Tag Archive for behavior

Develop Willpower And Self-Control- Change Your Behavior

June 3, 2024 John Uncategorized No comments

banner about self-contrrol

Develop Willpower And Self-Control- Change Your Behavior

Willpower and self-control are crucial ingredients for success. So, how can you develop each one to change your behavior and thought process for the better?

Stay with GenuLines to find out.

Willpower

Mahatma Gandhi said, “Strength doesn’t come from physical capacity. It comes from an indomitable will [power].”

Yet, what exactly is willpower?

scale shows self-control

Willpower is your ability to turn down and curb inner conflicts. These include short-term temptations to meet long-term goals.

Say you want to supersize your takeout order or smoke a cigarette. But, deep down, you know you shouldn’t.

Or it could come in the reverse. It could be something you know you should do, but keep procrastinating to avoid doing it. like going to the gym or filing your taxes.

When you reach this crossroads, that’s when your willpower kicks in. This instantaneous reaction stems from the prefrontal cortex (PFC).

This front part of the brain regulates behavior and decision-making abilities.

So, the first thing you need to do to develop your willpower is to keep your prefrontal cortex in good shape by:

Getting quality sleep each night

Eating a nutritious, well-balanced diet

Exercising 3–5 times a week

Managing stress

Can We Run Out of Willpower?

Experts say that we have a finite stockpile of willpower. You start your day with only so much and the more you use it, the faster you run out.

Take, for example, trying to control your temper on your way to work, at work, then on your way back home from work. You also use up your willpower when you try to ignore distractions.

Things like helping your kids with their homework. Or working out a compromise with your partner.

Our willpower gets worn out from all that repetitive use. Muck like our actual muscles do.

How to Develop Your Willpower

Check out these tips to increase your reserve of willpower.

Learn breathing techniques

Practice daily affirmations

Meditate each day

Focus on what’s important now by postponing what you shouldn’t do for later

Limit your intake of addictive substances, like alcohol and nicotine

Self-Control

Self-control the “restraint exercised over one’s impulses, emotions, or desires.” It works side-by-side with willpower.

When you practice self-control, you direct your willpower toward the outcome you want.

This means that at times, you’ll have to not do something, like when you want to eat healthy and pass on the supersize meal. It also means that there will be times when you have to put in a conscious effort to do something.

Like building good habits or getting started on those taxes.

Ego Depletion

And, as with willpower, it’s also finite. So each time you use self-control, your power to make sound decisions diminishes a little.

This goes on until you start again the following morning. This is what experts refer to as ‘ego depletion’.

It happens because you spend most of your time trying your best to focus on making decisions and exerting your willpower.

So, it’s no surprise that by the end of the day, you feel depleted and exhausted. And your thinking becomes incoherent.

You’re less able to make choices you won’t regret in the morning.

How to Develop Self-Control

You can improve your levels of self-control and reduce the impact of ego depletion. Many of these ways rely on the same techniques used to boost your willpower. like getting good sleep and managing stress.

Others are a bit different. Take a look:

Learn how to regulate your emotions.

Practice self-compassion.

Become aware of your wants and needs to direct energy toward self-improvement.

Be efficient in managing your time and energy more.

Create short and long-term goals to stay motivated.

JohnK 6-3-2024

chiforyourself.com

stick man hears about self-controlOverheard: “Self-reverence, self-knowledge, self-control; these three alone lead life to sovereign power”

                                                   ~Alfred Lord Tennyson

Article image by Ketut Subiyanto: https://www.pexels.com/photo/crop-kid-weighing-on-scale-4474052/

disclaimer for self-control

4 Good Reasons To Embrace Criticism

May 6, 2024 John Uncategorized No comments

banner to help absorb criticism

4 Good Reasons To Embrace Criticism

Criticism never feels good. It has the sting of judgement.

As though you’re not good enough no matter how hard you try. Most people’s reaction to criticism is to get defensive, make excuses, or blame someone else.

None of those options are especially constructive.

Criticism at the office

 

It’s up to you how you choose to react to criticism. You can see it as a personal attack, or you can appreciate it, get the positives out of it, and move on.

You may feel skeptical about criticism having any benefits. So GenuLines offers you some excellent reasons to pay attention to it.

 
 
 
 

Use Criticism for Personal Growth

Often, criticism has more than a grain of truth in, even if it’s delivery is a bit harsh. That’s partly why it makes you uncomfortable—deep down it rings true, even if you don’t want to admit it.

Think of criticism as another element in your personal development toolbox. One that offers insight you might otherwise miss.

If nothing else, observing your reaction to criticism can pinpoint your problem areas. Things like triggers, your unconscious reactions, and assumptions.

Develop Emotional Resilience

Criticism usually comes laden with emotions. You feel shamed, upset, and attacked.

Learning to embrace criticism can strengthen your emotional resilience. You sit with your uncomfortable emotions instead of choose a knee-jerk reaction.

Practicing detachment takes you to a mental place. One where you can use your problem-solving skills.

You can listen, assess, analyze, and work out what lessons to take away from the experience.

You’ll be less likely to need other people’s approval to feel good about yourself. Once you see that criticism can be helpful feedback, it stops being a judgment of you as a person.

Improve Relationships

Once you stop reacting (or overreacting) to feedback, you allow more space for openness. You’re more honest, and you’re a better communicator.

People can talk to you about problems without feeling they have to walk on eggshells.

Embracing criticism makes for much better relationships. There are fewer barriers or ‘no go’ areas.

You don’t want to come off as too sensitive, difficult, or defensive. Nor do you want to have your self-worth depend on other people’s good opinion of you.

Boost Self-Confidence

Embracing criticism will free you from the curse of perfectionism. You can accept that making mistakes is human.

You’ll see that it’s actually okay, even helpful. Accept that criticism is part of everyday life and you’ll be more confident, happier, and freed up to be your best you.

JohnK 5-6-2024
chiforyourself.com

stick figure hears about criticismOverheard:  “The final proof of greatness lies in being able to endure criticism without resentment”

~Elbert Hubbard
 

Article photo by Antoni Shkraba: https://www.pexels.com/photo/a-man-and-woman-working-together-5816285/

 

disclaimer for criticism

You Can Improve Your Character Defects

March 21, 2022 John Uncategorized No comments

Your character is not set in stone. There are ways to make changes that can power up your life. 

Let GenuLines start you on your own character re-charge.. 

You Can Improve Your Character Defects

Everybody has at least one character defect. But it’s how you go about changing your bad habits that define you as a person.
 
Life is non- linear and non- stagnant, and nobody is perfect. Keeping that in mind, be gentle on yourself.
 
And open your mind as you discover your character defects and work towards changing them.
 
examples of character

 

 

What Are Character Defects?

They are what seem to be harmful or toxic traits hindering your growth. These present issues for you in your life.
 
It could be a vice, your habits, or a way of thinking. It’s something that you have may have recognized as a problem area that you would like to fix.

Changing Your Personality

Personality changes don’t happen overnight. It’s a process.
 
As humans, we spend most of our lives changing and evolving. The key is to acknowledge and work on what you see as an issue in your life and take action to fix it.
 
Personality has to do with your mind and the way you think. Here are some steps and things to think about as you work on overcoming what you believe is holding you back.

Progress Not Perfection

We spend the majority of our lives working to better ourselves. The goal is to start the process chase this idea of making progress, not finding the solution.
 
It’s the steps you take toward the solution that count.
 
Time is linear. But remember that progress and life are very much non-linear in how and when events in life happen.
 
It’s okay if something doesn’t work. The goal is to keep trying. 

Replace Behavior

Replace malicious behavior with positive behavior. Substitute destructive activities with alternative tasks.
 
Use these to distract yourself. It can be something productive, but it doesn’t need to be.
 
The goal is for it to be less harmful than whatever it is you are trying to replace. This will do one of two things.
 
It will rewire your brain until you won’t focus or crave that harmful activity. And two, it would provide you less time to think about such.

Persistence

Don’t give up. Aim to change and improve yourself as a person.
 
This is an ongoing process. We’ll spend our whole lives improving.
 
And we’ll become better versions of ourselves each time. It won’t be perfect, but the idea is progress, not perfection.

Let Go

Let go of old negative behaviors from your past. Work towards conquering past pain so that you can move forward.
 
Let go of the things that stop you from moving forward. The ones that make you bitter or bear a grudge, and in general, anything that’s not making you happy.
 
Taking off that bitter edge will allow you to move forward and give up things that no longer serve you.

Bloom

Envision what you want for yourself and who you want to be. In a sense you’ll be a role model for yourself.
 
And you provide yourself something to strive toward. Control your narrative.
 
You can become the type of person you want to be. You have the power to change.
 
Not right away, but over time.

We grow

Everybody has something that could fall into the category of a character defect. We’re always growing and evolving.
 
Identify your problem areas and make a plan to address them. This will go a long way to a happier, healthier life.
 
JohnK 3-21-2022
 
Stick figure hears about characterOverheard: “You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.”
                                            ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for character
 

How Your Thoughts Influence Your Behavior

December 20, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

Someone once said thoughts are things. Whatever they are thoughts thoughts play a big part in guiding your day to day activity. 

And GenuLiines wants to give you some insight into how that’s done. 

How Your Thoughts Influence Your Behavior

picture of thoughtsThere’s a universal secret to living a full life: you are what you think. Not what you were expecting, huh?
 
Many of the great minds of our time agree that thoughts are the building blocks of life experiences. They’re telling us that the quality of your thoughts reflects the quality of your life.
 
 
 
 
The problem is when you start to believe that material things can make your life better. You buy shiny, expensive things and go on trips to faraway, exotic places.
 
Some people even resort to mind-numbing substances to help them forget their reality.
The truth is that creating a better reality starts by creating change from the inside.
 
Your thoughts are the driving force behind why you feel and act the way you do. Once you understand the link between those three, you can start living the life you want in the way you want it.
 
Below, you’ll find three life-altering tips. Incorporate them into your day.
They’ll help you change negative thought patterns to positive ones. Let’s dive in

Recognize Faulty Thought Patterns

Most of our beliefs and thoughts tend to be more on the negative side. These faulty thought patterns can lead to mental disorders like anxiety and depression.
 
The author Earl Nightingale said, “We become what we think.” So, why are you letting your negative thoughts dictate how you live your life?
 
Below are some of the more common negative patterns of thought many of us suffer from. Get a pen and paper and write down which of them you most relate to.
 
Once you’ve identified them, you can start to transform them from the negative to the positive.
 
Minimizing achievements and maximizing simple errors
*Catastrophizing future outcomes All-or-nothing dichotomous thinking
*Generalizing people and situations
*Filtering out positive statements and focusing only on the negative

Foster Healthy Habits

When you do something often enough it becomes a habit. The more you do it, the more likely you’ll keep doing it in the future.
 
Thought patterns are the same way. The more you think in a certain way, the more you’ll likely keep thinking about it the same way over and over again.
 
Soon enough, it’ll start to consume your day-to-day living. The science behind it is that each thought ignites a chemical reaction in your brain.
 
This process then triggers a certain emotion.
 
As a result, your emotions send a signal to your body and then you react. This cycle repeats itself until you realize you’re not living the life you want for yourself.
 
You can’t even recognize who you are anymore.
 
Think Good Thoughts
Marcus Aurelius’ quote rings true here, “A man’s life is what his thoughts make of it.”
It’s then that you should decide to make a change.
 
Recondition yourself by recognizing negative thoughts and how they affect your emotions.
 
This thinking about your thinking is what psychologists refer to as metacognition. It’s one of the best ways to find out what’s causing your thought patterns.
 
As with most things, reconditioning your thoughts takes time. Brace yourself for a few bumps along the way but stick with it.
 
You’ll realize it’s the only way to become aware of the link between your thoughts, emotions, and behavior. Only then will you be able to regain control and live the life you deserve.

Seek Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is an effective tool for dealing with certain mental disorders. This type of therapy focuses on the idea that our thoughts, behavior, and emotions are all linked.
 
The best thing about CBT is it’s all about your present, rather than focusing on past events. After all, it was Ralph Waldo Emerson who wrote, “A man is what he thinks about all day long.”
 
Through CBT, you learn how to challenge negative thoughts and behaviors. CBT is also unique in that it assigns practical work outside each session.
 
It’s a great way to see first-hand how thoughts influence behavior. You’ll be able to start living with intention.

Check out some of the most common CBT strategies:

*Exposure: Coming face-to-face with your fears to confront and overcome stress and apprehension
*Mindfulness: Focusing on the present moment through steady breathing and your five senses
*Skills training: Practicing certain skills through role-playing, modeling, and mock scenarios

The Takeaway

Now, it’s time for a little challenge. Become more conscious of your thoughts, both the good and the bad.
 
Negative thoughts hold you back from living life to the fullest. They keep you shackled in a tiring cycle of self-doubt, fear, and panic.
 
On the flip side, positive thoughts make you feel good about yourself. They lift your mood, boost your motivation, and encourage you to work hard.
 
So, work on rewiring your brain to think happy, positive thoughts. Getting started may be difficult in the beginning, but it’s worth it in the long run.
 
Your future self will thank you!
 
JohnK 12-20-2021
 
 
Stick figure hears about thoughtsOverheard: “Our thoughts make us what we are”
                             ~Dale Carnegie
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for thoughts
 

7 Ways to Overcome Self-Defeating Behavior

August 9, 2021 John Uncategorized No comments

Your behavior can carry you a long way, or it can hold you back. And you may be the one keeping it on the negative side. 

Here’s a list of points that GenuLines wants you to consider during your behavior review.

7 Ways to Overcome Self-Defeating Behavior
We tend to think that most opposition comes from around us. A complaining spouse, a controlling boss, a road-raging driver.
 
child's bad behavior
 
 
But something we rarely acknowledge is that we’re often our own worst enemies. Here are a few ways to stop self-defeating behavior.

#1: Let go of victory

It’s nice to win, but you don’t have to win all the time. The lust for victory can keep you chugging along a reckless path.
 
Then again, sometimes it’s good to cut your losses and win a lesson instead.
 

#2: Stop trying to please everyone

You can’t make everyone happy every time. Rushing around to do this is a huge self-defeating behavior.
 
And it can cost you your health and peace of mind.

#3: Accept imperfection

If you seek perfection, you will never find completion. Can you imagine Michelangelo stressing over the Sistine Chapel details?
 
Nothing would ever get done! Imperfection is part of being human, and most of the time, you’re the only one who will notice your mistakes anyway.

#4: End bad habits

These days, most people have bad habits that relate to technology. Like obsessive email or social media checking.
 
Take stock of how you spend your time. Make a detailed log of the minutes and hours, and see how much time you might be wasting with various pursuits.

#5: Overcome fear

Fear is something that holds most people back from living a higher purpose. It doesn’t have to be a direct sense of trepidation.
 
It might come disguised as laziness or avoidance.

#6: Stop being a lone wolf

Everybody needs help sometimes, even the lone wolf. Ask for help when you need it.
 
Whether it’s in business or personal life, make friends, accept help, and seek help when it’s needed.

#7: Drop the guilt

People can change and grow, so you don’t have to let your past hold you back. Most of us grow up with a mentality that we have to slave away for someone else.
 
We cram our enjoyment into the weekend, But you can break free from this thought prison.
 
JohnK 8-9-2021
chiforyourself home
 
Stick figure hears about behaviorOverheard: ” If you want to change attitudes, start with a change in behavior”
                                 ~William Glasser
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for behavior
 

Embody Persistence And Watch Your Life Change

December 28, 2020 John Uncategorized No comments

We know that persistence is important when working toward a goal. But too often we get bogged down on our way to reaching it. 

Push on toward success with this GenuLines look at persistence.

(You can listen to this article by clicking here)

Embody Persistence And Watch Your Life Change

Practice makes perfect. We’ve heard that mantra since we were kids.
 
But more to the point, this phrase embodies persistence. That’s the key to mastering most anything.
 
You can practice something once every two months and not get very good at it. But persistence will usually deliver results.
 
There are so many distractions. From video games to the internet, to television.
 
It can be a difficult proposition to keep focused on persistence. Putting aside the distractions frees you to become better at something you want.
 
It’s important to balance being persistent with not being too pushy. It’s one thing to want something and do whatever it takes to get it.
 
But that could encroach on others’ personal space or even their rights. You may have to take a different approach or back off and find another way.
 
This doesn’t mean backing away from something you desire. Persistence is the key to getting it.
 
If it’s within your rights to have it then you should go for it. Maybe you’ve been trying to get a promotion at work.
 
Your persistence may be the aspect that makes you stand out above the others.
 
You might remember the 1970’s television series, Columbo. On that show, Peter Falk played a detective who tended to be persistent with his inquiries.
 
This paid off for him since he was always able to catch the perpetrator. Of course, this is a fictional story, but the concept carries over into real life.
 
perseverance quote
 
Many people believe that if you want something enough, you’ll do whatever it takes to make it happen. Usually, this is a result of persistence.
 
There’s some truth to this. But sometimes your limitations keep you from doing what’s necessary.
 
Try to determine what’s blocking you.
 
Say you failed at something, only to try it again later, It doesn’t mean that your efforts were lacking.
 
You just weren’t ready for it during the first attempts.
 
People can also persist in bad habits or unwanted behaviors. In this case, it’s best not to embody persistence and try to deemphasize the negative behavior or traits.
 
One great way to do this is to replace these negative aspects with positive ones. The effort is the same.
 
But the results will be a whole lot better.
 
JohnK 12-28-2020
 
Stick figure hears about persisteceOverheard: “Paralyze resistance with persistence”
                                    ~Woody Hayes
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
disclaimer for persistence

Change Your Beliefs – AND Your Behaviors, Too

August 17, 2020 John Uncategorized No comments
sign that changes belief

Your beliefs can and sometimes do change. The process of living has a way of forcing us to see things with new eyes. 

If so, remember to consider these GenuLines points to bring your behavior in line with your beliefs. 

 

microphone for stating beliefs

 

 

 

 

 

 

Change Your Beliefs – AND Your Behaviors, Too

A powerful enough event can change even your closest held beliefs. It could have been something traumatizing.
 
Or something minor, like reading a blog post.
 
But a change in thinking doesn’t mean you’ll change your behaviors to match your beliefs. For example, you read how successful entrepreneurs master time management.
 
It sounds great, but you don’t act to change your disorganized behavior.
 
Or you might find a new way of dieting, and you start noticing the many unhealthy things people eat. Then again, you might not actually be eating the healthiest yourself.
 
And you might want better treatment, while still being a bit unpleasant to those around you.This kind of behavior can hurt your relationships with your friends and family.
 
And it can kick up your stress, too.
 
sign that changes belief
 
Practice what you preach or those around you will see you as a hypocrite. They’ll only accept your beliefs if you reflect them in an accurate way.
 
It can be difficult, though, to make these changes. When you realize that you’re not behaving as you believe you should be, it can be hard to change your actual behavior.
 
Spend time every day thinking about what changes you want to make. Then dedicate time to following through with those changes.
 
It won’t happen right away – it’ll take a few weeks for you to get used to changing your behavior.
 
In the meantime, ask a friend or family member to help you focus on this change and keep you on track.
 
When you start acting as you believe you should, you’ll find that you’re happier with who you are as a person. You’ll feel better about the quality of your personality.
 
And your social life will improve.
 
The accurate display of your beliefs will make you seem more trustworthy. Folks then show you more respect.
 
You did the hard yards. And now you’re actually following through on what you say.
 
JohnK 8-17-2020
 
stick figure man hears about beliefsOverheard: “Man is made by his belief. As he believes, so he is”
                                    ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Article image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 
 
 
disclaimer for beliefs