LIME Magazine - Issue1 - January 2014 Jan. 2014 | Page 64

Editorial TEN TIPS TO CREATE OPTIMAL PRODUCTIVITY, HAPPINESS AND CONFIDENCE! 1. Listen to and follow your intuition. During these trying and difficult times it's been shown that it's often necessary to reprioritize to get best outcomes. Your intuition is most often correct when it comesto your life, work and relationships. So even if it's an inkling feeling - a tiny revelation- take a moment to recognize that and then move forward. 2. Stay within your integrity- no matter what. No reason or person is important enough to ever stray. If you have tried this over the years whether intentionally or not, then you know it always backfires. 3. Love and laugh! Both are proven stress reducers. Happiness is contagious - many need more of that now while surrounded by global negativity and immersed in "the new normal." 4. Forgive yourself for mistakes, let go and move on. Self-forgiveness is essential in order to forgive anyone else. Forgiveness is essential to let go of anger. Letting go of anger is essential to be happier. 64 by Eileen Lichtenstein, MS. Ed. CEO Balance & Power, Inc and Author, SOAR! with Resilience® 516-623-4353 5. Take time each day - to relax, to dream. We need our "down" time more than ever now, living in these difficult times. Honor your method of relaxation and allow dreams to surface. Be open to learning additional relaxation techniques and give them a try.. whatever works for you whenever you do it is OK as long as it has no negative effects on health or overlap with personal or work responsibilities. If things are unmanageable - get help. 6. Be a great listener. Listening is the most important part of communication. If you do not understand what is being said, ask. Listen well and your response will be more on target. 7. Stay healthy by practicing extreme self-care. (diet, sleep, exercise, relaxation techniques). Stress takes its toll on health and may exacerbate conditions already in existence. 8. Stop procrastinating and take action- to move forward or to drop the project. 9. Begin each day with a short meditation positive visualizations of successful outcomes of your goals. 10. Believe in yourself and your goals; create affirmations and post them onto mirrors, in an accessible notebook and in the car. LIME Magazine