5 Quotes By Carl Jung That Will Change Your Life

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Carl Gustav Jung was an inspiring author and renowned Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst. He was also the founder of analytical psychology. Jung attained his education from the University of Basel and the University of Zurich. He forged the idea of introverted and extroverted personalities, archetypes and the power of the subconscious. Moreover, Jung came from a religious background but he defied this tradition and instead of entering the world of clergy he attended University where he studied biology, psychology, mythology, religion and many more.

For me, Jung’s work provided me with an understanding of myself and others, improved my ability to deal with personal issues, instead of impulsive reactions, pause, reflect and consider. Much like my meditations. Further, it has helped me develop my personal and individual life, and give a sense of self-acceptance.

If you want to grow and develop your life you must put in the extra work – it’s more than desires – it’s mental – an idea that you should nurture. Otherwise, you’ll end up nowhere and find yourself going around in circles or wandering aimlessly.

I have collected five of Jung quotes that I found inspirational and wise and want to share with you. These quotes will give you a deeper understanding of transforming your mind and subsequently your life.

“You are what you do, not what you say you’ll do.”

Perhaps the saying “Action speaks louder than words” is also true. Your actions will demonstrate your real attitude and how much you want to work towards the development of your personal life. If you say you want to change your life and become a better person and experience a different life it is important to work toward achieving your goal and not only talk about it. As talking about it shows that you have no interest or a genuine desire to attain your goals. This, to my mind, is absolute self-deceit. Imagine telling others and yourself that you want to become an entrepreneur but never picking up that book to read or joining that class or saving some cash to develop yourself and achieve your dreams. Or your friend apologizing for their mistakes repeatedly, but if their action hasn’t changed it would be meaningless. Your actions will prove who you are.

“I am not what happened to me, I am who I choose to become.”

Your life is a reflection of your choices. You have a responsibility to yourself to decide what you want to become, what you do with your time and what you choose. A lot of times you choose to let yourself be lost by what has happened in your life.

You are not what occurred to you in the past. Choosing what or who you want to become is not determined by your past. The same goes for what people gossip or know about you. This is specifically for you if you’re on a path of growth. You have so many choices available to you in this modern age to decide what you want to become. Not how others perceive you to be or how you would like them to see you. It is up to you to make that choice. Start now and don’t life pass and disappear. Do it for you.

“We cannot change anything unless we accept it. Condemnation does not liberate, it oppresses.”

Someone I know for a long time has been living in an abusive relationship for many years. And because she loves her partner – so much. he doesn’t want to believe that she is in an abusive relationship. She doesn’t want to believe she’s unloved and being treated disrespectfully. The truth is she is being ill-treated by a person whom she loves dearly and cannot face that as a fact.

Yet she cannot change anything about her circumstances until she is willing to accept it and stop denying what is happening to her.

Your life will be easier if you learn to accept those things you are unable to change. That is the reason why solitude is great for reflection and introspection. In the process of introspection be careful not to criticize yourself or your situation. Instead, accept yourself and what is happening for what they are – although they are not beautiful things. Remember the longer you take to initiate action the longer your life will remain the same.

“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”

As a child, you grew up in a home where adults made all the decisions for you. What you wear, where you go, what school you attend, and what you eat; and as you are nurtured and you mature some of you were told what to become or what career path you should take. Perhaps it felt great and you were excited at that time because you were told why you should take it … for reasons such as it pays a lot of money. But have you ever thought about what it would be like or how much more exciting it would be for you to be given an opportunity to choose for yourself?

Having the chance to choose for yourself, especially when it comes to a career is one of the greatest freedom to embark on a journey of a lifetime doing what you love and not what someone else is in love with. Many of you are working jobs that were chosen for you by parents and perhaps even friends because they believe it “suits you.” Working jobs that you are unhappy with.

It is never too late to make that change and become who you always want to be. You are an individual with the power and courage to transform your life into one that is satisfactory and fulfilling. By doing this you are living your authentic self and will bring much more self-acceptance and appreciation for life.

“Everything that irritates us about others can lead to an understanding of ourselves.”

What we see in others is indeed a reflection of ourselves. Does everything about people irritate you? What are some of those things? Stop and think for a moment. What if some of those things are deeply embedded in you? But because you are so caught up about what is wrong with others you become blinded by the fact that you are also suffering from the same thing and is only triggered when you notice such things. Does this person remind you of a past experience … parent, teacher, relationship, coworker or yourself?

Here’s an example: Someone who is easily angered reminds you of a parent who treated you badly or your own temperament that is the cause for all the broken relationships and friendships in your life. These thoughts create stumbling blocks in your life and limitations that affect your growth and development.

Practising awareness will help you become more present. Observe your thoughts, habits and actions in response to these triggers. It is as if you were watching yourself and knowing the consequences of your behaviours and how they are align with the person you want to be. When you are conscious of what you are doing you can decide whether what is happening is an action or thought pattern. Example: If you constantly put yourself down this is what you will become good at? Practice good conscious action as you go through your day as you repeat these good actions you will get better at them.

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Self-Development: 4 Communication Barriers That Can Affect Your Growth

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What is communication barriers and how does it contribute to our personal development?

Communication barriers are those things within your life that prevent you from understanding and receiving messages and ideas communicated to you.

Have you ever wondered why you may be feeling stuck on your journey of self-development? There are countless reasons that might be causing you to feel this way. Like you’re struggling or you’re not going to make it.

In personal development, there are numerous approaches to your growth and progress. Apart from those such as setting goals, emotional growth and mental growth communication skills play a major role in developing your personal life. Of this, there are four communication barriers that negatively impact your development.

As someone who constantly seeks ways to develop my communication skills, I am aware of the danger that these barriers produce.

Sometimes you work so hard to improve yourself and fail to realize those obstacles that are holding you back simply because they appear too good to be true or you are just oblivious that the thing itself can be the source of your failure.

For you to communicate effectively it is important to overcome there these barriers so that you can clearly convey your message.

Importance of Clear Communication

The ability to communicate effectively whether you’re at work, among your peers or in random conversation – if you are that kind of individual, helps you to build trust with others especially those in your close circle. Part of good communication is the ability to listen and give feedback. This indicates whether you are listening and your ability to understand and interpret.

Being able to communicate effectively is one of the most vital aspects of a skill to have in life. You become more assertive and build healthy and strong relationships in all areas of your life and that will eventually lead you to a happy life.

Here are 4 barriers to communication that can affect your growth

Inability to listen Listening is a vital aspect of communication and when you do not listen you’ll fail at interpreting and understanding what is being communicated. Additionally, being distracted by your assumption or daydreaming. Listening to others opinions encourages building solid relationships. In the process of making our lives better, we don’t do it alone because along the way we meet people and these are the ones who will contribute to our growth and development in one way or another.

Cultural barriers This is a problem that originates from a misunderstanding of the definition and cause as a result of cultural differences among people. It can cause issues and create friction in relationships.

Religious and spiritual beliefs can lead to conflict and behavioural differences – our mindset, norms, body language all these things can lead to miscommunication and misinterpretation. Despite all this, our differences are what makes us unique, but we can only understand this uniqueness if we communicate with the understanding that we all differ in opinion and mannerism and many other ways. Such can bring about long-lasting relationships and strengthen bonds among those you connect with.

Isolation How much of your time do you spend at home? Do you prefer spending your time alone or with friends? Isolation is something if you do not know how to balance, you can end up feeling bored or lonely.

Period of isolation could unfold as opportunities for growth and development. Opportunity to reflect on your goals and recharge.

On other occasions, prolonged isolation can de detrimental to your self-improvement. Your journey of enhancing your life means meeting people who will inspire and motivate you to become the person you are striving to become.

However, too much isolation can lead to disconnection and even stress. The key is to maintain a balanced life one that offers an opportunity for self-reflection, spiritual and social enhancement that is geared towards a more productive and successful life.

Attitude barrier These are perceptions, behaviour deriving from personality conflict, resisting change or lack of motivation. As these names suggest, they all can affect your communication skills. Having good behaviour are manifested in the way you treat others and ultimately yourself. Good behaviour can also help to make a good impression, which is crucial to your success.

The willingness to adopt new beliefs and values which can be spiritual, philosophical, cultural and social and personal values are important to you as an individual.

Admit it. Not every morning you’ll feel like getting out of that comfy bed and going after what you want. Whether it’s work, exercising, joining a class or reading to improve your knowledge. What would you do when you want to achieve something you’ve been waiting for so long? Allowing yourself to be defeated by feelings of demotivation won’t get you what you want. Therefore you must always remember why you’ve started and consider how bad you want it. Or change your environment.

Accomplish More by Shifting Your Focus

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“I don’t care how much power, brilliance or energy you have, if you don’t harness it and focus it on a specific target, and hold it there you’re never going to accomplish as much as your ability warrants.”

Zig Ziglar

A few years ago I had a dreadful time when it comes to concentrating. I couldn’t focus and think clearly. As a result of this, I was grossly affected. Although I love reading I struggled to retain a lot of what I read. So I made notes while reading. That helped to some extent but I became less motivated to read because I needed other ways to make reading more interesting. I began reading less, but that didn’t last long. I hated using the pen and the pad, exclusively. I am aware that many people do this as part of their reading activity but I never wanted it to become something I solely depended on.

I came to a place where I was completely dissatisfied and was desperately searching for ways to improve the situation. I was frustrated. At that time I couldn’t find a way to make things better.

I ended up having to rescue myself.

Meditation became my antidote for my scattered mind. By engaging in this practice I was able to train my mind to be fully aware of things that are present. Interestingly, meditation has improved my attention span and concentration. To this day it has been an immense help to me.

Here is what I learned …

According to a study conducted by Italian Neuroscientist, Giuseppe Pagnoni “meditation not only changes the brain patterns but it also confers advantages in mental focus that may improve cognitive performance.

Meditation is now the magic potion that boosts my concentration. Meditating every day will bring you clarity and good attention and focus. A wandering mind is settled down and focused.

Feel a lack of motivation – meditate.

Feeling restless – meditate.

Having an emotional toil – meditate

Unable to focus – meditate.

Mental Clarity

The free dictionary describes mental clarity as “a state of emotional and psychological well-being in which an individual is able to use his or her cognitive and emotional capabilities, function in society, and meet the ordinary demand of everyday life.”

This definition defines my entire experience of being in a place where I can focus more, and do so many things pertaining to my personal life; less clouded with indecision and more present and engaged in the moment.

The result of a foggy Mind

A cloudy mindset, unsettling thoughts, all produce indecisiveness and makes it impossible for you to plan efficiently, and make distinct choices. Ultimately, it becomes a stumbling block. It’s quite an uphill battle and leaves you feeling overwhelming, dissatisfied and frustrating when you are unable to complete a thought; you’re likely to forget your ambitions.

I have surpassed this troubling period of my life and now, I am able to begin each day with a clear mind by practising meditation. I am beyond positive and grateful.

When you’re focused and doesn’t allow hindrances to intrude on your thought life you will be more driven to achieve anything you venture to do. You will never be hampered by intrusive thoughts. If you’re an overthinker you’ll easily become entangled in your own thoughts.

Below I share with you 3 reasons to use meditation to shift your focus.

Clarity = Priority Using meditation as a tool can help you to focus your mind on the present moment. This is beneficial to your concentration and increases your awareness. This doesn’t stop you from thinking, but defog your mind and increase your attention span. I have found in my experience that when this occurs you are able to think constructively and formulate ideas efficiently. In consequence, you are able to identify and prioritize key issues in your life. Essentially, you develop an ability to understand your goals.

Goal-oriented Being able to understand your goals, you’ll focus on a strategy to accomplish them. Thus, your capacity to do this will allow you to become motivated to persist through difficult times and explore opportunities that are relevant and important to your ambitions. Consequently, you will be able to accomplish more.

Satisfaction When you’ve attained a state where you have the ability to focus and strategise what you want for your life – and less consume by unwanted thoughts, you will feel no fear, anxiety and frustration, but instead a sense of contentment and satisfaction. After all, who wouldn’t want to be happy in life? It is good for your health and longevity.

If you aren’t focused and switch from one thought to another you will never be able to achieve or master anything. Don’t be bothered by the things you cannot change otherwise it will decrease your optimism. Dedicate yourself to accomplishing more. Once you are able to do this you will see remarkable results.

5 Keys to A More Productive Lifestyle

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Habits are powerful routines of behaviours that dictate our life. And if we are not conscious of these behaviours we can ruin our lives.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit. “

Aristotle

Can you think of a habit or habit in your life and the impact it is having on you? Are they worthwhile keeping?

Habits are an unquestionably dynamic aspect of your life and shape your future. They can enable you to achieve your goals or like I said, cause you dismay and be the source of your nightmare.

Think about those behaviours you exude automatically. For instance, how many times per day do you log in to Facebook? Is it something you predetermine? Or did it occur without a conscious effort?

While some habits are detrimental others are rewarding. Getting to work on time. That habit can help you keep your job. In contrast, If you have a habit of showing up for work late there will be consequences.

My friend Rachael (not her real name) learned how to change her habits. Prior to that, she was stuck. She kept trying to change various habits such as overeating, not sticking to her exercise regimen and procrastinating. She kept failing. She even said she is a perfect failure – for not staying on course. All that has changed. Why? She learned from her failures and adopted useful habits.

She once told me she became mindful of her behaviours and decided to make a change.

In this article, I will cover ten behaviours that will lead you to a more productive and successful lifestyle.

Wake up early. Wake up early because it allows you to rise with the sun. Don’t you think so? That depends on your geographical location. Waking up early is healthy unless your body tells you otherwise. For many, waking up early can be tiring. It may take a few mornings before you become accustomed and your internal clock will adjust to your new waking hours. Waking up early allow you to have extra time to complete your morning activities and eliminate the rush in the morning.

Exercise every day. Regular exercise is good for our bodies. I know this is cliche but I’m saying this from experience. Every morning I wake up early and exercise – it is one of my routines. If you are lacking sleep exercise can promote better sleep. It can also boost your energy and improve your mood. According to the CDC.Gov regardless of your age, shape or ethnicity regular exercise is one of the most important things you can do for yourself.

Quit Procrastinating. Putting things off until the last minute can cause you to miss important deadlines. I procrastinated a lot before I started University. It was always whether to go or not until I did. The horrible part of procrastination is that it can lead to a lot of stress and anxiety especially last-minute. It makes you nervous and anxious. Procrastination can cause work that needed to be done often left undone as a result of waiting to be completed.

Work on important things. Understand your goals, identify what is important and outline the task to be done. Alternatively, you can use a calendar to set out your goals. Focus on work that is important and give them the time they deserve. Sometimes you have a tendency to finish the small and unimportant tasks rather than working on more complex ones. Always make sure you are working on meaningful things.

Manage your time well. How well do you manage your time? Many of you try to get so many things done within a certain time yet failed to get most of it completed. Organize your time intelligently so that you can use it more effectively. The use of a daily planner will be a great addition to help to get things done. When you are able to manage your time more productively you will get more done within an established time frame.

Envision the life you want. When you envision your future what do you see? Having a clear vision for your future is very important. It gives you the feeling of attainment before you get there. Envisioning your future also help you decide whether that is the reality you want based on the decisions you are making. Taking time to envision your future and what you desire and its importance will help you gain the understanding and clarity you need to define and achieve your goals.

Empower your mind. How do you empower your mind? There are so many ways to do this – including reading, learning a new skill, networking with the right people. These are the things that contribute to your growth and development as an individual. It affects your behaviour, your thinking, actions and decision making toward your goal. Empowering your mind will let you take control of your own life based on what you want to accomplish.

Final thought

Developing and maintaining good habits is no walkover. It takes effort, persistence, desire and passion to pursue what you want. This is a process so you must be patient and disciplined. Find inspiration each day to begin at least one of the above. This is an opportunity to lead and foster yourself and give yourself the means to become successful so set clear directions and stick to it.