LASSA FEVER - Key facts, symptoms and prevention

   Key facts

• Lassa fever is an acute viral haemorrhagic illness of 2-21 days duration that occurs in West Africa.
• The Lassa virus is transmitted to humans via contact with food or household items contaminated with rodent urine or faeces.
• Person-to-person infections and laboratory transmission can also occur, particularly in hospitals lacking adequate infection prevention and control measures.
• Lassa fever is known to be endemic in Benin, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, but probably exists in other West African countries as well.
• The overall case-fatality rate is 1%. Observed case-fatality rate among patients hospitalized with severe cases of Lassa fever is 15%.
• Early supportive care with rehydration and symptomatic treatment improves survival.                                          

Lassa fever or Lassa hemorrhagic fever (LHF) is an acute viral hemorrhagic fever caused by the Lassa virus and first described in 1969 in the town of Lassa, in Borno State, Nigeria. Lassa fever is a member of the arenaviridae virus family. Similar to Ebola, clinical cases of the disease had been known for over a decade but had not been connected with a viral pathogen. The infection is endemic in West African countries, and causes 300,000–500,000 cases annually, with approximately 5,000 deaths. Outbreaks of the disease have been observed in Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and the Central African Republic, but it is believed that human infections also exist in Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, and Senegal. The primary animal host of the Lassa virus is the Natal Multimammate Mouse (Mastomys natalensis), an animal indigenous to most of Sub-Saharan Africa. The virus is probably transmitted by contact with the feces or urine of animals accessing grain stores in residences. 

Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever in West Africa. Studies show up to half a million cases of Lassa fever per year in West Africa, with about 5,000 resulting in death. Results Lassa virus was detected in 25 of 60 (42%) patients in northern and central Edo. The Lassa Virus affects adults and children alike; no matter your age you can be at risk for Lassa.

Like other hemorrhagic fevers, Lassa fever can be transmitted directly from one human to another. It can be contracted by an airborne route or with direct contact with infected human blood, urine, or semen. Transmission through breast milk has also been observed.

Symptoms

In 80% of cases, the disease is inapparent, but in the remaining 20%, it takes a complicated course. It is estimated that the virus is responsible for about 5,000 deaths annually. The fever accounts for up to one third of deaths in hospitals within the affected regions and 10 to 16% of total cases.

After an incubation period of six to twenty-one days, an acute illness with multiorgan involvement develops. Non-specific symptoms include fever, facial swelling, and muscle fatigue, as well as conjunctivitis and mucosal bleeding. The other symptoms arising from the affected organs are:

·         Gastrointestinal tract

·         Nausea

·         Vomiting (bloody)

·         Diarrhea (bloody)

·         Stomach ache

·         Constipation

·        (difficulty swallowing)

·         Hepatitis

·         Cardiovascular system

·         Pericarditis

·         Hypertension

·         Hypotension

·         Respiratory tract

·         Cough

·         Chest pain

·         Dyspnoea

·         Pharyngitis

·         Nervous system

·         Encephalitis

·         Meningitis

·         Unilateral or bilateral hearing deficit

·         Seizures

Clinically, Lassa fever infections are difficult to distinguish from other viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola and Marburg, and from more common febrile illnesses such as malaria.

Diagnosis 

There is a range of laboratory investigations that are performed to diagnose the disease and assess its course and complications. ELISA test for antigen and IgM antibodies gives 88% sensitivity and 90% specificity for the presence of the infection. Other laboratory findings in Lassa fever include lymphopenia (low white blood cell count), thrombocytopenia(low platelets), and elevated aspartate amino transferase (AST) levels in the blood. Lassa fever can also be found in cerebrospinal fluid. In West Africa, where Lassa is most prevalent, it is difficult for doctors to diagnose due to the absence of proper equipment to perform tests. In cases with abdominal pain, diagnoses in endemic countries are often made for other illnesses, such as appendicitis and intussusceptions, delaying treatment with Ribavirin.

Research has been done in the last few years by a team of specialists in order to diagnose the Lassa fever on a molecular level.

Prognosis

About 15%-20% of hospitalized Lassa fever patients will die from the illness. It is estimated that the overall mortality rate is 1%, however during epidemics mortality can climb as high as 50%. The mortality rate is greater than 80% when it occurs in pregnant women during their third trimester; fetal death also occurs in nearly all those cases. Abortion decreases the risk of death to the mother.

Prevention

Control of the Mastomys rodent population is impractical, so measures are limited to keeping rodents out of homes and food supplies, as well as maintaining effective personal hygiene. Gloves, masks, laboratory coats, and goggles are advised while in contact with an infected person.

·    In health-care settings, staff should always apply standard infection prevention and control precautions when caring for patients, regardless of their presumed diagnosis. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (to block splashes or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe burial practices.

·     Health-care workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Lassa fever should apply extra infection control measures to prevent contact with the patient’s blood and body fluids and contaminated surfaces or materials such as clothing and bedding. When in close contact (within 1 metre) of patients with Lassa fever, health-care workers should wear face protection (a face shield or a medical mask and goggles), a clean, non-sterile long-sleeved gown, and gloves (sterile gloves for some procedures).

·     Laboratory workers are also at risk. Samples taken from humans and animals for investigation of Lassa virus infection should be handled by trained staff and processed in suitably equipped laboratories under maximum biological containment conditions.

Treatment

There is currently no vaccine that protects against Lassa fever.

All persons suspected of Lassa fever infection should be admitted to isolation facilities and their body fluids and excreta properly disposed of.

Early and aggressive treatment using Ribavirin was pioneered by Joe McCormick in 1979. After extensive testing, it was determined that early administration is critical to success. Additionally, Ribavirin is almost twice as effective when given intravenously as when taken by mouth. Ribavirin is a prodrug which appears to interfere with viral replication by inhibiting RNA-dependent nucleic acid synthesis, although the precise mechanism of action is disputed. The drug is relatively inexpensive, but the cost of the drug is still very high for many of those in West African states. Fluid replacement, blood transfusion and fighting hypotension are usually required. Intravenous interferon therapy has also been used.

When Lassa fever infects pregnant women late in their third trimester, it is necessary to induce delivery for the mother to have a good chance of survival. This is because the virus has an affinity for the placenta and other highly vascular tissues. The fetus has only a one in ten chance of survival no matter what course of action is taken; hence focus is always on saving the life of the mother. Following delivery, women should receive the same treatment as other Lassa fever patients.

            

COURTESY FROM: World Health Organization and Wikipedia 

THANKS FOR READING :)

KEEPING AREAS CLEAN/HYGIENE

Person-to-person spread, especially by soiled hands, is the major way infectious diseases spread. Although household surfaces play a minor role, regular cleaning is still important to maintain a healthy environment.

Cleaning with detergent and warm water is all that is usually necessary to maintain a clean and healthy environment. Unnecessary use of disinfectants encourages the development of bacteria that are harder to kill.

Hygiene in the garden

Sandpits

Sandpits can become contaminated with animal feces and urine. Sandpits need to be properly constructed with adequate drainage. The sand should be raked often, and when not in use the area should be covered (for example, with a tarpaulin or shade cloth).

Gardening

Many gardening activities bring the gardener into contact with organisms that can cause illness.

Gardeners should wear gloves during gardening and always wash their hands (with soap and running water) before eating, drinking or smoking.

Hygiene in kitchen

Kitchen hygiene is important to prevent food poisoning.

All surfaces in the kitchen such as bench tops, stoves, sinks, walls, inside cupboards and items such as crockery and cutlery need to be kept clean. Leaving leftovers and spills to become dry will make them much harder to remove.

To effectively clean a surface in the kitchen you need to remove all visible soiling using detergent and warm water. This is usually all that is necessary.

Disinfectants

Surface disinfectants are usually not necessary and only work well on a surface that has already been cleaned.

If disinfectants are used it is important to:

- follow the manufacturer’s instructions on its use; this includes how much water to add to it, what water temperature to use, and how long the object needs to be in contact with the disinfectant.

- diluted disinfectants deteriorate on standing. All diluted disinfectant should be used immediately after preparation

- wear gloves when using chemical disinfectants as disinfectants are a common cause of dermatitis.

- empty buckets after use, wash with detergent and warm water and store dry

mops should be cleaned in detergent and warm water and stored dry.

Household sponges

Cleaning sponges should be changed frequently or disinfected regularly

separate sponges should be used for cleaning dishes and cleaning floors

floor spills should not be cleaned up with the dish sponge

mop floor spills with a single-use paper towel that can be thrown away.

Dishes

Dishes should be washed in warm-to-hot soapy water and rinsed in warm-to-hot water. Always ensure water temperatures can be comfortably tolerated to avoid scalding. This is especially important for children and the elderly.

It is best to leave dishes to air dry. If you do this, do not place a tea towel over them as this will only spread bacteria from the tea towel onto the clean dishes. Change your tea towel when it becomes dirty or wet.

Chopping boards and utensils

Separate chopping boards should be used for raw meats and ready-to-eat foods. If this cannot be done, the chopping board used for meat should be washed in warm-to-hot soapy water and rinsed before being re-used. The same applies to utensils, knives, benches and plates. Chopping boards can be disinfected by washing in warm-to-hot soapy water and then rinsing with diluted bleach, or washed in a dishwasher using the highest heat setting.

Clean inside fridges and cupboards regularly. Crumbs in cupboards can attract pests. Dirty fridges can carry bacteria and moulds.

QUICK TIPS TO IMPROVE YOUR EYESIGHT NATURALLY

While you cannot prevent all eye diseases, there are measures you can take to improve your eye health and prevent vision loss. If you are looking to clear your vision without having to undergo surgery or using corrective lenses, here are a few tips that can help you out. 6 quick tips to improve your eye sight naturally.

Eat Right

Protect your peepers with wholesome nutritious diet. Here are a few staples that are a must in your diet.

If recent studies are anything to go by, antioxidant rich food such as beta-carotene and lutein are essential to prevent age-related macular degeneration. Foods such as carrots and sweet potatoes will provide you with the daily dose of required antioxidants.

Make sure your diet is rich with sulfur and lecithin, as they protect the lens of your eyes from cataract formation. Foods such as garlic and onion are other excellent sources of sulfur.

Yet another reason to dig into sweet and juicy berries is the anti-inflammatory properties present in them that help to improve your vision.

Exercise

A nutritious diet is not enough to keep your peepers in their prime shape, as you need extra. Here are a few exercises that will not only improve your eyesight, but also keep those annoying eye floaters at bay.

First thing in the morning, rub your palms together to generate heat and gently place them on your eyes for five seconds. Repeat this exercise 3 times. It will soothe your strained eye muscles.

Rotate your eye clockwise and anticlockwise 10 times. Start slowly and gradually increase your speed. This exercise will help improve blood circulation in the eyes.

If you feel too much strain in your eyes, try massaging your temples using your thumb and knuckles. Start in small circular motions, 20 times in one direction and 20 times on the other. This will take the pressure off your eyes.

Rest Your Eyes

It is not just your body that recuperates during sleep, but also your eyes. Never cut back on your 8 hours sleep, it is during that time that your eyes recuperates, recover and repairs. Besides, not getting enough sleep can weaken your vision.

Give your eyes a break in every few hours from harsh glare of the computer. If your eyes start feeling overly strained, lie down and place cooling cucumber slices over your eyelids.

Even dehydration can cause your vision to blur. Next time you notice your vision starts turning foggy, chug down a glass of water. You'll see improvement almost instantly.

People today go out of their way to dodge sunlight, but did you know, your body actually needs a certain amount of sun light to survive. Not only do you get vitamin D, but also the sunrays force your eyes to contract and dilate, which is a form of eye exercise.

Frequent checkup with your eye doctor can go a long way in keeping your peepers in prime condition.

While you cannot prevent all eye diseases, there are measures you can take to improve your eye health and prevent vision loss. And one of those measures is to get frequent check up done from a reliable eye doctor. 

MALARIA - SYMPTOMS, TREATMENT AND PREVENTION

Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium. There are 5 species of Plasmodiumwhich infect humans:

Plasmodium vivax

Plasmodium falciparum

Plasmodium malariae

Plasmodium ovale

Plasmodium knowlesi which is less common.

Of these, Plasmodium falciparum infection is the most severe and can cause death in up to 10% of cases. It can be rapidly fatal. Pregnant women and children are especially at risk. Other types of malaria are less severe, but still may cause death.

Malaria is a notifiable disease.

How malaria is spread

The parasite is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected female Anopheles species mosquitoes.

The parasites multiply in the liver and the bloodstream of the infected person. The parasite may be taken up by another mosquito when it bites an infected person. The mosquito is then infected for the duration of its life and can infect other humans when it bites them.

Occasionally malaria is transmitted by blood transfusion. For this reason, people who have travelled to countries where malaria occurs may be deferred from giving blood for a short period. Malaria can also be transmitted from a mother to her fetus.

Malaria occurs in most tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world, including:

Africa

Central and South America

Asia (including southeast Asia)

Papua New Guinea

western Pacific islands.

Over a million people living in these countries die from malaria each year. Many thousands of tourists also get malaria during their travels to countries where malaria is present. Tourists often get severe illness because they have had no previous exposure to malaria and have no resistance to the disease.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

In humans, the parasites live mostly in the red blood cells, but a very serious complication of Plasmodium falciparum malaria is infection of the brain.

Symptoms of malaria may include:

fever, which may come and go, or may be constant

chills

profuse sweating

malaise (feeling of unwellness)

muscle and joint pain

headache

confusion

nausea

loss of appetite

diarrhoea

abdominal pain

cough.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis is made by a blood test – sometimes it is necessary to repeat the test a number of times, as the parasites can be difficult to detect.

Incubation period

(time between becoming infected and developing symptoms)

Varies with the type:

P. falciparum: 9 to 14 days

P . vivax: 12 to18 days but some strains may have an incubation period of 8 to 10 months or longer

P. ovale: 12 to 18 days

P. malariae: 18 to 40 days.

These periods are approximate and may be longer if the person has been taking drugs taken to prevent infection.

Infectious period

(time during which an infected person can infect others)

Direct person-to-person spread does not occur.

A person remains infectious as long as the parasites are present in the blood. This may be several years if adequate treatment is not given. Parasites disappear from the blood within a few days of commencing appropriate treatment. Mosquitoes remain infected for life.

TREATMENT

Specific antimalarial treatment is available and must always be started as soon as malaria is diagnosed. There is increasing resistance to currently available drugs and treatment should be carried out by an infectious diseases specialist or other expert in the field.

PREVENTION

Exclusion from childcare, preschool, school or work is not necessary but cases should avoid being bitten by mosquitoes while they are unwell

there is no vaccine to prevent human infection by this parasite

personal protection and the environmental management of mosquitoes are important in preventing illness. See Fight the Bite for tips to on how to protect yourself.

Travel in countries where there is malaria?

Extensive international programs are undertaken in malarious countries to try to control this disease. For travellers, the following advice is given:

see a travel medicine expert before you go to get specific advice for the places you will be visiting

always take malaria prophylaxis drugs exactly as prescribed and take the full course. Be aware of their potential side effects

protect yourself from mosquito bites. Travel medical centres have good information on how to do this

be aware that no preventive measures are 100% effective, so always seek medical attention immediately if you develop a fever while travelling in, or after return from, a country where malaria occurs

always give your doctor the information about your travel if you become sick.

IS TAP WATER SAFE TO DRINK?

Traces of at least 18 potentially, hazardous pollutants were found in more than one-third of U.S. water utilities during a nationwide sampling, as noted in a report by Environmental Health News (EHN). So, the concern as to whether or not your tap water is safe is a major one, and rightfully so.

Scary as it may sound, those findings included such pollutants as herbicides, anti-bacterials, viruses, metals, anti-depressants, pesticides and more. Scientific studies have found that these can cause thyroid disease, endocrine disruption and various types of cancers. They can cause oxidation of your cells, breaking down your immune system, and leaving you vulnerable to disease... scary but true.

You're probably asking yourself right now, is there any good news in all of this?

It's hard to say. Concentrations of these compounds are low, according to a U.S. Geological Survey. The unknown lies in what will long-term exposure of such low-levels do to our bodies?

Further studies also revealed most treatment plants aren't successful in removing all of the compounds that pass through them. They remove some but, not all, and react with others, transforming into a chemical we don't know much about.

What can you do to protect you and your family?

Learn what's in your water. The E.P.A. (Environmental Protection Agency) requires all local utilities to provide a Consumer Confidence Report every year to their customers. It will tell you about the water used by your own municipality. If you have a well you use as your water source, you can call the hotline for the E.P.A. at 800-426-4791 for the name of a state-certified lab to have your water tested.

If, there are traces of compounds found in your tap water, you should install a faucet filtration system for extra protection. Consumer Reports offers great information along with their suggestions and rankings of their top recommended water faucet filters.

Taking probiotics is one of the most important things you can do for better health, because every person needs good bacteria to maintain a healthy digestive system. The presence of good bacteria leaves no room for parasites and other unwanted organisms to attach. A poor lifestyle and simply what we are exposed to, including the water we drink can destroy the good bacteria in our bodies. When that happens, your body is left vulnerable to numerous diseases. Probiotics can help restore the body to its natural state of balance.

By Chuck Hallberg

VENTILATION FOR CLEAN, FRESH AIR AT WORK

Increased oxygen in your body translates to greater energy and clarity of mind. Fresh air is the simplest way to boost brainpower, health and feel great. But with 90% of our time spent indoors, getting that dosage of clean air isn't always easy. The air that we breathe on the inside is not as fresh as we need it to be.

More to Work than Hard Work

The scrupulous report from the World Health Organisation shouldn't need to remind us of the importance in getting our dosage of fresh air. The goodness fresh air provides was understood back in the halcyon days and often shared by our parents "Turn off the computer, go outside, get some fresh air, and relax".

On the inside, looking out

A business is in business to offer a valuable service that generates profit, it operates to improve service and increase sales. Its incessant toil perpetuates revenues for investors and stakeholders. Its focus is on product development, customer relationships and public relations. Businesses also revere their clients and their staff. After all, it wouldn't be a viable business without them.

The average person inhales 237,600,000 breathes of air at work over their lifetime, so stale air at work could contribute to the rising numbers of respiratory diseases and infections. Did you know, Casinos pump high quality ventilated air to prevent fatigue, so why not your workplace?

90% of our time is spent indoors and stepping out isn't always a practical solution. Business would become unpredictable if staff switched off and went out for a dose of fresh air. A healthy and happy work force is efficient so Investing in air ventilation makes perfect sense.

Respiratory Diseases and Infections

Lung diseases affect an increasing number of people around the world:

1. Asthma

2. COPD (including emphysema and chronic bronchitis)

3. Infectious lung diseases

4. Lung cancer

5. Sleep apnea

6. Tuberculosis

According to WHO, 4.3 million people a year die from the exposure to indoor air pollution. Making sure that your building is well-ventilated and getting rid of pollutants can improve the quality of your indoor air.

Fresh air is a big win for business

Heat recovery ventilation systems supply fresh air in an energy efficient way, this constant supply of air reduces fatigue and sickness in the work place. Operate more profitably and efficiently with Ventilation. It isn't a business expensive with Provinces / States encourage energy efficient products with tax rebates.

Ken writes on environmental issues for Tempeff North America who specialize in Heat Recovery

THE IMPORTANCE OF GOOD POSTURE WHEN WORKING IN THE OFFICE

With more and more people sitting at desks and in offices for work, the occurrence of back problems, recurring pain and bad posture is becoming more and more frequent. While ergonomic chairs, monitor risers and health and safety experts are commonplace, helping employees sit in the correct manner, such time sat at a desk in one position is not natural and can therefore lead to problems.

This is where the importance of good posture comes in. By sitting correctly and understand how the body should be positioned, it will not only reduce the likelihood of problems in later life but it also offers other benefits. A good posture will help improve how we feel while sat at work, but also helps to keep the back muscles and spine in the right alignment so that the likelihood of pain or back aches is reduced.

Firstly, it's important to define what good posture actually is. When sat a desk, the lower back should be sufficiently supported so that there is no strain on the muscles. Your feet should also be flat on the floor and your eyes level with the top of your monitor. Ideally your forearms should be perpendicular with your body too. All of this may be difficult to achieve without the use of ergonomic accessories such as screen risers, foot rests or back supports.

When all of these aspects are brought together, your body should be properly supported so that no muscles are straining or under pressure. It's also worth noting that you should still regularly get up, walk around and stretch, rather than remain sitting for extended periods of time.

So what is the importance of a good posture, apart from reducing aches and pains? One benefit is that it actually helps improve breathing and airflow through the body. By straightening your body, the airways are less restricted and the lungs can work to full capacity. So a good posture will help you take in more air and feel better as a result.

Another advantage of good posture is purely aesthetic, but it can also help you feel good within yourself. Many of us, while sat at a desk or when standing, slouch without really realising it. However, good posture helps us to look taller, leaner and much better; this not only makes us feel better but presents a better image to others too.

Keeping good posture is something that all of us should strive to achieve and does not take on enough importance in many working environments. However, with a few simple steps it is easy to improve posture and overall health.

By Rebecca_S_Black

A MORE CONFIDENT YOU - SELF-ACCEPTANCE

"Don't dance around the perimeter of the person you want to be. Step in fully and completely" ~Gabby Bernstein~

Many of us experience periods in our lives when we don't embody the confidence necessary to pursue our dreams and goals. The complexity of our lives and the demands on our time, energy and attention often have each of us juggling so many tasks and responsibilities that we rarely take the time out to think about how we can increase our self-confidence. Confidence isn't everything, howeverwe won't achieve much of what we desire to experience without it.

When we lack confidence in ourselves, we are more apt to succumb to our fears and self-doubt when it comes to pursuing new possibilities in our lives. We question if we have what it takes to do what is necessary achieve our desired goals. We are more susceptible to the negative opinions of others when they speak against what we want to achieve. We allow our limiting beliefs about our circumstances confine us to the status quo. We sabotage our progress because we lack a strong sense of self-worth. Confident people realize the story that they tell themselves about who they can become, what they can do, what they are strong enough to handle and what they are worthy of experiencing shapes their identity. They are confident because of a strong sense of self that is nurtured by an empowering identity of who they are and who they believe they can become.

Developing a confident identity isn't about your race, gender, circumstances or past; it's about the beliefs that make up the story you tell yourself about yourself and the courage that you demonstrate to pursue new possibilities in your life. In this three part series, A Guide to A More Confident You, I will share insights and strategies that can help you become a more confident person.

Develop A Confident Outlook

Confident people think and approach life proactively, which means you may have to make some fundamental changes in the story you tell yourself about what you are capable of and get comfortable with the temporary discomfort that occur as you take steps to pursue new possibilities in your life. View your self-confidence as a major key to unlocking the doors of how your want to live, today and in the future. Every time you challenge a limiting belief about what is possible in your life with a renewed sense of your strong and who you are able to become, you will begin to embody a greater sense of confidence that will have a ripple affect in each area of your life. In part one of this series, I discuss the role self-acceptance have on your ability to become a more confident person.

Confidence Building Tip #1: Self acceptance is a cornerstone for living with more confidence. It involves having realistic expectations about yourself and life. Self-acceptance enables you to recognize your strengths and weaknesses. It allows you to walk with a loving awareness of your humanity, it's goodness and flaws. Self-acceptance enables you to embody your strengths to lead a life that is in concert with your core beliefs, values and priorities. You recognize that you don't have to be a carbon copy of someone else to live a confident and successful lifestyle. Self-acceptance requires an awareness of your strengths and weakness, your goodness and flaws. It empowers you to have a strong sense of who you are, who you can become, what you can do, what you are strong enough to handle and worthy of experiencing.

Self-acceptance inspires you with a desire to be a full expression of your authentic self. Self-acceptance doesn't happen when you hate the person you are. It happens when you love yourself enough to believe that you can do better and deserve better. Loving and accepting yourself naturally leads to an increase in your self-confidence.

Believe You Are Worthy of Experiencing Better in Life

Pat Pearson, author of STOP Self-Sabotage points out, "We don't allow ourselves to have what we want until we believe-truly believe - that we deserve it." Getting out of your own way and manifesting more of what you truly want in life begins with the journey of accepting yourself while expanding your beliefs and feelings about your self-worth and what you deserve to experience in life. Your beliefs about what you are worthy of experiencing in life influences how you treat yourself, determines the relationships you get involved in and the manner in which you value the time and life energy spent to generate the money you earn. Your sense of worthiness shapes your career path and the goals you pursue and achieve in life. It even effects the level of fortitude you demonstrate when faced with setbacks and how quickly you get back on track.

When you were a baby you didn't have no question about your right to be loved or held. You made no apology for wanting what you wanted or feeling the way you felt. As you got older, something began to happen. Pearson writes, "Our innate sense of being worthy to express our feelings and need starts to get lost as we mature. Instead of believing we deserve love just for "being", we lower our self-esteem and try to earn approval and love by "doing". We begin to think we must earn love, and so we give up our real feelings to meet the approved image. As we get older, we start to shrink our beliefs about our own abilities." Somehow, everyone else seems to be able to get what they want in life while you continue to circle the same circumstances and repeat the same patterns. Overtime, these experiences began to diminish your self-esteem and confidence.

Raise Your Deserve Level and Stop Self-Sabotage

Be encouraged. You can raise your deserve level. Pearson writes, "In order to increase your deserve level, you need to take possession of your feelings as clearly and as authentically as you can. When you integrate and honor both your thoughts and feelings, you have complete permission to have what you want." Your beliefs about yourself and what you deserve to experience in life is linked to your sense of self-worth.

What would you say was the level of deserve expressed in your family while you were growing up as a child? Were you permitted to express your feelings or required to stuff them? Did you feel that you were loved no matter what with unconditional love? Or, did you feel that you had to "earn" the love of your parents, siblings and extended family? What was the story that you held about your sense of worthiness as a child? How is any part of that story repeating itself in your relationships, health and wellness, personal finances, education and career? In which of these areas do you need to raise your beliefs about what you are worthy of experiencing to achieve your present aspirations? Confidence in what you believe about what you are worthy of experiencing in life begins with your beliefs about what you deserve. Transforming your limiting beliefs into empowering self-talk and aligning your behavior with the person that you need to become to manifest the dreams and goals that you desire to experience is a surefire sign that you believe that you can do better and have better in life.

Lessons from the Wizard of Oz

In the movie the Wizard of Oz, it takes a life and death challenge for each of the main characters to realize that the very thing they want from the Wizard already exists within their capacity. The Scarecrow doesn't think he's smart enough to endure difficulties, and yet all alone he's the guy with the logic and reasoning that guide the group to make the right choices. The Tin Man thinks that he's worthless because he was made without a hart, except that his compassion for others and his passion for not giving up are what keep everyone going. The Cowardly Lion is ashamed that he lacks courage that should accompany the "King of the Beasts" but when put to the test, he acts with courage in the face of fear. It's the Lion that steps forward with the real cojones to confront and exposed the man behind the curtain who has assumed a role of power that he doesn't deserve. The Lesson of the Ruby Slippers was that the whole time Dorothy struggled to get home, thinking only the Wizard could help her, when she actually had the power to do so all along. Her ability to understand the power of what she already possessed was obscured by her fear.

Ask yourself: How am I demonstrating a lack of self-acceptance towards myself? What is the dominant story I'm telling myself about what I'm worthy of experiencing in life? What fears are preventing me, like the main characters of the Wizard of Oz, from tapping into the strength that I already possess? What are some small steps that I can begin to take that will help me reduce the anxiety I feel towards manifesting new possibilities in my life? Expressing your full potential will require that you accept yourself.

Accepting who you are, as you strive to express more of your unique ability is pivotal to becoming a more confident person. It necessitates that you value your present abilities so that you can leverage them to manifest new possibilities in your life. Recognizing the numerous influences that has shaped your beliefs about what you deserve and is worthy of experiencing sheds light on automatic response patterns that may be influencing you to self-sabotage. Self-acceptance is a key principle to maximizing your present moments. Optimizing your present opportunities to grow and develop your talents enables you to cultivate the foresight to embrace growth strategies that increase your capacity to be more, do more and build your confidence.

Actionable Step: Create a Confidence Booster Jar/Box. Purchase a Mason jar or small gift box and label it, "Confidence Booster". Get a pack of post it's or cut blank sheets of paper. On each piece of paper write down those times when you overcame an obstacle, bounce back from a setback and accomplished something you were very proud of. For the next 30 days, read one of your notes out loud to yourself to affirm your ability and self-worth and boost positive thoughts and emotions about yourself. Make it a daily ritual by placing more positive notes in your "Confidence Booster" jar/box.

Share this idea with a family member and friend. Perhaps you can write positive notes about each other and swap them. Allow this simple, yet powerful practice become something nice that you do for yourself on a daily basis. Next week in part two, I will share why and how strengthening your inner-self is essential to developing and sustaining self-confidence. What are your thoughts about how confidence or the lack thereof has affected your success towards a goal? Share your thoughts below.

Jackie Capers-Brown is the Founder and CEO of the Next Level Greatness Training Group located in Columbia, SC. She publishes personal and professional development insights on her blog, Grow Forward & Flourish.

By Jackie Capers-Brown