Do you ever talk to yourself? Lots of people do. But when you talk to yourself, do you use a negative tone? For example, "I'll never get all of my work done" or "I have to get it right the first time."

Self-talk, also known as automatic thinking, refers to all of the things that you say to yourself. Self-talk can be rational – based on reasoning, logic or facts – or it can be irrational. It can be positive or negative.

Though the running commentary in your head may seem harmless, it can affect your perception of events around you. If you label too many situations with a negative tone, life can be gloomy and cause you stress. It can also lead to depression.

You can take steps to turn negative thoughts around. It starts with relabeling (reframing).

How often do you say to yourself, "I should never make mistakes" or "I always say stupid things"? Notice the words should, always and never. Relabeling your mental messages with a more positive outlook can help increase your perspective of the entire situation and aid in managing your stress response. Here are some examples:

A little boy wanted to meet God. He knew it was a long trip to where God lived, so he packed his suitcase with Twinkies and a six-pack of Root Beer and he started his journey.

When he had gone about three blocks, he met an elderly man. The man was sitting in the park just feeding some pigeons.

The boy sat down next to him and opened his suitcase. He was about to take a drink from his root beer when he noticed that the man looked hungry, so he offered him a Twinkie.

The man gratefully accepted it and smiled at boy. His smile was so pleasant that the boy wanted to see it again, so he offered him a root beer.

Again, the man smiled at him. The boy was delighted! They sat there all afternoon eating and smiling, but they never said a word.

As it grew dark, the boy realized how tired he was and he got up to leave, but before he had gone more than a few steps, he turned around, ran back to the man, and gave him a hug. The man gave him his biggest smile ever.

When the boy opened the door to his own house a short time later, his mother was surprised by the look of joy on his face. She asked him, "What did you do today that made you so happy?

"He replied, "I had lunch with God." But before his mother could respond, he added, "You know what? God's got the most beautiful smile I've ever seen!"

Meanwhile, the elderly man, also radiant with joy, returned to his home. His son was stunned by the look of peace on his face and he asked," Dad, what did you do today that made you so happy?"

He replied, "I ate Twinkies in the park with God." However, before his son responded, he added," You know, he's much younger than I expected."

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. People come into our lives for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. Embrace all equally!

This is a real story happened between the customer of General Motors and its customer-care executive.

A complaint was received by the Pontiac Division of General Motors:

This is the second time I have written to you, and I don't blame you for not answering me, because I sounded crazy, but it is a fact that we have a tradition in our family of ice cream for dessert after dinner each night. But the kind of ice cream varies so, every night, after we've eaten, the whole family votes on which kind of ice cream we should have and I drive down to the store to get it. It's also a fact that I recently purchased a new Pontiac and since then my trips to the store have created a problem. You see, every time I buy a vanilla ice cream, when I start back from the store my car won't start. If I get any other kind of ice cream, the car starts just fine. I want you to know I'm serious about this question, no matter how silly it sounds: "What is there about a Pontiac that makes it not start when I get vanilla ice cream, and easy to start whenever I get any other kind?"

The Pontiac President was understandably skeptical about the letter, but sent an engineer to check it out anyway. The latter was surprised to be greeted by a successful, obviously well educated man in a fine neighborhood. He had arranged to meet the man just after dinner time, so the two hopped into the car and drove to the ice cream store. It was vanilla ice cream that night and, sure enough, after they came back to the car, it wouldn't start.
The engineer returned for three more nights. The first night, they got chocolate. The car started. The second night, he got strawberry. The car started. The third night he ordered vanilla. The car failed to start. Now the engineer, being a logical man, refused to believe that this man's car was allergic to vanilla ice cream. He arranged, therefore, to continue his visits for as long as it took to solve the problem. And toward this end he began to take notes: he jotted down all sorts of data: time of day, type of gas used, time to drive back and forth etc. In a short time, he had a clue:the man took less time to buy vanilla than any other flavor. Why? The answer was in the layout of the store. Vanilla, being the most popular flavor, was in a separate case at the front of the store for quick pickup. All the other flavors were kept in the back of the store at a different counter where it took considerably longer to check out the flavor. Now, the question for the engineer was why the car wouldn't start when it took less time. Once time became problem – not the vanilla ice cream – the engineer quickly came up with the answer: "Vapour lock". It was happening every night; but the extra time taken to get the other flavors allowed the engine to cool down sufficiently to start. When the man got vanilla, the engine was still too hot for the vapour lock to dissipate.

Remember: Even crazy looking problems are sometimes real and all problems seem to be simple only when we find the solution with a cool thinking. Don't just say its "IMPOSSIBLE" without putting a sincere effort. What really matters is your attitude and your perception. Look at all quality problems customer complaints with an open mind and collect sufficient data before concluding. Great analysis, isn't it?

*I am thankful…For the taxes that I pay, because it means that I am employed.
*For weariness and aching muscles at the end of the day, because it means i have been capable of working hard.
*For the mess to clean after a party, because it means that i have been surrounded by friends.
*For the clothes that fit a little too snug, because it means that i have enough to eat.
*For my shadow that watches me work, because it means I am out in the sunshine.
*For a floor that needs mopping, and windows that need cleaning, because it means i have a home.
*For all the complaining i hear about the government, because it means that we have freedom of speech.
*For the parking spot i find at the far end of the parking lot, because it means i am capable of walking and that have been blessed with transportation.
*For the pile of laundry and ironing, because it means i have clothes to wear.
*For the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours, because it means that i am alive.
*For the wife who'd snore all night, because she'd be at home asleep with me and not with someone else.
AND FINALLY…
*For too much e-mail, because it means I have friends who are thinking of me.

UPDATE: This article is written by 99Sanay. So, All credits go to her for writing this article.

Sometimes we wonder why friends keep forwarding jokes to us without writing a word, maybe this could explain:

• When you are very busy, but still want to keep in touch, guess what you do – you forward jokes.
• When you have nothing to say, but still want to keep in contact, you forward jokes
• When you have something to say, but don’t know what, and don’t know how, you forward jokes.
• To let you know that: you are still remembered, you are still important, you are still loved, you are still cared for, you are still wanted, guess what you get? A forwarded joke from me.
• So my friend the next time you get a joke, don’t think that I have just sent you a joke, but that..
  I have thought of you today!!