Take Stock of Your Present Circumstances

Just last week, Temple University celebrated its annual convocation with nearly 7,000 new students in attendance... its as good a time as any to take stock of you life and your present circumstances.  I invite you to take a few moments to reflect on all the positive changes you've made in your life.  We go thru so many changes in life, some we initiate, others that seem to be thrust upon us yet we rarely take time to reflect on how some of those changes have had a positive effect on our lives.  When you take the time to count your blessings you feel good about yourself, and when you feel good about yourself you are more likely to make better choices and attract better things to your life - better people, better jobs, better opportunities, and better experiences. 

If you have never formally or informally taken time out to reflect on the positive changes in your life and your present circumstances and are not sure how to get started, answering the following questions may help:

1) What positive changes have you made in your life?

2)  Have you found it easy or difficult to remain positive during these changes?

3)  Has your emotional, spiritual or physical well-being improved as a result of these changes?  If so, how?

4)  What character traits have developed as a result of these changes?  Are you more patient, light-hearted, courageous or self-confident, for example?

5)  What difficult choices or decisions did you make that dramatically improved the quality of your life?

6)  What obstacles have you had to overcome or challenges have you faced?  How did you handle them?

7)  How has your personal and professional relationships improved as a result of these changes?  With you co-workers, your friends, your partner/spouse, your children or family members.

As you begin to answer these questions, keep your focus on what works, what you've learned about yourself, not on what still needs improvement.  By acknowledging your areas of growth, you begin to build up your self-esteem, self-respect and self-trust, these three key factors will support the positive choices you make for yourself and your loved ones and help you forge healthier relationships moving forward.

If you take things one step at a time, each week do just one thing that moves you towards a more healthy and creative life you would be amazed how quickly your life becomes positive and you are happier!  You are important and deserve the best life that you can possibly have.  So, go out and get started on your weekly challenge. Congratulations on the first step to a more positive life!