Change

Going back to school as an adult may seem like an impossible task, especially if you have a full life as it is. But if you are planning on returning to school again, here are some helpful tips on how to make it look easy.

Try to get as organized as possible

One of the first things you’ll want to do when getting reacquainted with school again, whether online or in person, is to familiarize yourself with your coursework and try to get as organized as possible regarding your course milestones. Reading through your course framework as well as jotting down important information such as your tutor’s details and who to contact when you have a query should help you save time should you encounter hurdles along the way.

Getting your home schedule in sync with your work schedule

If you have other obligations to see to, such as family commitments or even another job to work around, then it might be helpful to get all your schedules in sync with each other so that you don’t run into difficulties down the line. Technology can help with this if you want to make sure everyone is aware of what’s on the agenda daily with apps such as Cozi or Flayk.

Track your goals

Keeping track of your goals is all the more worthwhile if you can achieve them in the timeframe you set out to achieve them. Therefore, it is vital to keep track of your goals on a daily and weekly basis. For example, you may want to diarize important assignment dates as well as set weekly goals for yourself so that you stay on track with your syllabus.

Establishing what your ultimate goal is

Speaking of goal setting, perhaps your goal is to achieve your education so that you can open up your own business one day. If so, it would be helpful to look into the various business structures that are available to ensure you select the right one from the start. For example, an LLC might just work out the best for you if you want a business type with plenty of benefits, including tax benefits such as not having to pay corporate federal income tax; more flexibility when it comes to the management structure of your business should your business scale up one day; limited liability, etc. Furthermore, a formation service can assist you with all the ins and outs of registering your business and are even on top of the different regulations that apply in each state if you decide to move one day.

Branch out

Suppose you already have extensive experience in a certain field, then why not take a professional development course rather than going the longer route of acquiring a new or more advanced degree in your field? For example, if you are in the medical field and are already quite familiar with medical codes, then you can choose from among online medical coding courses to help extend your knowledge even further. You can even take an assessment at the end of the course to verify your skill level in this area to ensure that you know how to assign the correct medical codes and what they mean in terms of medical procedures and service claims.

So, if you plan on studying further, don’t let the passage of time prevent you from achieving your dreams. Also, you can help to reduce your length of study by using professional development courses to help save you time in the end.

For motivational tips on various topics, visit the Keep The Fire Lit website for more information.

 

Image via Pexels

 

 

Feeling self-confident is key to success in any area of life. When you feel good about yourself, you’re more likely to take on new challenges and achieve your goals. Sadly, 85% of people worldwide struggle with low self-esteem. If you’re one of those people, don’t worry! You can do plenty of things to start feeling more confident. Here are four of them.

1. Try Power Posing

You don’t need superpowers to reap the benefits of the power pose. The power pose, or superhero stance, is a simple body language trick that can make you feel more confident and ready to take on the world. All you need to do is stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart, hands on your hips, and chin up. As little as two minutes in a power pose can increase confidence and reduce stress.

When you stand in a power pose, it signals your brain to release testosterone or the power hormone. Testosterone makes you feel more self-confident and dominant. It also reduces the stress hormone cortisol. So, not only do you feel better, but you also look better.

Start practising power posing right now, and see how it can change the way you feel about yourself and the world around you.

2. Set Goals

If you feel overwhelmed, try starting small. Set a goal that’s attainable and manageable. For example, making your bed can be a great first step. It’s a simple goal, but it can make you feel good about yourself when you accomplish it. Research has shown that completing small goals, such as making your bed, leads to a greater sense of self-efficacy and improved moods.

 

3. Consider a Career Change

Finally, if you’re feeling stuck and unfulfilled in your current career, it may be time for a fresh start. A career change can be daunting, but it’s also an exciting opportunity to explore new possibilities. If you’re ready to take the plunge, start by exploring different career paths.

Alternatively, start a business or side hustle that aligns with your passions and goals. This can be a great way to gain some confidence and feel empowered in your career. If you choose to start a business, do your research, and create a solid business plan. The business plan acts as your roadmap and helps you stay on track.

A winning business plan needs to include the following:

• A clear description of your business and its products or services
• Your business goals and objectives
• A detailed outline of your company structure
• A marketing plan defining your target market and how you plan to reach it
• Financial projections and funding requirements

This helps you navigate the early stages of starting a company and increase your chances of success. If you’re feeling lost and uncertain about your career, you can always seek out professional guidance.

4. Stay Confident When Things Get Tough

Confidence is a state of mind, and it can be cultivated. Follow these tips, and start feeling more confident today. If you’re looking for more ways to build confidence, check out these blog posts on Motivation for Success.

Disclaimer: Nothing in this article should be taken as providing financial or legal advice. If you intend building a business, take professional advice relevant to the jurisdiction you are in.

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Have you ever felt like things are not going right in your life and everything is working against you? This happens to a lot of people who are in pursuit of a better life. So much gets into the way of our careers, relationships, dreams, and social life among other things and we just cannot seem to find peace and happiness. The best thing to do when you find yourself in such a situation would be to work on identifying things that are getting in the way of your life. How will this help? You may ask.

The truth is that life does not just get to a standstill for no apparent reason. If you look all around you, the answers will always be there. Knowing what is standing in your way is the most important step to clearing the path and taking ownership of your life. As you identify the obstacles, you get an idea where exactly you need to start fixing up. However, it may not be as easy as it sounds if you are not committed to taking all the necessary steps. You will need to ask yourself a few questions and answer them earnestly.

The most important thing to remember is that no one owes you a perfect relationship or perfect life. Therefore, whatever your discoveries may be, you will have to be the one to work on finding a solution and take the lead in the journey towards the life you want. Below are the questions you need to ask yourself and what you will need to do to identify the things that get in the way of your life;

• Are you sabotaging yourself?

This is the first question you need to ask yourself. Do not leave the devil in you relaxed and in peace to find him elsewhere. This is one thing most people try to avoid and the truth they do not want to face. But, unless you are ready to look deep inside you and search for your weaknesses or what you are not doing right, you are most likely to struggle with the same issues until you are ready to face the truth and change. How are you conducting yourself? What are your habits and are they aligned with your goals and purpose? Do you know who you are and where you are going? Are you doing what is necessary for you to be where you think you should be? Are you being too hard on yourself? Is fear or lack of confidence stopping you from moving forward? Are you an overspender? If you have asked yourself these questions, done quality self-introspection, and have found no fault, you can then continue to look elsewhere.

• Are Your Strategies Working?

Sometimes the only thing that stands in your way can be your chosen way of doing things. It is possible that when you sat down to do your planning it looked like you had the best strategy but the implementation stage is proving otherwise. Find the weaknesses in your strategies and make some changes. Look for help if the activity is proving too difficult for you and you are running out of ideas.

• Is It Goal Setting?

Setting goals is not as simple as just having an idea and writing it out. It is a skill. Understand what goal setting really is and ensure that you set achievable goals that are accompanied by winning strategies. Also, try and align your goals and your beliefs. It is okay to dream big and start where you are and with what you have. They say Rome was not built in one day and the journey of a thousand miles begins with a step. Pushing yourself too hard can make you doubt yourself and the feasibility of your dreams and goals.

• Are You Misunderstood?

Sometimes we struggle to build relationships with others, find certain jobs, or be accepted in various social spaces simply because people misunderstand us. Sometimes there is little to nothing that we can do to change what people think of us. However, we can try and find ways to portray ourselves or act in a way that allows us to play our part. For example, where people think you are of a certain class that disqualifies them from interacting or involving you in activities, you can take it upon yourself to participate in the activities without being asked or simply show interest through inquiring about those particular activities.

• Is Someone Else Sabotaging You?

It is possible to ‘earn’ yourself some enemies through good works or past mistakes. However, you need to be careful before you make and act on such assumptions to avoid ruining your relationships with people. If you know that a certain person is sabotaging you, find a mature way of handling it, or avoid crossing paths with him or her. We always have various options that some people cannot reach. The worst thing that you can do when you know that someone is trying to oppose you is making the person your enemy and spending time and energy on fixing them or revenging. It will only add weight to your burdens.

• Now Journal What You Have Learnt

What have you learnt from this exercise? Anything? Did you just read the text? Did it mean anything to you? What thoughts went through your head as you read each section? Did any of it apply to you? What could you do about it? If you can do something, when will you start? How will you start? Do you need any help with this? If so, who could provide it?

Fed Up Of Resolutions That Don’t Work?

Click here to see the saving idea of plus one penny a day.
It’s almost New Year’s Day, the traditional time for creating resolutions you want to achieve for the incoming year. Have you made New Year Resolutions before? Did you keep them? How long did they last? What goals did you set? If you didn’t achieve them, did you consider what happened and how you could change that?

OK Enough Questions

You probably wouldn’t be reading this if you always kept all the resolutions you made! So if there are things you want to do (goals to achieve) work you want to do, and targets you want to reach, how do you do it and still keep going, day after day, after week?

How The Sun Does It

In the northern hemisphere at December 29th, the sun has just completed the longest night of the year (and of course, the shortest day). It’s the opposite way around in the southern hemisphere. They have just had their longest day (shortest night). In the northern hemisphere, the days are now very gradually getting longer. When I say gradually, I MEAN gradually. Looking at a local table of sunrise and sunsets (ask Google), the 23rd of December had a day that was 5 seconds longer than the previous (shortest) day. Just 5 seconds. Did you notice that? Me neither. By 29th of December, the day was a whole 2 minutes and 30 seconds or so longer than the shortest day. I didn’t notice that amount of extra time either. Yet, by early February, the evenings will have lengthened by about an hour and the mornings will be lighter earlier as well. Those few seconds each day add up gradually, but inevitably, to a huge 9 hour difference in the amount of daylight EVERY day, 6 months later, by the time of the summer solstice. The actual amount of extra daylight varies by how far north or south of the equator you are, of course. But who would think that a few unnoticeable seconds every day could make such an enormous difference inside 6 months?

Tiny Steps Every Day

It takes just a tiny step every day to reach the biggest goal eventually.
Save Plus One Penny A Day

Saving $600+ For Next Christmas

I read a great idea today about saving for next Christmas, that follows exactly the sun’s gradual change from winter solstice to summer. Get a jar, add a cent on 1st January. On 2nd of January, add 2 cents, on 3rd January add 3 cents. Keep adding one more cent a day, each day to your jar. By the end of 3 months, you will be adding about 90 cents a day to the jar and will already have reached $22 in savings. Once you reach 99 cents, then add a dollar a day to your jar, plus the cents. These are tiny amounts at first but they add up over the year. Even by the start of December, you will be adding only about $3.30 a day to your jar, perhaps the cost of a cup of coffee in work. But by Christmas, you will have over $600 in that jar.

What Is A Goal

A goal is something you want to achieve in the future and that you are willing to work towards getting. While a dream is not a goal, often a dream is something that starts you off on the work that is needed to achieve it. At that point, where you start doing the necessary work, the dream becomes a goal.

Goals To Set For 2020

Your goals depend on what you want to achieve. Maybe you want to :

• Lose Weight
• Pass an exam
• Declutter your mind or your home
• Change jobs
• Become Self Employed
• Write A Novel
• Improve your health
• Get fit or fitter
• Improve your IT skills
• Improve your game of golf or soccer or other sport
• Learn to dance
• Learn to draw or paint or improve your artistic skills
• Learn circus skills
• Earn more money
• Make the team in your chosen sport

There could be any number of goals you might want to achieve. There is an argument that you should choose one goal to concentrate on and if you want to pass an exam or make the team, that may take most of your energy for a time. There is also an argument that you could set smaller goals in a number of areas and enjoy reaching several goals. For instance, if you want to improve your drawing, you could draw a  single doodle each day (like in Inktober) and this would allow you time to achieve other goals as well.

SMART Goals

Any goal you choose to work towards should be set out as a smart goal – it should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timebound.

A specific goal says what you will do, specifically, so rather than “lose weight”, you pick an actual amount of weight to lose, say 10 pounds, or 20 pounds.

A measurable goal can be measured. So it might be to lose 2 inches from your waist measurement.

Achievable means that it can actually be achieved. No point in setting a goal to lose 20 pounds weight in a week, if you have only 20 pounds you need to lose anyway. There may be little point in setting a goal to run 1 mile if you suffer from injured knees, for instance.

Realistic means that you will make sure you have the time and ability to dedicate to your goal. If you are already working a 40 hour week and spending another 20 hours on your commute, plus more time looking after a house and children, then finding 10 hours a week for additional study may not be a realistic possibility.

Timebound means setting a time limit on when your desired goal will be achieved. This could be 6 months or a specific date, eg for an event you want to attend.

A SMART goal for losing weight might be, “To lose 20 pounds and 2 inches from my waist in 3 months.”

A SMART goal for improving your writing or drawing might be, “To write 1000 words / draw one doodle, each day for the next 30 days, using the spare hour I have after dinner each evening.

A SMART goal for improving your fitness might be, “To be able to lift X pounds weight 10 times in one session by (date)”, or “To enter and complete a 5k run by the end of (date)”

Outcome Goals

Outcome goals are end results, such as losing 30 pounds in weight, getting a novel published, getting your painting hung in a public gallery, making the team or setting up your own business. These are more difficult goals because you don’t always have control over whether you will achieve them. You may improve your fitness greatly but might still not be picked for the team. You may want to start your business but can’t get a loan from the bank.

Process Goals

Process goals are what you do to try and achieve your end result. So, if you want to lose weight, you may set yourself a diet allowance of 1500 calories a day or decide to cut out all soda and candy or set out a walking schedule of one hour a day. If you want to start your own business, you may set yourself goals of creating stock to sell, finding premises, setting up a mailing list.

You are more likely to be able to control achievement of process goals more easily.

Fun With Process Goals

During 2019, one person I know decided they would achieve 20 goals in several different areas (20 for 2020). They liked writing, drawing, losing weight and getting fit and wanted to improve themselves in all those areas. So they chose their process goals to help with that. One of these goals was to write 20 articles and publish them. She chose several different sites on which to publish, some of which pay money if people read and interact with the articles. She ended up creating a new website on which to publish certain of her articles. Another goal was to walk a set number of miles in the year. This goal had to be abandoned because of an old injury, so she chose another one that still contributed to her fitness goal. If you want to achieve several goals, then choosing process goals that contribute to one or more outcome goals is a fun and motivating way to achieve this, even if the outcome goal is a worthy one instead of fun. While she did not achieve her target 20 in all of her 20 categories, she felt she was more productive than she had been the previous year. As they say for those taking up the “couch to 5K” program, which can be downloaded as a podcast (at least in the UK, it can) “no matter how slowly you run, you are still lapping the couch potato”.

Motivation

To get and keep motivation, you need a clear method, setting out your action plan for achieving your goal. You will need one or more outcome goals (e.g. lose 20 pounds weight, make the team, complete a novel, pass an exam) and the process goals for getting there (choose a diet plan, cut out soda and candy, make a healthy lunch each day, attend training sessions, choose to take up the couch to 5k program, work out at the gym 3 times a week, write an outline, write character studies, write for 1 hour a day, etc). The process goals could be a step by step plan for achieving the outcome. For instance, if your outcome goal is to make more sales calls or to keep up to date with  your laundry, you may not be terribly excited by that, even though you know it is vital for your well-being or for your job. That means you may not always have the motivation to keep doing it after the first flush of enthusiasm has worn off. If you use process goals and keep a motivation chart, seeing the points mount up can provide good motivation to keep going. By the way, if you want to take up the “Couch To 5K challenge”, there is a great guide available on this.

Process goals for making sales calls could include:

• look up the number to call and write it on a list;
• write down the name of the person you are calling;
• write a brief note on WHY you are calling
• write a brief note on the benefits of what you are selling
• write a reminder to ask for a purchase to be made.
• dial the number

Write down each of these process goals on a motivation chart and make a check mark each time you complete one. Give yourself a bonus mark when you complete all the steps and make a sales call to someone.

Process goals for keeping your laundry up to date might be:

• Put washable dirty clothes in laundry basket. Do not add dry clean only clothes;
• When laundry basket is full, put a load in the washing machine (purists might mention here about sorting laundry into different piles, I just get it done);
• Add the washing powder to the drawer;
• Select the program;
• once laundry is finished, hang it on the line or put it in the tumble dryer;
• Once dry, remove laundry from tumble dryer or bring in from line;
• Check laundry is dry, if not, return to dryer or hang on airer;
• Fold laundry and put in airing cupboard.
• Clean out lint and empty water from tumble dryer;

Write down each of these laundry process goals on a motivation chart and make a check mark each time you complete one. Give yourself a bonus mark when you complete all the steps to have a clean dry set of folded laundry.

For some goals, finding a buddy to workout with you can be very motivating, especially if it involves getting up early in the morning for a jog, perhaps. Buddies keep each other motivated and it’s always someone to talk to while you workout.

For Writers

There are various writing habit calendars available for writers. You can find a 2020 writers’ calendar here.

Time To Get Motivated

2020 is now. Set your goals or aims and work out your action plan to move towards your goals. Remember you have more control over process goals and you can create motivation charts or get motivation calendars to keep you on track.

I Don’t Want To Be Responsible

Do you hate to hear the words “Be Responsible”? Maybe you have grown deaf to hearing it, or maybe you don’t know why people say it to you? Responsibility is one of the perks and disadvantages of being an adult. It’s a perk because others expect and allow you to be responsible for what you do. It can be seen as a disadvantage by some because they are expected to be somewhere on time or to have money remaining before payday arrives! Responsibility may be seen as the price to pay for freedom. If you choose not to take responsibility, life may certainly be less demanding, though maybe not less stressful. When you are not responsible, you can shrug and blame your problems on others, on “them”, on, “I didn’t ask for it”. And the price you pay for that? Lack of personal power and self-esteem, constant feeling of being a “victim”, and nothing interesting and challenging ever comes your way. When you become an adult, you gain the rights and obligations of total responsibility for your own life, if you choose to accept them. If you want rights, you have to accept the obligations that go with them and that includes taking responsibility for your own actions.

Irresponsible

There are several types of behavior that someone might describe as “irresponsible”, such as someone who acts in a way that shows they do not understand or care about the consequences of those actions, or that they are careless of those consequences. They might also be referring to the person’s attitudes, that is, what they say or their opinions, or lack of them. It may be a parent who is irresponsible, putting themselves and their wants first before their children’s best interests or safety. They may also be called “immature”. But just because someone is of mature age, does not necessarily make them into a responsible adult. If you have a child, it is your responsibility to look after them. If you take on a duty or responsibility then you must mean that you will carry it out.

9 Tips On How To Be Seen As Responsible.

Start small.

Prove you can handle the small stuff. I have heard irresponsible people say “I’m not doing THAT, it is beneath me”, or “It won’t get back to the person who thinks I am not responsible”. You need to PROVE you can handle the small stuff before you get entrusted with the bigger stuff. And don’t think that your actions or words, good or bad, won’t get back to someone who is important to you. There is always a little bird around that will mention something. As the song says, “The night has a thousand eyes”. Responsibility has to be earned, it’s not an entitlement that comes with age. No one is going to put you in charge of something important if they don’t know whether you can even handle the less important stuff.

Wash Your Own Bowl

It literally means that you wash your own dish after a meal. It also means to pick up after yourself. If you make a mess, a responsible person clears it up, not waiting for someone else to do the job for them. This includes such small and what might appear to be menial or trivial items, like closing the gate behind you, picking up your dirty clothes and putting them in the wash basket or putting the top back on the toothpaste. These things may seem very small but each of these actions or non-actions says something about you and your level of responsibility.

No More Excuses And Stop Blaming Others

People who are not responsible shift the blame to other factors or other people, when they cannot complete or carry out something – on the lines of “The dog ate my homework”, or “I would have done, it, honest, but…”. Those excuses all shout out loudly “I am not a responsible person”.

Stop Whining

A complaint is a sign that something needs to be done by the PERSON DOING THE COMPLAINING. Even if your complaint is “HE needs to do something” or “SHE needs to change”. You cannot force anyone to change. You can only change yourself. If you are only ever complaining about others, it’s like finger pointing – one finger points at the other person and three fingers back at you. Think about it. Try saying something positive about the person or situation instead: it is amazing how this can change your own mood and perceptions.

Don’t Be A Victim

The world may be hard but isn’t out to “get you”. Usually, you will find that no one is is trying to make you look bad, except you, yourself. You didn’t get a speeding ticket because “they” were out to get you but because you exceeded the speed limit. “Everyone does it” is NOT an excuse.

Be Reliable

Being reliable, means you do what you say you will do, be there on time, pick the item up. And don’t over commit yourself.

Be Grateful.

Cultivate what is called “the attitude of gratitude”. Say thank you when someone does something for you. Starting and continuing a gratitude journal or keeping a gratitude jar can be extremely helpful and therapeutic.

Punctuality

Punctuality is one sign of a responsible, reliable person. It shows you do not want to waste someone else’s time and that you think of others. That also means not waiting til the last minute if you need to change plans to meet someone. Let them know as soon as possible.

Listen.

We have two ears and one mouth, as the saying goes, so listen twice as much as you speak. Listening helps you understand things. You may be very surprised at how much influencing you can do just by listening and helping the other person express themselves.

These may all be very small items but choosing one and continuing to do it, helps to develop and show your level of responsibility. As you get better, take on more of these items and soon you will be seen as a responsible person.

Insanity has been defined as “Doing the same thing over and over, but expecting different results”. There is disagreement on who coined the phrase. There is even disagreement on whether the saying is useful at all.

But I was reminded of it this morning on a rural walk. I take the same walk most mornings in the week. It’s over 3 miles and includes a fairly steep climb. That makes it a useful exercise.

I also like to take photographs of what I see on the walk. On a country road with no footpath, it is safer to walk on the same side as traffic coming towards you. That means I mostly see things on one side of the road. That’s also the sunny side of the road, so the light is often better for photographs. Walking the same walk every day can become part of your comfort zone.

Today, I changed sides and walked on the other side. It was shadier. I also had to keep an ear out for any cars coming up behind me. BUT, I saw a lot of things I did not see on the sunny side. It’s now autumn, so there were many different kinds of fungus, even one unusual rare one that was not present on the sunny side. The blackberries were slightly behind those on the sunny side, extending the season for foraging.

So what does this say about life in general? Walking on the same side every day is pleasant but you can miss a lot.

If you change your way of doing things, even by as little as walking on the opposite side of the road, you can get results you never expected because it takes you out of your comfort zone and lets you see things differently. You may notice something you never realised was there before. That also goes for walking the circuit in the opposite direction. The hill is steeper that way, giving a tougher exercise.

What different small change could YOU make to something you do often? What results do you think you might get? Try it and see. You might be pleasantly surprised by the results from a walk on the other side.