Authors Introduction (partial) to Wings of Wisdom

Fifteen years ago, I hit a brick wall. I had a job I hated that was literally making me sick. My marriage was in trouble; my finances were a disaster; and, I lived many miles away from my family.

I felt I had hit bottom. The easy way out would have been to feel sorry for myself and blame the world for my misfortune, to moan and groan about how unfair life is.

Instead, I found my way to the public library and discovered a new world in the self-help section. It focused my energy on positive results, rather than on the “poor me” syndrome. I started reading books on setting goals, positive thinking, psychology, auto-biographies, attitudes, and so on.

At that time, I started to collect quotes. I discovered that certain quotes made me stop and think; they made me challenge my beliefs, while others gave me hope.

Without realizing it, I was searching for answers. Why are some people more successful than others?

How do they cope with challenges? Other people had more serious problems than I did. How did they keep a positive attitude and overcome their problems?

Through all my years of reading and research, I found two consistent qualities of successful people:

Attitude
A “positive attitude” is definitely one of the keys to success.

My definition of a positive attitude is a simple one:
Looking for the good in all circumstances.

Applying it to everyday life is not as simple as it seems. Some situations in life challenge us to see the good. For example, the death of someone close to us, a health problem, the loss of a job, a relationship that doesn’t work out. It is difficult to maintain a positive attitude in these situations.

If you accept what has happened and search for the positive, you will be able to move forward in your life. By embracing this attitude, you eliminate the “poor me syndrome”. Attitudes play a very important role in our lives.

How do you react when faced with:
- change
- challenges
- failures
- stress
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Goals
As you read this book, you will see how strong my belief is in setting goals. I set a goal 10 years ago for my professional career and surpassed it a few years ago. One of my more recent goals was to write this book. My goals kept me focused. As a result, you are now reading what was once only a thought, a dream!

*** What is it I want to achieve?

*** When do I want to achieve it?

*** Where am I today and what action do I need to take to achieve my goal?

Write down your answers. Writing out your goals is as important as determining what they are. You are committing yourself to achieve these goals and, at the same time, sending a strong, positive message to your subconscious mind.
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When people find themselves in situations with little or no hope, they give up. They convince themselves they are satisfied with where they are, or what they have.

What is interesting about goals is that once you are committed and start to implement your plan, you will make important discoveries just by keeping a focus on attaining your desired result.

In the next 30 days, examine your own attitudes and review or set your goals. Also read the daily quotations and thoughts and reflect on how they could help to change your life. At the end of 30 days, my hope is that this book will start to make a positive difference in your life.

Many of the quotes in this book have inspired, motivated, and helped me positively change my life. They have given me a much needed different perspective on many situations that I have encountered over the years.

It is my hope that this book will help you to make positive and rewarding changes in your life!
Catherine Pulsifer