Rita's challenge to you. Plus - GOAL SETTING -

Here is my challenge to you:

Ø  Set an intention for yourself every morning, before you get out of bed, for how you want to experience your day, (pleasant, fun, educational, joyful, loving).

Ø  During the day, as your day unfolds, check in with your choice and see how well you are holding your intention.

Ø  If you have veered off course, it is ok. Simply recognize it.

Ø  Stop, breathe and ask yourself, “what do I have to let go of, right now, to realign myself towards the intention I chose this morning?”

Ø  Reset your intention in the moment. Honor the choice you made.

Ø  Repeat daily and watch how your life changes.

     Goal Setting!    Smart goals are the most effective way to set goals- The formula I use for goal setting is called the SMART goals system.

     So what are smart goals? Smart means

S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Acceptable
R - Realistic
T - Time-frame

     1. Specific- Specific means that you describe your goal in as much detail as possible, the more clearly defined, the better.

     For example, "I will write a book, " is a general goal. Instead, "I will write a historical romance by December 31^st," is a specific goal. If you dream of a new car, what does the new car look like? You decide on a "Packer yellow, 2012 Aveo that gets 40 MPG, including a full package navigation system."  Good, this is a specific goal. -- The more precise you are, the better.

     2. Measurable - To see if your goal is measurable, you may ask questions such as How many? How much? How do I know when the goal is achieved?

You will know how you process your goal when making it measurable. You stay on track, reach your goal little by little, and see your progress.

     If a goal cannot be measurable, it is not a smart goal. That's why "happy" or "successful" are not goals as such. Be specific! "I plan to write ten pages every day, " shows the specific target to be measured. "I will write every day," is not as measurable.

     3. Acceptable (some smart goals say Acheivable) - It means you accept this goal and what it requires to achieve it. It doesn't mean easy, just that you can have a reasonable expectation of achieving the goal.

     4. Relevant (some smart goals say Realistic) - Realistic means that you can complete the goal. This goal is acceptable and can be reached. Relevant means that the goal is important to you. It's something that you genuinely want, that fits in with your values and beliefs, and that you are prepared to work towards the goal.

     It's important to distinguish here between a goal and a passing thought. For example, you may like the notion of becoming a top racing driver, but are you really prepared to get up early and train every single day for the next 5 years?

     5. Time-frame - Time-frame is the last factor. It means you have to put a deadline on achieving your goal. Well, suppose we don't put a deadline, how long is it going to take? Maybe forever. So add a completion date to your goal.

Once you have set up a goal, find out if your goal is smart according to this system. Adjust your goal until it is a smart goal.

     When you are writing your goals, you should start from your big picture goals. If you start from mini goals, you may lose sight of the big picture goals and go to the wrong direction. Our lives have many aspects so think about what you want to achieve in these aspects.

     You will have a road map of your life after writing down your goals. Writing goals is really interesting and I really like this process of goal setting. It gives you the opportunity to plan your future life. You will decide where you want to go and what you will be like many years later. Isn't it exciting?

Positive Attitude Habit

     So, for me at least, the keys to creating happiness from a positive attitude are as follows:

1.    Have a belief system that sees the future as a better place than the past.

2.    Count your blessings regularly

3.    Take responsibility for your own attitude

4.    Avoid negative energy wherever you find it.

There's a story about a man who went to a psychiatrist,

"What's the trouble?" asked the doctor.

"Two months ago my grandfather died and left me $75,000. Last month, a cousin passed away and left me $100,000."

"Then why are you depressed?"

“This month, nothing!"

     Again . . . it’s a matter of perspective . . . how you let it affect you … and how you react to it. More than that . . . it’s a choice to either see the good or the bad.  And it’s right back to our choice of attitude . . . 

     Parting Words on the Positive Attitude Habit - When you start feeling like the idea of being a positive person is daunting, tell yourself this: “If someone who really used to struggle with a negative attitude, turned her life around with these four steps, then I can too!”

     Believe in yourself and remember the most important lesson of all… a positive outlook is a choice. Choose to be positive. Choose to be happy. Life is short.

     "Choose to have a great day." There will certainly be days with circumstances that we are not able to change. There may be people we deal with that act like jerks. But, regardless of what we are faced with each day, we can choose to let it affect our attitude, or we can choose to not let it affect our attitude.

     Attitude is a choice. Choose to have a great day!  All successful people, men and women, are big dreamers. They imagine what their future could be, ideal in every respect, and then they work every day toward their distant vision, that goal or purpose.

     Successful people are always looking for opportunities to help others. Unsuccessful people are always asking, "What's in it for me?"

     What makes life different?  Goal setting - I remember a famous Harvard business school story. They evaluated a group of students in college, and then re-evaluated them 10 years later. The study found out that the students who had been the most successful in life weren’t the ones who had achieved the highest grades. They were the ones who had specific goals, 10 years ago.

     You can see that the big difference between successful people and unsuccessful people. Successful people have their goals in mind. They know where they want to go and finally they get there. So you need to start with a target, a destination, a goal.

     You may say achieving goals is easier said than done, and you are right. Many people fail not because they don’t have goals, they fail because they haven’t achieved their goals, giving up during the journey. There is a long road from goal to success.