Tag: Dreams

40 Things To Be Grateful For.

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Credit: Psychology Today

How often do you pause to appreciate what you have in life?

We spend so much time racing through life that we don’t always appreciate the small and beautiful things that make us happy. There are many simple pleasures that we take for granted. Being thankful for what we already have can significantly increase wellbeing and life satisfaction.

It’s easy to feel bad when you are going through a tough time in life but no matter how bad your situation may seem, there is always something to be grateful for. People who regularly express gratitude, experience more positive emotions, sleep better, have more empathy and have higher self-esteem.

Take note of the rare moments throughout the day that you smile, whether it’s the first cup of tea when you get home from work, a hot bath or a chance to read your favourite book over and over again, love all of the little moments in life that make you happy.

Here are 40 things to be grateful for:

1. Life – Life is a gift. Having the chance to experience being alive is not something we should take for granted.

2. Health – Having the ability to live life with good health is not an option we all have.

3. Family – No matter what, having a family that love and care for you is a blessing.

4. Love – Life would not be the same without love.

5. Friends – Life is better with a few close friends by your side.

6. Freedom – Being able to life your life peacefully is not something many people ever experience.

7.  Choices – Today you have so many choices, be grateful for the amount of luxuries you have in your life.

8. Animals – Animals add to the diversity of life and bring us so much joy.

9. Education – It is a fundamental human right to have access to an education but unfortunately, not everybody in the world has this right. Be thankful that you are educated and know how to communicate, read and write.

10. Food –  Having enough food to eat is a blessing in itself, having a variety of food to choose from makes you very fortunate.

11. Breathing – Be thankful and pay attention to your breath, go outside, breathe in the fresh air.

12. Books – There is nothing better than finding a book you love, it’s amazing how words on paper can bring so much to joy to so many people.

13. Time – None of us know how long we have on this planet to live our lives but wake up each morning and be thankful for another day, another chance to make your dreams come true. Time may not be infinite but you can certainly experience an infinity in your lifetime.

14. Laughter – Have you ever laughed so much that your stomach hurts? It’s a great feeling to laugh. Sometimes we take life too seriously and forget to have fun, laugh, play and love, like we did when we were children.

16. Clean Water – It’s extremely unfair that every single person in the world doesn’t have this right. We turn on the tap and have an endless flow of clean water that we can drink and bathe in. Never take clean water for granted, it is essential to our lives.

17. Sunshine – When the sun shines in the sky, the day takes on a whole new level of positivity. Be thankful for the sun that keeps us warm and brightens up the darkest of days.

18. Art – Life would be nothing without it. As human beings, we have the freedom to express our true emotions through different mediums of art, music and performance.

19. Technology – Love it or hate it, the technology that we have created makes our lives much easier. We have a whole world accessible to use through a handheld device, how amazing is that?

20. Holidays – Having the chance to go on holiday and travel to different places is a privilege that we don’t all have. Some people save up for years before they can afford a break away from their ordinary lives.

21. Singing – Even if you can’t sing in tune, sing in the shower, hum your favourite song and enjoy yourself.

22. Rainbows – One of life’s most beautiful and natural phenomenons, the rainbow represents hope.

24. Electricity – It hasn’t always been around but electricity is a crucial part of our modern lives.

25. Hugs – A natural anti-depressant, hugging someone is the perfect thing to do when you feel sad about the world. Be grateful for every single person in your life that you can hug.

26. Trees – They make life possible.

27. Jobs – They give us purpose, without jobs there would be no value to the world. It might not be a dream job that you are currently in, but you are earning money to live life each day.

28. Home – Having a home is a blessing. Knowing that you always have somewhere you can be safe and warm is something you should not take for granted.

29. Music – It has the power to change your mood, uplift you, move you, excite you. Appreciate the artists who make the music you love listening to. Life just wouldn’t be the same without your own personal soundtrack.

30. Senses – If you are fortunate enough to have all five senses, observe how amazing it is to see the colours of life, hear the voices of your loved ones, feel the breeze of the wind, taste sweet and savoury foods and smell beautiful flowers.

31. Snow – There is something beautiful about snow, the way it falls, how each individual snowflake has its own pattern, how untouched snow looks like an image from a postcard.

32. Clothes – Having clothes is a privilege, having a choice of clothes is a luxury many don’t have. Next time you think about the new designer jeans you have to have, think about where your clothes came from, how fortunate you are to have that choice in your life.

33. Transport – You can go anywhere in the world by travelling on an airplane, boat, bus or train. How amazing is that?

34. Nature – Thank Mother Nature for this beautiful world that we live in.

35. Films – To visually see stories unfold before our very eyes is amazing, there are so many films to watch and there is always another film being made to entertain us.

36. Children – They see the world through new eyes, explore every new opportunity with optimism and wonder. Children are fascinating to watch, we really should pay attention to them more and copy their ability to see the world in a positive way.

37. Dreams – Be grateful for the dreams you have achieved and the ones you haven’t. Having ambition to make something of your life is inspiring. Make the most of every day and dream big, you never know what will happen.

38. Stars – Look up at the night sky and admire the stars. It’s a breathtaking view of an endless universe, you are just a speck of dust in the galaxy.  It really puts everything into perspective.

39. Words – To be able to communicate and express yourself with words is incredible. Be thankful that you are educated, that you are able to talk and connect with the world.

40. Memories – It’s a beautiful thing that we are able to playback moments of our lives in our mind. We can smell something familiar or hear a song and be transported back to a different time.

 

Be SMART About Your Goals In 2016.

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Credit: Innovate Gov

It’s that time of year again, a new year with a whole new selection of New Year resolutions. The time of year we all look forward to with fresh hope and expectation. The year it all happens, the year in which our dreams come true, it’s the year we have all been waiting for. It’s the year we kick off with good intentions and dreams, the year our seeds grow to fruition.

Be it losing weight and getting into the dress bought at last year’s January sales, to getting the job promotion, to finding love, to ticking that thing off your bucket list you have been meaning to tick of for the last twenty years. Every year we start off with the determination that it will happen. Nothing will get in our way this time.

As we sing ‘Auld Lang Syne’ in merriment with our friends and family, we’ll smile and nod with satisfaction, 2016 is the year it happens. We have made a promise to ourselves, a solemn promise we must not break. We have an obligation to make sure it happens no matter what obstacles present themselves.

The big question soon looms; how will this year be different to all the others? There’s no use in kidding ourselves. Most New Year resolutions only last until the morning, after which they are easily forgotten as we nurse our weary heads. At best they’ll last until the end of January, most are soon forgotten as the winter winds take hold and we slip into old habits as comfort against the cold.

Zest For Life is here to help you stay positive and reach your goals this year. With nothing more easy than a stroke of your finger, you can scroll down the Zest for Life blog and get all the inspiration and motivation you’ll ever need to succeed. Packed full of positivity, the Zest for Life Magazine is your one stop for all your positive quotations, bright ideas and good advice. You’ll never read a negative comment or feel a negative vibe, and it’s about to get even better, the first issue of Zest For Life is being released at the end of the month!

Here’s some good advice – Be Smart! 2016 is the year to be SMART, and being SMART is a tried and tested Life Coaching technique which anyone can apply and utilise:

The Smart Model.

As the New Year kicks off we’ll all have a whole new set of goals to pursue and achieve. Meet any Life Coach today and they’ll tell you the best way is the SMART way.

S. Specific.

M. Measurable.

A. Attainable.

R. Relevant.

T. Timely.

It’s an easy acronym which we can all remember. To be smart in our thinking and goal achieving, we need to know specifically what our goal is. It’s all very well saying we want to lose weight, but how much weight? It’s all very well saying we want a new job, but what job?

Only by breaking the goal down into its specifics can we get a better and smarter idea of how to achieve it. So rather than saying I want to lose weight, be smart and give yourself the goal of losing 2lbs a week. Now you have a smarter idea of what you need to achieve and it ties in nicely with M.

It needs to be ‘Measurable.’ It’s no use saying you want to be more successful when you haven’t got a measure to determine how successful you are week on week. So if your goal is to lose weight, only by being specific as to how much you want to lose, can you measure how much you lose. 2lbs a week is not only specific, it’s measurable and it also brings us neatly onto the A.

It’s ‘Attainable.’ I want to lose more, run faster, think quicker, do more, or do less. Our goals must be attainable otherwise they’ll never be attained. Booking a place on Britain’s Olympic team in time for Brazil 2016, is unattainable. While I hate to break the news, you most probably won’t make it past the first day auditions for The Apprentice or Britain’s Got Talent.

However, losing 2lbs a week is attainable if you swap the take-away diet for fresh fruit and vegetables. It’s attainable to win a new client a week, rather than winning the best sales-person’s of the year award in 12 month’s time. Shoot for the stars by all means. Go for it with a passion, gusto and determination. Just keep in mind your own talents, responsibilities and limitations. Your goals and aspirations must be attainable otherwise you are condemning yourself to failure and misery as yet another New Year’s resolution bites the dust.

Make your goals ‘Relevant.’ Only if your goals are relevant to you will they be achieved. If you are losing weight to please your partner, you’ll have less chance of losing weight than if you are doing it for yourself. Being smart is being honest with yourself. Why do you want to achieve this goal? What is the objective? What will the goal ultimately achieve for me?

If you want to progress at work and you need new skills to make it happen, then you can do the courses to help you achieve this. However, if you want to be a better sales person, it’s not smart to take a course in administration. It’s no use taking a cookery class when all you want to do is get stuck in with the garden. Which brings us swiftly onto Time.

T for Timely. Give yourself a deadline to make it happen. Be smart in deciding what that deadline will be. You’re not going to drop two dress sizes in two weeks. Be realistic and give yourself three months. A plan isn’t a plan without a deadline. Be flexible. If it looks like the deadline is looming and you are going to miss it, change the deadline rather than dumping the whole thing.

Only you can achieve your own goals and aspirations. Go easy on yourself. Life often gets in the way of our best laid plans. You have help all around you, from friends, family and colleagues. The Zest for Life Magazine is always at your finger-tips to give you an added lift and much needed positive boost.

Good luck with all your New Years resolutions. 2016 is a great year to be alive and a great year to achieve it all. Happy New Year and may all your New Year resolution’s come true.

Words by Matthew Taylor

10 Ways To Power Up Your Positivity.

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Credit: Attitudes4Innovation

The journey of life has many twists and turns, in a negative world it is hard to stay upbeat and positive but remember this – every day you have a choice. You choose whether you want to be optimistic or pessimistic, see the best in everything or complain about how bad your day is. Positivity is a state of mind and you are in control of how you think. You choose your own reality, if you want to transform your life and power up your positivity, follow these simple steps.

1. Live In The Present –  Don’t drift between the past and the future. You can’t change the past and you can’t predict the future, live for each day and you will appreciate every moment and experience gratitude for the little things in your life that make you happy.

2. Be More Aware – The difference between those who see the positive over the negative lies in their observations. Be aware of the messages you tell yourself and the natural direction of your thoughts. We’re not always concious of our negative thoughts, paying close attention to how you instantly react to certain situations will help to change the way you think.

3. Surround Yourself With Positive People – Toxic situations are the biggest influence on a negative mind. The more negativity you surround yourself with, the more likely it is to effect you. Studies have shown that being around positive person can influence you in the same way, maintain your sunny disposition by only having positive thinkers in your life.

4. Get Up Early, Be Ready For The Day – The early bird catches the worm! Make the most of every minute of your day. Start your day with optimism and give yourself plenty of time to relax before you start your long to-do list for the day. Enjoy the little things, whether it’s your first cup of tea, watching your favourite TV show or taking your dog for a walk, look forward to something every day, it’s the perfect way to power up your positivity!

5. Dream Big, Think Big, Act Big – Find something you are passionate about, choose something you really love doing and stick with it until you achieve your goals. Do whatever it takes to make your dreams a reality, believe that you can do anything and never ever give up!

6. Say Yes – Great things happen when you begin to say “yes” to life. You enjoy life more. You take more risks, which means you grow faster. Saying “yes” to life allows you to live up to your potential and enjoy the journey at the same time.

7. Talk To Yourself – Engage in uplifting conversations with yourself. Don’t tell yourself what you can’t do, focus on what you can do. Don’t drown yourself with unnecessary self-criticism, if you give yourself a pep talk in the mirror every morning, you will feel happier in your own skin.

8. Be Kind To Others – Doing something positive for another person can make you feel good. Studies have shown that being kind is the key to a happier wellbeing, seek opportunities in your daily life to be kind to those around you.

9. Find Peace In The Chaos – It’s a face-paced world that we live in, it’s sometimes hard to find peace in the chaos. Find something that you enjoy doing that relaxes you and spend half an hour a day to yourself. Learn to meditate, practice yoga, colour or even have a bubble bath and light some candles. Don’t forget to breathe!

10. Stop Comparing – Comparing yourself to others will only allow you to focus on what you aren’t, rather than enjoying who you are or thinking about who you can be. Your journey is different to everyone else’s, focus on your path and go through life at your own pace.