I feel the need to repost (the subject of SELF-MASTERY) this for those that dont want to take the time to review the log entries since the pages are getting high.
I am thinking of saving certain links to posts, and at the request of a member, I can post it when they have a need to read certain subject matter.
The heart and soul of my success:
Getting in tune with myself. I lost weight successfully, met an exceeded my goals---because I am in sync with myself, and know how to properly deal with and master myself, and I continue to try to master my strengths and weaknesses within life, within diet, and within training.
(Chillen)
It's an inner ability to do it because it's important for you -- for your health, appearance, energy level, strength.
Feel the power of Self Mastery
==========================================================
Being Master of Yourself
(Daryl R. Gibson)
("No man is free who is not master of himself." -- Epicetus.)
What does it mean to be the master of yourself?
Certainly, each one of us has demands that pull him or her one way or the other, until it seems that we are stretched in all directions. Does being the master of oneself mean that we ignore those demands? Does being master of yourself mean that you never listen to your spouse, your family, or your mother-in-law?
Nope.
Being master of yourself goes deeper than that. It all has its root in attitude.
Being the master of yourself goes deeper than getting up when the alarm goes off, although that's an important first step.
It means more than controlling your spending or eating habits, although that too is essential.
It means more than exercising, even when you don't feel like it, or mowing the lawn when you would prefer to sit in front of the TV and eat cheese puffs.
It means, deep down, and to the core, a control -- a mastery -- of your basic emotions that drive your behavior.
First off, we must control self-doubt.
Many of us doubt ourselves, even though we are loath to admit it. "In his private heart, no man much respects himself," Mark Twain, an adept judge of human nature, wrote. Alexandre Dumas, author of such celebrated classics as The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, put it even plainer: "A person who doubts himself is like man who would enlist in the ranks of his enemies and bear arms against himself. He makes his failure certain by himself being the first person to be convicted of it."
Self-doubt is a cancer that limits our future. It is a self-fulfilling prophecy, that forever limits us.
Second, we must control our view of ourselves.
The decisions we make in life are largely determined by the filters we use to judge reality.
Few of us will ever be able to take a totally unbiased view of our abilities, because few ever can detach ourselves from our past.
If we were able to judge ourselves by the same standards that we apply to our friends and family, we might be able to gain a better viewpoint. The Scottish poet Robert Burns wrote the following (loosely translated): "Oh, that some power give us the gift to see ourselves as others see us." (The original is "Oh, wad some power the giftie gie us to see oursel's as ithers see us." I think I did pretty well.).
Only when we can make a reasonable, positive view of our abilities, will we ever gain the upper hand. Herb Cohen, who is billed as "The World's Greatest Negotiator," had an interesting take on this. Herb said in his tape series on negotiation that he tends to downplay his failures, or possibly blame them on other people. While it is important for us to keep a reasonably accurate view of our life and our abilities, it's also important for us to not shortchange ourselves, and we are wont to do. Keeping a positive spin on our abilities can make a major difference.
Third, we must be fair with ourselves.
Being fair with an employee, doesn't mean constant praise. Sometimes, being fair means that correction where a change is needed. So we need to be fair with ourselves, even though that fairness may mean a rational set of changes that need to be made. Few of us are ever fair with ourselves.
Fourth, to master ourselves, we must master our emotions.
So many of us allow moods to control ourselves. If the day is bleak, we get bleaker. If the night is dark, we get darker. We take our emotions to an extreme, and never really become the master of our fate.
Fifth, to become a master, we must practice.
By its very nature, Mastery requires practice. It requires work. It requires dedication, change, sacrifice.
Sixth, remember to protect yourself from IMPROPER self-pity. "Self-pity is our worst enemy," said Helen Keller, who had every reason to engage in self pity. "If we yield to it, we can never do anything wise in the world."
Seventh, practice occasional self-renewal.
Like a blighted neighborhood, sometimes, you've just got to tear old things down in yourself, and build up something new. Too often, we let the dust of the world clog up the life of our soul. Sometimes, we've just got to do some dusting.
Eighth, give yourself a push. Set goals to work on the parts you want to master first. Choose the one area that is most standing in your way, and goal for a change. Set a specific, detailed goal, a date for achievement, then plan out your path to success.
Ninth, learn to like yourself. "I don't like myself," said Mae West. "I'm crazy about myself."
==========================================================
“Knowing others is intelligence;
knowing yourself is true wisdom.
Mastering others is strength;
mastering yourself is true power.”
(Lao-tzu)
Master yourself and stand and deliver to yourself
(Chillen)
If you really sit down and think about it, it is truly being able to Master Yourself in the things you deal with in your life. All sorts of negatives come in to play: Not feeling like training, dealing with hunger when deficit dieting, dealing with your own personal demons, dealing with other negative persons, and the list goes on.
==========================================================
EDIT:
Manage stress by Managing Yourself.
(By Anne Walsh)
First of all, I am not going to begin this article by telling you about how important it is to eat properly, exercise regularly and to look after yourself. You know all that stuff already, don’t you?
No, what I am going to give you are five things you can do to handle your stress.
Could I suggest first of all, that you practice these when you are NOT stressed? After all, the time to learn any new skill is BEFORE you need it, not WHEN you need it.
Be here now.
I reckon that a major part of stress comes from the “what if” tape that plays every time we come across something that exceeds our perceived capacity. “What if I can’t handle this?” “What if I screw this up, I’ll lose my job?”. Imagine yourself turning down the volume on the tape.
Instead ask yourself…what is the one thing I have to do RIGHT NOW? Do it and forget about the rest. Repeat as necessary. Focus on doing this one thing as well as possible.
What part of “no” don’t you understand?
There are times when you just have to say “No”. Begin today by saying No to small requests – things you do find it easy to say NO to. If you find it hard to say “No”, say “I’ll get back to you”. This will give you breathing space to decide if you can easily accommodate the other person. Practise this skill when you are NOT under pressure..
If your boss asks you to do something extra, ask him/her what other tasks will have to be left undone because you can’t do everything. You are not Superman/woman. (Really, you are not…haven’t you checked lately? And remember, even Superman wasn’t super all the time!)
Task Swap/Drop
If you have a part of your job that stresses you out, explore the option of swapping this task with someone else, in return for you helping them with something. If that is not an option, is there a possibility you could change your duties if a part of your job really stresses you out?
First things first…after I’ve done this..
Yes, we all know this don’t we? But it’s amazing how we really, really have to tidy out the drawers of our desk (or clean the skirting boards with a toothbrush if we work at home) when there is a deadline coming up. Cheryl Richardson () has an excellent idea around creating an “Absolute Yes” list. This list has 3-5 items that we need to do every day to keep on top of our work. Put this list on small cards and place them where you can see them regularly. Then make sure you do them every day…If you tend to dawdle before you get stuck into a task, build in some “dawdling” time and then begin the real job.
Take a break….
One of my favourite stories about stress was the company that used to call a tea break in the middle of a crisis! This immediately reduced tension. After all, things can’t be that bad if there’s time for tea! Next time you are feeling totally stressed, take a break, go for a walk, stand up and stretch at your desk. And remember if this job is totally stressful, you can always leave it. You always have choices…
Conclusion
I believe it is possible to live a stress free life. You can learn how to handle the problems that you come across every day in a way that stretches rather than stresses you.
==========================================================
I have made many posts on how important it is to MASTER YOURSELF. There is MUCH wisdom in learning how to appropriately master yourself.......
THIS ROCKS!
Chillen
