Close The Fridge Door

Is It Easy To Change Unhealthy Behavior?

Have you ever opened your refrigerator and didn’t know why? So, the refrigerator door is open and you are standing there peeping and craving for the things that you know are bad for you – things that you promised yourself not to eat!

You are not alone. It happens to all of us even when we are not hungry.

It’s a habit.

But it’s an unhealthy habit and unhealthy habits are not so easy to change.

There’s no need to worry because even if we are highly motivated, it is always hard for us to adopt healthy habits. It’s when we seriously realize that we are causing harm to either our physical or mental health, is when we will want to initiate changes.

But wanting to change and making those changes is always easier said than done.

However, let’s not get discouraged!

Experts who have studied unhealthy behavioral changes found out that it is quite easy to change. They said that self-motivation is the most effective behavioral change mechanism.

And, changing our way of thinking is also important for us to make the changes necessary to live a healthy lifestyle.

Apart from being self-motivated, and changing our way of thinking, they also added that identifying and acknowledging what we are doing wrong is the very first step towards a healthy living.

When we can stop being in denial about our bad habits and we can truly acknowledge that:

• “yes, what I am doing is unhealthy,”
• “yes, I need to stop what I am doing,”
• “yes, I need a change,”

then we will begin our journey towards recovery.

Once we truly understand that we are in control of our lifestyle and that we are responsible for our circumstances, then we will start asking ourselves thought-provoking questions – and it is the answers to these questions that will motivate change.

So, is it easy to change our unhealthy behavior?

The answer is yes.

All we need to do is ask God for his guidance, believe in ourselves, and work towards the change we need.

Remember most of all that prayer works! And keep that fridge door close!

~Dehan

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What Life Would Be Like If We Live More Like Water?

 

No matter what form water takes, it is still water. Water is present everywhere and it enjoys each and every moment. This is why I often wonder what life would be like if we live more like water.

For example:

• Water goes around any obstacle that’s in its way.
• Water doesn’t stop to argue, it has no time
• Water goes with the flow, it is adaptable
• Water is gentle and easy
• Water has its own kind of power 

Nothing can stop water from flowing – nothing at all.

Just like water, let us not allow obstacles to stop us from moving forward. Let us find ways to go around our obstacles and pursue the desires of our hearts.

Water has no time to stop and argue. It just continues flowing without any disturbances. Just like water, let us not argue. Instead, let us walk away from arguments. Getting involve in arguments is a total waste of valuable time.

How about going with the flow? Let us not complicate our lives by overthinking or dwelling on the past. Let us keep on going with the flow, just like water.

Water is gentle and easy.  Let us maintain a gentle and easy spirit, just like water.

Water is powerful. You have your own kind of power,  just like water. That power is within you. Just search deep down within your soul and you shall find it.

Now, can you imagine what life would be like if we:

• find ways around our obstacles
• stop arguing
• stop overthinking
• have a gentle spirit
• utilize our power

and live more like water? Imagine it…

~Dehan

 

Featured Image via GIPHY

5 Simple Things That Make Life Beautiful

You’ve heard it a million times and more, that “the best things in life are for free” – and that’s no joke! As I lay in bed writing this beautiful weekend greeting for you, I’m feeling so happy and free! Most of all I’m feeling blessed!

Blessed because the soft morning breeze is caressing my skin and is making my heart dance. See, simple things are so beautiful.

So, to take you into the weekend I’m sharing with you these 5 simple things that can make your life beautiful…let’s begin!

• Quenching your thirst 
• Laughing until you cry
• Watching the full moon 
• Cuddling in the rain
• Smelling Sunday dinner

Go ahead, add some more to the list. I’m sure that you have found beauty in some of the simple things in life, feel free to share with others.

This weekend, whatever you do, enjoy yourself. Stop thinking about the week that is gone – that’s the past.

Relax in the present and wait for the future.

Remember to keep it simple, life is beautiful!

Have a Happy Weekend!

~Dehan

Be Gentle With Yourself

When last have you stopped to take care of your physical needs?

When last have you truly breathed?

When last have you sit for a day to meditate on what really matters?

When last have you say to yourself, “I love you?”

When last were you gentle with yourself?

You have only you so take time out and be gentle with yourself.

Will you?

~Dehan

4 Reasons Why We Should Sow Positive Seeds

What seeds are you sowing?

I recently read an article about sowing positive seeds and was captivated by this statement:

“Our thoughts and the environmental inputs we allow ourselves to be exposed to, are like seeds being planted in our consciousness.”

Read it again! 

We must be careful of the thoughts that consume our minds because they will become seeds and grow.

And believe it or not, negative seeds are easier to grow root within us than positive seeds.

Yes, I know that it is not easy to focus on the positives at all times but if we train our minds to identify negative thoughts as they surface, we will be able to disregard them quickly and focus on the positives.

There are many splendid reasons why we should always try to sow positive seeds, but for now, let us take a look at 4 solid reasons.

Practice Compassion and Gratitude

Let us practice compassion and gratitude so that we will be more loving, caring, patient, calm, and of course, more optimistic.

~Dehan

Love is Enough

Do you know why I celebrate Valentines Day every day? Because LOVE is all that I have to give and my love is enough for the 365 days of the year. It’s bubbling over, and I just can’t keep it to myself.

If love is all that you have to give, every day of your life can be Valentine’s day too.

Our Love is always enough.

When we have genuine love for people, no matter what their race or status is, we will always have something to give:

• a smile
• encouragement
• support
• advise

When we have love, we have everything and every day can be Valentine’s Day!

Do You Talk Too Much When Conducting Business Meetings?

Have you ever conducted a business meeting and left the meeting feeling that you talked too much?  And you didn’t give anyone else a chance to speak?

Of course, some people are natural talkers. They will talk and talk without knowing when to stop. But monopolizing your business meetings, or any meeting at all, is not good.

Your purpose is not to give a speech at a business meeting but to encourage participation and feedback.  After all, it’s a meeting and not a ceremony.

Furthermore, people attend meetings to listen and to participate. They do not want to hear one person speaking all through the meeting because they will feel as if they are not part of the team and that their input is not valuable.

So, what will you do to make sure that you do not monopolize your meetings?

Obviously, less talking! But this is easier said than done. What happens if you talk less and no one wants to talk?

Don’t worry, these simple tips below will help you to stop monopolizing your meetings.

Know what you want to say

• Prepare notes on what you want to talk about the night before. Just as how it is important to prepare for a speech it is also important to prepare for a meeting.
• Time yourself, and make sure you stick to your time limit.
• Jot down answers to some of the comments that you think may arise based on the discussion topic. You don’t have to comment on all the issues, so resist the urge to do so.

Have a Clear Agenda

• When conducting a meeting have a clear agenda to guide you on the items that you will discuss.
• After preparing your agenda, distribute it ahead of time. You can also drop in on some of the people whose input you need; especially those who are always quiet.  Ask them what they think about the topic and let them know that you are looking forward to their input.

Encourage Participation

• Conduct a question and answer segment to help focus their thinking. But first, make your audience feel comfortable and at ease so that when the questions and answers segment comes around they will not hesitate to participate.

Use a Round Robin Format

• If you really believe that you talk too much in meetings, use a round robin format. This way each participant in the meeting will get a chance to speak or to voice their opinion.
• The round robin format is a more comfortable way to get people who are shy to speak up because some people do not like to be called out in a meeting.

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Key takeaway:

• Do not monopolize your business meetings. Give others a chance to speak. Yes, it can be a hard habit to break but with practice, you can improve.
• Prepare yourself and make sure that you encourage participation.
• Always make your meeting something that your team is happy to attend instead of dreading to attend.

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Do you monopolize your meeting? Or have you ever attend a meeting and the person in charge talks too much?

Let us talk…

Follow these 3 Simple Tips to Improve Your Self Esteem

Are you really suffering from low self-esteem? Feeling good about ourselves is something no one can give to us. They can help, but it is up to us to do the rest.

It’s really heartbreaking to know that in this time and age, people still believe that they are not good enough and still feel sorry for themselves.

Anyhow,  if you are suffering from low self-esteem, cheer up! Here are 3 simple tips to help you improve your self-esteem.

1.  Visualize Colorful Thoughts

Yep! Stop having dark and dull thoughts!

We spend a consumable amount of time having thoughts about ourselves that are not true.

Dark, dull, cloudy, and stormy thoughts.

To illustrate:

Someone like me? So what is wrong with you that makes it so unbelievable that he wants to date you?

Research reveals that the words and sentences we use when referring to ourselves are positive signs of low-self esteem.

Stop having dark thoughts about yourself.  Starting right now! Think beautiful, cheerful, and enlightening thoughts.

For example, feel the difference below using the same images above:

Visualize colorful thoughts. It’s healthier to have beautiful thoughts. You will enjoy life better!

2.  Start Saying No Without Feeling Guilty

Individuals suffering from low-self esteem tend to give away too many yeses. Learn to say no, and mean it.

Saying no does not stop people from liking you. Furthermore, people love to take advantage of “yes-persons.”

Don’t get this twisted now. Genuinely helping someone is completely different from always saying yes.  Saying yes to everything someone asks you to do means that you are not doing it to be helpful but rather to be accepted.

To build your self-esteem don’t agree to things that you do not enjoy doing. Start saying no, and when you do, don’t feel guilty!

3.  Save Your Apologies

Imagine this…

You are in the supermarket, you need to ask a question, you approach the cashier, and the first two words are:

 

Why are you apologizing to ask a question? You haven’t done anything to be sorry for.  Low self-esteem people tend to apologize for everything, wrong and right.

While apologies are important, do not use them inappropriately. To build your self-esteem, stop apologizing over excessively. Save your apologies for when you make a mistake that is deserving of an apology.

Remember to build your self-esteem, you must:

1. have colorful thoughts
2.  start saying no, without feeling guilty
3.  stop apologizing for nothing

I would love to hear your thoughts, drop me a line below!

 

 

Are Successful People Enthusiastic?

People who are successful have positive feelings and eagerly approach their tasks with excitement and passion.

No matter how difficult your job is, approach it with a high level of enthusiasm.

Remember that an enthusiastic worker produces high-quality work that increases productivity.

Don’t allow negative feelings about your job to stand in the way of your success.  Psychologists say that the best way to change our negative feelings about something that we are doing is to change the way we think about our feelings.

Try to do that – change your thinking…

Enthusiasm is also contagious.

When you are enthusiastic about your job your co-workers will feel your energy and they too will start to approach their tasks with enthusiasm.

So, be passionate about what you do.

Successful people are enthusiastic people!

Do you agree?

 

xoxo ~Dehan