Five Boosts by Self Helping Yourself

A Job is what you do for money. A Career is a job you love. A Hobby is what you do for fun. A Vocation is something you feel you were born to do, whether or not you make money from it.

Not everyone can turn their vocation into a career. It’s okay to use a boring job to fund your vocation and hobbies.

The Life-Altering Practice of Making Cuts

(Courtney Carver | Be More With Less | 825 words)

Write up a list of things you regularly do. Consciously choose to stop doing what’s unimportant, makes you feel bad, or doesn’t work in your life.

Do the same with your worries and regrets.

How to Stop Feeling Productivity Shame

(Jory MacKay | Doist | 3450 words)

You’ll never run out of tasks to do.

If you see productivity as completing everything on your to-do list, you’ll always feel guilty.

If you see productivity as being busy, you’ll spend too much time on unimportant tasks, and any downtime feeling guilty that you’re not working.

Instead, think of productivity as making progress toward important goals. Relaxation is an important part of progress. It’s necessary to recharge your energy and avoid burnout. (Plus live a happy life.)

Enjoy Five Boosts By Self Helping Yourself? Be sure to Subscribe and check out the Self Helping Yourself site.

Please consider buying me a coffee.

If you can’t donate, you can always help by subscribing, recommending Five Boosts, Self Helping Yourself, or any articles to your friends, or by rating/reviewing The Weight Loss Habit on Amazon. (If you’ve read it.)

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Five Boosts To Beat Negativity

Written by Steven Ray Marks March 10, 2021 Leave a Comment

Five Easy Ways to Make Your Life Better for 3/10/21

Today’s boosts are about overcoming negativity in your life and yourself.

Announcement:

Only one week left to register for the Rockstar Excel Beginner to Rockstar course.

Could Excel save you hundreds of hours as an entrepreneur?

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to learn how to save five hours a week, level up your efficiency, and become massively more organized, all with EASY Excel skills that anyone can master in four weeks.

You’ll save five hour a week or your money back!

Class starts Thursday, March 18. Registration deadline is Tuesday, March 16.

Learn more here.

Weight Loss Without Anxiety

(Joanne Williams & Steven Ray Marks | Anxiety Simplified | 30-minute podcast)

Those with anxiety find dieting especially difficult, because of negative self-talk and a shame-and-guilt mentality.

It’s better to take a positive approach, where you focus on making things easy and rewarding yourself for good decisions.

Note: I was a guest on the Anxiety Simplified podcast, where I discussed Weight Loss and Anxiety, and my book The Weight Loss Habit: The No BS, No Gimmick, (Sort of) Easy Way to Lose Weight and Keep It Off Forever.

Be Kinder to Yourself

(Alice Boyes | Harvard Business Review | 1750 words)

Self-compassion will make you happier and more effective.

Use a tone of kindness, accept pain is universal, don’t exaggerate negative emotions (but don’t suppress them either), and trust yourself to make good decisions.

I found this in Monale Alemika’s WorkLife Edit newsletter.

3 Things You Need to Stop Doing to Live a Simpler Life

(Henrik Edberg | Positivity Blog | 850 words)

To avoid destructive habits that make life messy and unhappy:

Stop overthinking.
Stop making work busier/more complex than it needs to be.
Stop overcomplicating relationships.

This Small Change in Language Can Help Downplay Negativity

(Steven Handel | The Emotion Machine | 675 words)

Don’t add words of emphasis for negative qualities about yourself. “I’m very lazy” or “I’m extremely frustrated.”

Instead, use words to show they only apply some of the time, and downplay the negative quality. “Sometimes, I’m a little bit lazy.” “I’m kind of frustrated for now.”

This shift in language will shift your mindset.

7 Mantras That Will Stop You From Taking Things Personally

(Marc Chernoff | Marc and Angel | 1000 words)

Some key takeaways:

People do things because of themselves, not because of you.
You don’t need others to validate you. You’re already valuable.
Give others the benefit of the doubt you’d want to be given on your worst day.

Be sure to follow @YourselfHelping on Twitter.

Enjoy Five Boosts By Self Helping Yourself? Be sure to Subscribe and check out the Self Helping Yourself site.

Enjoy Five Boosts? Please consider buying me a coffee.

As well as writing the posts for Self Helping Yourself, and Rockstar Excel.

If you can’t donate, you can always help by subscribing, recommending Five Boosts, Self Helping Yourself, or any articles to your friends, or by rating/reviewing The Weight Loss Habit on Amazon. (If you’ve read it.)

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Five Boosts To Achieve Great Things

Written by Steven Ray Marks March 2, 2021 Leave a Comment

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Five Easy Ways to Make Your Life Better for 3/2/21

Today’s boosts are about getting out of your own way so you can achieve the things you want.

A quick announcement: I’ll be a guest on this Friday’s episode of the podcast Anxiety Simplified, discussing weight loss and anxiety, and my book The Weight Loss Habit.

If you’ve ever wanted to hear my voice or see my face, that’s your chance.

What’s Easy for Some is Difficult for Others

(Steven Ray Marks | Self-Helping Yourself | 1125 words)

You may struggle to learn something others find easy. That’s nothing to be ashamed of.

When seeking help, be clear about your struggles. Those skilled enough to give help often speak from their perspective of assuming it’s easy, and talk past you.

And when giving assistance, recognize people struggle because it’s harder for them than for you. Your advice should be helpful from that perspective.

How to Take Action: 12 Habits that Turn Dreams into Reality

(Henrik Edberg | Positivity Blog | 1775 words)

Different motivational strategies work for different people:

Do the most important thing at the start of the day.
Or start off small to build momentum.
Keep a reminder of priorities and goals.
Have accountability partners.
Cycle focused work and relaxing rest.

Steal These Advertising Secrets to Manipulate Yourself

(Nir Eyal | 1500 words)

People hate being told what to do and tend to push back. That includes when you tell yourself what to do. Instead:

Offer yourself the right rewards.
Give yourself choices to feel more in control.
Create narratives to support your goals

Are You Task-Oriented or Goal-Oriented? How to Improve Both

(Barrie Davenport | Live Bold and Bloom | 1150 words)

Some people focus on the task at hand; others focus on the end goal.

It’s important to keep both your goals and your tasks clear.

How to Do the Thing You’re Avoiding

(Leo Babauta | Zen Habits | 675 words)

If you’re avoiding something you know you need to do:

Set an alarm to do it at a certain time.
Psyche yourself up.
Do it with someone else.
Get small victories

Excel: Beginner to Rockstar

I’m launching a new business.

Before switching to Self-Improvement and Weight Loss, I spent 20 years in Accounting and Finance for start-ups, rising to the level of CFO. Now I’m putting my expertise to use teaching Excel.

Could winning at Excel win your next job?

Or save you hundreds of hours as an entrepreneur?

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to increase your Excel skills 100% or more in four weeks. You’ll be able to get twice as much done in half the time, amaze your boss and potential employers, and enjoy unparalleled job security.

Rockstar Excel Presents

Excel: Beginner to Rockstar Course

Starting March 18, 2021

Are you an entrepreneur who struggles to finish everything?

Are you an employee whose career is stuck in neutral?

Are you looking to become more efficient and organized?

Would you like to get more done in less time?

Mastering Excel could be the solution!

Imagine taking minutes to complete what used to take you hours. Picture what you could do with five extra hours a week. What if you never had to worry about layoffs, because your skills made you too valuable for your company to lose?

I want to rock Excel
and get my free Expense Tracker

Be sure to follow @YourselfHelping on Twitter.

Enjoy Five Boosts By Self Helping Yourself? Be sure to Subscribe and check out the Self Helping Yourself site.

Enjoy Five Boosts? Please consider buying me a coffee.

As well as writing the posts for Self Helping Yourself, and Rockstar Excel.

If you can’t donate, you can always help by subscribing, recommending Five Boosts, Self Helping Yourself, or any articles to your friends, or by rating/reviewing The Weight Loss Habit on Amazon. (If you’ve read it.)

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Five Boosts For Life Satisfaction

Written by Steven Ray Marks February 23, 2021 Leave a Comment

Five Easy Ways to Make Your Life Better for 2/23/21

Today’s boosts are about being satisfied.

The easiest way to improve your life is to be happier about the life you already have.

Daily Happiness: 13 Simple Ways to Find it In Your Life

(Henrik Edberg | Positivity Blog | 1,050 words)

There’s a lot of happiness to be found in regular days. Suggestions include:

Appreciate your partner, friend, family member, or yourself.
Take 5 minutes to help someone out.
Smile more.
Say yes to something new.
Take a 2-minute laugh break

5 Questions to Deepen Your Joy

(Ingrid Fetell Lee | Aesthetics of Joy | 2,200 words)

How did adults demonstrate joy when you were a child?
Who are you when you’re most joyful?
When did you struggle, then change and find more joy?
What will your joy be like when you’re 80?
How would you change your life to make joy a priority?

How to Be Happier About Your Money

(Nicole Andrews | Happier Mindset | 1,850 words)

Struggling to make ends meet can make you miserable. But wealth doesn’t necessarily make you happy. You need to use money the right ways:

Don’t prioritize money over time.
Give yourself a safety net.
Learn to budget.
Buy experiences instead of things.
Spend on others.

You’re Never Going to Feel Good Enough

(Holly Riordan | Thought Catalog | 500 words)

Everyone makes mistakes. Everyone feels inferior to others’ social media highlight reels. Nobody’s life fits the pattern they planned. Nobody’s perfect. Nobody’s 100% satisfied with themself.

Everyone has room to improve. It’s great to strive for improvement. Don’t think this means you’re not good enough.

How to Be Lucky

(Christian Busch | Psych | 2,850 words)

“Luck” is more mindset than chance.

Lucky people aren’t favored by fate. They’re better at noticing opportunities, understanding how they’re opportunities, then acting on them.

To become luckier:

Prepare for the unexpected.
Challenge how you do things to see if there’s a better way.
Start journaling, declutter your life, and carve out “me time.”
Use “serendipity hooks” – questions or comments that may lead to something.
Reframe mistakes and setbacks as opportunities.

Bonus Boost

It’s not entirely on topic, but this will make you feel good about the world. Watch this amazing POV footage from the Perseverance rover landing on Mars.

Excel: Beginner to Rockstar

I’m launching a new business.

Before switching to Self-Improvement and Weight Loss, I spent 20 years in Accounting and Finance for start-ups, rising to the level of CFO. Now I’m putting my expertise to use teaching Excel.

Could winning at Excel win your next job?

Or save you hundreds of hours as an entrepreneur?

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to increase your Excel skills 100% or more in four weeks. You’ll be able to get twice as much done in half the time, amaze your boss and potential employers, and enjoy unparalleled job security.