Home
>
Success
>
Personal Power: Implementing Change from the Inside Out

Personal Power: Implementing Change from the Inside Out

Personal power is an INSIDE JOB. It doesn't mean getting other people to do what you want them to; it means getting yourself moving toward your goals. What creates the power is a series of attitudinal realities which you create for yourself and by yourself. Therefore, the key resource in managing change is YOU.

First and foremost, RESPECT YOURSELF. Are you hard on yourself, self-critical? Cut it out! Do you tend to minimize your strengths and focus on your shortcomings? Cut it out! Do you tend to blame yourself, no matter what the truth is, when things go wrong? Cut it out! YOU ARE NOT TO BLAME! A positive attitude begins with self-respect.

Second: FACE THE FUTURE. Another way to say this is to LET GO. SURRENDER to the reality that things are changing and that you must, therefore, change, too. If you're one of those whose job may be in jeopardy because of downsizing, a corporate move or an economic downturn in your industry, don't make the mistake of hanging on and hoping it won't happen. Move in the direction of your options -- that is, your FUTURE ?rather than staying in your stuck place, which is your PAST history and patterns. Change, among other things, is a monkey wrench thrown into the mechanism of your expectations about yourself, your job, your life.

Third: the fastest and perhaps the best way to move forward is to learn how to SAY GOODBYE to the past before welcoming (or, at least, accepting) the future. Granted, it's difficult to part with what's familiar -- even if the familiar is painful. But it's a necessary action, so get on with it, because no matter how much you'd like things to return to normal, they won't - because there's no such thing as normal any more. And the sooner you do this, the less time you'll waste with unproductive stuff. Fourth: as you adapt to change, particularly during the DENIAL and RESISTANCE phases of your personal journey, you'll likely find yourself vacillating back and forth between the exciting possibilities that represent future SUCCESS and the dreaded catastrophes that could mark future FAILURE. When you observe these feelings of denial and resistance, it's time to work on creating POSSIBILITY ATTITUDES and BEHAVIORS. Fifth and finally, how does one create those attitudes and behaviors? This is a separate job, and it involves five actions:

? TAKE RESPONSIBILITY. This is a tall order for many of us, because we've learned how to pass the buck very effectively -- to our families, our schooling, our significant others, to anything outside of ourselves. We BLAME. So, instead of viewing the world as something that's happening to you, view it as something you're creating by your thoughts and actions. You'll be amazed at the power of choice you get from this.

? EXPERIMENT. Always look for the evidence when you hear negatives. Questions like "Who says?" and "Is this always true?" are valuable kinds of detective work to do. What you'll often find is that nobody knows and it isn't always true. That's good information to have if you're trying to be positive about things.

Now, here's the NEW AGE stuff. But, amazingly, it works, and there's a formula. Point three in this series of five?

? CREATE AFFIRMATIONS. Picture yourself in an ideal situation and then verbalize it. Yes, you really have to say it - out loud (and, at least at the beginning, in private, I'm sure). Use colorful, descriptive adverbs and adjectives. Also, use the present tense and the "I" approach. Don't talk about the situation, talk about YOU IN THE SITUATION. For example, in applying for a job you might affirm, "I am moving effortlessly toward getting a wonderful job in a terrific company, and I deserve the job I'm getting." Sound a little sick? Maybe?but rest assured, it works. Try it.

? PRACTICE VISIONING. It's easy, as you already know if you've ever daydreamed, and you can do it anywhere, silently, even with your eyes open, without disturbing anyone or embarrassing yourself. It's a great tool, so use it. And finally?

? REFRAME. Shift your beliefs, consciously, from negative to positive. Try looking at one belief each day and moving it from negative to positive. Then extend this thinking to the entire frame you call YOUR LIFE.

Miracle of miracles, after you've been doing this for a while, you'll note (or someone else may point out to you) that you're different. You've changed - and probably for the better. Try it and see. You might even like it!

Paul McNeese is CEO of Optimum Performance Associates, a consulting firm specializing in transitional and transformational change for individuals and institutions through publication. His publishing company, OPA Publishing, is an advocacy for self-publishing authors of informational, instructional, inspirational and insightful nonfiction.

Email: pmcneese@opapublishing.com
Websites: pmcneese@opapublishing.com and pmcneese@opapublishing.com

disinfecting cleaning services Winnetka ..

In The News:

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.

Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.

New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.

A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.

A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.

New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.

Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.

Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.

Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.

Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.

Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.

Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.

iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.

Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.

FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.

Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.

Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.

Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.

Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.

Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

Personal Power: Implementing Change from the Inside Out

Success