STRONG SELF-IMAGE. SELF-IMAGE!! A POSITIVE SELF-IMAGE OF US IS THE ATTRIBUTE OR CHARACTERISTIC WE CANNOT DISCOUNT IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN ANY ENDEAVOR WE CHOOSE!! AN INVINCIBLE SELF- IMAGE OF “WHO” WE ARE; AND “WHAT” WE ARE; IS THE ONLY FUNDAMENTAL FOUNDATION NECESSARY TO BUILD UPON. THIS FOUNDATION OF A POSTIVE AND STRONG SELF-IMAGE STARTS WITH EACH OF US, THEN OUR FAMILIES, OUR COMMUNTIES AND FINALLY OUR COUNTRY. FREEDOM, FREEDOM FOR OUR CHILDREN WILL BE THE EXPECTED OUTCOME, AS LONG AS WE BEGIN AS INDIVIDUALS TO FOCUS ON POSTIVE ACTION THAT ONLY HELPS OTHERS. HELP ANOTHER AND HELP THE WORLD!! AND NOW FOR SOME THOUGHT PROVOKING QUOTE ’S: “ENTHUSIASM IS THE GREATEST ASSET IN THE WORLD. IT BEATS MONEY, POWER AND INFLUENCE! ” “HOLDING ON TO ANGER IS LIKE HOLDING ONTO A HOT COAL WITH THE INTENT OF THROWING IT AT SOMEONE ELSE; YOU’RE THE ONE WHO GETS BURNED.” “A PERSON WITHOUT A SENSE OF HUMOR IS LIKE A WAGON WITHOUT SPRINGS-JOLTED BY EVERY POSSIBLE PEBBLE IN THE ROAD.” “DO NOT LET WHAT YOU CANNOT DO INTERFERE WITH WHAT YOU CAN DO.” “A SHORTCUT IS OFTEN THE QUICKEST WAY TO SOME PLACE YOU WEREN’T GOING.” “REMEMBER WHAT ALBERT EINSTEIN SAID: NEVER, EVER, STOP QUESTIONING.” “GOD HAS GIVEN US TWO HANDS, ONE TO RECEIVE WITH AND THE OTHER TO GIVE WITH.” “GIVE” WHILE WE’RE ALIVE!!! THERE WAS A VERY, VERY RICH MAN WHO ASKED HIS PARTNER ONE DAY, “WHY AM I CRITICIZED AND LAUGHED AT BEHIND MY BACK BY MY ASSOCIATES. HIS PARTNER PROCEEDED TO TELL THE RICH MAN THAT, HEY!! YOU’RE A MISER A SCROOGE, YOU’RE SO TIGHT YOU SQUEAK!! THE RICH MAN SAYS; HEY!! WAIT A MINUTE. EVERYONE KNOWS I WILL LEAVE EVERYTHING I HAVE LEFT TO CHARITY WHEN I DIE,..SO WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?? WELL SAID THE FRIEND, LET ME TELL YOU THE STORY ABOUT THE PIG AND THE COW. YOU SEE, THE PIG WAS COMPLAINING ONE DAY TO THE COW ABOUT HOW UNPOPULAR AND DISLIKED HE WAS. THE PIG SAYS TO THE COW, EVERYONE IS ALWAYS TALKING ABOUT HOW KIND YOU ARE AND HOW GENTLE YOU ARE AND HOW GENEROUS YOU ARE. “ SURE YOU GIVE MILK AND CREAM, AND ARE REALLY NICE, BUT I GIVE A LOT MORE THAN YOU DO, SAYS THE PIG!! I GIVE BACON, I GIVE HAM, AND THEY EVEN PICKLE MY FEET. YET, STILL, NOBODY LIKES ME. WHY IN THE HECK IS THIS??..ASKED THE PIG!! THE COW THOUGHT FOR A MINUTE OR SO AND THEN REPLIED, “WELL, MAYBE IT’S BECAUSE I GIVE WHILE I’M STILL LIVING.” GOOD STORY!!! YA KNOW THERE IS A LOT TO BE SAID HERE. SO MANY OF US THINK ITS ACCEPTABLE TO TREAT OTHERS POORLY AND NOT GIVE WHEN WE HAVE, THINKING THAT WHEN WE DIE EVERYONE WILL LOVE US BECAUSE OF WHAT WE LEAVE. ITS ALWAYS BETTER TO GIVE WHILE YOU’RE ALIVE. SIMPLY BECAUSE, YOU CAN SEE AND FEEL THE GOODNESS YOU HAVE SHARED WITH OTHERS. AND HOW IT AS HELPED ANOTHER. AND IT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE MONEY OR POSESSIONS YOU ARE GIVING. WHEN YOU GIVE OF YOURSELF, YOU GIVE THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL!! SO DON’T BE A MISER WITH THE GOD GIVEN GIFTS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN TO YOU. SHARE THEM WITH OTHERS, AND IN RETURN YOU RECEIVE SUCH HAPPINESS AND SUCH GRATIFICATION, THAT YOU CANNOT TURN IT OFF. IT JUST KEEPS ON COMING BACK ATCHA!! THE 12 STEPS TO ACHIEVING A STRONG SELF- IMAGE!!! 1. SAY SOMETHING POSITIVE TO YOURSELF, ABOUT YOU EACH DAY. AT LEAST ONE THING. IE, I’M A GOOD LISTENER, I’M A GOOD PARENT. 2. MAKE SURE YOU ACHIEVE SUCCESS IN SOME WAY, EVEN IF ITS SMALL, EVERYDAY!! IT BUILDS ON ITSELF. IE,..BEGIN TO EXERCISE, GET UP A LITTLE EARLIER TO READ SOMETHING INSPIRATIONAL, ORGANIZE YOUR OFFICE. 3. GIVE YOURSELF SOME RECOGNITION, A PAT ON THE BACK, FOR THE EFFORT YOU MAKE FOR TAKING ACTION; REGARDLESS OF THE OUTCOME. 4. READ ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE FAILED AND SUCCEEDED, BUT NEVER QUIT. THIS WILL COMFORT YOU. 5. LISTEN TO YOUR HEART. WHAT YOU FEEL IS OFTEN WHAT IS RIGHT. 6. BE HONEST. BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF AND YOUR LIMITATIONS. 7. LAUGH AT YOURSELF. IT FEELS GREAT. 8. COMPLIMENT OTHERS, GENUINELY; AND YOU WILL BE COMPLIMENTED GENUINELY. 9. BE PROUD OF YOUR NAME, YOUR IDEAS AND YOUR WORK. 10. DO NOT SET GOALS SO HIGH THAT YOU WILL CONSISTENTLY FAIL. IT’S PREVENT YOU FROM TRYING. SET REALISTIC GOALS, AND THEN INCREASE THEM GRADUALLY. 11. EMPHASIZE WHAT YOU ARE GOOD AT, NOT WHAT YOU AREN’T. FOCUS ON WHAT YOU DID DO, NOT WHAT YOU DIDN’T. 12. TREAT OTHERS THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED. LIVE YOUR LIFE BY COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS. BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU DO HAVE. WELL, THER YOU HAVE IT. A SOUND GUIDELINE FOR DEVELOPING AND ACHIEVE A STRONG SELF- IMAGE.