Wednesday, August 22, 2012

My Declaration of Self-Esteem.

Having problems with self-acceptance or self-esteem? Read the following poem and we can guarantee that you will feel a boost of self-confidence.

My Declaration of Self-Esteem
I AM ME

In all the world, there is no one else exactly like me
Everything that comes out of me is authentically mine
My body, my feelings, my mouth, my voice, all my actions
Whether they be to others or to myself-I own my fantasies.
My dreams, my hopes, my fears-I own all my triumphs and successes. 
All my failures and mistakes-Because I own all of me.
I can become intimately acquainted with me-by doing so I can love me
And be friendly with me in all my parts-I know there
Are aspects about myself that puzzle me, and other aspects
That I do not know-But as long as I am friendly and loving to
Myself, I can courageously and hopefully look for the
Solutions to the puzzle and for ways to find more about
Me-However I look and sound, whatever I say and do and
Whatever I think and feel at a given moment in time is
Authentically me-If later some parts of how I looked,
Sounded, thought and felt turned out to be unfitting, I can
Discard that which is unfitting. Keep the rest and invent
Something new for that which: discarded-I can, see, hear, feel
Think, say and do. I have the tools to survive. To be close to
Others, to be productive, and to make sense and order out of
The world of people and things outside of me-I own me, and
Therefore I can engineer me-I AM ME and
I AM OKAY

By: Virginia Satir

Give one of our counselors a call at 954-800-0108, we are here to listen. :)

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

12 Ways to Cope with Stress!

Being in control of your life and having realistic expectations about your day-to-day challenges are the keys to stress management, which is perhaps the most important ingredient to living a happy, healthy and rewarding life. ~Marilu Henner

12 Ways to Cope With Stress:
  • Get up 15 minutes earlier.
  • Prepare for the morning the night before.
  • Practice a monster smile.
  • Say hello to a stranger.
  • Always have a plan "B."
  • Become a better listener.
  • Watch a movie and eat popcorn.
  • Have goals for yourself.
  • Avoid negative people.
  • Look at problems as challenges.
  • Look up at the stars.
  • Plant a tree.
Feeling like you don't have control of your life and STRESSED, contact the professional counselors at Provide 4, 954-800-0108. The best investment you can make is in yourself. Give us a call today.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Theme: Honesty

I have found that being honest is the best technique I can use. Right up front, tell people what you're trying to accomplish and what you're willing to sacrifice to accomplish it. ~ Lee Iacocca

This excerpt is taken from a professor at Florida State University, Dr. Osteryoung.  Although, he solely focuses on entrepreneurs and business. Provide 4 found this piece about honesty very true for all life areas.

  There is a story about a retiring CEO who was unsure of whom his replacement would be. He called a meeting of his top aids and said that he was going to give the position to the executive who could get the greatest results from a seed he would give them today but measure the outcomes in six months.
   One of the senior management team was Bill who just could not get this seed to grow at all though he tried so hard with different fertilizers, alternative lighting patterns and all kinds of potting soil. He just did not know what he was going to do.
  On the morning before the presentation of the results of this test, Bill was talking to his wife about what should he do. She recommended that honesty was the most important attribute for a chief executive and for him to show the pot with no growth from this seed. Bill was so reluctant to do this.
  Bill decided to follow his wife’s advice and went to this meeting with his empty pot.  When he saw the others results, he felt like a failure. Their plants were lush with growth and all were at least 4 feet high. He was so embarrassed not to have any results and many times he thought about just leaving the meeting rather than being embarrassed in front of the entire staff.
   At the meeting the CEO asked each of his team to show him the results and to tell him how they had achieved such amazing results. Of course Bill hung back and was the last to show the CEO his pot but then went up and said I tried just about everything I could think of, but I just could not get the seed to grow.
  With this statement the CEO made the announcement that he decided whom his replacement was going to be. He said Bill was going to be the next CEO as he was only person that was honest about the seeds. He went on to explain that he had boiled the seeds before hand so that there was no way for them to grow at all and Bill was only one who was honest.
   While this is only a story it clearly shows the value of honesty. Without honesty there is no trust as trust is predicated on honesty.  Honesty just should be the foundation of every enterprise.

Honesty is not just a good foundation for creating a business, but is a component that is present in every day life.  If you feel that you need to gain trust back in your life, please give one of our therapists a call at 954-800-0108.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

Yes, you can! The power of positive affirmations!

Positive affirmation(s) are statements that you say to yourself to change the way you are thinking, an inner dialogue with self.  Basically, taking a negative thought and changing into a positive one.  It's important that you start with the word, "I."  Examples will be provided below.
Client's often ask, "Does this really work? How?" "Absolutely" is the normal response.  In order for the affirmation to work it must be practiced daily, usually a suggested 3 or more times a day. Here, an individual is taking negative thoughts and challenging them into positive ones.  Practice allows for the negative thoughts to get overridden and eventually replace them with the positive thoughts permanently.  Once this happens, a change in self-esteem and self-confidence increase and the individual overall feels better about him or herself.  This change is not only recognized by the individual, but also by surrounding people such as peers, friends, partners, and co-workers.
Some examples of positive affirmations include: I express my own needs and feelings.  I am happy with my weight. I am my own unique self. I know I deserve love and I accept it freely in my life. I am getting better and better each day.
Need help with positive affirmations or other area of your life, please call 954-800-0108 and speak to one of our experienced professional counselors.