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You are here: Home / Archives for Self Help / Positive Thought

Positive Thought

Positive Affirmations vs Negative Affirmations

October 17, 2023 by Joi Leave a Comment

Positive Affirmation Quote Graphic

How familiar are you with positive affirmations?  Positive affirmations are short, upbeat, and uplifting quotes or scriptures that put you in a positive state of mind.  They can help you find your footing in a dark, low place and hold your hand while you find higher ground.

Oddly enough, a lot of people use these affirmations without really realizing it.  My mom had a favorite one years and years before the phrase positive affirmations even existed. She often said, “This too shall pass.” Whether it was a loved one’s health problems, a bad day at work, or a broken washing machine (we had a gold Maytag that didn’t know Maytags were supposed to last forever) – her phrase helped her though the problem rather than ending up crumbled beneath the problem.

As I’ve said before on Self Help Daily, when I’m up against something, I’m fond of telling myself, “I’ve slayed bigger dragons.” The reminder that I’m in control and have, in fact, won previous battles, helps me keep “looming things” in perspective. You know the secret power of “looming things,” don’t you?

They tend to conform to the size and might of your expectations.

If you THINK of them as huge and frightening…  they will be.

If you THINK of them as not so bad and downright manageable… they will be.

Unfortunately, a lot of people also use negative affirmations – again, without thinking about it.

Some popular negative affirmations are…

  • It’s always something!
  • $#%& %%$#6  %%#%#4!
  • Why me?!
  • I can’t do this!
  • I can’t take this!
  • I’m overwhelmed
  • Why even try?
  • Are you kidding?!
  • {long, exasperated sigh}

Not only are negative affirmations completely worthless, they’re actually very harmful.  They don’t help you out of your situation as much as they allow you to just be miserable in your situation.

Talk about a perfectly miserable waste of time.

When you’re in a jam, try positive affirmations instead. Positive affirmations LIFT you to a higher ground while negative affirmations PUSH you further down and leave you with a defeated attitude.

 

Filed Under: General, Positive Thought Tagged With: positive affirmations, positive mindset, positivity

Learn to Enjoy Each Stage of Your Life

April 28, 2023 by Joi Leave a Comment

Learn to Enjoy Each Stage of Your Life

Life is full of ups and downs. We have happy days going to our favorite places, doing our favorite things, or finding the perfect Frenchie puppies for sale. There are dark days mourning the loss of someone or something we hold dear. Not enjoying life can be a difficult and challenging experience. It can feel like a heavy weight on your shoulders that never lifts, making it hard to find joy or meaning in anything you do.

There are many reasons why someone may not be enjoying life, such as dealing with a difficult life event, struggling with mental health issues, or simply feeling stuck in a rut. Regardless of the reason, it is important to remember that not enjoying life is a temporary state, and there are steps you can take to improve your situation.

Seeking support from loved ones or a mental health professional can be a good first step in finding ways to rediscover the joy and meaning in life. Additionally, taking up new hobbies, trying new experiences, or setting achievable goals can also help in finding fulfillment and happiness.

Life is a journey that takes us through different stages, each with its own unique challenges and opportunities. To enjoy each stage of our lives, we need to cultivate a positive mindset, embrace change, and focus on the present moment. Here are some tips on how to best enjoy each stage of our lives.

Childhood:

Childhood is a time of wonder and discovery. To fully enjoy this stage of life, we need to embrace our curiosity and sense of adventure. Childhood is a time to explore our environment, learn new things, and develop our creativity. It is also a time to form strong bonds with our family and friends. To make the most of this stage of life, we should:

  • Embrace our sense of wonder and curiosity
  • Explore our environment and try new things
  • Develop our creativity through art, music, and play
  • Build strong relationships with our family and friends

Adolescence:

Adolescence is a time of transition, as we move from childhood to adulthood. This stage of life is marked by physical, emotional, and social changes. Adolescence can be a challenging time, but it is also a time of great potential. To enjoy this stage of life, we need to:

  • Embrace our individuality and sense of identity
  • Develop our independence and self-confidence
  • Cultivate healthy relationships with our peers and family members
  • Learn to manage our emotions and cope with stress

Young Adulthood:

Young adulthood is a time of exploration and growth. It is a time to pursue our passions, develop our careers, and form lasting relationships. This stage of life is marked by new opportunities and challenges. To enjoy this stage of life, we need to:

  • Set goals and pursue our passions
  • Take risks and embrace new experiences
  • Develop our careers and professional skills
  • Cultivate meaningful relationships with friends and romantic partners

Midlife:

Midlife is a time of reflection and transition. It is a time to reassess our priorities, reflect on our achievements, and plan for the future. This stage of life can be a time of great growth and transformation. To enjoy this stage of life, we need to:

  • Reflect on our life experiences and accomplishments
  • Reassess our priorities and set new goals
  • Embrace new challenges and opportunities
  • Cultivate strong relationships with family and friends

Older Adulthood:

Older adulthood is a time of reflection and gratitude. It is a time to celebrate our achievements, enjoy our relationships, and pass on our wisdom to future generations. This stage of life can be a time of great contentment and fulfillment. To enjoy this stage of life, we need to:

  • Celebrate our achievements and accomplishments
  • Focus on the present moment and enjoy our relationships
  • Cultivate gratitude and a sense of purpose
  • Share our wisdom and experience with future generations

In conclusion, to best enjoy each stage of our lives, we need to embrace change, cultivate a positive mindset, and focus on the present moment. Each stage of life presents its own unique opportunities and challenges. By embracing these challenges and opportunities, we can develop our creativity, pursue our passions, and cultivate meaningful relationships with family and friends. By living in the present moment and celebrating our achievements, we can find contentment and fulfillment at every stage of our lives.

 

 

Filed Under: Articles by Various Authors, Positive Thought, Self Care Tagged With: age gracefully, how to enjoy growing older, how to enjoy old age

The – Almost – Lost Art of Greeting Cards: A History of Sentimentality 

December 24, 2022 by Joi Leave a Comment

Stay in Contact with Loved Ones with Greeting Cards

 

At one time, greeting cards were commonplace; they were a great way to communicate with acquaintances, friends and family and let them know that you are thinking of them for whatever reason. Nowadays, the use of greeting cards seems to be on the decline, which is a shame. In order to understand this custom and the importance that it holds, you need to go back to the start. Read on to learn more about the history of greeting cards. 

The Origins

In truth, the origin of greeting cards as they appear today is difficult to pinpoint. This is because passing written sentiments to one another can be traced back to the invention of writing. Archaeologists have discovered clay tablets dating back to the Sumerian culture sometime between 3000 and 2000 BC, with what is thought to be words of greeting inscribed upon them. 

There is also similar evidence of well-wishing in ancient Egypt and bronze-age China. The personalized messages were sent with the intention of imparting good luck upon the recipient for the new year and warding off evil spirits. This tradition is still an important part of the Chinese New Year celebrations. 

In Egypt, on the other hand, there further evidence of personalization’s in these greetings. There are named individuals sending their well wishes to other named individuals. However, in contrast to the Chinese tradition, these well wishes do not appear to be designed to ward off evil but simply celebrate the new year. 

The Invention of Paper

Paper was invented around 100 AD in China, and it became the medium of choice for personalized messages as its use travelled along the Silk Road to other cultures. Its use around the New Year continued. This is because, in western cultures, it was used to offer well wishes and good luck for the upcoming harvest year. 

Presents sometimes accompanied the paper in the form of wood carvings or other small handmade trinkets. It was only really around the 14th century in Germany when the first iterations of what society today would recognize as greeting cards were found; they were still solely for the new year. However, at this time, they were reserved almost exclusively for upper classes thanks to their price. 

Greeting Cards & National Holidays

It was then during the 15th century that greeting cards began to diversify. Instead of being limited to well wishes for the new year, they began to be exchanged for other reasons and during other periods. One of the first being the celebration of the feast of St. Valentine. In fact, one of the cards given during this period is considered the oldest Valentine’s love letter written; it was from a woman named Margery Brews to her fiancé in the year 1477.

Despite the fact that greeting cards were diversifying in their purpose and occasion, they were still rather inaccessible to the layperson because of their expense. They were created in low numbers to accommodate this, not like the mass production of greeting cards seen today. They only began to see a rise in their numbers during the mid-19th century. This is simply because the process was mechanized, which made it easier to produce large numbers of greeting cards. 

The mass production of greeting cards came at just the right time. During the same period, postal routes were improved, and postal rates became more affordable, which helped to make the whole sending greeting cards thing more accessible to all members of society. They also continued to vary their use, with cards being produced for a number of occasions. 

The cards themselves also seemed to become more and more elaborately decorated too. Designers were hired to create artwork specifically for the greeting cards. The cards mostly focused on Christmas and the New Year, although Valentine’s cards were still popular too. A lot of greeting card companies began to invest more in the design of their cards. By the 1870s, however, greeting cards encompassed all of the classic holidays that they do today. 

Greetings Cards Today

Between then and now, there has been very little evolution in the industry. There are now more cards than ever that can be sent for any number of reasons, but the buying and sending process remains largely unchanged. One of the biggest greeting card companies in the world was formed in 1910 in Kansas City, America. 

Hallmark today is synonymous with holidays like Christmas. The business prides itself on being wholesome and family-orientated, and thanks to its success, they have diversified beyond greetings cards, having their own television channel and creating movies and generating other content and products. 

However, in recent years, the purchase of greetings cards from traditional retailers has seen a steady decline. The younger generations today seem to be far less interested in sending greeting cards in the traditional manner; the question is, why? Do the younger generations not have the same soft spot for sentimentality?

Truthfully, the rise of the digital era has a lot to answer for in terms of the traditional approach to greeting cards declining. Firstly, social media and mobile phones have meant that you can get in contact with a person directly to deliver your well wishes as opposed to the past when letter writing was the primary form of communication. Today you can reach out directly, which somewhat negates the need for greetings cards. 

There are obviously still young people today who enjoy the sentimentality of sending cards and respect the tradition. However, they don’t tend to approach it in the same way. There are a number of companies today that allow you to choose a card design and fully customize it to your specifications. The company then also sends out the card on your behalf. 

This is perhaps the biggest difference; people today are sending cards without ever having had them in their physical possession first. Cards today are often sent via these companies that act like a proxy. Some people could be under the impression that this adds extra unnecessary steps. But this isn’t the case. 

Ordering, writing out and sending a card online can be done in just a few steps. The convenience is unparalleled. These sites also offer help and advice too. For example, Greenvelope can be used to send the cards themselves, but they also have a number of resources, including tips on what you should write whether you are sending a speedy recovery card, a condolence card or whatever the occasion may be.

Lastly, in addition to being able to send physical cards via the internet, there has also been a rise in the use of e-cards. These cards exist solely in the digital landscape. They can be sent via email or other digital platforms. They were preferred for a while, but they can feel a little more impersonal, and they don’t allow for keepsakes, either.

In Conclusion

Expressing well wishes and giving greetings to friends and family has always been done in one form or another; originally, it was passed along verbally. Then with the invention of writing, it was done this way, regardless of whether you believe that expressing well wishes can help to ward off evil spirits or you simply want to express a sentiment. A greeting card can be an excellent way to do it. The tradition continues to endure; it is simply done in a different way.

Filed Under: Articles by Various Authors, General, Positive Thought, Relationships Tagged With: Relationships

Remember How Free it Felt to Be a Kid? Yeah… Let’s Tap Back into That!

December 5, 2022 by Joi Leave a Comment

Live Free Quote Graphic

Live Free!

I recently caught myself over-fretting about something in particular (a hiatal hernia I have.. very minor but very bothersome). I allowed it to intrude on every single day. I could be having a wonderful, beautiful day with my grandbabies in the yard and my mind would turn to IT…

  • I wonder if I’m lifting too much today.
  • Should I eat more fiber?
  • Should I give up meat?
  • What’s that pain? Is it IT starting to act up?

You know the routine. Give your mental worry wart an inch and she will absolutely take a mile and a half. If you don’t catch yourself, you’ll find that you’re almost like a bird in a cage – and each bar is a worry your mind will not let go of.

Trick is, it doesn’t even have to be a health issue people become “caged by.” It can be weight, growing older, money (many a cage is built by this one alone!), etc.

What’s more, a lot of people build cages made up of bars they take from other people’s lives…

  • Oh man, should he lose weight… why DOES he eat so much?
  • She should absolutely stop dressing like she’s still in her 20s.
  • Why in tarnation does my son listen to that so-called music?!
  • If he wears a mask one more time in this store I’m going to scream.
  • Why do kids like to play video games? I never did!
  • etc etc etc etc…

Left unchecked, a cage is most assuredly built and the builder finds himself or herself caged like a parakeet that can’t taste freedom.

I caught myself one gorgeous afternoon while, ironically, watching a few birds in the tree. I thought of birds I’d seen in a zoo’s “Rain Forest” exhibition once and also in another part of the zoo, in smaller cages. I looked at the birds in front of me and thought, “How wonderful that they’re so FREE!”

At that moment (personally, as a Spiritual person, I believe the Holy Spirit nudged me), I realized that my ridiculous thoughts were caging me and keeping me from truly tasting the freedom I should be feasting on. Since that moment, whenever my mind wants to veer off into the land of “what if”s, I literally say (sometimes out loud, to my cats’ amusement), “No! I’m FREE from that cage!”

Let me tell you, friends, freedom feels beautiful and it is a very addictive feeling.

I’ve also used it in a few other instances, giving sweet FREEDOM to myself in other areas that could become problematic:

  • When I see someone so filled with hate and anger online, instead of fretting over them, I say a quick prayer for them and let it go… again, claiming the “freedom.”
  • When I find myself worrying about something on the world’s stage (of which I have zero control)… well, see above.

One of the things this experience has reminded me of is the feeling we had as children… every day was exciting and filled with wonder. We weren’t weighed down with any of the above nonsense. We were free – children simply aren’t into cage BUILDING… they’re into FLYING FREE.

We could learn a lesson or two from them. In fact, if you’re like me, you often have a word or two you take into a new year as your “focus word” for that year. I already know the word I’ll be carrying into 2023 and I highly recommend you pack it as well… FREEDOM.

Try it, you’ll love it.

This is a very short post and a very quick thought, but I was very anxious to share it with you because it has meant the world to me. In  fact, it has meant experiencing more freedom – and you cannot put a price tag on that. ~ Joi (“Joy”)

Filed Under: Daily Quote, How to Be Happy, Positive Thought, Self Care Tagged With: be free, beat stress, free your mind, quote graphics

Quotes of the Day: Because We Could All Use A Little Dose of Inspiration and Motivation…

November 17, 2022 by Joi Leave a Comment

"Nothing Great was Ever Achieved Without Enthusiasm." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Nothing Great was Ever Achieved Without Enthusiasm.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

A while back I had a feature on the self help blog called “Quotes of the Day.” I’d post a great inspirational or motivational quote, along with a graphic (almost always starring an animal or two… what can I say… I’m a modern day Snow White, completely obsessed with animals).

Life gets pretty busy sometimes, causing us to often pull away from certain routines. Unfortunately, I dropped this one and simply never picked it back up.

Until now!

I was sitting and spending time with my beloved journal/planner this morning and was in the process of writing down my daily morning entries…

  • Bible verse of the day
  • Vocabulary word of the day (sign up at Dictionary.com!)
  • Quote of the day (one I pull from daily reading that inspires or motivates me)

It occurred to me just how much I enjoy having a particularly inspiring or motivating quote to carry around with me throughout the day and I thought of you.

Yes, you!

I want to make sure you have one each day for your pocket, to pull out whenever you need a little company. I will post them as often as possible on Mondays – Fridays, beginning today with a wonderful quote above from Ralph Waldo Emerson. My life is beautifully busy, so I doubt there will EVER be a whole week with “Quotes of the Day,” but I’ll try to get as many done as possible.

Have a wonderful, enthusiastic rest of the week! ~ Joi (“Joy“)

Filed Under: Daily Quote, Positive Thought Tagged With: inspirational quotes, motivational quotes, quote graphic, quote of the day, Ralph Waldo Emerson quote

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My name is Joi (“Joy”)! I am the over-caffeinated, annoyingly positive, animal lover behind Self Help Daily.

To contact me, please do so through e-mail (joitsigers @ gmail.com). Thanks and I very much look forward to hearing from you! ~ Joi

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The Essential Guide to Prayer

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A Study Bible I Use Daily….

The GORGEOUS Dr. Tony Evans Study Bible (Amazon affiliate link) is exactly what you need if you want to get more from your Bible reading. He makes the Bible come even more alive and, in a way uniquely his own, makes each chapter easy to understand… even Revelations!

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One of the questions I hear the most from my readers is, "How can I cope with empty nest syndrome?" I'll try to deal with this sensitive subject as often as possible. If you have any suggestions, I hope you'll contribute to the conversations!

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