I Will Learn

I'm independent of good or bad opinions of others.

If I feel depressed, I will learn to cheer up.
If I feel sad, I will learn to laugh.
If I feel ill, I will learn to be healthy.
If I feel fear, I will learn to plunge ahead.
If I feel inferior, I will learn to look up to myself.
If I feel uncertain, I will learn to raise my voice.
If I feel poverty, I will learn to think of wealth to come.
If I feel incompetent, I will learn to think of my past success.
If I feel insignificant, I will learn to remember my goals.
I will learn to be the master of my emotions.
I will learn to change.

Ten Rules for Taking Back Your Life

Life 'Rules'

1. Challenge yourself to use every 'bad' thing in your life as a new beginning.
2. Find the 'good' in everything that you can.
3. Don't expect the good things to be readily apparent. It may take a few days, weeks or even months before you finally see them.
4. Allow yourself to realize your true power. This doesn't mean pushing people around, but looking for your hidden skills.
5. Talk to yourself. Talking to yourself is a very powerful tool to use and it can help you increase your motivation and your ability to stick to a task.
6. Stop expecting others to solve your problems. Even if you lost your job, it's an opportunity to look in a new direction, to acquire a new skill and to blaze a more pleasurable path in life.
7. Throw out that 'yes, but' expression from your life. It's just a way of keeping yourself stuck in the mud.
8. Take a good hard look at what you'd really like in life and sit down and begin making a list that outlines the steps you need to take. Not everyone needs to go to college to be happy. Find out where your happiness lies, if you don't want to go back to school. Abraham Lincoln did just fine with his self-learning plan.
9. Beware of the negative people in your life. Pointing out the problems is fine, but some people only see doom and gloom and they can't be very helpful, unless you find that helpful.
10. Remember that every road has unexpected turns and that any plan must be one that allows for some give and take. If there's one word for your plan to take back your life, let it be 'flexible' and go from there.

So very much good

Be slow to take offense if indeed you ever take offense at all. For being offended gains you nothing and can cost you much.

Have patience with the mistakes and follies of others. Instead of harsh criticism, offer genuinely helpful feedback so that everyone benefits.

Forgive early and forgive often. Set yourself free from the heavy burden of resentment, and move quickly beyond the pain.

Learn from your regrets, yet do not punish yourself with them. Today is a new day with more possibilities than ever before.

Be truly thankful for all that is, and for your opportunity to experience it. You'll discover great stores of goodness and value when you simply have faith that they're there.

Live beyond the petty, fleeting concerns, and focus on the profound and beautiful substance of your life. There is so very much good that you can always do with it.