Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."

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"Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens."
- John H. Miller

All of us face problems in our lives. But positive thinking keeps us going and helps us overcome the challenges. Any situation when looked at from a positive perspective gives us strength to carry on and move beyond the limitations.

Take the case of Suzanne who always dreamt of being a ballet dancer. Suzanne would go to audition after audition after audition but never got selected. She kept worrying about other contestants being more talented than she was and what others might say about her performance … and this affected her performance.

Suzanne could not understand why, despite learning ballet for so many years, she was not able to land a good role which could justify her talent. She always thought that others could not see the real potential in her and felt unjustifiably overlooked. She did not realize that the real problem lay in her own doubts and apprehensions which were making her nervous.

Constant worry and negative thinking occupies the mind with fearful scenarios and blocks constructive ideas and thoughts. Just like Suzanne, there are a large number of such people who have the potential but because of their negative thinking they are unable to accomplish what they desire. Negative thoughts wear you down and make you less effective in achieving your goals and realizing your dreams.

Develop a habit of thinking positive

"Forget about all the reasons why something may not work. You only need to find one good reason why it will."
- Dr. Robert Anthony

If you want to achieve success in life, you have to let go of your negative thinking and work towards nurturing and believing in yourself and your positive thoughts which enable even ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things.

Remember what we are or what we become is the result of our own thoughts. When we have negative thoughts, we focus our energies on what we are not being able to achieve and fear of failure clouds our confidence. On the other hand when we make effort to think positively, our thoughts automatically become aligned with what we can accomplish and we feel confident about our capabilities.

But you have to keep in mind that attitudes do not change overnight. You have to consciously make efforts to develop that kind of positive frame of mind. What we speak and think form our future.

So instead of thinking all the time and saying 'I can't', 'I won't … say 'I can', 'I will', 'It is possible', and repeat these positive affirmations to your self again and again. And try to visualize the outcomes you desire in vivid detail. See them already complete and in their most perfect state. Imagine what it would feel like, and act as if it is already yours. The idea is to direct your positive thoughts for what you desire, and you will begin to attract into your life the circumstances necessary to manifest your dreams.

Inspirational poems & quotes for personal development.

You can also watch motivational videos which help develop positive thinking and assist in overall personal development. These inspirational quotes  or motivational poems help you master your mind & access the unstoppable power of a positive attitude that keeps you moving toward your goals.

There are various sites which offer motivational videos with meaningful messages that offer daily success secrets and will instill confidence in you to succeed even when failure is staring you in the face. So the first action you must take in order to fulfill your dreams  is – Think Positive. Keep in mind- “Thoughts can move mountains”

Thinking positive is the key to your success

Thinking positive is the key to your success. All successful people have one thing in common: Positive thinking and passion for what they are doing!

Watch the successful professionals and try to understand their dedication and sacrifices they do in their effort to reach that point that will bring them professional recognition. All the major successes start from a simple idea and if there is real desire and positive thinking then they become a reality…!

Many of the ideas may temporarily give us incentives to try them but few of these ideas can keep our desire for success at high levels in order to overcome the obstacles that are found in the way.

Take for example our personal goal and objectives regarding our career, personal life, education, our looks etc.

How committed we are to achieve these goals?

Do we set goals but we give up when things are difficult?

Are we getting enthusiastic with an idea, which bursts on the road and cannot ever be converted into real objective?

How can we keep this enthusiasm and desire for success until we meet our goals?

Always think positive and believe in your abilities

The difference of people that remain enthusiastic and loyal to their goals is simply that they know they will achieve their goal, they do not hope, they know it. They always think positive about achieving their targets and they do not leave a negative thought to pass their minds, not even for a moment.

They do not give up easily but fight to the end regardless of obstacles or difficulties that they encounter. For them dropping their goals is not an option as there is no sacrifice large enough so as to prevent them from achieving them. These people if they do not find a way to achieve their goals, then they create one!

What is the origin of this passion – this ceaseless desire – for success? Perhaps these are talented people and all different from us? It may seem strange but each one of us can cultivate inside our minds the flame of success that will help us to concentrate in our targets. In order to achieve this you have to approach life in a positive way. This is the first and most important step for success. If you are not optimistic and a positive thinker then the chances that you will meet your goals are minimum, even if you try all the available techniques. Thinking positive will show you the way for success.

Set clear and precise goals

To be able to achieve a goal, you first have to define one! Setting clear and precise goals is a very important step in the whole process. If you do not take the decision and set a target then clearly there is no way to be able to achieve it.

If for example, you decide to lose weight you should throw all the unhealthy food from home until you achieve your goal. You can set a bet with friends or your family. After announcing your decision, you can agree with them that if they see you neglecting your diet then you would have to buy them something that really expensive!

In short, you should burn all the “bridges” that can help you escape from your goal. If you put your self the illusion that there is no return from this target, then you will fight with all your forces to achieve it. Thinking positive that at the end you we will be able to achieve your goals will help you work towards the right direction.

Be reminded and informed

You should remind your self constantly about the goal and your desire for success. If you want to lose weight you can stick on the refrigerator door a picture of you in which you were thin. If you are to achieve a business target then you should plan your next steps and put the diagram at a point where you can see it continually.

Everyone can find their own ways to get reminded of their goals and the reminder is important and necessary because it wont allow you to be carried away and forget what you want so much to achieve. In parallel, you should not forget to fetch your self with information and knowledge which will encourage you but will also help you understand more about your goals.

The books and web sites that are relevant to your goal is a good start. If for example you want to succeed in sales, you would be watching on seminars related to sales.

Get inspiration

Even when you feel your batteries empty, there are thousands of articles and books that can encourage you to remain focused on your goal. The enthusiasm of people who have achieved their goals, are important for you to maintain your own enthusiasm at high levels!

It is a great personal success if you cannot treat successful people competitive but if you can start thinking positive and see them as examples and as sources of knowledge that will help your personal improvement and success.

The biggest mistake is to think that nobody has to offer you anything and that you know everything. Those who are successful have done something better than you, so learn from them and try to improve your defects.

Avoid people with negative thinking

Many of you might have never thought about it, but most often the people who surround you or the people who consort with you can unconsciously and consciously make you fail your goals.

If your environment consists mainly of negative people who are not thinking positive and are not trying for anything and who believe that everything is in vain and life is in a path doomed to failure … will certainly have an impact in your effort to meet your goals.

Why? Because such people simply discourage you, can make you tired psychologically and can «suck» all the positive power from your soul.

Conversely, if you are close to cheerful, optimistic and positive thinkers who always look on the positive side of life and encourage you, then your objectives can be achieved more easily! Do not share your goals and your dreams with the wrong people because you will be disappointed with the cynicism and their attitude!

Share your goals with people who will understand and support you or who may have similar goals with you. With these people you can exchange experiences and knowledge and support each other even in moments of weakness or difficulty. If you want to achieve a goal you need socialize with people who have similar objectives and culture similar to yours: the culture of positive thinkers, the culture of success!

Feel good and care about your self

Another important success factor is how you naturally feel about your self. Do you feel good with your self or do you avoid the mirror?  Do you take care of your looks, clothes, weight, cleaning or you do not have time to deal with this?

Let’s see the issue differently, if you had achieved your goals how would you deal with these things? Same as now or different? If the answer to that question is «different» then you have from now to start thinking that you have achieved your goals and start taking care and look after your self.

You should feel that you are on the road to success and if you think and believe that you are successful, and behave like one, then you are closer to becoming successful!

Prepare your self for your success

Take for example the manager of a company that has the ambition to go higher. Have you noticed that most of the time (there are exceptions) managers are always wearing nice and clean clothes and shoes, have trimmed hair, have self confidence and generally can be distinguished on the way they look?

If your goal is to become one of them, then the time has come to begin to dress and behave in this way. If your goal is to lose weight you should start from now to take care of your neglected self until you reach your goal: you can wear comfortably but not 5 numbers larger clothes, you can buy narrow pants that you will wear once you become slimmer, you can make a new haircut or buy better shoes.

All are in our minds! This is another example of how positive thinking can help you visualize your success. If you can create the right image in your minds then you start to behave as if you have already achieved your goal.

Start NOW

On vital step in achieving your goals is to be able to manage and defeat your tendency to postpone it until tomorrow, the day after tomorrow…. On Monday, perhaps? The procrastination shows apart from weakness in your character, also inability to commit to your goals. 

If you really want to achieve something then start to get it done NOW! This is the right time. Each and every move, each and every step, each and every thought should lead you to your goals. If you plan to do diet from «tomorrow», then you should get rid of all those nice sweets you eat now and start your diet from now, this time, otherwise, you will never start! You should recognize what is the first move that will lead you to your goal and to do it NOW.

The success of our goals is associated with the effort, time and the faith that we devote to them. The effort is usually the result of will based on incentives that lead us in the desire to achieve our goals.

We should not despair, we should not give up, we should believe in our selves and also believe that is simply a matter of time to achieve what we have dreamed off. If we betray our objective, it will betray us back!

Let us not focus on difficulties that we will encounter on the way but let us focus on how much we will be pleased with our victory – whatever that is. The positive thinking will soon lead us to the desired results. If we keep the flame on you will be able to achieve everything that will make you happy and confident.

The time has come to make our largest desire and biggest dream a reality … and the only thing that can stop us from doing so is our self! Good luck!

Positive attitude is key to success at work

Success mantra: People with positive attitude are likely to work to higher standards of quality, safety and productivity

We have met people who are always complaining either about their boss, their work, their home or social life. At the same time, we also see people who are perpetually smiling and are happy. Does this mean that they are blessed in life with no problems or difficulties?  Or is it just a positive attitude?

The difference that makes one flourish, cherish, and perish is a person’s attitude. Attitude cannot be thrust upon anybody. It is a self-nourishing ingredient that an individual should possess. In today’s corporate world, we should look at this fundamental aspect rather than focus heavily on skills and experience since these can be obtained over time. The best way to go about it in the corporate world is to have good leaders who can lead by example with positive and solution-oriented attitudes.

What is an attitude? In general, it can be defined as the way an individual looks at life. It is the outward reflection of what is taking place on the inside. It becomes his or her personality…it pervades their feelings and becomes their actions. Attitude is one of the most important aspects of life and a key to interpersonal relationships.

It is construed that when we think about the basic elements of human relationships, we think primarily about the attitude we each bring to relationships, whether they are personal or professional in nature. What is the first thing you remember about someone you meet?  Obviously, it is their attitude! 

Events, circumstances, and messages – both positive and negative – can affect one’s attitude. A positive attitude is contagious like common cold. It is a priceless possession for personal fulfillment and career success. Being positive puts a person in command of his entire faculties which is an essential element for creating a positive workplace. And of course, no one can be positive all the time!

In fact, the positive attitude of a person will be appreciated more at a work place. In recent years, a major change has taken place in the workforce: the generational and cultural mix of employees has become more diversified. 

Whereas, in spite of different mix of workforce, the performance standards remain the same. Business is complex and competitive – with comparable resources, including people. People with a positive attitude are looking up and forward and are more likely to work to higher standards of quality, safety, and productivity – individually and as a team. 

Working with/near a person with a positive attitude is an energising experience; they can change the tone and morale of the department and make others feel more upbeat. Sometimes, the reason people lack a positive attitude is simply that they don’t realise that they have a negative one! A positive workplace is about the people and their positive outlook about their work and the organisation that make the business thrive. 

The war for talent subsists. Do organisations hire and retain people with positive or negative attitudes? The answer is obvious…they hire for attitude; the mechanics of the job can be taught. 

An organisation gets its periphery from the attitude of its people – its leaders, its supervisors, front-line, back-office, entry-level and long-term employees. Employees want to feel valued and appreciated, as a result, they stay with an organisation. The higher the engagement levels, the more their attitude barometer rises. The higher the attitude barometer rises, the more business results improve. Positive thinking is not a new age concept that only optimistic people practice. It’s a necessity for people who want to live happy and successful in lives. Behavioural and psychology studies have proven that individuals who think positive thoughts are happier, more resilient and they tend to achieve goals more often than people who succumb to negative self-talk. Berating yourself mentally, studies show, is the biggest obstacle you face to achieving a sense of well-being and success in life. You are your own worst enemy when you denigrate and reprimand yourself through your thoughts.

A person with positive attitude is a satisfied person – at large. And a satisfied employee is more productive, works more diligently and enhances the organisation’s brand value. Satisfied employees demonstrate commitment to service in every respect. Pessimistic employees, on the other hand, work to the advantage of your competition while on your payroll. They are usually depressed and transmit these emotions not only to fellow colleagues but also to all those who are connected. 

Building and maintaining healthy, effective relationships in all directions – with people you work, people you work with, and people who work for you – is a key to success. Business is a team sport. Nothing contributes more to the process of building effective work relationships than a positive attitude. 

More business successes are won on attitude than technical achievement. A supervisor who demonstrates and knows how to build a positive attitude can lead a departmental workforce with only average experience and skills to achieve high productivity and successful performance. It’s called “teamwork” and it happens often!

It’s important to remember that we all have a choice – to be either positive or negative in any situation – and we make those choices every day. By keeping our power and being aware of our own attitudes and choices, we can protect ourselves from external circumstances and people’s negativity. Safeguard your attitude by solving personal conflicts quickly, taking the “high road” if someone behaves unreasonably or unfairly, insulating or distancing yourself from a person with whom you have a repeated conflict, focusing on the work and changing your traffic pattern to avoid people who pull your attitude down. Remember: Your attitude belongs to you and you alone!

Be open to new people, ideas and processes that create positive changes and improved bottom-line results. The business world consists of many people who are different from you. We are dependent on each other to achieve common goals. We need to understand and work effectively with all the human resources. Opportunities for us to learn about other generations, backgrounds and cultures broaden our perspective with new ideas, talents, and points of view – it all affects bottom-line results!

A word of caution – don’t go overboard by becoming a noisy cheerleader who spends more effort on projecting your attitude than nurturing it. Above all, don’t try to be someone you are not!  Be who you are… Project the real thing! Be authentic!
Life is a learning journey and all we can do is to strive to do our best each day. 

A wise person once said, “If you place more emphasis on keeping a positive attitude than on making money, you’ll be successful and the money will take care of itself.” 
Be good to yourself, enjoy the ride and make a ‘Positive Impact’ on your career and workplace with a positive attitude! 

The reasons why a student should study English Literature

The reasons why a student should study English Literature

In this day and age there seems to be a move towards secondary school subjects which have a strong link to a tertiary course of study. For that reason, some parents and some students feel that the compulsory study of English Literature, especially among the international syllabuses offered in the majority of Hong Kong’s International schools, is misguided and disadvantageous to students, particularly if they are second language learners of English. However, there are still good reasons for the study of English Literature. Students who study only English Language, with its emphasis on reading and writing skills, sometimes fail to see the point of studying English literature, especially if they have no plans to study English or Translation at university. But English literature can introduce students to a range of aspects, not only of the English language but also of English culture.

There are aspects of English culture that are encapsulated by English literature. Of course, this is quite obvious when studying the works of Shakespeare or of writers, poets and playwrights of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It is, however, also true when studying other works of English literature. Students can learn about allusions and references to different aspects of English culture. They can also learn the context and meanings of famous quotes and phrases.
Studying Literature does not confine the students to the traditions of England but includes the possibility of introducing them to traditions which inform English Literature, such as the study of Ancient Greek drama, and to literature in other contexts, such as American literature. It also provides the students with an alternative to the pervasiveness of “television culture” with its immediacy and, often, its shallowness.


An enjoyment and appreciation of Literature will give students the ability to develop this into an interest in books and reading as they move away from their studies and into their adult lives. They will have the confidence to approach and tackle new forms of books and writing, since they were exposed to a range of literature during their school days.


When studying Literature, students can learn not only language aspects such as vocabulary items but also that language can be used for specific and aesthetic purposes. Familiarity with the concepts of beat, metre and rhythm can improve their own writing as students are able to appreciate and apply these ideas. Finally, the study of Literature can provide students with a fresh and creative angle with which to approach their studies in particular and their lives in general.

Warning Signs You’re in Bad Company ( its better to be alone than in bad company)

A big part of who you become in life has to do with who you choose to surround yourself with.  Sometimes luck controls who walks into your life, but you decide who you let stay, who you pursue, and who you let walk back out.

Ultimately, you should surround yourself with people who make you a better person and let go of those who don’t.  Here are some warning signs you’re in the presence of the latter:

1.  They only make time for you when it’s convenient for them.

It’s obvious, but any relationship without regular interaction and communication is going to have problems, especially when there’s a lack of commitment.

Don’t waste your time with someone who only wants you around when it’s convenient for them.  You shouldn’t have to force someone to make a space in their life for you, because if they truly care about you they will gladly create space for you.

Being in a relationship with someone who overlooks your worth isn’t loyalty, it’s stupidity.  Never beg someone for attention.  Know your self-worth, and move on if you must.

2.  They hold your past against you.

Some people will refuse to accept that you are no longer who you used to be – that you’ve made mistakes in the past, learned from them, and moved past them.  They may not be able to stand the fact that you’re growing and moving on with your life, and so they will try to drag your past to catch up with you.  Do nothelp them by acknowledging their negative behavior. 

Holding on to the unchangeable past is a waste of energy and serves no purpose in creating a better day today.  If someone continuously judges you by your past and holds it against you, you might have to repair your future by leaving them behind.

3.  You feel trapped.

Healthy relationships keep the doors and windows wide open.  Plenty of air is flowing and no one feels trapped.  Relationships thrive in this kind of unrestricted environment.  You can come and go as you please, but you choose to stay because where you are is where you want to be.

If you want to be a part of someone’s life, all the open doors and windows in the world won’t make you leave.  If someone has closed them all in an effort to trap you into something you don’t want to be a part of, it’s time to find the strength to kick down the door. 

4.  They discredit your dreams and abilities.

If you allow others to define your dreams and abilities, then you enable them to hold you back.  What you’re capable of achieving is not a function of what other people think is possible for you.  What you’re capable of achieving depends on what you choose to do with your time and energy.

People will throw all sorts of assumptions your way about what is possible and what is impossible.  Look beyond the presumptions and mental limitations of others, and connect with your own best vision of how YOUR life can be.  Life is an open-ended journey, and what you achieve comes from what you expect to achieve and what you work to achieve.

So don’t worry about what everyone else thinks.  Keep living your truth.  The only people that will get mad at you for doing so are those who want you to live a lie.

5.  They have lied to you more than once.

Love is a verb, not a noun.  It is ACTIVE in all relationships.  Love is not just feelings of passion and romance between lovers; it is also a behaviour among friends and family.  If someone lies to you, they are unlovingly disrespecting you and your relationship.

When you keep someone in your life who is a chronic liar, and you keep giving them new chances to be trusted, you have a lot in common with this person – you’re both lying and being unloving to you!

Bottom line:  Those who avoid the truth and tell you only what you want to hear do so for their own benefit, not yours.  Don’t put up with it.  

6.  Their negativity is rubbing off on you.

The negative people in your life don’t just behave negatively towards you, but towards everyone they interact with.  What they say and do is a projection of their own reality – their own inner issues.  Even if they say something to you that seems personal – even if they insult you directly – it likely has zero to do with you.

This is important to remember because what these negative people say and do shouldn’t be taken to heart.  Although you don’t have control over what they say and do; you do have control over whether or not you allow them to say and do these things to you.  You alone can deny their venomous words and actions from invading your heart and mind.  If you feel like these people are getting to you, take a break and give yourself some space to breathe.

Positive things happen when you distance yourself from negative people.  Doing so doesn’t mean you hate them, it simply means you respect yourself.

7.   They are excessively envious of what you have.

A little bit of envy is OK, but when someone is excessively envious of what you have, there’s a good chance what they really want is to take it from you.

Excessive envy doesn’t tell you how much someone admires you, it tells you how much they dislike themselves.  If you can, try to help lift them up, but also be careful that they don’t pull you down.  Oftentimes no amount of love, or promises, or proof from you will ever be enough to make them feel better about themselves.  For the broken pieces they carry, are pieces they must mend for themselves.  Happiness, after all,is an inside job. 

8.  They motivate you to be judgmental or hateful.

Truth be told, no human being is superior.  No faith, race, size or shape is inferior.  All collective judgments about others are wrong.  Only judgmental hypocrites make them.

If you judge others by their skin color, their body size, and their outer beauty, you will miss EVERYTHING about who they really are.  It is amazing the quality of people you will learn about and meet in this world if you can simply get past the fact that lots of people are not dressing and living the way you do.

9.  They want you to be someone else.

Spend time with people who see you the way you are, and not as they wish to think you are.  Spend even more time with those who truly know about you, and who love and respect you anyway.

If someone expects you to be someone you’re not, take a step back.  It’s wiser to lose relationships over being who you are, than to keep them intact by acting like someone you’re not.  It’s easier to nurse a little heartache and meet someone new, than it is to piece together your own shattered identity.  It’s easier to fill an empty space within your life where someone else used to be, than it is to fill the empty space within yourself where YOU used to be.

Your turn…

What would you add to the list?  What’s one big warning sign you’re in the presence of bad company?  Please leave a comment below and let us know.

Let's all observe a moment of silence for the idiotic ex who played games

Let's all observe a moment of silence for the idiotic ex who played games, screwed you over, 

manipulated and/or cheated on you, then deleted you on Facebook....... and are now secretly 

stalking you from their friend's profile.