7 Senseless Habits to Drop in 2014

Motivational speaker and author Shawn Anderson takes the idea of "living a life you love" seriously. With a mission of empowering one million people to lead a more positive and purposeful life, Anderson shares seven senseless habits to let go of in 2014.

"Why would we ever want to live a life that makes us unhappy?" Anderson says. "We read everywhere about what we need to do to be successful. But I believe if we just change a few of our habits, we'd be much closer to leading a life we love." Anderson continues, "Sure, some of the seven items on the list may sound harsh, but if we don't stop doing them, the lousy results we will produce later will feel a lot harsher."

7 Senseless Habits to Drop in 2014

HABIT #1: Quit hanging out on Facebook. "Facebook is a fun way to kill time," Anderson says. "But that's what it does: it kills time. Time that could be used to create, inspire and build."

HABIT #2: Quit Keeping Up With the Kardashians. "Filling our heads with unedifying TV doesn't do a lot to help us achieve a better life," Anderson comments. "Instead, exchange an hour of TV time to build your own dream rather than a celebrity's dream."

HABIT #3: Quit staying up late. "The surest way to be unmotivated on a Monday is to stay up late on a Sunday. Want to feel energized? Watch a few more sunrises."

HABIT #4: Quit spending money you don't have. "Having the freedom to do what you want in life starts with not being chained down by financial obligations. Give your credit card a rest."

HABIT #5: Quit working at a job you hate. "Nothing saps the life out of you more than working at a job you hate. Find something else."

HABIT #6: Quit hanging out with negative people. "If you have people in your life who drain you of all that is positive, ask yourself 'Why in the world are they even in my life?'"

HABIT #7: Quit pointing fingers. "Take a massive leap forward and take responsibility for where you are in your life. It's not your boss's fault...or your spouse's...or the government's that you're not where you want to be. It's your own cause-and-effect decisions that have you sitting where you are."

Source:  ShawnAnderson.comShawnAnderson.com..

9 Qualities Of Truly Confident People

Here is a list of qualities of Truly confident people-- the qualities they all have in common. 

This is a great read as it makes you think about the people in your life (confident vs potentially cocky) and how you can grow as a person and leader. I encourage you to check out the 9 qualities below (some aren't as obvious as others) and be sure to check out the full post here. 

1. They take a stand not because they think they are always right… but because they are not afraid to be wrong.

Cocky and conceited people tend to take a position and then proclaim, bluster, and totally disregard differing opinions or points of view. Their behavior isn’t a sign of confidence, though; it’s the hallmark of an intellectual bully. 

Truly confident people don’t mind being proven wrong. They feel finding out what is right is a lot more important than being right. 

2. They listen ten times more than they speak.

Bragging is a mask for insecurity. 

Truly confident people are quiet and unassuming. They already know what they think; they want to know what you think. So they ask open-ended questions that give other people the freedom to be thoughtful and introspective: 

3. They duck the spotlight so it shines on others.

Truly confident people don’t care – at least they don’t show it. (Inside they’re proud, as well they should be.) Truly confident people don’t need the glory; they know what they’ve achieved. They don’t need the validation of others, because true validation comes from within. So they stand back and celebrate their accomplishments through others.

4. They freely ask for help.

Confident people are secure enough to admit a weakness. So they often ask others for help, not only because they are secure enough to admit they need help but also because they know that when they seek help they pay the person they ask a huge compliment. 

5. They think, “Why not me?”

Many people feel they have to wait: To be promoted, to be hired, to be selected, to be chosen... like the old Hollywood cliché, to somehow be discovered. Truly confident people know that access is almost universal. They can connect with almost anyone through social media. They know they can attract their own funding, create their own products, build their own relationships and networks, choose their own path – they can choose to follow whatever course they wish.

6. They don't put down other people.

The only comparison a truly confident person makes is to the person she was yesterday – and to the person she hopes to someday become.

7. They aren’t afraid to look silly…

When you’re truly confident, you don’t mind occasionally being in a situation where you aren't at your best. And oddly enough, people tend to respect you more when you do – not less.)

8. … And they own their mistakes.

Insecurity tends to breed artificiality; confidence breeds sincerity and honesty. That’s why truly confident people admit their mistakes. When you’re truly confident, you don’t mind occasionally “looking bad.” You realize that that when you’re genuine and unpretentious, people don’t laugh at you. They laugh with you.

9. They only seek approval from the people who really matter.

You say you have 10k Twitter followers? Swell. 20k Facebook friends? Cool. But that also pales in comparison to earning the trust and respect of the few people in your life that truly matter. When we earn their trust and respect, no matter where we go or what we try, we do it with true confidence.

What do you think? What would you add to the list? 

Source:  Post entitled 9 Qualities of Truly Confident People by Amy DeWolf 

Paying It Forward In 2014

Is Paying  It Forward In 2014 on Your List Of Things to Do?  

Here are just a few ways you can check it off!

• Volunteer at your local Homeless Shelter. 

• Serve a hot meal to a neighbor or a stranger if you so desire.

• Visit/Volunteer at  a Nursing Home and/or Children's home.

• Your Local Shelter Is In Need Year Round!

• Foster, Rescue or Adopt a Pet from your Local Shelter.Shelters are Always looking for donations in the form of money, blankets, cleaning supplies, food, toys. 

• Volunteer to hold and play with kittens and pups and/or walk a dog at Your local shelters.

• Shovel snow, salt down sidewalks, walkways of neighbors, local restaurants, stores

• Clean public toilets

• Check in on your Elderly and/or disabled neighbors to make sure they have what they need with respect to heating (or cooling during warmer months), blankets, plumbing in working order, etc.

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PET FOOD BANK:

Donate Food for Needy families with pets.

Find one in your Area 

Here in Louisville you can donate to No Kill Louisville:

http://www.nokill-louisville.com/petfoodbank.htm


If there isn't one in your area,  then start one!

 
Cross-Post, Tweet and/or post on your other online social networks!

See a pet in need on Face Book?  Then pay it forward by cross-posting, tweeting and/or adding to your other online social networks.  They DO work when it comes to helping others in need! 


The Toys For Tots Foundation
www.toysfortots.org

Feed The Children
www.feedthechildren.org/

The American Red Cross
www.redcross.org/Donate
 

These are only a few suggestions on how you can Pay It Forward  In 2014

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