5 Things Extremely Fulfilled People Do That You Don t Everyone wants to live a happy, fulfilled life, right? Look around you and notice the happy people who seem to roll with the punches. No matter what life throws at them, they find contentment and meaning wherever they are. So how do they do it? What do extremely fulfilled people do that you re not doing? Here are some suggestions. 1. They know themselves People who are content and fulfilled have a good idea of their strengths and weaknesses. They don t berate themselves for not being perfect, but they focus on what they do well and work on the things they could improve. 2. They stay connected People who are content and fulfilled in their lives tend to maintain healthy social networks. They stay connected to friends and family. They prioritize spending time with the people they love and have lots of support to rely on when things get tough. 3. They believe in themselves Fulfilled people have solid self-esteem and quiet inner confidence that life is pretty good. Confident people tend to have more friends and are more successful generally. Confidence sets up a positive circle that breeds more success, more happiness, and more confidence. 4. They are grateful Happy people are grateful. Not just for their success but for everything in their lives. No matter what else is going on, fulfilled people can always find something to be grateful for. Gratitude is an excellent habit to cultivate. The more you focus on the good things in your life, the more good things there will be. Gratitude is energizing and positive and generates its own momentum. 5. They have a purpose People who are happy and fulfilled don t just wait around for good things to happen to them. They have a purpose in life that is aligned with their values, and they just go for it. Extremely fulfilled people focus on doing what they feel they were made to do, what brings them satisfaction at the end of the day, and what makes a positive contribution to the world.

What to Do When You Feel Stuck or Trapped in Life When you feel stuck or trapped in your life, it becomes almost impossible to be happy. Those who do feel stuck tend to feel depressed, frustrated and dissatisfied with their lives. The truth is life is full of ups and downs. There will be times of great change, and times where nothing changes at all. Feeling stuck at some point in your life is normal, but that doesn t mean you have to stay that way. Here, we ll look at some of the best things you can do when you feel stuck or trapped in life. Make That Tough Choice There is a reason why you feel stuck or trapped in life, and it is often down to avoiding making a tough decision. For example, if you feel trapped in a job you hate, the tough choice would be to leave that job. If you are in a relationship that just isn t working out, the hard choice would be to walk away. What choice are you avoiding changing? Sometimes, the only way to move forward and be happy is to have the courage to make the difficult decisions. You deserve to be happy, so never be afraid to do what is right for you, no matter how hard it is. Begin With Small Changes Making changes in your life can be overwhelming. Therefore, if you want to get out of your current situation, start with small changes until you feel comfortable and confident that you re making good decisions. Think about the things you want to change and then figure out the steps you ll need to get there. Working on change one step at a time prevents it from becoming overwhelming. You will see steady progress as you make smaller changes, giving you motivation to carry on making bigger ones. Work On Self-Improvement How you feel about yourself can really hold you back. If you do feel stuck or trapped, could it be down to a lack of confidence or self-belief? Working on self-improvement can help you to view your life in a more positive way. You will be able to recognize opportunities and work through any challenges keeping you from your dream life. Think about your current flaws. What parts of you could you improve to be a better person? Commit To Being Yourself The problem could be that you aren t being yourself in life. Many people find they struggle to be themselves around other people. If you are trying to present a fake version of yourself to others, you will never be happy. Only by being your true self will you be able to live a fulfilled and happy life. Feeling stuck or trapped in life is common, but it doesn t mean you need to stay stuck. The above tips and advice can help you to start moving forward and living the life you deserve. You may feel trapped, but it s an illusion. Deep down you know what you need to do, you just need the courage to do it.

Invest in You If you are not investing in personal development, you may be limiting your true potential. Personal development affects your entire life, not just your work life or your personal life. It s amazing how many people don t try to improve themselves. These are the same people that wonder why they are not getting anywhere with their lives. You want to use some guidelines to help you which are as follows: Imagine How You Want to Shape Your Life Without a vision, you won t be able to determine what kind of life you want to live. You need to balance what kinds of changes you want professionally as well as personally. The two will ultimately overlap. If you imagine yourself being more helpful to others, this trait will become part of both. There may be certain aspects of your personal development that you believe are specific to personal life but may eventually carry over to your professional life. If you have wanted to increase your skills as a community leader, this could easily be incorporated into your professional career. The key is to identify and imagine what this new skill is going to look like. Assess Your Current Situation Before you make any changes in your life, determine where you stand with your life as it currently exists. Determine strengths and weaknesses to help you formulate a plan to make the necessary changes. Set Goals Once you know what your strengths and weaknesses are, create some goals to strive to complete. These should include high level goals as well as action steps. Most important, set milestones with firm dates for these action steps. Consider Alternatives There can be valid reasons why certain actions or goals can t be met. Instead of abandoning the entire personal development plan, come up with alternatives steps. Be careful not to simply fall back on these steps because they are easier than the main goals. Evaluate How You Are Doing When you reach a milestone, see how you did against the plan of action steps. This is a crucial step, and it s important to be realistic and truthful. The best way to handle this is to have someone else perform this for you. It may not be easy to hear, but the benefits will be well worth it. Keep it Simple If you add a bunch of unobtainable goals to your plan, you are likely setting yourself up for failure. This doesn t mean you shouldn t try to push yourself. It just means being realistic about your capabilities.

Are You Good at Self Promotion or Do You Feel Uncomfortable? What does it cost you if you claim credit for something you have achieved? Nothing at all, and it can actually open up opportunities. However, many of us are afraid to take credit for our successes as it feels uncomfortable. We may feel we will be seen as bragging or tooting our own horn. These feelings can be related to our feelings of self-worth, but other aspects can have an effect too. How we were raised and the expectations put on us in our formative years can greatly influence our relationship with going public.  Many families, societies, and cultures express disapproval with outward expression that is considered healthy or even admirable in others. Self-Promotion A person who is good at self-promotion enjoys taking credit for his or her valid accomplishments. Self-promotion is an art. It is an effective leadership skill. It can be learned, which is great news for those who are not comfortable with it. It is a skill that can be greatly improved with practice and application. Self-promotion is not showing off. Speaking up about accomplishments made and contributions you can deliver does not mean you are egocentric or self-absorbing. Symptoms of Poor Self-Promotion Is this you? You work hard, you go the extra mile and deliver beyond others expectations. However, you do not take credit for your success. Instead, you allow others (especially with seniority or longer tenure at work) to be recognized. You do not use I  but we.  You share the credit for your own diligent effort among your peers, groups, teams, and other people, which does not necessarily help you, particularly when it comes to your career. This makes you feel good at the time, but you may regret doing so later and wish you had been able to confidently claim the achievement as your own. You tell yourself that great work sells itself, so there is no need for showing off your outstanding performance. You hope that the right people will notice your achievements. After all, it was you who did all the hard work. When someone compliments you for your achievements, you feel that you are just lucky and thank the universe for making it happen, rather than thanking yourself for your efforts and skills. Promote Yourself The Right Way Self-promotion is one of the strongest skills found in successful individuals. Being able to self-promote has many advantages. It is vital to personal advancement, and if done well can place you in top positions within your workplace. Here are some ways to more effectively promote yourself without being self-obsessed. Self-awareness is important to successful self-promotion. It is about knowing your attitudes, values, behavior, beliefs, feelings, and other personality factors. Take some time for self-reflection to understand why you think and act as you do. Question any beliefs or behaviors that are not supporting the actions you know you need to take. If you are self-aware, you can promote in an intellectual manner. We all have stories to tell, so if you tell them, make sure they are interesting and provide value. Ensure that your stories are appropriate to the achievement. Don t embellish, but don t be self-deprecating either. Deliver, and don t make empty promises. Do what you say you will. You deserve merit if any achievement is truly yours to claim. Focus on showing  what you have done, rather than telling  what you will do. At work, it is easier to lead your team if your members see you fulfilling your responsibilities. Walk the talk so you can self-promote unashamedly. Show genuine appreciation and recognition if your efforts are not yours alone. There may have been individuals who contributed along the way. By showing genuine appreciation and gratitude to others, you will make them feel valuable too. Self-promotion is not always easy, especially in the workplace, which is why it can feel uncomfortable to do. For some people, it is way outside of their comfort zone. However, the right way of promoting yourself has many advantages and can be life-changing. Effective self-promotion has helped many individuals unlock their true potential, overcome their weaknesses, and stand out from the crowd. How about you? Are you now ready to begin promoting your achievements, as they deserve?

Develop a Positive Mindset With This 21 Day Plan It's easy to let disappointments change your overall mindset. When things seem to go in every other direction except the one you want, you probably feel like giving up. However, keep in mind that challenges and obstacles are only temporary. With a positive mindset, giving up won t be an option for you! If you want to be a high-achiever, your only option is to eliminate negative thinking. You re only as successful as the effort you put into making positive changes. You can achieve a changed mindset in as little as 21 days. As you read on, you'll see that all the tools you need are in the palm of your hand. Commit to making these changes for 21 days: 1. Confront your disappointments. Avoid sweeping disappointments under the rug, even if you d rather not face them. When you ignore them, the feelings that come along with being disappointed continue to linger. " You owe it to yourself to free your mind. Latching on to disappointments holds you back from pursuing other opportunities. " Look at each challenge as a stepping stone to becoming more successful later on. 2. Reflect on your achievements. Spend a moment each day making note of your achievements. Even include the smallest ones you can think of. Remember that the greatest architectural structures are built with the smallest morsels of stone. " When you stop to think about it, you realize how many little things cause you to smile each day. Those small accomplishments mean a lot, even if the impact doesn t seem far-reaching at the time. " Avoid allowing disappointments to diminish the joy of your achievements. You deserve every good thing in life. Remind yourself of that every day. 3. Center yourself spiritually. Spiritual balance is important to ensuring inner peace. This leads to positive living. When you re at ease with what s happening in your life, it's difficult for disappointments to take control of you. " Spiritual peace is the glue that holds this unpredictable world together. It's what allows you to be more accepting of situations at the end of each day. " Take time each day to connect with your inner self. Pay attention to the emotions. Allow yourself to achieve emotional healing. 4. Surround yourself with positivity. Positive influences help to build your new mindset. Make a special effort each day to see and converse with people who bring only the best to your encounter. " Having your family and friends around can remind you of how beautiful life can be. Their support can make a world of difference in your life. The basic idea is to make these adjustments every day for 21 days. It takes 21 days for habits to form, whether good or bad. Your aim is to form positive habits and use them to build a happy life. On day 22, you'll realize how much you yearn to do everything you practiced for the last 21 days. You'll find yourself wanting to implement your new standards of positive living. And that's when you know that you've created a positive thinker with all the promise in the world!

7 Attributes of Great Leaders Leadership is a daunting task, and there are many theories about how to best lead others. But regardless of the theory employed, there are attributes that great leaders share. With the right blend of attributes, you can thrive within any leadership system. It s possible to develop these characteristics with study and effort. Ideas are easy. It s the execution that s so challenging. Big ideas require multiple people to bring them to life. Leadership is all about getting everyone on the same page and moving them in the same direction. Consider developing these qualities that enhance leadership ability: 1. Confidence. Confident people inspire confidence in others. When your team sees your confidence, they believe that you know where you re going and how to get there. Confidence is contagious and elevates morale. No one else will be confident if you re not. " Keep up morale by dealing with setbacks confidently. 2. Trustworthiness. One of the most important attributes of a great leader is character. People need to trust someone before they will follow him. This is accomplished through honesty, walking the talk, and showing respect. Keep your word and follow through. " It s challenging for a team to accomplish anything without trust. 3. Enthusiasm. Be enthusiastic about the task at hand, your position, and the opportunity to lead. No one will be more enthusiastic than you are. Demonstrate the type of enthusiasm you d like to see in your team members. Let everyone know that you believe in your mission and its importance. " Sometimes a break is in order. Enthusiasm can wane under a never-ending workload. 4. Steadiness. There will be obstacles and times of uncertainty. Great leaders can weather these situations and demonstrate the steadiness necessary to keep the rest of the team focused. These are the times your team will look to you the most. Be positive. Be confident. Be a rock. " It s natural to have doubts. It s not effective to share them. If you need someone to talk to, reach out to your spouse or best friend. Keep all negativity out of the workplace. 5. Focus. It s easy to become distracted, especially when things start going wrong. Learn to ignore the noise and stick to the relevant facts. Avoid looking too far ahead. Deal with the current situation and maintain your commitment. " Focus can begin to creep when projects drag on for an extended period of time. Return to your mission statement frequently to keep your focus fresh. 6. Flexibility. Nearly anyone can hold the course, but only a great leader can change course without tipping over the ship. Be open-minded enough to find the elegant solution to the challenges that arise. A few course corrections are the rule rather than the exception. " Avoid confusing steadfastness with stubbornness. It s important to realize when it s time to make some changes. 7. Communication. Be able to effectively communicate your vision to the others in your group. Be willing to listen to new ideas. Provide the information required for others to do their best. Communication skills are paramount to all leaders. If you re looking for a single skill to enhance, this is a great place to start. Regardless of the leadership strategy followed in your company, these attributes will serve you well. Great leaders share many of the same attributes. Learning to demonstrate these attributes will enhance your leadership abilities and increase your power and influence at work. Leadership skills can t be learned and developed in a day. Bringing an idea into the marketplace requires a leader. Make yourself the obvious candidate.

Create a Vision for Your Life Today You've probably heard that you can only get where you want to be if you know where you're going. This statement is as true now as the first time it was said. So how do you come to know where you're going, so you can get where you want to be? To start with, goals are crucial. When we set goals, what we're really trying to do is to bring each piece of our lives in line with our overall vision for ourselves. Using a powerful vision-setting process can help you set more effective goals, since you can chart a course that will take you toward and support your vision. Do you have a vision for each segment of your life? Do you know where you're headed spiritually, socially, relationally, physically, financially, and more? Use this process to help you create a vision that works for you: 1. Write down your vision for a particular aspect of your life. Write a couple of paragraphs describing what you'd like to have or be. There's no right or wrong. In fact, you probably won't precisely articulate your dreams the very first time you try the exercise. A reasonable guess is a good place to start. " In writing your vision, avoid focusing on what you don t want, because this will only bring about more of that. Turn your back on negativity and focus on what you do want to bring about. " For example, if you want more money: Avoid wording your statement like: I don t want to be poor anymore.  Instead, envision what it would be like to be rich, which is what you want, and write about what that would be like for you. " Although you may feel challenged when first learning to focus on what you want, it gets easier. Plus, the rewards are spectacular when you can do it consistently. You'll start to notice that your life seems as if you can change it at will, which you can. 2. Visualize. Read your vision statement 2-3 times a day and imagine that aspect of your life matches your vision perfectly. How does your vision make you feel? Are you really excited and enthusiastic? Is it appealing to you on all levels? This shouldn't take more than 60 seconds to do each time. 3. Refine. If you feel really good about your vision, that's great. If not, now is the time to make some alterations. Continue refining the image of your dream life until doing your visualization feels spectacular. Re-write each new version. " At this point, you may be wondering when this process ever ends. Fortunately, it never ends. Your vision will forever be changing slightly throughout your life, which is good, since your desires will also change over time. 4. Review your vision daily and ensure that it continues to attract you. This will rapidly usher change into your life. In turn, these changes will demonstrate that you're actually moving towards that vision. 5. Create separate vision statements for all the areas of your life. Consider your finances, relationships, adventure, health, social life, and spirituality. If you can get all these visions to look just the way you want, imagine what your life will look like! Why Spend Time On This Process? Consider all the things you do every day. Everything you do is either helping you reach your vision or helping someone else reach theirs. Wouldn t you rather help yourself reach yours? Creating a vision is the first step to creating the life you desire. Tweak your visions a couple of times a day and really focus on the experience of living that vision. This gets easier all the time, because imagining something enjoyable is pleasurable in itself. Don't hesitate; create your visions today. Then, start reviewing and improving them immediately. Your life will change rapidly for the better. You'll then be spending your time making your own visions a reality instead of making someone else's dream come true.