10 Ways to Take Control of Your Life

Time Management, Goal Setting,
Record Tracking

Many people have a lot of questions about taking control of their lives and finding the answers can be frustrating, with so many different points of view offered by different experts. In this article, I will try to help you sort out some of the myths and facts about the subject to help you understand it better.

At first glance, it would seem that positive thinking and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) have nothing to do with one another. But many of us with ADD develop negative thinking patterns because we become frustrated by our challenges and frequent feelings of being overwhelmed. This negative outlook then makes it even harder for us to manage those challenges and move forward.

Practicing positive thinking allows people with ADD to focus on our strengths and accomplishments, which increases happiness and motivation. This, in turn, allows us to spend more time making progress, and less time feeling down and stuck. The following tips provide practical suggestions that you can use to help you shift into more positive thinking patterns:

1. Take Good Care of Yourself

It's much easier to be positive when you are eating well, exercising, and getting enough rest.

2. Remind Yourself of the Things You Are Grateful For

Stresses and challenges don't seem quite as bad when you are constantly reminding yourself of the things that are right in life. Taking just 60 seconds a day to stop and appreciate the good things will make a huge difference.

3. Look for the Proof Instead of Making Assumptions

A fear of not being liked or accepted sometimes leads us to assume that we know what others are thinking, but our fears are usually not reality. If you have a fear that a friend or family member's bad mood is due to something you did, or that your co-workers are secretly gossiping about you when you turn your back, speak up and ask them. Don't waste time worrying that you did something wrong unless you have proof that there is something to worry about.

4. Refrain from Using Absolutes

Have you ever told a partner "You're ALWAYS late!" or complained to a friend "You NEVER call me!"? Thinking and speaking in absolutes like 'always' and 'never' makes the situation seem worse than it is, and programs your brain into believing that certain people are incapable of delivering.

5. Detach From Negative Thoughts

Your thoughts can't hold any power over you if you don't judge them. If you notice yourself having a negative thought, detach from it, witness it, and don't follow it.

Is this making sense so far? I always find that I get the most out of articles like this if I take notes. That way I can refer back to them after I've closed the page. And it helps to fix ideas in my mind.

6. Squash the "ANTs"

In his book "Change Your Brain, Change Your Life," Dr. Daniel Amen talks about "ANTs" - Automatic Negative Thoughts. These are the bad thoughts that are usually reactionary, like "Those people are laughing, they must be talking about me," or "The boss wants to see me? It must be bad!" When you notice these thoughts, realize that they are nothing more than ANTs and squash them!

7. Practice Lovin', Touchin' & Squeezin' (Your Friends and Family)

You don't have to be an expert to know the benefits of a good hug. Positive physical contact with friends, loved ones, and even pets, is an instant pick-me-up. One research study on this subject had a waitress touch some of her customers on the arm as she handed them their checks. She received higher tips from these customers than from the ones she didn't touch!

8. Increase Your Social Activity

By increasing social activity, you decrease loneliness. Surround yourself with healthy, happy people, and their positive energy will affect you in a positive way!

9. Volunteer for an Organization, or Help another Person

Everyone feels good after helping. You can volunteer your time, your money, or your resources. The more positive energy you put out into the world, the more you will receive in return.

10. Use Pattern Interrupts to Combat Rumination

If you find yourself ruminating, a great way to stop it is to interrupt the pattern and force yourself to do something completely different. Rumination is like hyper-focus on something negative. It's never productive, because it's not rational or solution-oriented, it's just excessive worry. Try changing your physical environment - go for a walk or sit outside. You could also call a friend, pick up a book, or turn on some music.

When it comes to the corporate world, protocol is pretty much the religion. To know the things needed to do are the basics of productivity, but interaction and having a steady mind makes up the entire thing to true productivity. There are those who seem to work well even under pressure, but they're uncommon ones and we are human and imperfect. To get these little things like stress under our skins won't solve our problems. Sometimes it takes a bit of courage to admit that we're turning to be workaholics than tell ourselves that we're not doing our best.

That is about all I can cover in just this one article. I plan to write more about this in the future and hope you gained some knowledge about taking control of your life from reading this. I am sure you can find even more information on the search engines. But beware: everyone claims to be an expert, but few are!

• Briles plans to lead Baylor to victory with positive thinking (The Kansas City Star)
  
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• AP source: Olympic swimmer Hardy has positive test (The Washington Times)
  
  Swimmer Jessica Hardy's trip to the Beijing Olympics could be in jeopardy after she tested positive for a banned substance.
  


• Thinking Positive (Baltimore City Paper)
  
  It's afterhours at a West Baltimore child-care center, and the last youngster has been picked up. For a few moments, the room is quiet as an aproned caretaker puts toys on their shelves and pushes tiny chairs under tables.
  


• Surprise woman, newborn test positive for drugs (YourWestValley.com)
  
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• Person familiar with doping test: US Olympic swimmer tests positive (WWMT 3 Kalamazoo)
  
  LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jessica Hardy's first trip to the Olympics could be over before it begins. The 21-year-old American swimmer was expected to be a medal threat in the 100 meter breaststroke, and to play an important part on the 400 meter free relay, and possibly the 400 medley relay.
  


• Titans thinking young along defensive line (The Tennessean)
  
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• allAfrica.com: Comments (AllAfrica.com)
  
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• What Ails You: Positive thinking to start each day right (Desert Dispatch Online)
  
  Before we get started today, I want to share with you that your voices were heard. Last week, our representatives in the Senate passed and then overrode the President’s veto of important legislation aiming to protect your access to healthcare under Medicare. Congratulations on a hard-won battle.
  


• Community mourns loss of teen killed in one-vehicle accident (Waconia Patriot)
  
  When it comes to impressions of Aaron Kelzer, friends are quick to note his positive attitude and strong work ethic. Others mention his mop of curly hair and his dedication to being an awesome friend.
  


• 400 open houses across the county this weekend (Everett Herald)
  
  If you're thinking of buying a house, you couldn't have picked a better time. Snohomish County brokers are doing their best to make things easier for you this weekend in what can only be described as the mother of all open houses.