaces, lamps and any knick-knacks you have out. Time to clean the floor, vacuum the whole room, not forgetting under the bed. Get the mop out if you have hard flooring. Once you have put away all the cleaning products and tools, stand back and admire all your hand work… how much better does that look? More importantly, how much better does that feel? After all that work you must be almost ready for a good night’s sleep. So now just the finishing touches: 2. Make the room smell as good as it looks, a diffuser with some essential oils such as lavender or a relaxation blend, or a scented candle, wax melts etc. Anything as long as it makes you feel calm, relaxed and happy. 3. Soft lighting use lamps instead of the main ceiling lights or add a dimmer where possible. 4. Add some artwork or photo’s that you find relaxing, calming or just make you feel good. 5. Keep the room at a suitable temperature. If your room is too warm it will not be comfortable to sleep in. (Optimum temperature for a bedroom is between 16 – 20 degrees Celsius (60-67 degrees Fahrenheit). 6. Play some soft, relaxing, calming music before you are ready to turn off the lights. Why not have a warm bath, put on your favourite pyjamas and enjoy a good nights rest, you deserve it! xxx Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Remember you’re better than you think you are x Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners

Last week I wrote about the first 3 of the Harry Potter books and movies, welcome to part 2 where I find the positive thinking messages in the final 4 books (5 movies), starting with The Goblet of Fire. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Harry and Cedric Diggory were both picked to represent Hogwarts in the Tri-Wizard tournament against two other magical schools. Helping each other out Before the first of the three challenges of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry received a tip off that there would be dragons involved. He could have kept this information to himself, but he chose to share it with Cedric Diggory, the other competitor from Hogwarts. Harry did this just because he wanted to, and he was rewarded when Cedric returned the favour, telling him how he could hear the message from the golden egg. Finding a way When Harry was about to face the first challenge, he had no idea how he was going to survive the dragons, Mad Eye Moody asked him what his strengths are, “flying” replied Harry, “but I’m not allowed a broom”. “No, but you’re allowed a wand Harry”. Mad Eye Moody, showed Harry that there is always a way. It might not be the obvious path to take, but If you look hard enough, and believe you’ll find it, you will. There is always a way. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix When the ministry decided to deny that ‘he who shall not be named’ is back the Order of the Phoenix was formed in secret and held their meeting at their headquarters – Sirus Blacks family home. Showing your vulnerability When Hermione wants to get the other students to let Harry teach them Defence against the Dark arts, due to the imminent threat of Voldemort, no-one was interested, as they didn’t believe the threat was real. He opened up about the things he’d seen and how terrible they were, his voice and his demeanour showed his vulnerability, they listened, they believed, they joined up for lessons. Showing your vulnerabilities shows that you are authentic which in turn creates trust. Share what you’ve learned, and enjoy seeing others succeed Harry creates an army out of a bunch of (wizarding) school kids. Teaching and motivating them all into wizards that can hold their own when faced with the worst. He Started teaching because he knew what was coming and wanted them to be able to protect themselves. What he didn’t expect was to enjoy it so much. You can see the joy on his face as he witnesses Neville dis-arm another wizard for the first time and later as he is in a room full of patronus charms created by his fellow students. Learn to control your thoughts Harry has to learn to control his thoughts to stop letting Voldemort in to his mind. Whist most of us don’t have someone trying to penetrate our mind to find our weaknesses and plans, we do have the ability to control our thoughts. And not take on board other peoples negatives. When someone puts down your dreams and plans or is just plain rude about something you’re doing or the way you look, you have a choice whether you accept it into your own thoughts or let it go, knowing it is more about them than it is you. When we find ourselves thinking nothing but negative thoughts, we can make the choice and the conscious effort to not think them and replace them with more positive thoughts. Positive thinking is far more productive and helpful to any situation than negative. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince Harry borrows a book from the school cupboard, he found notes in the margins that he followed which helped him exceed in potions – the book (and notes) belonged to the mysterious half-blood Prince. Mindset and Self-Belief When Ron’s nerves got the better of him before his first Quiddich match, Harry fake spiked his drink with ‘Liquid Luck’ (which had been given by his professor for doing so well in class) – believing that he had drunk a potion that would guarantee his success, Ron’s self-belief skyrocketed! Ron became confident that he was going to have a great game and be a success on the pitch. Ron not only has a good game but became the hero of quiddich that afternoon. Ron’s unstoppable mind-set was responsible for his success. He believed nothing could stop him from being the best player, so he walked out there knowing just how good he really was, no self-doubt, no nerves, no negative self-talk. Just pure confidence in himself. All because someone said they had seen Harry put the liquid luck in his drink and Harry didn’t deny it. Our mindset is what leads us in what we say, what we see, what we do and how we do it, which is why a positive one will have such an impact on every aspect of your life. Every single one of the lessons I have highlighted from the Harry Potter series is important and life changing, but none more than this one, get your mindset right and you can do anything, no liquid luck required! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Not sure of how to destroy it, and needing to keep it safe Harry, Ron and Hermione took it in turns to wear the necklace horcrux after Hermione noticing how both Harry and then Ron were being affected by it. Their mood changed, their attitude changed they became argumentative, negative, unsympathetic, selfish and very difficult to be around. The horcrux is a 7th of Voldemorts soul, a wizard that is filled with hatred and evil. Just being around this small part of him was still having a profound effect on the wearer. Yes we are back on to negative people and situations. People don’t have to be as evil and terrible as Voldemort to drain our energy. But the fact this lesson is in here more than once could maybe show just how common it is for negative people to influence the mood of others. Remember the old saying – misery loves company, and it spreads fast. The final part of the final book and the 8th movie sum up what Positive Thinking is all about for me: 1. Stand up for what you believe in, and be true to yourself. 2. Good always triumphs over evil in the end. Thank you for letting me share my take on Harry Potter’s lessons of Positive Thinking, I hope you enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it. 3 Harry Potter Inspired Self-Discovery Questions 14 Reasons Harry Potter is Great for Teaching Kids (& adults) the Power of Positive Thinking (part1) Drop in to my Etsy store Positive Life by Design for great printables to help you on your journey. Remember you're better than you think you are :) Don't forget to follow us on Instagram @positivethinkingbeginners Facebook Positive Thinking For Beginners (facebook.com) Twitter PositiveT4Begin Pinterest PT4Beginners