Although we don’t admit it all that much, everyone wants to improve their self confidence and there is always room to grow. Since I discovered Personal Development a few years ago, my self confidence has continued to grow and improve. Many people don’t realise how much better their lives can be by improving their self confidence. If you appear confident, you are more approachable, more likeable and believe it or not you are mostly treated better. If you have ever gone for a job interview and missed out only to find out someone less qualified than you was given the job, I can tell you that they probably appeared much more confident and assertive and believe it or not, that is such an attractive quality. There are many ways you can start to improve your self esteem starting right now.

What are you telling yourself?

Pay attention to what you are telling yourself on a regular basis. If you are constantly putting yourself down and telling yourself you aren’t good enough or you hate yourself, then your confidence levels will never improve. It all starts with the person you are being. Begin each day with some positive affirmations. Write them down and read over them through out the day. Try and catch yourself when you are putting yourself down and replace your negative thoughts with positive ones.

Eat healthy and Exercise.

This one seems so simple but so many of us eat foods that we know aren’t good for us and don’t get off the couch to exercise. Eating healthy and exercising every day will not only improve the way you look, it will improve the way you feel about yourself. It’s a good start to bringing out a more confident you.

Posture and appearance.

Walking tall, dressing well, making an effort with your appearance…Even though these are exterior things and we have all heard that saying ‘it’s what’s inside that counts’, it really helps with feeling more confident by knowing you have made an effort when going out. I always feel much more confident when I straighten my hair, put on some make up and wear nice clothes and heels if I am going out. You might think that it shouldn’t matter, but pay attention next time you are out and about in your daggys and then again dressed nicely. When you make an effort you walk and stand taller, you feel more confident and you will find yourself having better conversations and building better relationships.

Fake it till you make it.

So you’re probably saying to yourself…Why would I want to be fake right? It’s not about that at all. If you have ever heard the phrase, Be Do Have, then you will know that being the person you want to be will eventually get you there. By being the confident person and starting to act as if you are oozing self belief, you will eventually be that person with out having to try.

Challenge yourself.

By breaking away from your comfort zone and trying new things, your self confidence will automatically start to improve. Every time you step outside your comfort zone, something changes inside of you. You grow a little bit more and always gain more self belief.

Personal Development.

Personal development should be done on a daily basis. You learn so much about yourself and there are always areas that can be improved. You don’t have to spend much time on personal development. Reading a book before bed, or watching a short Youtube video will get you thinking on a new level. 

I have had such a great pregnancy. It has been easy and I haven’t experienced any of the dreaded moments of morning sickness that people talk about. With only a month to go, I am getting so excited to meet my little man and I am also looking forward to certain things I have had to skip over the last nine months. Most of these things are really small and aren’t a big deal, but it is cool to think that I won’t have to miss out anymore.

So one of the first things I did when I found out I was pregnant, like most people, I took myself to the doctor for confirmation and I was given a list of the what not to dos and the what not to eat. It’s crazy because back in the day there was no strictness on what you couldn’t eat and what you couldn’t do and women had perfectly healthy babies all of the time. It makes me wonder if all of this fuss is legit or is our society going way too overboard with what we can’t do when pregnant. I like most first time mums didn’t want to risk anything so I stuck to what I was told throughout my pregnancy. So here’s a few things I am most looking forward to after my baby is born….

Food I have missed.

I can’t wait to be able to eat whatever I like again. I remember Christmas day, I hardly ate anything because like every other year, our Christmas lunch is all about cold meats and prawns and according to the doctor, this food was a no no. I miss fresh prawns so much and I also surprisingly miss all the meats from the deli. I was also told to stay away from Sizzler, soft serve and sushi. It’s funny because I wasn’t big on most of these foods before I was pregnant, but now I can’t wait to have them!

Sleeping on my tummy.

This is such a small thing but I can not wait to be able to sleep on my tummy again. I am well and truly over sleeping on my side and getting cramps in my legs because I can’t move around as much! I never thought about the way I slept before but now that I am limited I miss it even more.

Boxing and cardio.

I never ever thought I would miss exercise as much as I have. Because of my first pregnancy not working out, this time my doctor told me to stop doing my usual exercise and stick to walking and swimming. Most people said to me it would be fine to keep doing what I was, however I decided to stick with what the doctor told me so I have only been walking and swimming. I didn’t realise how much I would miss boxing and doing boot camp.

 No more Roller Coaster hormones.

I can’t wait to be back to normal emotionally. Seriously…One minute I’m super happy and the next for no reason I am loosing the plot. It is crazy to me how emotional I have been at different times through out the pregnancy. For the most part of it I was doing really good but then occasionally little things would trigger me and for no reason I would loose it. It’s really strange to me, but I guess it all comes with being pregnant. Here’s hoping it all goes back to normal.

A few drinks.

Surprisingly I haven’t really missed drinking that much, however there has been a few occasions where I wouldn’t have minded having a couple of vodkas with friends. Obviously with breast feeding you can’t drink unless the milk is expressed, but it would be nice every now and then to relax with a couple of drinks and wind down.

Being a mum is going to be the most exciting thing for me and I can not wait. I have been so grateful to have had a great pregnancy and missing out on a few things so I can bring my baby into this world as healthy as he can be has been no drama what so ever. I would love for you to comment if there was anything you missed while you were pregnant?

Have you ever heard somebody say “I woke up on the wrong side of the bed?” It could have even been you saying it to yourself. Why is it that whenever you do wake up in a bad mood, you often let that mood shape your entire day? I’m not saying everyone’s perfect. We ALL wake up sometimes feeling tired and unmotivated. It happens only on the odd occasion with me because I am normally excited to wake up and get started in my business. It really does help when you do something you love. If you are stuck in a job you hate, it doesn’t help with your motivation knowing your about to spend the next eight hours doing something you don’t love.

It is so easy to change your mood and it’s entirely up to you. Wouldn’t you rather spend your day being happy and feeling good? Even if your job is something you aren’t planning on sticking with for the rest of your life, it is much better for you and everyone around you to make the most of it, instead of sulking around being miserable. So here are a few ideas to get you feeling good as soon as you wake up and maybe you can make your day a little brighter.

That dreaded snooze button…

As soon as you wake up, get straight out of bed. It doesn’t help your motivation levels by hitting the snooze button every ten minutes. The last thing you want to do is to keep sleeping and get up late. Rushing around to get ready is not going to help your mood.

A little exercise…

Exercise in the morning. Even if it is only a few push ups or sit ups, it will make you feel more energetic to get the blood pumping and your muscles waking up.

A hot shower…

If you’re anything like me, a hot shower always makes me feel great. Start your day with a shower. Use this time to go through in your mind, what you are grateful for. It is so easy to think about all the bad things about your day to come… “Oh I hate my boss; I have so much to do today; The bills are due.” bla bla bla! You really have to train yourself to start thinking about the positives and if you are saying there is nothing to be grateful for today, you aren’t thinking hard enough. Pay attention to the thoughts you are having and challenge yourself, whenever you have a negative thought, replace it with a positive. Something as simple as this could really improve your day.

Your favourite tunes…

Another thing that will make you feel good is putting on your favourite music every morning when you are getting ready. How many times do people turn the TV on straight away in the morning and sit and watch the news? Or they might read the paper. Why, if you are feeling unmotivated would you want to watch or read about all the negative things going on in the world? That’s not going to help you feel better is it? Music always makes me feel good and pumps me up.

A little motivation…

On your way to work, take the time to listen to some motivational CD’s. There are so many out there and even if you only have a short commute, fifteen minutes of personal development is better than nothing.

I challenge you to try these things and see how much better your day can become. You will come home feeling more energetic and happy and everyone around you will surely start to notice a difference. Feel free to comment below if you have any other ways to improve your mood that helps you stay on track for a more positive day.

A lot of the time we go through our everyday life doing the same thing all of the time. We rarely challenge ourselves and we just tend to continue doing the things that we are the most comfortable with. We stay within our comfort zone. When you are challenged to step outside your comfort zone, something amazing happens. You develop more confidence and a new found self belief and a fire starts to burn inside you. Stepping outside your comfort zone is so important for our development. It makes us a better person and makes us feel really good.

There are so many advantages to getting outside your comfort zone. Not only do you build confidence, but you get to experience so many more exciting things in your life. Back before I started my personal development journey, I was terrified of flying. It was pretty ironic because my husband Mike is a pilot. The company I was with had conferences all around the world in exotic locations and the first one was in beautiful Hawaii, so I figured I had two choices… I would definitely have to stretch myself, get scared and uncomfortable and get on that plane, or I could choose not to go, stay home and be extremely disappointed with myself, missing out on the experience of a lifetime. I decided to suck it up, be brave and get on the plane. Yea it was scary! I have flown many times since then and no flight will ever be as scary. There was a drunk, psycho man on the plane and he was running up and down the aisles, bumping into people, trying to open the door near where I was sitting and eventually had to be restrained and sat on. We ended up having to divert to Fiji so he could be removed from the plane and arrested.

We ended up getting to Hawaii five hours later than we should have, our luggage was delivered late and the flight home was delayed because the radios stopped working! What a classic. I can laugh about it now but for my very first flight over seas, it was the scariest thing I have ever done. But the positive was that I got through it and was ok! No matter how scary something is, if you push yourself and remain calm, you will come out the other end a better person. Because of what happened on that flight, I am now so much more confident whenever I get on a plane. With what I experienced on my first flight I know I can deal with any adversity that comes my way.

The reason I decided to write about this topic today, is because it was only last weekend I was pushed outside my comfort zone in a pretty big way. I have never been one to love getting my photo taken. Most people are either extremely camera shy or the complete opposite and love to jump in every picture they can. A friend of Mikes offered to take some maternity pictures as I am in the later stages of my pregnancy. At first I thought, No way! I had put on a little bit of weight as you do when you stop doing the amount of cardio I was, and also being pregnant your body changes and grows in ways that sometimes make you not feel the best. Don’t get me wrong, I have embraced this pregnancy and had the easiest time with it, I just wasn’t sure if I could be comfortable being in front of the camera.

So it didn’t take me long to change my mind. I thought why not? Yea it would stretch me outside my comfort zone in a big way, but this is something I could do and have with me forever and I thought it would be kind of cool showing my son when he is older. The weekend was awesome. I used it as an excuse to pamper myself and have a bit of ‘me’ time so by the time the photo shoot came around I was relaxed and calm about it all. Holly the photographer made me feel really comfortable and it was such a fun day. I am so grateful to have such a fun husband too. Mike helped me relax by being silly, trying to get in the shots by planking on the rocks behind me. I feel great about the photos. I have only seen a few of the edits and so far they look great. I’m definitely glad I got outside my comfort zone, and challenged myself. I think the most important thing is to make the decision to go for something and then just do it. Once you have decided, it is much easier to go through with the challenge. You just have to take the first step.

If you think back over the years, how many times have you given up on something because it was too hard, or you couldn’t be bothered or you just lost all motivation? People fail in life so many times and sometimes you probably think to yourself…What if? What if I had of finished that task? Would my life be different today if I didn’t quit?

Many people fail in Network Marketing and it’s not because of the products or the company or the people. Most people that fail in the Network Marketing industry are the first to point blame at everything and anything before they take accountability for their own actions and decisions. It all comes down to what you are willing to do and to sacrifice to be successful. Here are a few of the main reasons, in my opinion that people fail in their Network Marketing business.

What…It’s not a get rich quick thing??

So many people come into the Network Marketing industry thinking they are going to make money super fast! They think as soon as they join, they will be rolling in cash. A Network Marketing business….is a business and it requires work. You don’t go and buy a Subway franchise, not open the doors and expect to make money do you? A Network Marketing business is exactly the same. If you are brand new to this industry it does take a while to learn about what you are doing and if you aren’t marketing the opportunity and talking to lots of people, you aren’t going to make money. It surprises me how many people quit after only being in the business for a few weeks. They expect the money to come to them immediately and if it doesn’t they start blaming other factors for the lack of their own success.

They are not fully committed…

Having a business that you work from home can be quite challenging to stay focused and committed. Lots of people in Network Marketing think they are doing everything it takes to make it work, however they spend the majority of their day procrastinating and doing pointless ‘work’ on the computer. To be successful you have to be organised and focus on the most important activities, like prospecting and generating leads. If you don’t have anyone to talk to, you won’t make money!

Selling the product…

Many people come into Network Marketing thinking they have to sell, sell, sell! Selling is what puts a lot of people off. If you go into this thinking you have to sell the product or people won’t join, you’re handling it they wrong way. Firstly people are looking for a change. They want to be able to join a business they can operate and if you go in with the hard sell, they will most likely think…I can’t do that? I’m not a super sales person! The most important thing is to find out about the person and build relationships. Find out what they are looking for and why they want to make a change in their life.

The Blame game…

Another reason people fail in Network Marketing is because of their lack of accountability. If they aren’t having the results they expected they start the blame game. They say their up line isn’t helping them, or they don’t know what to do, their prospects don’t call them back, bla, bla, bla. The list could go on for ever. Instead of looking for reasons why they are not having success, they should be looking at what they need to do to create the results they expect.

Getting ready to get ready…

When many people get into a Network Marketing business for the first time they tend to become overwhelmed by everything. They spend so much time going through websites and training that their brains become overloaded and they don’t know where to begin. So instead of taking it right back and focusing on the most important part, they get trapped and confused. Lots of people fuss about, trying to know every single detail of the compensation plan and the company when really all of that isn’t even that important. Talking to people is number one and it is scary at first! Really scary! Some people give up on their Network Marketing business before they have even built up the courage to start calling people! They don’t give it a shot because they freak themselves out by all the procrastination they have done previously. Once you start though, you think to yourself…Why did I wait so long? It really isn’t difficult at all!

Like I said before, Network Marketing or any business requires hard work, dedication, motivation and discipline. If you aren’t willing to put in the hard yards at the beginning, don’t expect to reap the rewards later on! It’s always a choice and choosing to quit or fail is the easy option but definitely not the one that will get you closer to your goals. Stick to it, work hard and the results will come!

So as I am baby mad at the moment, I thought I would share with you today about a friend of mine Jess, who has just become a new mum a little over two months ago. I have known Jess for years. She first came to work with me at our shop back in Port Macquarie when she was about thirteen and was a fairly quiet girl back then. Over the last few years I have had the pleasure of watching Jess blossom into an amazing woman. She has always strived to fight for what she believes in and has always been an over achiever. When Jess was fourteen or fifteen, she sponsored a child. I remember thinking back then, Wow…most girls at that age are much more interested in spending money on clothes or make up but no matter how much she struggled financially, Jess always put her sponsor child first.

So inspiration comes in all different ways. Although Jess is much younger than me, she has inspired me to be the best mum I can be when my little man is born. She has taken to motherhood amazingly and is doing such a great job. I don’t see Jess because I live about ten hours away, but from seeing all of the pictures on Facebook, her little boy Malakai is one of the most alert, happy little guys I have seen. So I sat down and asked Jess some questions on motherhood and about being a young mum and I hope you enjoy this candid little chat about how she is enjoying the start or something wonderful.

As a young mum, did you come across any negative people who judged you because of your age?

I think people are quick to judge anyone and anything that they know little about. The term ‘young Mum’ has become something I am not too fond of. We don’t go around calling people ‘old Mum’ or ‘middle aged mum’ so I am not quite sure why people are so quick to put us into this category and then stereotype us a certain way. There definitely would have been times where people looked twice but overall, I really haven’t faced that much judgement, personally, because of my age. I think, if anything, judgement came from being placed into this category and assuming that because I am young, I may somehow be incapable. Throughout my pregnancy I have come to know some absolutely amazing mothers that are my age and even younger. I know a sixteen year old with twins and she is an absolutely incredible Mum. I have also seen my share of mothers around my age that do not seem so great. But that comes with each age group, I have seen some horrible and some amazing ‘older’ mothers, too. ANYWAY, all in all, I received an overwhelming amount of support. Those few people who were quick to judge (and who have admitted it to me) later retracted what they judged when they got to know me, followed my blog and saw how dedicated I was to changing my life for this beautiful little human.

How did you enjoy being pregnant?

I loved it. I loved the kicks, my bump, the hiccups, the way my belly changed shapes depending on how I laid, the ultrasounds, preparing for my life as a mother, the bond I shared with him; everything. Emotionally, things were hard. I had little support in Sydney where I was living and was quite isolated because of it. I had to finish a semester of Uni which was also pretty difficult but I ended up with great marks and I made it through. Hormones suck.

Did you plan a natural birth or did you go into labour without a birthing plan?

I was very set on a natural birth, however, I never really had a set birthing plan. I knew I didn’t want anything other than gas, I wanted to be able to walk around if that was what I felt was best, I wanted to utilise the bath and shower, I knew who I wanted in with me, I knew I wanted to delay the cutting of the cord until blood stopped pulsating in order to send the most possible nutrients to my son, but other than that, I just wanted to see how things went. I realise that probably sounds very much like a birth plan, but the plans I was reading went into much more detail. I never wanted to create something in my head that possibly would have to be changed as I knew that would leave me feeling very disappointed. Not having a set birth plan allowed me to change things when I needed to depending on how things were going. Being induced wasn’t something I wanted at all, but it happened, and I feel that if I had a very set birth plan, I would have been a lot more let down than what I was. 

When you took your baby home, was it everything you had expected or was it harder at first to balance all the new changes?

Oh man. Going home was scary. I literally had no idea what to expect which I think probably worked in my favour because it was really tough. My labour was long and pretty traumatic and I never got to really recover from that physically (or mentally). It takes a massive toll on your body to be so worn down from your labour and then tend to a baby that wakes and feeds every three or so hours. It was definitely hard to balance. But here I am at nine weeks and I think I have it pretty balanced!

What do you think the biggest challenges were in your first month at home?

Breastfeeding. Sleep deprivation. Feeling lonely. My postpartum body. The list could probably go on. But hey, it got SO much better.

How have you adjusted to being a mum?

I was only thinking about it the other day and I absolutely love it. I feel so confident and happy. It took me a while to get to this stage but it feels so amazing now that I am here. I love him and I love being his Mum.

What is the most fulfilling part of it?

Everything. I honestly cannot put it down to one thing. I love everything he does. I love watching him change and grow every day. I love knowing what the little things he does means, like when he purses his lips and clenches and unclenches his fists, it means he is hungry. I love watching him sleep. I love watching him play and smile and babble. I love it all.

Everyone has an opinion on breastfeeding vs bottle. What are your thoughts and what have you decided to do?

If I could be a giant, massive advocate for breastfeeding, I would be. Those first two weeks I honestly could not even count how many times I cried about everything. Breastfeeding was hard. Really hard. I thought I was doing it wrong, I thought he wasn’t happy, it hurt, it was hard to adjust to, but seriously, it gets SO much better. I love it. I feed him anywhere and I refuse to hide off into a toilet to feed my baby. I understand how easy it is to want to give in, I wanted to so badly those first few weeks, but I didn’t and I am so glad I didn’t. Sure sometimes it is hard not being able to let someone else feed him so I can rest or go out without him, but the positives far outweigh that. There are so many positives for the baby and it is freeeee! I would really encourage any Mum to breastfeed for as long as they can, it is beautiful.

If you could give any new young mums some advice, what would you say to them knowing what you know now?

If I could give any advice in general, it would be to cry when you need to, never feel ashamed to feel upset and lonely and confused because being a Mum is hard, no matter what age you are. Always ask for help when you need it and never feel like a failure for needing that help. Anyone who doesn’t must be supermum. Don’t try to plan every single thing because I can assure you, the opposite of what you plan will happen. Don’t stress because your baby feeds off your stress and emotions. Now that I am confident and happy, so is my baby. Read, read, read, never stop asking questions and researching the decisions you make about your baby. I have learnt so, so much, that people don’t tell you. Don’t let other peoples unwanted advice upset you, YOU are the Mum and you know best. OH and alllllllllllllll that stuff you bought for your baby, you probably won’t need it (despite how fun it is to buy) so don’t stress about all the little things! In terms of being younger, I guess, just don’t let that stereotype hurt you because age really does mean nothing and you CAN do it. But obviously I am no expert whatsoever, every Mum is different and every Mum knows their baby more than anyone else.

What has been the best advice you have received about being a new mum?

SLEEP WHEN YOUR BABY SLEEPS.

Thanks so much Jess for your informative opinion. You are so right and age should never be an issue. It all comes down to the person you are how much you believe in yourself. I can’t wait to see Kai’s journey as he grows up

There are so many positives about working from home and I am so excited to be able to make the choice to stay at home and generate a great income, while not sacrificing the time I spend with my son. I have only got a few weeks left until I will be a mother and time has flown. I can still remember finding out when I was pregnant and thinking how far away nine months is. I have really developed as a person in the last few months. My priorities have all changed and now I am already putting my baby first in any decisions I make. I am so relaxed about bringing my baby home and not having to stress about having to go back to work in six months after my maternity leave has expired. I’m sure that six months goes so fast with a new baby and I couldn’t imagine leaving my little man so soon into his life with strangers. As I said there are many positives about being a stay at home mum. Obviously some people either financially have to return to work or they are happy to maintain a balance with their careers and being a parent, so I am in no way saying either is right or wrong. I am just excited to be lucky enough to have the choice.

Flexibility

I love the fact that my home business is flexible and I can choose when I work and how hard I work. Obviously if I don’t put any effort into my business I won’t generate much of an income, but it is really comforting to know I can work my business around my baby and also not feel the pressure if I do decide I require a day off to catch up with sleep or just to rest.

Daycare

I am excited to not have to drop my little one off to daycare five days a week and leave him there for other people to raise him. A lot of little ones spend so many hours a week at daycare and I could imagine how disappointing it would be to find out that they smiled for the first time or took their first step and they did it without you or your partner seeing it. I want to be there for every milestone, no matter how small it is. I’m not saying daycare is a bad thing. There are many positives to sending your children there. They socialise a lot and they are constantly learning, it’s just my personal choice to want to spend as much time as I can with my little man.

Mothers group.

As soon as I can I will be joining a mothers group. It is important for my son to grow up socialising and having friends, especially if he isn’t going to be attending daycare. It is so important that children develop social skills from a young age. It helps with their confidence and relationship building skills. I am grateful that I will be able to attend mothers group any day of the week and any time in the day. I won’t have to work around a job because my business allows me to choose the hours I work.

Keeping a cleaner house and cooking healthier meals.

This is such a small thing but to me a clean, healthy environment is a happy one. I will be more relaxed and refreshed as well. Being at home full time will allow me the luxury to keep my housework up to date and I am very passionate about making my sons food myself. This way I will know exactly what he is eating, minus all the preservatives and colouring and I think it will be so beneficial to be able to have the time to cook and blend up everything freshly. If I had to go back to work there’s no way I would be able to juggle everything and make fresh food all of the time. There are only so many hours in the day.

Less stress and a solid routine

I think being at home full time it will be easier to maintain a routine and I’m sure it will be much less stressful not only for our baby but for the family as a whole. Things can get pretty chaotic with both parents working full time and trying to juggle raising a child so I think having the choice to be at home full time will be a lot less stressful.