Problem: Article: . When you’re always tuned in to others’ news updates, thoughts, and feelings, you can get really disconnected from your own. One of the greatest benefits of logging off your social media accounts is better attention to the present moment.  For instance, when most people wait in line or eat alone, they browse their social media feeds. When you don’t have that to fall back on, you are more aware of the surrounding environment as well as your own internal experience. Social media can distract you from being bored, and unplugging may be stressful. Instead, use time away from social media to notice any uncomfortable feelings so you can address them head on. Social media removes the need to connect with people on a face-to-face basis. Coupled with texting, many young people don’t have much of an incentive to hang out with friends in real life. When you unplug from social media, you might notice yourself engaging in deeper conversations with those around you, and enjoying it. Being plugged in to social media around the clock limits you from being able to do mood-boosting activities like exercising, going outside, or getting adequate rest. Plus, you may develop negative feelings from comparing yourself to others’ highlight reels. When you log off, you might notice a lift in your mood and better sleep. Looking at devices with blue lights such as smartphones, computers, and tablets before bed threatens your sleep quality. By shutting down at least an hour before bed, you will enjoy more restful sleep. Social media is a major time-suck. You might commit to logging on for just 10 minutes, and, before you know it, an entire hour has elapsed. Staying off social media helps you use your time for more productive pursuits such as getting work done or completing chores. For example, once you quit social media, you might notice yourself getting your work done more efficiently and having more time to do the things you enjoy.
Summary: Be mindful Recognize the impact of deeper, in-person connections. Notice an improved mood and sleep. Enjoy greater time-management and productivity.

Problem: Article: . Redefine what is and is not possible. You have unique talents that you can leverage to fulfill goals right now. Considering new possibilities is critical to taking action that will lead to success.  Being open-minded means you are willing to find value in the people, events and things you come across. Embrace different possibilities, opportunities, people, views, suggestions and experiences. Recognize that you can learn from things that are new or different. When you can think outside of the box, you can come up with innovative solutions to problems that others can't. Say, “Yes, I can do this,” and push yourself to do what others might think is impossible. This is how people attain success when others give up on their dreams. Get out of your comfort zone and expand your horizons. If you have never been to a different country, tried a certain food, learned another language, tried to write a book or gone skydiving, then do it. You may discover something along the way that makes your life better and helps you solve a problem. You are capable of handling any problem. You already have everything you need to solve it—you! Recognizing that you are competent and adequate enough to do something is the first step to actually getting it done.  Self-confidence means you like and trust yourself. Appreciate your talents, abilities and good attributes. Know that you can problem-solve and find solutions to challenges.  Visualize being successful every day. When difficulties come your way, picture yourself overcoming them. Imagine accomplishing your goals and celebrating your successes. Accept compliments and praise. Know that you deserve them. Keep a diary of your successes. Write down your achievements every day. Soon you will fill the pages of this book and be able to see how much you have done. This will go a long way to help you realize you have earned the right to be confident. Resourcefulness is about optimizing what you have to work with. Creativity is not just about creating something new but making old things work better as well. Think of crazy possibilities as well as practical ones. You might find inspiration for a workable solution in one of your ideas.  Think about how an experienced mechanic can do amazing things with after-market parts and a little ingenuity. The mechanic probably won’t follow a manual but can diagnose problems based on symptoms and decide what tools and materials they have on hand to fix the problem. Be like this mechanic in your situation.  Let your mind wander. Don't stop yourself from thinking something because you think it is irrelevant. Often, your thoughts will move from one idea to another and then another. You may discover an Aha! moment or insight in one of these ideas. Don’t put your dreams on hold because you’re waiting for the right resources or people to show up. If you let circumstances determine when and how you act, you will always settle for less. If an opportunity presents itself, do your best to take it.  Don't overthink the opportunity or talk yourself out of it.  Be more than an idle observer. Participate actively and get involved. Being proactive means taking initiative so you can be part of any solution. Don’t simply react to events, people, challenges and information. Engage and influence them so you can make real contributions to the situation. If you stop trying before the problem is solved, then you haven't accomplished anything. Try again, a dozen or a hundred different ways, if that's what it takes. Don't give up.  Think about what motivates you. Determine why you want to accomplish something and use that knowledge to drive you to finish. Develop discipline. Many things will get in the way of your goal. If you practice discipline and make it a habit to do what needs to get done despite obstacles, you will reach your goal. Never consider not succeeding right away as a failure – consider it practice, instead. There is almost always a solution to a problem. See the positive in every situation. Once you develop the right attitude, it is easier to find a solution.  Think of all the times you dealt with a crisis or difficult situation and the success stories that arose from those rough times. Know that you can get through it. This is the attitude resourceful people have when trouble comes their way. Remember that each time you overcome a problem, you become a better and stronger person. Experiences teach us things that we can pass on to others who need encouragement.  Improve yourself. Learn new things, and try to keep up with what is happening around you. Even when you become successful, learning continues and provides enrichment to your life. Learn to accept and encourage other people as well.   Identify your challenges and fears so that you can work on improving or overcoming them. If you want to improve a skill (from getting better at math to becoming more assertive to learning to throw and catch a baseball), consider what concrete action you might take to grow in this area. You could take a class at a community college to get better at math, you might buy a book on how to be assertive, or you might work with a trainer or athletic friend to help you improve your game of catch.
Summary:
Keep an open mind Be confident. Be creative. Be proactive. Be persistent. Be positive.