Trust Yourself

Trust yourself. You know what you want and need.

Put yourself first. You can't be anything for anybody else unless you take care of yourself.

Let your feelings be known. They are important.

Express your opinions. It's good to hear yourself talk.

Value your thinking. You do it well. If you don't value it, no one else will.

Take the time and space you need.. Even if other people are wanting something from you.

When you need something, don't talk yourself out of it. Even if you can't have it, it's OK to need.

When you are scared, let someone know. Isolating yourself when you're scared makes it worse.

When you feel like running away, let yourself feel the scare. Think about what you fear will happen and decide what you need to do.

When you're angry, let yourself feel the anger. Decide what you want to do; just feel it, express it, or take some action.

When you're sad, think about what would be comforting. When you're hurt, tell the person who hurt you. Keeping it inside makes it grow.

When you have work to do and you don't want to do it, decide what really needs to be done and what can wait.

When you want something from someone else, ask. You'll be okay if they say no. Asking is being true to yourself.

When you need help, ask. Trust people to say no if they don't want to give.

When people turn you down, it usually has to do with them, and not with you. Ask someone else for what you need.

When you feel alone, know there are people who want to be with you. Fantasize what it would be like to be with each of them. Decide if you want to make that happen.

When you feel anxious, let yourself know that in your head. You've moved into the future to something scary your body has gotten up the energy for it. Come back to the present.

When you want to say something loving to someone, go ahead. Expressing your feeling is not a commitment.

When someone yells at you, physically support yourself by relaxing into your chair or putting your feet firmly on the floor. Remember to breathe. Think about the message they are trying to get across to you.

When you're harassing yourself, stop. You do it when you need something. Figure out what you need and get it.

When everything seems wrong, you are overwhelmed and need some comforting. Ask for it. Afterwards, you can think about what you need to do.

When you want to talk to someone new and are scared, breathe. Don't start rehearsing, just plunge in. If it doesn't go well, you can stop.

If you're doing something you don't like to do, (such as smoking or overeating), Stop. Think about what you really want. If you're stuck and can't think clearly, talk out loud to someone.

When you can't think straight, Stop thinking. Feel.

When you're in need of love, reach out. There are people who love you.

When you're confused, it's usually because you think you should do one thing and you want to do another. Dialogue with yourself or present both sides to a friend.

When you feel harried, slow down. Deliberately slow your breathing, your speech, and your movements.

When you have tears, cry. When you feel like crying and it's not a safe place to cry, acknowledge your pain and promise yourself a good cry later. Keep your promise.

When everything seems gray, look for color.

If one of these rules seems wrong for you, talk about it with someone. Then, rewrite it so it fits you. 

A lesson to teach

Her name was Mrs. Thompson. As she stood in front of her 5th grade class on the very first day of school, she told the children a lie.

Like most teachers, she looked at her students and said that she loved them all the same. But that was impossible, because there in the front row, slumped in his seat, was a little boy named Teddy Stoddard.

Mrs.Thompson had watched Teddy the year before and noticed that he didn't play well with the other children that his clothes were messy and that he constantly needed a bath. And Teddy could be unpleasant. It got to the point where Mrs.Thompson would actually take delight in marking his papers with a broad red pen, making bold X's and then putting a big "F" at the top of his
papers.

At the school where Mrs. Thompson taught, she was required to review each child's past records and she put Teddy's off until last. However, when she reviewed his file, she was in for a surprise.

Teddy's first grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is a bright child with a ready laugh. He does his work neatly and has good manners... he is a joy to be around."

His second grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is an excellent student, well liked by his classmates, but he is troubled because his mother has a terminal illness and life at home must be a struggle."

His third grade teacher wrote, "His mother's death has been hard on him. He tries to do his best, but his father doesn't show much interest and his home life will soon affect him if some steps aren't taken."

Teddy's fourth grade teacher wrote, "Teddy is withdrawn and doesn't show much interest in school. He doesn't have many friends and he sometimes sleeps in class."

By now, Mrs. Thompson realized the problem and she was ashamed of herself. She felt even worse when her students brought her Christmas presents, wrapped in beautiful ribbons and bright paper, except for Teddy's. His present was clumsily wrapped in the heavy, brown paper that he got from a
grocery bag.

Mrs. Thompson took pains to open it in the middle of the other presents. Some of the children started to laugh when she found a rhinestone bracelet with some of the stones missing, and a bottle that was one quarter full of perfume.

But she stifled the children's laughter when she exclaimed how pretty the bracelet was, putting it on, and dabbing some of the perfume on her wrist.

Teddy Stoddard stayed after school that day just long enough to say, "Mrs.Thompson, today you smelled just like my Mom used to," After the children left she cried for at least an hour. On that very day, she quit teaching reading, and writing, and arithmetic. Instead, she began to teach
children.

Mrs. Thompson paid particular attention to Teddy. As she worked with him, his mind seemed to come alive. The more she encouraged him, the faster he responded.

By the end of the year, Teddy had become one of smartest children in the class and, despite her lie that she would love all the children the same, Teddy became one of her "teacher's pets."

A year later, she found a note under her door, from Teddy, telling her that she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Six years went by before she got another note from Teddy. He then wrote that he had finished high school, third in his class, and she was still the best teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Four years after that, she got another letter, saying that while things had been tough at times, he'd stayed in school, had stuck with it, and would soon graduate from college with the highest of honors. He assured Mrs.Thompson that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had in his whole life.

Then four more years passed and yet another letter came. This time he explained that after he got his bachelor's degree, he decided to go a little further. The letter explained that she was still the best and favorite teacher he ever had. But now his name was a little longer -- the letter was
signed, Theodore F. Stoddard, MD.

The story doesn't end there. You see, there was yet another letter that spring. Teddy said he'd met this girl and was going to be married. He explained that his father had died a couple of years ago and he was wondering if Mrs. Thompson might agree to sit in the place at the wedding that was usually reserved for the mother of the groom. Of course, Mrs.Thompson did.

And guess what? She wore that bracelet, the one with several rhinestones missing. And she made sure she was wearing the perfume that Teddy remembered his mother wearing on their last Christmas together. They hugged each other, and Dr. Stoddard whispered in Mrs. Thompson's ear, "Thank you Mrs. Thompson for believing in me. Thank you so much for making me feel important and showing me that I could make a difference."

Mrs. Thompson, with tears in her eyes, whispered back. She said, "Teddy, you have it all wrong. You were the one who taught me that I could make a difference. I didn't really know how to teach until I met you."

Please remember that wherever you go, and whatever you do, you will have the opportunity to touch and/or change a person's outlook.

Please try to do it in a positive way:
"Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly"

Two wolves within us

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 wolves inside us all."

"One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego."

"The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather Which wolf wins?

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Big God

Two men went fishing. One was an experienced fisherman, the other
wasn't. Every time the experienced fisherman caught a big fish, he put
it in his ice chest to keep it fresh. Whenever the inexperienced
fisherman caught a big fish, he threw it back.

The experienced fisherman watched this go on all day and finally got
tired of seeing the man waste good fish. Why do you keep throwing back
all the big fish you catch he asked.

The inexperienced fisherman replied, I only have a small frying pan.

Sometimes, like that fisherman, we throwback the big plans, big
dreams, big jobs, big opportunities that God gives us. Our faith is
too small.

We laugh at that fisherman who didn't figure out that all he needed
was a bigger frying pan, yet how ready are we to increase the size of
our faith. Whether it's a problem or a possibility, God will never
give you anything bigger than you can handle. That means we can
confidently walk into anything God brings our way.

You can do all things through God. Nothing is too big for God.

Stop telling God you've got big problems. Tell your problems you've
got a BIG GOD!

Be Smart And Observant At Work

Chuan and Jing joined a wholesale company together just after graduation. Both worked very hard.

After several years, the boss promoted Jing to sales executive but Chuan remained a sales rep. One day Chuan could not take it anymore, tender resignation to the boss and complained the boss did not value hard working staff, but only promoted those who flattered him.

The boss knew that Chuan worked very hard for the years, but in order to help Chuan realise the difference between him and Jing, the boss asked Chuan to do the following. Go and find out anyone selling water melon in the market Chuan returned and said yes. The boss asked how much per kg Chuan went back to the market to ask and returned to inform boss the $12 per kg.

Boss told Chuan, I will ask Jing the same question. Jing went, returned and said, boss, only one person selling water melon. $12 per kg, $100 for 10 kg, he has inventory of 340 melons. On the table 58 melons, every melon weighs about 15 kg, bought from the South two days ago, they are fresh and red, good quality.

Chuan was very impressed and realized the difference between himself and Jing. He decided not to resign but to learn from Jing.

My dear friends, a more successful person is more observant, thinks more and understands in depth. For the same matter, a more successful person sees several years ahead, while we see only tomorrow. The difference between a year and a day is 365 times.

Think! how far have you seen ahead in your life? How thoughtful in depth are you.?

Life Is An Echo

A little boy, who in a fit of anger shouted to his mother that he hated her. Then, he perhaps fearing punishment, he ran out of the house to the hillside and shouted in to the valley, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you.

Back from the valley came the echo, I hate you, I hate you, I hate you.

Somewhat startled, the little boy ran back into the house and told his mother there was a mean little boy in the valley saying he hated him. His mother took him back to the hillside and told him to shout, I love you, I love you. The little boy did as his mother said and this time he discovered there was a nice little boy in the valley saying, I love, I love you.

Life is an echo. What you send out - comes back. What you sow - you reap. What you give - you get. What you see in others - exists in you.

Regardless of who you are or what you do, if you are looking for the best way to reap the most reward in all areas of life, you should look for the good in every person and in every situation and adopt the golden rule as a way of life.

Acres of diamonds

One of the most interesting Americans who lived in the 19th century was a man by the name of Russell Herman Conwell. He was born in 1843 and lived until 1925. He was a lawyer for about fifteen years until he became a clergyman.

One day, a young man went to him and told him he wanted a college education but couldn't swing it financially. Dr. Conwell decided, at that moment, what his aim in life was, besides being a man of cloth - that is. He decided to build a university for unfortunate, but deserving, students. He did have a challenge, however. He would need a few million dollars to build the university. For Dr. Conwell, and anyone with real purpose in life, nothing could stand in the way of his goal.

Several years before this incident, Dr. Conwell was tremendously intrigued by a true story - with its ageless moral. The story was about a farmer who lived in Africa and through a visitor became tremendously excited about looking for diamonds. Diamonds were already discovered in abundance on the African continent and this farmer got so excited about the idea of millions of dollars worth of diamonds that he sold his farm to head out to the diamond line. He wandered all over the continent, as the years slipped by, constantly searching for diamonds, wealth, which he never found. Eventually he went completely broke and threw himself into a river and drowned.

Meanwhile, the new owner of his farm picked up an unusual looking rock about the size of a country egg and put it on his mantle as a sort of curiosity. A visitor stopped by and in viewing the rock practically went into terminal convulsions. He told the new owner of the farm that the funny looking rock on his mantle was about the biggest diamond that had ever been found. The new owner of the farm said, "Heck, the whole farm is covered with them" - and sure enough it was.

The farm turned out to be the Kimberly Diamond Mine… the richest the world has ever known. The original farmer was literally standing on "Acres of Diamonds" until he sold his farm.

Dr. Conwell learned from the story of the farmer and continued to teach it's moral. Each of us is right in the middle of our own "Acre of Diamonds", if only we would realize it and develop the ground we are standing on before charging off in search of greener pastures. Dr. Conwell told this story many times and attracted enormous audiences. He told the story long enough to have raised the money to start the college for underprivileged deserving students. In fact, he raised nearly six million dollars and the university he founded, Temple University in Philadelphia, has at least ten degree-granting colleges and six other schools.

When Doctor Russell H. Conwell talked about each of us being right on our own "Acre of Diamonds", he meant it. This story does not get old…it will be true forever…

Opportunity does not just come along - it is there all the time - we just have to see it.