Self Improvement

Author : Paula EderTime management tools abound, but they may not directly address the problems you face That applies to money management books, too Finding the time you need and saving money wouldn’t be persistent problems if they were easy to master What makes it so hard for you to progress? What will be your key to success?

One of the most powerful ways to overcome longstanding blocks to power is to refocus your energy upon yourself Not in a punitive or controlling way, but with friendly curiosity There are an astounding range of issues that can block your natural capability in managing money and time Rather than beat yourself, conduct a thorough investigation

You are unique

Your challenges and your solutions about money and time vary from anyone else’s You alone make the tough decisions about what to leave behind and what to carry forward on your life path Authors may point the way, but you do the walking

So become an expert on yourself to develop a successful approach

Success is not only possible, it is guaranteed, if you study the most important factor, which is yourself And if you assume full responsibility to make wise choices Start by reviewing how your parents viewed time and money:

* Which of their messages did you absorb, and which did you reject?
* What problems that you face echo difficulties they encountered?
* Does anger inform your approach to either time or money?
* Do you approach time and money from a scarcity mentality?
* What approach to your most stubborn issues about time and money would you like to develop?

Money and time issues are like icebergs

Financial and scheduling challenges reach deep inside you Like an iceberg, the base of your issues about time and money may be 7/8 submerged Any ambivalence you may harbor about achieving your goals, for example, can prove to be one of the most pernicious and important issues to confront

The hidden base of your iceberg may reveal surprises

Problems in almost any area of your life will eventually manifest in your schedule and in your budget So to revise difficult money and time choices, explore and chart the submerged 7/8 of the situation Mastering your time and your money challenges entails confronting how you approach freedom, responsibility, and relationships

Start small and work deep

Attempting to plow through a deeply rooted problem, like a ship battering an iceberg, will cause your efforts will sink like the Titanic But if you approach the complexity of your challenges with patience and persistence, you will enjoy far-ranging results that may pleasantly surprise you

Make a better map

Start with your smallest problem to build your skills, and work up Identify if each problem is based on misconceptions, resistance or undefined priorities Once you have correctly charted the problem, you can start to determine your course of action

Know when to call in a guide

As you proceed, you may encounter situations where outside perspective helps you navigate more successfully Seeking others’ overviews can enrich your quest to make the most of your money and your time

So, what is your next step in making powerful choices about your money and your time?Coach Paula Eder, Ph.D., The Time Finder Expert, has 35 years of success helping individuals and small businesses align time with values.

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Author : Paula EderTime management strategies that encourage you to live your best life will energize you and revitalize your outlook on life Your key to success is aligning your time choices with your values

Whose Life Are You Living?

Your time choices may reflect what you learned from others many years ago But now those routines may constrict your freedom of movement like an outgrown T-shirt! If you often find yourself restless and frustrated, clarify your current values by completing the following exercise

1 Create Your Ideal Day

Envision the most personally rewarding day you can imagine As you create a harmonious flow which follows your personal rhythms, ask yourself:

* When do you embrace active challenges that require learning new skills or developing new strengths?

* When are you most creative?

* When do you nurture yourself?

* When do you choose solitude, or others’ company?

Feel your sense of contentment expand as you align your time choices with your values Use this exercise to deepen your understanding of your values as you experience what truly energizes and inspires you, not what you feel you “should” value

This is your time map to self-fulfillment So include plenty of significant landmarks Write all of this down, or even sketch it out as a map

Enjoy it, enhance it and revise it daily for a week or more As you do so, notice exactly how these choices reflect what matters the most to you This will help you translate daydreams into reality

2 Compare the Real to the Ideal

Now think over a typical day, both weekdays and weekends

* How does each differ from your ideal day?

* How have certain routines dulled your appreciation of the moment?

* Do you need to find more time for meaningful rituals? Small moments add up

Identify the origins of time use choices that no longer fit for you Is there a “should” or “have to” for you to disengage from? Have you modeled portions of your life on the choices of others? What does this mean to you now?

These questions are vitally important, because they reflect how your values change and grow Substituting new choices is not disloyal to others in your life, or to whom you once were Instead, you are recognizing how meaning evolves The more self-referenced you become, the more you encourage others’ explorations, too So the circle of discovery grows

3 Make the Ideal Real!

Now compare and contrast the two days side by side:

* Envision where each day leads

* Now identify which elements of your ideal day you can realistically build into your life, short-term and long-term Create a first step that engages you

* How can you incorporate your first new step, and then a second, into your current life?

* If an activity in your ideal day can’t be realistically incorporated, such as a two-hour workout at the gym every morning, how can you substitute a viable alternative, such as a shorter, targeted series of exercises at home on weekdays?

* How will the addition of one time choice, and the subtraction of another, shape your feeling about the course of your life?

Your wellspring of energy resides in living your values Tap this power to make the most of your life It’s a simple equation; the more you use this exercise when you outgrow your current life, the more rewarding your time choices!

How can you start implementing these powerful steps to make the very most of your time?Coach Paula Eder, Ph.D., The Time Finder Expert, has 35 years of success helping individuals and small businesses align time with values.

For free Time Templates + Time Tips, visit
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Author : Paula EderTime management tips can teach you how to regenerate your vitality immediately by setting boundaries, utilizing these 3 powerful strategies:

Strategy #1: Comprehend how your time choices shape your quality of life

Genuinely appreciating the full power of your time choices requires and builds grit Why? You genuinely realize what an enormous responsibility you carry in your own two hands Yet assuming that level of ownership actually creates courage, because life becomes infinitely more exciting!

No more wasting energy in blaming others Your moment-to-moment choices grow more meaningful This brings your essential focus to here, now “Here” is where you live “Now” is where all your power resides

Strategy #2: Assertively prioritize activities that energize you

Consciously shaping your life through making your best possible time choices certainly helps you prioritize your activities One of the most powerful techniques for energizing your time choices is to clearly identify your motivation

For example, if you resent going to work, you are draining your incentive and casting yourself in the role of the hapless victim, dragged through life by circumstances You owe it to yourself to stop and consider the dignified reasons you go to work, like putting food on the table Protect your energy by refusing to blame life for time choices you can make and remake at will

Then again, if your livelihood is demoralizing even when you invest your best efforts, you owe it to yourself to explore new avenues Even in the most uncertain times, you benefit by examining and weighing the cost of each option You will go through life more alert, more curious, and with enhanced vitality And new doors will open

Strategy #3: Successfully establish boundaries to promote your priorities

To say “Yes” to one fresh opportunity, you must say “No” to others This essential discipline is worth all the assertiveness and social skills it requires Your zest for life is rallied in the following ways:

Establishing a hierarchy of priorities strengthens your core

Who you are is determined largely by what you consciously choose, and what you are willing to relinquish in return This is where the rubber hits the road, and where you gain essential traction to move through your day

Establishing boundaries shapes your life

If you feel obliged to say, “Yes,” to all demands, your life becomes no more than a receptacle for others’ agendas Own your life The more you simplify your commitments to support what truly matters to you, the more easily you can fulfill them without feeling depleted

Setting boundaries clarifies significant relationships

By presenting a defined self with clear priorities, you invite others to follow your example Although submerged conflicts may surface in ways you first find uncomfortable, addressing those conflicts frees up enormous energy to be authentic and straightforward

As you see, establishing and maintaining time boundaries is key to a healthy, fulfilling and productive life! Experience for yourself how following through, patiently and persistently, accepting setbacks, yields remarkable dividends of vitality and optimism

Let time management address the whole of your life If you are clear you want to live your best life, make time choices that will deepen and enlarge your moments, no matter what comes your way This “heart-based” time management honors and enhances the significance of your life, each and every moment

So, ask yourself: How can you seize the opportunity right now to make more meaningful time choices?Coach Paula Eder, Ph.D., The Time Finder Expert, has 35 years of success helping individuals and small businesses align time with values.

For free Time Templates + Time Tips, visit
Finding Time

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Author : Paula EderTime management tips boost your self-confidence when you use them to harness thoughts to effectively manage your time Your first step is re-channeling energy that is funneled into self-critical messages

Critical messages sap your energy, confidence, and creativity Because they distract you, they can sabotage your best work, creating a vicious self-fulfilling prophecy Fortunately, they can only interfere if you allow them to

So, how do you start building self-confidence through overcoming your Inner Critic? Begin with practicing these 3 strategies to quiet those critical messages You will experience the delicious pleasure of tapping your inner power as you move throughout your day!

3 Strategies to Conquer Your Inner Critic

1) Slow down and recognize the voice of the Inner Critic

Catching the voice of the Inner Critic “in the act” is a vitally important
accomplishment Like diagnosing a cancer in its early stages, zeroing in on your critical voice before it sabotages you provides you with time and power to neutralize it quickly You may have become so used to these messages that they form a toxic backdrop to your life It is crucial to slow down and develop the capacity to recognize this voice when it appears Practice writing down the critical messages that you give yourself You’ll slowly come to recognize the tone and the themes of this voice The critical voice is not very creative, nor is it very interesting You’ll probably quickly come to recognize its patterns and cadences Then the trick is to spot it in the moment!

2) Once you recognize your Inner Critic’s voice, simply name it

This may sound obvious, but it’s very important Tell yourself calmly, “Oh, there is my critical voice talking ” Naming it is a quiet step toward separating yourself from this voice In naming it, you are building self-confidence by subtly claiming your own power to isolate faultfinding and reject it Your inner critical messages hold power only when you believe them and react to them Recognizing and naming the source helps you to see that the messages you are giving yourself are tainted and not to be taken to heart

3) Don’t be reactive to or try to argue with your Inner Critic

If you treat your Inner Critic as if it were rational, you are setting yourself up for endless struggles This voice is by definition critical and negative; it can’t be argued out of its opinion Counter critical messages with clear, grounded, factual information Do it respectfully and calmly - getting angry or being reactive involves giving away some of your power You might say to yourself: “I hear that you think I am really looking very foolish right now The fact is that your perspective is off base and I am enjoying dancing If I listen to you, I’ll stop enjoying what I’m doing - so I am choosing not to listen to your opinion That is what it is - your opinion ”

As you can see, the key to dealing with self-critical messages is to recognize them, name them, and then respond from a very grounded, factual, adult place within yourself Give them a voice, but not a vote In this way you retain your power, and move forward to make the very most of your time!

Now, ask yourself: What is your next step to start building self-confidence and finding more time?Coach Paula Eder, Ph.D., The Time Finder Expert, has 35 years of success helping individuals and small businesses align time with values.

For free Time Templates + Time Tips, visit
Finding Time

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Author : Paula EderTime management tips can create transition effectiveness, and help you meet tough times with renewed confidence What makes the difference between challenges you respond to with self-assurance and those that keep you paralyzed or sleepless at night?

Start with your own experience Recall a transition, initially unwelcome, that led to your developing more competence and renewing your faith in yourself Perhaps you lost your footing at first How did you get back on your feet? What new skills did you develop?

Identify the constructive problem solving process This is worth actively validating, because the benefits extend far beyond the initial challenge you have met Transitional effectiveness is a lifelong gift It will invigorate you, enhancing your overall productivity

Transitional effectiveness is not a gene you either possess or lack It is simply a set of basic tools you can acquire, practice and add to any time Here are some of the most versatile tools you can utilize during tough times

Do not be taken in by their apparent simplicity Their power derives from consistent use And you will enjoy the best results by incorporating them into your daily routine

Your Transitional Tool Chest:

Transition Technique #1: Constructive self-talk

You always benefit by encouraging yourself Become your own favorite coach as you assess and assign priorities, and fire the critic

Transition Technique #2: Simplify

Let go of inessentials that drain your energy Change requires resilience and foresight, so eliminate distractions Encourage yourself to deal with uncomfortable tasks immediately The peace of mind this brings translates into more energy for the remainder of your work

Transition Technique #3: Don’t worry Strategize instead

Any time you catch yourself worrying, write down the realistic concern and commit to conducting a problem-solving session at a scheduled time Then fully participate in your current moment This, too, is an excellent energy recharger

Transition Technique #4: Cultivate the positive

These 2 simple exercises provide immediate, dramatic benefits:

Exercise A: The Opening Door:

For every loss, there is a gain What door opens when a current door closes? The more forward-looking you become, the more quickly you leave fear, self-pity and resentment behind Write down the potential gains, filing your notes where you can easily access them Refer to your Opening Door notes often This helps you survey your options with curiosity, not fear

Exercise B: The Gratitude Attitude:

Every day, first thing in the morning and before bedtime, list 3 things you are genuinely grateful for Write them down and look at them Reflect on which time choices contribute to these gifts

Transition Technique #5: Innovate

Change pushes you outside your comfort zone Rather than become rigid, encourage yourself to try new solutions The more consistently you do this, the easier it becomes Gradually, you will move from a scarcity mentality to an abundance mentality, as your attention shifts from external hardships to your internal wealth of ideas

However difficult your current situation, and however profound your losses, celebrate the resilience of your spirit Your life is change, and always will be Bring positive energy to transitions It will always reward you richly

So ask yourself: How can you start clarifying your priorities right now to find time for what matters the most to you?Coach Paula Eder, Ph.D., The Time Finder Expert, has 35 years of success helping individuals and small businesses align time with values.

For free Time Templates + Time Tips, visit
Finding Time

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TheTimeFinder

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Author : Paula EderTime management tips enrich you when you dedicate your energies to capitalizing on opportunities that tough times always present And aligning wise time choices with your deepest beliefs accomplishes far more

Every challenge you embrace with life-affirming time choices actually generates new personal power, reducing stress and enhancing appreciation Consider the power of the gratitude attitude

Creating a powerful gratitude attitude carries 7 significant benefits:

1 You acknowledge and savor the gifts in your life right now

2 You reduce the urgency that undermines your best efforts

3 Your gratitude helps banish corrosive stress

4 You affirm and reinforce positive time choices that contribute to the gifts in your life

5 You unleash new creativity by reducing your scarcity mentality

6 Your horizon broadens to envision your network of support

7 Gratitude strengthens your social capital, an all-important asset in tough times

“Social capital is the value and cooperation created through social human relationships or networks ” Philanthropic Foundation Canada

Social capital itself fosters connectedness, success and progress in individuals and entire communities Countless studies confirm that building social capital leads to people living longer, happier lives, enjoying more successful careers, and bouncing back more quickly from major setbacks

Here’s a quick gratitude exercise to build social capital daily:

Write a brief note of thanks to someone who has brightened your day Send it without expectation of response, and warm yourself with your own inner glow

By telling someone, either verbally or in writing, how much you appreciate them and their choices, you create a path for a positive connection You let the other person know that she has been seen and that her actions are significant to you

It is particularly helpful that you validate others in concrete, specific ways For example, you might say, “I really appreciate your suggestions for revising my project Your feedback helped improve the outcome, and you provided ideas in such a thoughtful way ” This acknowledges both the concrete tangible and intangible contributions that the other person made

Genuine interactions such as these create a base of positive communication on which to build an open-handed relationship Such validations demonstrate you don’t take them for granted, which promotes harmony and good will

You may ask, “How can I build social capital if I don’t expect and don’t receive a response?”

The answer is that social capital blossoms in a climate of good will When you are genuinely grateful and express it, you need nothing more Yet, you complete a very important cycle of outreach Positive associations flourish, and when problems arise, a strong supportive base promotes frank and caring exchanges to resolve the issues

Also, notice how much easier it is to be in the moment when you are open! You can even enjoy time while stranded in traffic at stoplights considering whom else you would like to thank When you foster the gratitude attitude, the benefits multiply, and you develop a fresh appreciation for just how well you can really use your time

As an exercise, ask yourself: How can you start clarifying your priorities today to start finding more time?Coach Paula Eder, Ph.D., The Time Finder Expert, has 35 years of success helping individuals and small businesses align time with values.

For free Time Templates + Time Tips, visit
Finding Time

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TheTimeFinder

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