Here are some practical and fascinating facts, ideas, quotations and statistics about personal development and growth. These tidbits of information are not only interesting but will also provide you with some valuable information to empower yourself and your life.

1. What you focus on most, whether negative or positive, tends to grow stronger.

2. Your thoughts first thing in the morning can set the tone for the entire day.

3. Your brain generates 25 watts of power while you’re awake – enough to illuminate a light bulb.

4. Self-limiting behaviors are self-limiting because you give them power.

5. “There is no passion found in playing small – in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.” Nelson Mandella

6. There’s an old saying that says, “Master your time, master your life.”

7. Poor posture can reduce blood to the brain by as much as 30%.

8. Many polls and surveys have shown that speaking in public is rated as the number one fear among adults.

9. You are a reflection of your most dominant thoughts.

10. “Create the highest, grandest vision possible for you life, because you become what you believe.” Oprah Winfrey

11. Your brain uses 20% of your body’s energy, but it makes up only 2% of your body’s weight.

12. In a study of 1,000 men and women, it was shown that women are more likely to report 33 percent higher levels of stress.

13. Communication experts claim that most of us spend almost 70 percent of our waking hours is some form of communication.

14. On average, we see our own reflection over 50 times a day.

15. “Happiness is not a goal, it is a by-product.” Eleanor Roosevelt

16. It’s been said that having concrete goals can increase confidence by 50 percent.

17. According to Deepak Chopra, we have 50-60,000 thoughts per day and 90 percent of them are negative.

18. “Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.” Buddha

19. The “Pareto Principle” states that 20 percent of your activities will account for 80 percent of your results.

20. Researchers have found that the color orange helps to relieve fatigue and depression and enhances creativity.

21. The average American watches television 6 hours a day. What if you eliminated one hour of TV a day and did something productive like read a book or learn a new skill?

22. Many time management experts believe you’ll accomplish more when you plan out your next day the night before.

23. Treat yourself with love and respect and you’ll attract people who will also show you love and respect.

24. According to the book, “The Big Book of Personality Tests for Women,” about 1 out of 7 Americans say they get angry just about every day. Surprisingly, men are 35 percent more likely to “seethe” quietly.

25. “Education is of no value and talent is worthless – unless you have an unwavering aim. Never find yourself without a compass.” Condoleeza Rice, former United States Secretary of State

Do you have a personal development “aha” to share?

Copyright © 2012 Sharon Michaels – All Rights Reserved

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I’m Sharon Michaels.com and my business is dedicated to empowering and coaching women in business.

I invite you to subscribe to my free weekly Ezine, http://unlimitedsuccessforwomen.com because in just minutes a week I can show you how to successfully grow yourself and your business, make more money and have more time to enjoy your life!

The answer is yes! Personal development works when there is an emotional, spiritual and physical commitment to changing the negative habits that are no longer serving you and to consistently work on those strengths that will take you forward in positive, productive ways. Here are a few tips.

1. Do a self-assessment of your day-to-day habits, strengths and weaknesses.
Make some quiet time and ask yourself these questions:

** What do I consider to be my best success traits?
Make a list of at least ten traits – ones that make you proud and empowered.

** How often do I use these traits during my day-to-day life?
Now that you recognize and appreciate your positive success traits, give yourself an example of how you use them during an average day. Recognizing these positive qualities encourages you to focus on what’s working.

** What day-to-day habits don’t serve me as positively as my success traits?
Honestly look at which habits are no longer serving you positively. Ask yourself, “Am I willing to create powerful and positive changes that will enhance my ability to succeed day-to-day?” Personal development begins with a willingness to change for the better.

2. Be clear on the amount of time, energy and money you are willing to spend on changing negative habits into more positive ones.
Change takes commitment.  Personal development works when you are willing to commit emotionally, spiritually and physically to changing what isn’t working into a lifestyle that will better serve you now and into the future.

Personal development is ongoing – it becomes a way of living life. How much time per day, week and month are you willing to spend on reading, listening and learning about the positive habits of success? Like anything worth doing well, changing old habits into more productive ones takes time and effort – it takes a commitment to changing for the positive.

3. Form a network of like-minded people who also want to go forward in positive, empowered and productive ways.
Like energy attracts like energy. When working on your personal development, it is important to be around others who read personal and professional development materials, listen to empowering success leaders and are willing to spend time, energy and money to expand mind, body and spirit.

Part of the personal development process is being able to mastermind and network with like-minded people – people who want to focus on the positives of life. You’ll want to associate with those people who see life as overflowing with possibility. If you don’t know a group of people like this, form one!

Personal development works when you’re willing to develop yourself in positive, nurturing and empowering ways. Self-development is all about bringing out, appreciating and consistently enhancing your best personal and professional success traits and habits.

Yes, personal development works one positive step at a time!

Copyright © 2012 Sharon Michaels – All Rights Reserved

Want to reprint this post “as is” on your blog or in your newsletter?

You may do so as long as this entire resource box is also included:

I’m Sharon Michaels.com and my business is dedicated to empowering and coaching women in business.

I invite you to subscribe to my free weekly Ezine, http://unlimitedsuccessforwomen.com because in just minutes a week I can show you how to successfully grow yourself and your business, make more money and have more time to enjoy your life!

I know you are going to enjoy listening to this 2 part series from my radio show Women Enjoying Success. Join me as I share the 10 quick personal development tips that can take you from so-so to so much more successful in 2012. Be ready to take my fun and eye-opening self-assessment quiz. Have pen and paper handy because you’ll want to make notes. It’s all about Women Enjoying Success!

Part One covers quiz questions 1-5 and Personal Development Tips 1-5
Part Two covers quiz questions 6-10 and Personal Development Tips 6-10

Be sure to turn up your speakers! (There may be a short “commercial” from BlogTalkRadio at the beginning of the show and then we’ll get into the heart of the program.)
 

Copyright © 2012 Sharon Michaels – All Rights Reserved

I’m Sharon Michaels.com and my business is dedicated to empowering and coaching women in business.

I invite you to subscribe to my free weekly Ezine, http://unlimitedsuccessforwomen.com because in just minutes a week I can show you how to successfully grow yourself and your business, make more money and have more time to enjoy your life!

Coaching clients often ask how they can maintain their professional motivation day after day, even when things aren’t happening fast enough or going as planned. Here is what I like to suggest:

1. Concentrate and focus on what you want, not on what you don’t want.

2. Do at least one moneymaking activity EVERYDAY!

3. Say positive things to yourself about yourself.

4. Write your professional mission statement and read it first thing each morning

5. Cut out a picture of something you REALLY want and look at it several times a day, especially when you’re feeling unmotivated.

6. Make it a point to meet with and talk to positive and motivated people.

7. Get rid of the negative “stuff” that is currently cluttering up your life.

8. Focus on the possibilities of the future and not on mistakes of the past.

9. Each evening, make your “will-do” list before you go to bed.

10. Everyday, read and listen to positive informational and inspirational materials.

POSITIVE ACTION CREATES POSITIVE RESULTS!!!
Ask yourself these three questions:

1. If I worked for a major corporation and they paid me $50 an hour and I worked the same way for them as I am currently working for myself, would I be earning my $50 an hour?

2. Am I truly working smart or could I be using my time more wisely.

3. If I keep working the way I am working, will I reach my goals as planned?

Life isn’t perfect and not everyday is going to be filled with sunshine and roses but, with a plan you can keep yourself going positively forward one motivated step at a time. I’m reminded of a favorite quotation: “Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.” William B. Sprague

Here’s to your one positive, productive and motivated step forward everyday!

Copyright © 2012 Sharon Michaels – All Rights Reserved

Want to reprint this post “as is” on your blog or in your newsletter?

You may do so as long as this entire resource box is also included:

I’m Sharon Michaels.com and my business is dedicated to empowering and coaching women in business.

I invite you to subscribe to my free weekly Ezine, http://unlimitedsuccessforwomen.com because in just minutes a week I can show you how to successfully grow yourself and your business, make more money and have more time to enjoy your life!

I’ve decided this coming year I will be more in control of my CATTS – yes, my CATTS. Sometimes I get so caught up in what I can’t control that I lose track of what I have the power to control. I’m making a resolution to myself that during the coming year I will stay focused on what I have the power to control and not stress about those things over which I have no, or very little, control.

I invite you to come join me in controlling the CATTS in your life too.

This year I resolve to control my:

1. C -choices and decisions – I’m resolving to make wiser decisions and choices. I will stop, take a deep breath and think before “I leap.” This coming year I will make the time to weigh the pros and cons of major decisions and make choices that will be of benefit to me personally, professionally and financially. I’ll remember this quotation from Charlotte Bronte, “Look twice before you leap.”

2. A -actions and reactions – I resolve that I will think before I act and/or speak – I will neither act nor speak out of haste or anger. I will act and react from a place of emotional empowerment and will not allow my emotions to control my good sense.

3. T -thoughts – I realize that thoughts become “things” and that I attract to me what I think about most. I resolve to think in terms of solutions and results. I resolve to focus my thoughts and mental energy on what I want to achieve, believing that I can and will make my goals a reality.

4. T -time – I resolve to control my time so my time does not control me. I will say “No” more often to those things that will waste time or are not in my best interest. I resolve also to carve out more quality time to rejuvenate myself in mind, body and spirit because I deserve it!

5. S -self-talk – I resolve to talk to myself with respect and dignity. Berating myself verbally or emotionally is injurious to my self-esteem and weakens my self-confidence. I will be kind and considerate to myself at all times.

How about it – are you going to join me during the coming year and together we will focus on those things over which we have the power to control – our CATTS?

Copyright © 2011 Sharon Michaels – All Rights Reserved

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You may do so as long as this entire resource box is also included:

I’m Sharon Michaels.com and my business is dedicated to empowering and coaching women in business.

I invite you to subscribe to my free weekly Ezine, http://unlimitedsuccessforwomen.com because in just minutes a week I can show you how to successfully grow yourself and your business, make more money and have more time to enjoy your life!

Is it possible to have a stress free or at least a less stressful holiday? Here are seven tips for enjoying this year’s holiday with as little stress as possible. Isn’t it time you take control of your stress producers?

Stress as defined by the American Heritage dictionary reads: “A mentally or emotionally disruptive or upsetting condition occurring in response to adverse external influences and capable of affecting physical health, usually characterized by increased heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, muscular tension, irritability, and depression.”

That doesn’t sound like a very happy way to spend this upcoming holiday season. Here are a few suggestions for a less stressful holiday season.

1. Make a shopping list and stick to it. Don’t go crazy overspending and overbuying. It’s not worth going into debt trying to please everyone. Make your list, check it carefully and don’t impulse buy once you’re at the mall.

2. You can’t please everyone. You can’t make everyone happy. Don’t allow the unhappiness of others to ruin your holiday spirit. Some people just don’t like holidays and it doesn’t matter what you do, they still won’t like the holidays. Family dynamics often have a way of interfering with the true spirit of the holidays – don’t allow it to get you down.

3. Make a “to do” list. Being organized and in control of your time is a stress reliever. You’ll be surprise how many things you can forget without a well thought out “to do” list. Your list will prove to be helpful by eliminating last minute oversights. Be realistic – does the house really have to look like a holiday wonderland?

4. Watch the overeating and overdrinking. Too many “carbs” and too much alcohol will only add to your stress. Don’t use alcohol and food to deal with negative emotions and holiday stressors.

5. Exercise is a great stress reliever. Take a walk outside or go to the gym. Sustained exercise helps to produce endorphins – endorphins are known as nature’s “high.” A natural sense of well-being can be the perfect stress reducer.

6. If you’re traveling for the holidays give yourself more than enough time. Don’t wait until the last minute to pack or get organized. Remember airports get crowded and roads can be snowy. Patience plus more than enough time is the key to stress free travel.

7. Remember the true meaning of the holidays. Step back and breath deeply. This is the time of to appreciate family, health and remembering the simple things that make life worth living. Look at the family album, listen to holiday music, watch one of the classic movies on DVD and plan to attend the service/celebration of your choice. The holiday season is a time for living with an attitude of gratitude.

Food for thought: You can’t always control the external circumstances that may be stress producing. You can though control how you choose to handle these circumstances physically and emotionally. Happy stress-free holidays!

”Remember this December, that love weighs more than gold!” Josephine Bacon

Copyright © 2011 Sharon Michaels – All Rights Reserved

Want to reprint this post “as is” on your blog or in your newsletter?

You may do so as long as this entire resource box is also included:

I’m Sharon Michaels.com and my business is dedicated to empowering and coaching women in business.

I invite you to subscribe to my free weekly Ezine, http://unlimitedsuccessforwomen.com because in just minutes a week I can show you how to successfully grow yourself and your business, make more money and have more time to enjoy your life!

I’m a BIG believer in questions – I ask a lot of questions in my coaching sessions and even in regular day-to-day conversations. I don’t mean the type of questions that are embarrassing or personal, I’m talking about the neutral and informative kind.

I also believe in the power of listening attentively and sincerely. One of the greatest compliments you can give someone is to listen with your ears, mind and “heart” as someone is speaking.

My advice: Be an interested listener so the person speaking feels as if they are the most important person in the world!

As I write this, I’m reminded a story I read recently – can’t remember where I read it but it made a lasting impression on me:

Once, a noted psychologist decided to conduct an experiment to prove a theory.

He purchased a first-class plane ticket from New York to Los Angeles.

The experiment was this: Once onboard the plane, he would strike up a conversation with the person seated next to him. The rule he gave himself for the five-hour flight was that he would not say a single thing about himself. He would only ask questions of the person sitting next to him.

He took his seat next to a gentleman, and, without introducing himself, began a conversation.

The psychologist had also assembled a team of researchers in Los Angeles who met the plane when it arrived. They whisked away the psychologist’s flying companion for a quick interview.

The researchers summarized their findings with two remarkable facts:

1. The passenger told the researchers that the man sitting next to him (the psychologist who only asked him questions) was absolutely the most interesting person he had ever met in his entire life!

2. And, he did not know his name!

Interesting isn’t it?

Are you the most interesting person someone could possibly meet?

Do you ask honest and heart-felt questions and then sincerely listen to the answers?

Copyright © 2011 Sharon Michaels – All Rights Reserved

Want to reprint this post “as is” on your blog or in your newsletter?

You may do so as long as this entire resource box is also included:

I’m Sharon Michaels.com and my business is dedicated to empowering and coaching women in business.

I invite you to subscribe to my free weekly Ezine, http://unlimitedsuccessforwomen.com because in just minutes a week I can show you how to successfully grow yourself and your business, make more money and have more time to enjoy your life!

Self-esteem is the over-all value you place on yourself as a whole, complete, competent, lovable, intelligent and deserving human being. Self-esteem is the person you really see when you look in the mirror!

Here’s a fast fact about self-esteem: There’s a strong and powerful link between healthy self-esteem and enjoying a successful life.

• Healthy self-esteem fosters self-motivation and self-confidence.
• Unhealthy self-esteem breeds self-doubt, self-abuse and self-sabotage.

Without a doubt, healthy self-esteem is an extremely powerful asset to your success potential! If you’re not 100% convinced that you’re worthy, deserving and comfortable with success – you’ll self-sabotage the positives in your life.

Please remember this: Your healthy self-esteem is the backbone of success. The healthier and stronger your self-esteem, the healthier and stronger your success attitude.

With healthy self-esteem, you experience success more often than failure. Success affirms confidence in yourself and abilities. The more confidence you have in your ability to think, learn and analyze wisely, the more self-confidence you’ll have in yourself when faced with life’s challenges.

Unhealthy self-esteem, once it takes hold in your unconscious mind, is like a downward spiral. At any time though, you can choose to stop the downward flow and direct it positively upward.

Here are some activities to help foster your healthy self-esteem:

1. Begin enhancing self-esteem by writing down an entire page of your positive qualities. Fill the whole page with words, phrases and sentences. You’ll spend less time focusing on the negatives when you’re concentrating energy on your strengths.

2. Start acting the way you’d like to see yourself in the future. If you’d like to be more outgoing, start taking social risks. Go places where you’ll meet new people. Once you begin acting more outgoing, you’ll actually become more outgoing.

3. Take out a photo album and look at yourself. Are you smiling? Are your arms folded defensively across your chest? Is your posture slouched? Use the photographs to help see yourself as others see you.

4.  Take a couple of minutes to think back to your most recent accomplishments. What makes you so proud of these accomplishments? What special talents did you use to make these accomplishments reality? Do you use these talents often? Why or why not? If you could have this level of success more often, would it help enhance your self-esteem?

Healthy self-esteem is an important part of a happy and successful life. Healthy self-esteem enables you to thrive in life, not just survive!

Copyright © 2011 Sharon Michaels – All Rights Reserved

Want to reprint this post “as is” on your blog or in your newsletter?

You may do so as long as this entire resource box is also included:

I’m Sharon Michaels.com and my business is dedicated to empowering and coaching women in business.

I invite you to subscribe to my free weekly Ezine, http://unlimitedsuccessforwomen.com because in just minutes a week I can show you how to successfully grow yourself and your business, make more money and have more time to enjoy your life!

Here’s an excerpt from Adventures in Friendship by David Grayson – written in 1910.

Beauty? I have no need to go a mile: I have only to come up through my thicket or cross my field from my own roadside—and behold, a new heaven and a new earth!

Things grow old and stale, not because they are old, but because we cease to see them. Whole vibrant significant worlds around us disappear within the somber mists of familiarity. Whichever way we look the roads are dull and barren. There is a tree at our gate we have not seen in years: a flower blooms in our door-yard more wonderful than the shining heights of the Alps!

It has seemed to me sometimes as though I could see men hardening before my eyes, drawing in a feeler here, walling up an opening there. Naming things! Objects fall into categories for them and wear little sure channels in the brain. A mountain is a mountain, a tree a tree to them, a field forever a field. Life solidifies itself in words. And finally how everything wearies them and that is old age!

Is it not the prime struggle of life to keep the mind plastic? To see and feel and hear things newly? To accept nothing as settled; to defend the eternal right of the questioner? To reject every conclusion of yesterday before the surer observations of to-day? Is not that the best life we know?

Copyright © 2011 Sharon Michaels – All Rights Reserved

Want to reprint this post “as is” on your blog or in your newsletter?

You may do so as long as this entire resource box is also included:

I’m Sharon Michaels.com and my business is dedicated to empowering and coaching women in business.

I invite you to subscribe to my free weekly Ezine, http://unlimitedsuccessforwomen.com because in just minutes a week I can show you how to successfully grow yourself and your business, make more money and have more time to enjoy your life!

Women In Business – Join Women Enjoying Success Executive Producer and Host Sharon Michaels as she shares how to recognize some of the things you may be doing that could be holding you back from making the money you deserve. If you’re not currently earning the money you know that you’re worth, you’ll want to listen to this show and take notes! Be sure to turn up your speakers!

Copyright © 2011 Sharon Michaels – All Rights Reserved

I’m Sharon Michaels.com and my business is dedicated to empowering and coaching women in business.

I invite you to subscribe to my free weekly Ezine, http://unlimitedsuccessforwomen.com because in just minutes a week I can show you how to successfully grow yourself and your business, make more money and have more time to enjoy your life!