| "Strategies for Success" | | | | postive outcome so that it is a part of you. |
| | | | Sometimes, we have beaten ourselves for so |
| Believing in Yourself.by: | | | | long that the only thing that will help is |
| | | | time and BREAD. |
| Jo Portillo Ed.D, CRC, LPC | | | | |
| | | | B Breath (pay attention to the pattern, slow, |
| Julian has the lead in the school play and | | | | even, full breaths are the best) |
| has been practicing for days. His | | | | |
| grandparents are making a special trip to see | | | | R Release (relax your muscles and release the |
| him, and he is feeling so pressured and | | | | tension) |
| stressed that he is about ready to give up. | | | | |
| He begins thinking that it will be an | | | | E Exercise (a good workout to refocus your |
| impossible task to memorize all his lines. | | | | energies) |
| Worrying about all the work he still has to | | | | |
| do, he says to himself "I'm going to mess up | | | | A Attitude (focus on your positives, no |
| the lines anyway, so why bother, I can't | | | | matter how hard it can be, remember everyone |
| handle the stress." The more he starts to | | | | (has unique and special qualitites ) |
| doubt himself the harder he finds it to | | | | |
| memorize his lines. | | | | D Diet (fruits,veggies, and pasta are inorder |
| | | | not chips, cookies and candy) |
| Occasional fears or feelings of inadequacy | | | | |
| are a normal part of life, something to deal | | | | Keep a journal. |
| with and overcome.The journey of life | | | | |
| provides us with tension, stress,and fatigue, | | | | To review lessons from the past and to |
| any of which can trigger inappropriate | | | | brainstorm new ideas for the future. |
| negative thoughts and emotions. Thinking | | | | |
| negatively when under stress is commonplace. | | | | Focus on the positives. |
| But watch out! | | | | |
| | | | In your journal write a sentence about the |
| F E A R has a sneaky way of taking over and | | | | situation that has you worried. Now list all |
| it can be hard to escape the 'I just can't do | | | | the things that are for you reaching your |
| it' syndrome. | | | | goal. It may surprize you how many positive |
| | | | things you really have going for you. |
| "You must believe in yourself. You must have | | | | |
| fortitude, self-confidence and courage." | | | | Success and satisfaction in life hinges on |
| Abraham Lincoln | | | | planning which, often starts with wishful |
| | | | thinking. The hard part is turning those |
| The key to being extraordinary -- a winner -- | | | | wishes into reality. Positive thinking is |
| is to have desire and a goal from which you | | | | just the beginning. Positive Action is |
| refuse to be deterred. That desire fuels your | | | | integral to personal satisfaction. We don't |
| dreams and the specific goal keeps you | | | | have to like a job to get it done, but we do |
| focused. Convincing yourself that you are | | | | have to do it to get it done. |
| capable is the first step in reaching any | | | | |
| goal and realizing your dreams. | | | | (Positive Action) |
| | | | |
| "All things are possible to those who | | | | See problems as challenges and opportunities |
| believe." Mark 9:23 | | | | for learning. |
| | | | |
| " Whether you think you can or think you | | | | We all learn to walk by taking one step at a |
| can't- you are right." | | | | time, and with practice we increase our |
| | | | confidence and lessen our fears. |
| Henry Ford | | | | |
| | | | Become pro-active rather than re-active. |
| Attitudes and persistence can help us become | | | | |
| who we want to become. | | | | Ask yourself, "what other way is there to |
| | | | understand this?" |
| Knowing who you are, where you would be | | | | |
| happiest, and developing a series of | | | | Build Commitment to Positive Action by making |
| | | | a plan. |
| "I can do it!" strategies won't guarantee you | | | | |
| the lead role in the next blockbuster movie, | | | | Break Big Tasks Down into Smaller Pieces and |
| but it certainly puts you on the right track. | | | | get started. |
| An important first step in changing negative | | | | |
| attitudes is in looking for the best in | | | | Do the part you hate the most first to get it |
| yourself and the situation. Stay focused to | | | | out of the way. |
| maintain your positive attitiude. Find humor | | | | |
| in the situation. Humor in any form can help | | | | Set Deadlines for Yourself (write them in |
| you resist negative attitudes. Remember, FEAR | | | | your journal) |
| can trick you into believing that you're a | | | | |
| failure whether you really are one or not. | | | | Take personal responsibility. |
| | | | |
| "Attitudes are more important than facts." | | | | It maybe necessary to do the thing that you |
| Dr. Karl Menninger | | | | fear the most in order to put that fear to |
| | | | rest, so that it can no longer control you. |
| All things are possible for those who believe | | | | |
| and take action. Deep down we all hope that | | | | Identify areas where you need more knowledge |
| our destiny is not to be average and homely. | | | | and skill. |
| FEAR can get in the way of our true mission | | | | |
| in life. | | | | Learning is not always accompanied by glory |
| | | | and feelings of bliss. Sometimes the most |
| (False Expectations Appearing Real) | | | | significant learnings are experienced with |
| | | | the same relish as fingernails scraping the |
| Everyone talks a good game, but the winner | | | | blackboard. |
| goes out and does something. Individuals with | | | | |
| positive attitudes believe they have within | | | | Lifelong learning embodies both good news and |
| themselves the ability to do anything. No | | | | bad news: The good news is that it enriches |
| matter what life hands them, their ability to | | | | life and is one of the greatest sources of |
| think positively can pull them through most | | | | success and satisfaction; the bad news is |
| situations. | | | | that it is not always easy...and there isn't |
| | | | really a choice. |
| (Positive Thinking) | | | | |
| | | | Take responsibility for your life, maintain |
| Learn to deal with fear: | | | | your integrity, avoid becoming so selfish |
| | | | that you lose sight of the principle of |
| People worry so much about failing that their | | | | giving to others, and balance the personal |
| fear paralyzes them, draining the energy they | | | | and spiritual priorities in your life. The |
| might otherwise be using to grow. | | | | most important promises are the ones that you |
| | | | make to yourself. |
| Develop a self-empowering mindset. | | | | |
| | | | When you keep your word to yourself, you |
| Get in the habit of expecting the best and | | | | harness the power of believing you: |
| believing that 'you can do it.' Channel your | | | | |
| fear into enthusiasm. | | | | Can do it |
| | | | |
| Visualize success. | | | | Deserve it |
| | | | |
| When those negative thoughts start taking | | | | Can Achieve it |
| over, sit down in a quiet place take a deep | | | | |
| breath, close your eyes and imagine the | | | | "Never give up, never give up, never give up. |