Prescriptions for Success

My Perspective

Catherine Towne-Coleman LPC

• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN: 9781635753417
• eBook ISBN: 9781635753424
• Topic: Personal Development
• Subtopic: Personal Success

This book is designed to stimulate our thinking and to remind us of what we already know for the most part. Hopefully, it will help us develop a greater value system and recognize our self-worth. What really matters to you? Each individual is ultimately accountable for himself. So let's not waste time on trivial matters such as keeping up with the Joneses. Decide what your primary purpose is here on earth, and use your mind, body, and spirit toward accomplishing your purpose.I believe that one of my life's purpose is to give back and share some of my life lessons. Of course, I have been doing this for years. A few years ago, I started giving my family members a booklet each Christmas with a potpourri of motivational information based on Christian values. These words kept coming up in my spirit: "Tell the people." And my answer to this was "They will not listen, " and that's when it hit me to write it down, and if they are not ready to hear it, they can read it later. I am concerned about my fellowman's health, well-being, and soul. My desire is to serve as a positive role model and motivator for others. Plus, the intrinsic rewards of helping others are great. This book should serve as an introduction to a successful life. It can be used as a resource. I am a teacher from the heart, and I believe in this Chinese proverb "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day, teach a man how to fish and feed him for a lifetime." My favorite Bible verse is what gets me through life: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you" (Matthew 6: 33).

Ten Ways You Can Improve Your Life Right Now!

Improve Your Attitude

Whether you think you can or you think you can’t…you are right.

Find ways to become more optimistic. The subconscious mind is an amazing tool; learn how to use it. It works hard behind the scenes to make sure our perceived reality comes true. If we constantly see things in a negative or pessimistic light, the subconscious accepts that as reality and goes about making our low expectations come true. Likewise, if we always expect things to work out or to be successful, the subconscious will work just as hard controlling our actions behind the scenes to make those positive expectations come true.

A poor attitude or low expectations is just a bad habit. Change the habit. The first step is accepting the fact that you want to make a change. Put a little determination behind it. Refuse to allow negative thoughts to dwell in your conscious mind. Replace negative thoughts with a positive motivational quote. Find one that is appropriate and preferably short enough to easily memorize. Next, the instant you feel a negative thought enter your mind, recite the quote to yourself. You’ll be amazed how well this works. Finally, make an extra effort to find good and hope in every situation. If you aren’t looking for it, you definitely won’t find it.

Smell the Roses

Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond your grasp, but which if you will sit-down quietly may light upon you.

—Nathaniel Hawthorne

This is a time allocation issue. It’s not hard to do; in fact, it’s quite enjoyable. Unfortunately, we have the tendency to consider “smelling the roses” a luxury item, and we just don’t make time for it. The fact of the matter is it will help improve our attitude, clarify our priorities, and put us in touch with our inner self. Our lives get so busy sometimes, we end up in arson mode, responding to all the demands placed on us by the people around us. Busy fulfilling deadlines and expectations from our co-workers, friends, and family. The problem with this is our own needs, thoughts, and priorities, get lost in the confusion. This isn’t just about us either; it affects the quality of our bearing on work, efficiency, and overall productivity. It even has a bearing on our relationship with others. We must listen to the inner voice for creativity, true priorities, and to lay down the load for a moment and find peace. As a result, everything we do will be a benefit.

One of the most effective ways to “smell the roses” is to stop whatever we are doing, step away just for a moment, and observe the beauty and serenity of nature. It could be as simple as a breath of fresh air, feeling the warm sun on our face, listening to the wind whisper through the trees, rustling in the leaves, or smelling the sweet fragrance of a flower.

Help Somebody

It’s never crowded along the extra mile.

—Napoleon Hill

Speaking of your soul, notice we are working from the inside out. A little chicken soup for the soul compliments our attitude and “smelling the roses.” By this I mean make a point to help someone out even in the smallest way. Open the door for someone when their arms are full, help someone who looks lost or confused with directions, maybe a co-worker needs a ride home. There are any number of simple things that you have avoided in the past because you were too busy focusing on your own problems.

Making that extra effort to help others will come back tenfold. It will make you feel good, and people will notice your kindness and treat you with the same in return. If you ignore or treat people miserably, they will treat you the same way. You are the seed that can make the world a better place; don’t squander the opportunity. Plant the seed, water it, nurture it, and you are the one that will blossom.

Get More Restful Sleep

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.

—Eleanor Roosevelt

Many fears and anxieties are born out of fatigue. Not to mention losing your edge. Productivity, efficiency, creativity, and accuracy are all things that only come to us when we are at the top of our game, and we need to be well rested to be there. Physiological reasons can prevent some people from obtaining restful sleep, and if you suspect this is your situation, you should seek professional medical advice and assistance. The majority of us, however, fail to obtain restful sleep because of bad habits, poor planning, and a lack of understanding as to what is required.

First of all, plan on getting a good night’s sleep. Don’t be telling yourself all day, I probably won’t sleep tonight. Make sure you eat dinner at least four hours before retiring for bed. This allows your body sufficient time to metabolize the food you ate, so your body is done working, and it is prepared to rest also. Avoid bedtime snacks, particularly stimulants associated with coffee, tea, chocolate, and soda. If you must, only drink water the last couple of hours before bed. Wind down with the expectation of preparing to rest. Stop trying to accomplish things to the very end; give yourself a little time without your mind rehashing the day’s activities or pondering tomorrow. Recognize the importance of sleep, and take it seriously.

Improve Your Health

Everyone is a house with four rooms, physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. Unless we go into every room, every day, if only to keep it aired, we are not a complete person.

—Rumer Godden

I’m not talking surgery, therapy, or a personal trainer here. You know what you need to do. Maybe quit or reduce your smoking, lose a couple of pounds, get more exercise, reduce your caffeine intake, or eat better. Don’t try to take it all on at once either; just take a small step in the right direction. We know these things are bad for our health, but we tend to justify it by saying to ourselves, we work hard or put up with a lot, and we deserve these little indiscretions as rewards. Unfortunately, the physical toll on our bodies and the baggage carried by our subconscious mind holds us back from our top performance.

Pick one thing to work on and start slowly. Don’t set an objective so high that you will become frustrated or discouraged. Set many small goals over a period of time so you have frequent gratification from achieving those goals. Bask in the knowledge that you are doing something good for your health; it’s good for the soul too. Make it a regular part of your regimen to always be working on something to improve your health.

Get Your Finances under Control

The strongest oak of the forest is not the one that is protected from the storm and hidden from the sun. It’s the one that stands in the open where it is compelled to struggle for existence against the winds and rains and scorching sun.

—Napoleon Hill

This probably eats at us more than most things, and the burden on our minds prevents us from giving our full attention to our work and the enjoyment of our lives. The concept is simple though: we only earn so much, so we can only spend so much. Why is it so hard to keep the two on the same track? Of course, this is an oversimplification; there are circumstances beyond our control that impact our finances. The key is to make sure we are not doing anything to contribute adversely to our finances and develop a plan to correct the progress we have.

Make sure you are living within your means; develop a budget and a financial plan. If your income is fixed, all the easier; if your income varies from tips, commissions, or hours, then figure your income on the conservative side. Don’t bet on what might happen’ plan on what you know for sure. If you get a little extra, always save some and reward yourself a little.

Figure your fixed expenses that occur every month. Then add all your estimated expenses for the year, like insurance renewals, car maintenance, vacations, Christmas, health-care deductibles, etc. You get the idea. Take the total of all these expenses, divide by twelve, and add that amount to your fixed expenses. Subtract the resulting total from your estimated monthly income. No, the difference is not your party money! The remainder needs to be proportioned into thirds. One third gets saved for getting ahead and as a buffer for unforeseen emergencies. One third goes to paying down debt. The final third is to enjoy and have a little something in your pocket.

You are the judge. The three proportions don’t have to be equal, but make sure something goes into each area. If there is nothing left to divide into thirds, you need to seriously conside...

Table of contents

• Introduction
• Forgive and Be Free
• Taking the Moral High Ground: A Matter of Integrity
• Attitude Is Everything
• What Is Your Responsibility?
• How to Stay Young and Healthy
• Managing Your Finances
• Successful Parenting Keys
• Maximizing Each Day of Your Life
• Ten Ways You Can Improve Your Life Right Now!
• Stories and Poetry That Have Inspired Me
• A Tribute Honoring My Mother, Who Passed Away on May 12, 2015
• SummaryYour Success Prescription Is Up to You