For many people, the word responsibility conjures up different definitions and possibly feelings of fear and angst. I have found that for me, it need not be a word that is associated with strict schools, and a tough, military upbringing.

I have rather found, that by applying it as I will explain below, to be a helpful way to navigate my way through difficult challenges, and lead me towards great success.

To explain this point better, I am going to ask you if you have ever had a problem, or something not go your way. I am certain there are numerous situations you may refer to, and I am also positive that these issues may arise daily. However, to become more focused, how many times have you blamed someone else when these situations have occurred?

I am certain, that of you are honest with your self, and others, that on at least a few occasions, you may have blamed others, for a whole host of reasons. However, the simple fact is that whenever anything happens to us, most of the time, we are at least, partially responsible. I am not referring to freak accidents where you may be walking on a side path, and be flattened by a falling brick from a building site. Seriously, I am referring to everyday life, where we are constantly making decisions, and acting in certain ways, at given times.

It is natural that at some times, we may find we do not see the results we want, and so on. This is life. Now, when this has occurred to you, have you immediately blamed anyone else who may be around, or taken your fair share of the blame? I know this is a tough question, in that it may be touching your buttons, so to speak. However, the first law of success, in our lives, personal and business, is to take responsibility, or as I like to say, living above the line.

Anything and everything that happens to me is my responsibility.

I would like you, to say this to yourself daily, every morning as well as evening. This is not a joke. The more seriously you take this, the more impact it will have on you.

Putting all of this another way, when we realise that we are responsible for our decisions, the results we get, from the actions we take, we change our entire outlook, and mental state, and at the same time, others begin to see the view within us as well, through our actions. You may not see an instant change in your results, but given a short while, there will be absolutely no doubt, what so ever, that you taking responsibility for your life, will yield amazing results. Again, please know that I am saying this, based on my own experiences from my life.

As a self employed person, I can tell you that I need to take responsibility for my business and marketing. How many times have you come across business owners who have blamed the economy, their clients, the government, and so on for their troubles. Lets face it, the only person responsible is the owner, or you, for your business or life. Accept that responsibility takes effort, but it also empowers, and motivates us to do better.

I know what you may be thinking, and no, I am not referring to winning the State Lottery. Yes, it will probably take some of the financial pressure off, but I am actually referring to a slightly more detailed approach, on a general basis, that can help you in all areas of your life, regarding greater success and an easier mind. Please note that the scope of this article does not allow me to promise that all your problems will be solved in one quick brush stroke, but applying this principle to various areas of your life, will increase the results you get, for a seemingly reduced effort. As a caveat, I like to encourage people to always be doing their very best to get ahead, in any endeavour they choose. Hence, the spirit of this article could also be a part of the greater picture to help you advance as much as you can.

Having cleared that up, I would like to more clearly define my point here. I am writing about the Law of No-Resistance. This does not mean that you will never face any challenges, or difficulty, but rather, is about the way you think. We all think through things in a certain way, and worse still, sometimes react in an unproductive way to any given situation. We are human, and we all display this fault, to varying degrees. However, by recognising this, we can better work to reprogram our methods of thinking, to turn what could be difficulties in to learning, and development steps, to help us better get to where we want to go. I will remind you that I still encourage you to look at each day as an experience, rather than just a stepping stone to something else. This way, we can really benefit, and enjoy the present, as much as look forward to the future.

Essentially, even though we all want the best for ourselves, if we think about things in a wrong way, we might actually repel the very things we want. An example might be that we are stuck in traffic, on our way to work. This is a fairly common scenario for many of us. Now, imagine that you have a meeting, and are fuming under your collar, thinking about how late you will be, and that your boss will be unimpressed, and so on. You might even be thinking about the fact that you got a warning for being late the last time, and are now imagining the consequences of another run in with your boss. You might start to think about the mortgage payment on the house, and how you will manage to make it, if you are fired for being late.

Wait. Stop. Grab hold of yourself if you have to. Just stop right there! Look at what is going on. You are moving slowly through traffic, and now you're worrying about your mortgage, and on and on it goes. You are caught in a typical scenario where one things leads to another, as you are not disciplining yourself to look at this a certain way. Remember, I did say we can all fall into this trap, but so too, can we avoid it. By thinking about this situation now, and then, training yourself to look for these signs, you can slowly retrain yourself to stop. You must stop, before you end up imagining the world will end next week. I am being a little facetious to help express my point. Honestly look at yourself, and ask if you recognise this scenario. I reckon you will find a similarity at some point. That's OK, as long as you recognise it.

Now that the point is demonstrated, let's look at what you can do to change it. By taking the path of least resistance, you know that you can't curse your way through the traffic. In future, leave home ten minutes early. It's obvious, but even if you normally arrive early at your destination, you have included 'late' time, and will stress less automatically. When you arrive early, on most occasions, read, and study. This could add up to hours a year, of self improvement. However, getting back to now, tell yourself that you are calm, and can think about upcoming tasks, or even listen to an audio lesson. Use the time in your car to its best advantage. Tell yourself that you are getting extra time to prepare for your big meeting. I know you get the idea. It just takes a little difference in the way you look at things. It's like training your mind to react differently. I again, know it is much easier said than done, but with intention, you will more likely reach the levels you want to be at.

The following article is one of a series of articles which focus on Personal Development, Self Improvement, Motivation and Empowerment. It is based on research done over twenty years as a personal and business coach. This self improvement article was written in response to questions which I have been asked as well as address common challenges that people have with this subject and all aspects of personal development.I sincerely hope that you find the following information of value.

The Real Power Of Affirmation

“I am, therefore I exist,” is a phrase affirming one’s existence as a being. It may be a simple phrase, but it says everything about the being saying them. It indicates a confidence not commonly found among other beings.

But why do people need affirmation? Why do beings need to be affirmed? Is existence relative to one’s affirmation?

Affirmation is a very powerful technique to empower one’s subconscious. Once the subconscious is disciplined to believe one’s affirmation, the latter is converted into a positive action for the conscious mind. Through affirmation, beings are empowered to do, to work, and to strive for more things. Affirmation allows people to believe in themselves and to put their thoughts into action.

Affirmation is a combination of verbal and visual techniques of a preferred state of mind of a person. Strong affirmations can be very powerful, and can be used by almost anyone to achieve his goals and fulfill his desires. However, the power of an affirmation depends on how strong or weak an affirmation is.

Affirmation is merely an assertion made by a person, about something or about a state of being. A person can affirm those that he chooses to attain, like “I now have a good life.” Being healthy in mind, body, and spirit can also be made possible through affirmation.

A strong affirmation should be stated in the present tense to be more effective. An affirmation of “I am now a happy being” is more effective than an affirmation saying, “I am going to become a happy being.” Affirmation should always be in positive terms because it is supposed to work for you and not against you. Instead of saying, “I am not sad,” why not make an affirmation saying, “I am happy.”

When it comes to the subject of self improvement, I fully understand (through my own experiences) that it is a lot easier said than done. However, you are here, right now, because you have a desire to improve your self or you are at least interested in this subject. Perhaps you are reading this to help a friend or colleague – great. If this article helps you or your help a friend, paying it forward is what life all about so we all win.

An affirmation should be made up of simple but concise words, and it should be short to be more effective. A very long affirmation can work the other way around, instead of creating a positive mindset for a person. A short affirmation can be easily spoken and repeated by a person. It can serve as a mantra that can be repeated over and over again.

To be effective, an affirmation must be repeated. Repetition works and influences the subconscious, which in turn motivates the person into acting out his affirmation. A person who creates the affirmation should be deeply involved with the words he will be using, so he will be able to actualize his affirmation. Writing words that one believes in can be very powerful, and this can be put to good use when creating an affirmation.

However, creating an affirmation alone and repeating them a million times would not make the affirmation a state of mind. The important thing is to live one’s affirmation and to be open-minded enough to do the things that would help the affirmation become a reality. Feeling the affirmation and applying it in one’s life will help in making the affirmation a reality.

While affirmation is generally used to make an individual better, it can also be used to boost or confirm another person’s value. By affirming another person’s existence, you are helping him improve his self-worth.

Affirmation is a very simple thing that can make a very big difference in a person’s life. It can be a great motivator and can make things happen.

NOW is the time!

O.K. you have read the article. Now is the time for action. Without action, this article adds no value whatsoever to your self improvement. But remember, without action, you cannot blame this self improvement article or any article for that matter. So, take action NOW.

Even if only one piece of advice, one piece of information, one tip makes a difference, then the whole article has been worth it for all of us. NOW is the time!