10 Words to Live By in 2016

Words have power and we often become
like the words we speak over ourselves.

I wrote a piece especially for women that was published by Propel Women. I'd encourage you to read it if you are a woman, or have women in your world. Most men will get a lot out of reading it too...

1. Take Care of Yourself
Women are very good at taking care of people, particularly mothers. They learn to meet everyone else’s needs, but oftentimes neglect themselves. No one knows what a women needs like the women herself.

Only we know when we need to rest, go for a walk, talk with a friend or just have some space to be alone. And only we can arrange to make this happen.

Be careful not to wait for others to meet your needs when you should be putting them in place yourself. Know what you need and do what you need. Happy mums make for happy households! And happy women make for healthy communities. Don’t wait!

2. Rest and Revive
Passionate people are usually very busy people. People with a purpose are usually people on the go. The challenge is knowing when to run and when to rest. People who take regular rest breaks to refresh and revive their passion and their energy are the most effective people.

Keys to Rest:

• Take a break before you desperately need it
• Plan regular breaks that you look forward to
• Develop good sleeping patterns
• Know what refreshes you (e.g. a good read, take long walks)

3. Encourage Yourself
The most important words you will ever hear in your whole life are not the words you hear from other people, but rather the words you hear from yourself. Everyone needs encouragement, and being able to encourage yourself is a wonderful discipline, and a daily gift of kindness to your well being.

If you make a mistake, say “That’s not like me”

If you do something well say “Well done!”

We can never hear too many kind words and most of us don’t hear enough.

4. Be Kind
Kindness is a gift we can give to every person we interact with on a daily basis. Kindness is a choice. It comes from a heart of love and compassion. No matter how cross you are or disappointed you may become with someone, be kind. Anyone can be mean. Kindness takes more effort but is so much more rewarding.

Try these:

• Pay a compliment
• Encourage someone who’s struggling
• Smile at everyone
• Do a friend a favour

5. Hold Onto Hope
No matter what’s happening in your life, there is always hope. Hope is the possibility of a new day, a new outcome, a new love or a new anything! Hope is something we stir up on the inside of us that shows on the outside.

Hope is putting a smile on your face even when you don’t feel like it. It’s a choice to see the positive possibilities, rather than dwell on the negative circumstances. Have hope!

6. Be Thankful
The key to happiness is not things or circumstances, not even the people that love us. The key to happiness is gratefulness. Choose to have an attitude of gratitude about everything in your life and you will enjoy life a lot more.

Be thankful for:

• Each person who cares about you
• Having a place to live and good food to eat
• Be thankful for today

7. Have Faith
We gravitate in the direction of our dominant thoughts. What we think about most is what typically comes about. We’re more likely to have an accident if we fear having one because fear puts a picture in our mind of what we do not want to happen. Faith puts a picture in our mind of what we do want to happen.

• Sit quietly and be still
• Put a picture in your mind of something you dream of

• Start to see the steps you’ll need to take to move towards your dream

• Enjoy the nice feelings that go with this process
• Choose faith--It’s always the best outcome

8. Just Imagine
“Imagination is more important than knowledge” said Einstein. Imagination is the pictures that you hold in your head and live your life by. Basically what you can imagine you can move towards.

The brain always thinks in pictures but you get to choose which pictures you dwell upon, believe in, and hold onto until they come to pass.

Make a space in your day to use your imagination. Sit quietly and allow your mind to describe in great detail how you see your future in all its splendour. Have fun!

9. Take Off Those Limitations
Henry Ford said “Whether you think you will succeed or not, you are right”. The only thing that limits our achievements is the thought that we can’t do it.

People who say they can, can! People who say they can’t, can’t. You might not be able to do it straight away but you can move in the direction of your most dominant thought every single day.

Have a little more faith in yourself and a lot more faith in what God can do through you.

• Think positively
• Dream vividly
• Expect the best
• Anticipate something good happening every day

10. Make Your Labels Lovely
Most people have grown up with a nickname or a not so nice label placed on them by others. I challenge you to choose your own labels, and make them positive and uplifting.

If you’re known for being cranky then label yourself ‘sunshine’. Words have power and we often become like the words we speak over ourselves. There’s no label more important than the one you place on yourself. So choose ‘beautiful’, ‘intelligent’, ‘delightful’ and ‘fun to be around!

This article was originally published on the Propel Women website.