Inspirational Stories Of Success

The important things in life

2010-12-23T20:14:00.000-08:00

When we are healthy, we seldom think about what it feels like to be sick. But when we are really and truly sick, all we can think about is being healthy again.

No matter how much wealth we manage to accumulate in this world, it is virtually useless without good health. This is tied closely to the knowledge of our own mortality. Deep down, we all know that we only have a handful of decades on Earth and then it's over.

In light of that, what becomes important then? That is indeed an interesting question. What is important cannot be money, because we can't take it with us when we die. What is important can't be our possessions because, once again, they are not going with us. Having money and possessions is very temporary. Those things cease to matter to us when we die.

Some turn to their relationships when they realize this. They feel that family and friends must be the most important thing then. Yet, we will lose contact with family and friends when we pass away too.

Some people die and then come back. They call this the near-death experience. Many of those people talk about what they saw in the state of death. They also talk about how they feel which is almost universally wonderful. There are a few that report going to a very bad place, but the majority feel good. They are free from the pain and suffering of their mortal bodies.

In the near-death experience, many talk about the life review process, where they see their entire lives displayed before them. The good things they do and the bad are right there. In addition they see how their actions and words affected others too. Apparently it can be quite painful to recognize how much we hurt others and caused others pain.

They also get to see the good things they did. I remember one woman who went through the life review process said that the most significant act in her entire life occurred when she was a little girl. She said that the most important action out of her entire life was holding a little flower in her hand and giving it unconditional love. That was it, out of her entire life that was deemed the most significant thing she ever did.

In light of that, we can conclude that what is important is not who we were but how well we treated others in this life. Therefore, when we contemplate our lives and set our goals, maybe it would be a good idea if we thought about others first.

Life is not temporary, but life on Earth is temporary. How are we going to face all those people who are watching what we do, when it is all over? Hopefully, we will have done things that we can be joyous about.

How to Raise Your Self-Esteem

2010-11-23T20:12:00.000-08:00

Many people in life would like to gain more confidence or to increase their self esteem. In this article, I give free tips on how to do this. I myself have managed to change my whole life by implementing the advice given. I hope it also proves beneficial for you.

I am Stephen Hill from England. I had many issues as I grew up from a child, through the teenage years, and finally to adulthood which had a damaging affect on my confidence levels. These included:

A bald patch on my head

A speech impediment known as a stutter

A weight problem, I was basically too fat

I am quite short at five foot four

Certain people I met would be quite nasty and would try to make fun of me. They would succeed as I would be very hurt from their comments, even though I tried to never show it.

These people were making my life a misery and by the age of twenty-two I had had enough. I decided I needed a big change in attitude and started to read books about life and about positive thinking etc.

These were the things I had to take on board:

It is not important what other people think of you, it is what you think that counts

You need to start to like yourself

There are various things about your person, you do not like but which you can not change. You therefore have to start accepting these things and realising that maybe there are other people in life who are more unfortunate than you.

You need to have respect for yourself

Do not accept second best in life

Be happy

I tried hard to implement this advice and even though it was not easy to change, I knew I had to. I basically live life to the full now and try not to worry about anything trivial.

Lessons We Can Learn From Jonah and the Whale

2010-10-27T01:17:00.000-07:00

Our church has accused all parents of young children to read a Bible story each day to our children that reading my son Noah of the Bible to children has become a routine part of our regular time for bed. Sometimes I try to hit the stories about the current holiday in the Christian calendar and sometimes merely collect stories that seem interesting (there are pictures to help with the selection.) There are also stories that he considers to be the favorites - Noah and the Ark, of course, Zacchaeus (because I love the song), and Jonah.

I've been very happy with his response anxious and reading stories. Even the Bible must be removed to their children to share stories with her stuffed animals - or at least reminiscent of some version or can guess from the photos.

One day, when he told the story of Jonah to Fred Green Rabbit struck me as close to the house of the strike in history - of Noah, for me, for all of us.

Noah's version of Jonah:

God told Jonah to go to a special place, but Jonah did not listen. It was on one boat to another part of the city. So God sent a storm and threw Jonah into the water and a giant fish swallowed him. Jonah was in the waiting time in the fish for three days before God told him he could leave the fish. Jonah was where God told him to go. The End.

Fred Noe: "We must listen to God or you'll get in time out too!"

Noah's story is simplistic, but so is the essence of the story of Jonah. The moral of the story is simply that we must listen to God.

If only it was as simple as that!

Of course I know. No matter what our religion or creed, we know that we must listen to God. We know we must follow the rules and guidelines that God has set down for us.

Children, like Noah, who know they must follow the rules of their parents and the dictates or there will be consequences. Often these consequences involve a time-out to Noah as the story of Jonah and hit him.

It is clear that grows must follow the rules come from many different sources and many are tacit. This is why his father and now to establish rules and boundaries for him. Obviously, it makes our home life easier if you follow the rules and the other provisions necessary for their protection, but more importantly, who taught him to follow the rules of God and society have set a date for him.

We learned the rules as children for the same reasons, but as they grow and learn to respect the rules of God and the punishment society we have received the change and be more subtle. It is no longer placed on the waiting time, but I think the punishment is often presented in a social context or monetary.

For many of us becomes increasingly easy to ignore the death penalty without the threat of a great whale to swallow us.

As a Christian, I believe that God's message for us is simple. He wants us to love and show that love by loving others and help. All lessons and teachings of Jesus can be linked to this simple theme.

It is simple and yet so difficult. What have you done this week to love and honor God? What have you done this week to love and help others?

What worries me is that some people are so involved in the monitoring of other messages that have been collected in the Bible that are often overlooked or are directly opposed to these essential truths. While the Bible and its teaching are incredibly complex, you can find the truth, simply studying the teachings of Jesus and actions. There is truth in the simple question - What would Jesus do not?

It is simple and yet so difficult. What have you done this week to love and honor God? What have you done this week to love and help others?

Of course, the difficult challenge is the fact that by not doing these things that are as bad as Jonah. We're not doing what God told us to do.

Do not look now, but is not that a big whale coming up behind you?

Inspirational -The Lessons Of April Fools Day

2010-09-27T01:16:00.000-07:00

Who does not know about the first of April? We try to make fools of others on this day to have a laugh. It's the battle of wits on this day. We all hope to be fooled and try to save ourselves to make others laugh at our expense. Are they all crazy, not us, even otherwise? This may seem surprising, so let me tell you why I think so.

What politicians and leaders? They make fools of us all year. Is not that right? Make excuses fantastic promises and give more unlikely. Many of us emotionally with the speeches fooled. What kind of education? Formal education promises us many things. Every student thinks he / she will learn something great to get a degree. Is it really so? Is that done? On behalf of formal education, most of us lose our original thinking and try to learn all those things that are written by those who had never received formal education. Think about what I'm saying. I can be wrong, but so are many other writers. The language has to be good, captivating and emotional. And fooled.

Love is the biggest joke of life. A very good feeling, which results in so much pain for a large majority, in the end, everyone feels they were deceived. They were tricked into giving so much of themselves to a person completely unworthy. The love you promised moons, makes the people of the land in the craters. This is no laughing matter, because the pain is so intense that the person with a broken heart will never be able to explain it.

Life itself is a process that tricks every time. We try to work, think, raise money, create masterpieces and preach to other inspiring stories. We try to do many things in life and feel that we are making extensive use of the time. What is the end result? Death. We all die. The ruins of ancient monuments, old manuscripts, fossils and everything else that we can find in a museum tell us what our ancestors tried. Why and with what result? They have nothing but death in the end, and thus we will get death. Death makes a big fool of us all at the end.

Adopt a Realistic Attitude

2010-09-23T20:10:00.001-07:00

If you are struggling with how to have confidence in your life, you are not alone. Most people think that self-confidence is something that lucky people have, people who can do anything and everything.

Part of the problem with confidence is we think we have to have tons and tons of it and all the time. The reality is, that not everyone knows how to have confidence in all situations.

Self-confidence is really an attitude a person has, that allows them to have a positive view of themselves and the situations life may put them. People with a confident attitude are realistic. They trust in their own abilities and believe that they will be able to do most of what they want to do in life. They know they can’t do everything.

To look at how to have confidence you need to understand that the typical person is always going to have some areas in their life that they are more confident than others.

You can be very athletic and comfortably confident in your athletic abilities while not feeling confident when meeting new people. Chances are you are confident in more ways than you may realize. The key to discovering a realistic self-confidence is to remove some of the false beliefs you may have developed.

1. False Belief:

I believe that to be successful in life I have to be competent in all the important areas of life.

Realistic Belief:

I know that achievement-based thinking is not the true way to feel worthy. I get some satisfaction when I achieve things that I set out to do, but I know that failures have nothing to do with my personal worth. I was born worthy.

2. False Belief:

The past has shown me how to have confidence in myself or not. My past is my most important guidance-system.

Realistic Belief:

As we grow we don’t have the same vulnerabilities we did when we were young. You’ve gained some awareness on what you think should continue to influence you in life. You choose which areas of the past that you’ll allow to steer the present, but you don’t have to be a slave to the past.

3. False Belief:

Everybody knows that bad things happen more than good things. The good things I do can’t be given too much importance with all the bad. People remember the bad so I should, too. Maybe if I concentrate hard enough, I’ll have less bad results.

Realistic Belief:

I know that if I win 4 out of 5 times, that dwelling on the one time I lose and how terrible I feel is not a positive outlook. I know I can’t win all the time! It’s enough for me to do well at something most of the time.

I can use how good it feels to win next time things aren’t falling my way, because I know it’s only a temporary setback.

Learning how to have confidence has a lot to do with learning how to have a more realistic attitude towards life’s ups and downs.

How People Get Inspired

2010-08-27T01:15:00.000-07:00

"What comes first, the chicken or the egg?"

No matter how you address this issue, the question remains a mystery.

"We must be inspired to pick up or need a quest for inspiration?

The same applies to the second question. Others may argue that to have a strong desire to achieve, must be inspired. On the other hand, some argue that for you to be inspired, it may be necessary to aim first.

This is very similar to chicken and egg question, right? There is no definite answer. As for the inspiration against aspiration, the best course of action is to discover how to get people inspired, rather than focusing on the correct answer. For some people, inspiration, helps them stay motivated and be a winner.

So, how do people get inspired?

The frustration that some forces in search of inspiration. Some have to go through unpleasant situations to trigger an inspiration. This path can not be at all pleasant. But who says that the path towards greater is always in full swing?

Take for example the case of a source of income. He earns enough to make a family survive. On his way to work, I could see other people only have three meals a day, having nothing to keep warm on a cold night, and practically lives in a shack without a roof with panels of paper as the walls. He wanted to help but can not.

He feels helpless because he can do nothing to alleviate their plight. This feeling of powerlessness urged him to promise that his family never in extreme poverty. This frustration inspired him to aim for a better life for himself and his family. Her fear that his family could end up as one of the people with financial difficulties decided to do something to improve its financial stability.

A person who is successful can be an effective source of inspiration. People tend to look for someone who has reached the top. They wonder how to be like his idol, so they themselves set in a course designed in the direction of their idol. The study of his idol the past and how he was able to overcome all obstacles.

People who wish to be associated with people inspired to succeed. Successful people have great ambitions. Be ambitious and dream big dreams can keep inspiring. Being ambitious is really good, if not, step on the feet of others and is the inspiration for fellow men.

A strong desire can lead people to draw and aim at it. Again, stay within the bounds of good comradeship, hurt anyone in the road. Some people want their popularity. They aspire to be well known in society. They set their sights higher and aim to be recognized and respected.

Love is a strong motivator. There once was a man who developed his love interest. He was able to marry the girl of his dreams. His love for his wife prompted him to make the best of their work to support his growing family. Love always the spark and fed his dream of aspiring to the best that life has to offer for him and his family.

Many sources of inspiration can help you succeed in life. Talk about what comes first - whether the inspiration or aspiration - is not one of them. The important thing is to find the true source of inspiration and remain focused on achieving its objectives.

Get Rich Quick!

2010-07-27T01:15:00.000-07:00

How Often you receive this message from each day is our E-mail or operating a Us Through the waves? Paragraph Count Too We so much so that a message service insensitive.

This is exactly how to get rich quickly. Count your blessings. What? You do not have the blessings? Oops! Think Again! Everyone can find some of the blessings, but if you look more closely.

Love:
Love your family and friends and his love for humanity. Maybe a find "love" a strange word to use so that a do not call it love "per se, perhaps" you call it, no feeling of wanting Deep Best Loved Ones para SUS, United Nations and I want to stay Positive para All The Best of life for them. This sentiment, many called "love" is the source from which all blessings of Others.

Your Job, Profession or Vocation:
Although it may be days when those who fear the cry of alarm, and you move out of bed to face another day para Problems and a resolution of the people who test Patience is after all Blessing UNA.

Many people do not even have Workstation United Nations, much less a vocation or profession. Look Beyond the common people and issues and an opportunity to make a difference see them in some way. You CAN NOT SEE switch characters in mild rude people educated, gentle, but you can switch and react like them. This is your opportunity to practice patience and tolerance and Maybe these characters and seed recognize this part of the plant itself.

"Day to Day is All That I'm getting better and better." This appointment is made famous by the French hypnotist Emile Coue. A subpoena is dora This Wonderful Account of When You are falling into the morass of Thought United Nations negative. Our minds are more powerful that we give them credit service. It is truly amazing that our subconscious mind alone without holding a negative thought and deny it to let go, Play While it may take several (or several hundred) para reprogram positive thinking that thought, pass a background goes But perseverance.

So the next time you're feeling a low self-esteem if Lanzarote preparing para a pity party, or are overwhelmed with their accounts, only "Remember: to get rich quickly! Count your blessings!

Don’t Focus on Failure

2010-06-27T01:14:00.000-07:00

Internal defeat is a mental state in which they begin to believe that most new ideas will fail. You might think - "After all, what I tried in class last week Yoga, no."

You always learn from mistakes. When you see clearly as a test, review the results and look closely at why it went wrong.

Whether it's a lesson plan, trying to mantras, Hot Yoga, Gentle Yoga, a pro shop, or try something new, it's better than doing nothing wrong at all.

Some Yoga teachers more successful, I know, compared to the errors as part of a learning curve. They turn all their defeats in the learning experiences. This is extremely powerful when considering the cost of learning anything of value.

After all, what to spend on their education, so far? Think you stop learning at some point in life? Did you learn from past mistakes? Of course I did, and now are stronger due to adjustments for correction, he has done.

When a child learns to ride a bike, there are a lot of falls on the road, and then drops it. However, even skilled adults fall off bicycles, sometimes.

Therefore, do not take past failures personally. Put it behind you and learn from each other.

Henry Ford and the Wright Brothers had failures, but nobody seems to remember. Like them, you're not a failure, but may have failed in the past, as they did. When you put on yourself, look back at what you've accomplished.

When you take into your next project, do research first, assemble a team, make a full commitment to succeed, never mind before you start quitting.

Finally, whenever possible, learn from the mistakes of others. This is why companies come to me Yoga consulting services: To save money by avoiding known mistakes, pitfalls and traps.

Having A Positive Attitude Brings Many Rewards

2010-05-27T01:13:00.000-07:00

I am the type of person who used to have a negative attitude to most aspects of life. I am not the only one who thinks this way as most people I know seem to be constantly complaining about different things and basically feeling sorry for themselves. This article analyzes the reasons and benefits of having a more positive view of life.

Ten years ago I decided I had to have a change of focus. I wanted to be a happy person and free care and was tired of always being stressed and worrying about the future. To this end I started to read many self-help books kind of trust and websites.

There was a normal message that came from this literature which was to think more positive and believe in your ability to succeed in everything I try to do.

This is easy to write or say, but it is actually difficult to implement in practice. Of course, I tried but I really do not believe all this in practice. I would go to a thinking task, I can not do this, but still end in failure.

I could not understand what was wrong, so therefore turned to books to try to get more information. There was a new and even more important message that I had missed the first time. What I had to do was follow the positive example of what happens to me, even if it is to learn from my mistakes.

As an example of taking a positive of what happens in life, is something that happened in my family recently. My nan died recently, was eighty-eight. I used to visit her at least once a week in the apartment where he lived. She was a very honest person and always spoke very openly to me. About two months before his death said she was very tired and no longer wanted to be on this planet.

I was very impressed by his income and asked what was wrong. He said he had nothing to expect and did not want to get to a point where he could no longer followed the same bathroom so he hoped he would not mourn for long when she died and she wanted me to be happy for her.

This was very frustrating for me to hear but at least he was honest, of course. Two months later my father called me and told me that my nan had died in the night.

I was upset, obviously, and the idea of not being able to see it hit me hard. Then he thought of what he said and looked up to heaven and gave my nan a smile and a message, I love you.

I thought positive about the event and was really happy for her. I hope someday we will meet again.

Flowers As A Metaphor For Life

2010-04-27T01:11:00.000-07:00

My dear old mom did not let anyone buy her flowers. She says she can not bear to see die.

Which is probably a bit like saying you will not be the owner of a puppy because she did not want to see him grow old, or read a book because I can not bear to finish, or better yet, eat chocolate because then it's gone and all I had left to remind you of the wonderful experience is the foil wrapper.

If you believe in the divine creator or the Big Bang theory, there is something to be said for whoever (or whatever! ") Flowers created.

I ask. . . is not impressed by the beauty of a rose in spring, fresh with dew, or the new call of a buttercup yellow, or the festival of colors in a bunch of gerberas (flowers beautiful, horrible name!)

We have come to associate the germination and emergence of a flower with life itself. We speak of children "in bloom", the "pink glow red for a pregnant woman or" happy as a rosebud in June. " At the end of his short life but most impressive, flowers return to the ground from whence they came, in large part the same way as humans do. Well, most of us.

The flowers have a special language all their own. Of course, the big one is pink, the traditional symbol of love. But do not be fooled into thinking a bouquet of flowers from your partner is a sign of his undying affection.

According to the Victorians, who first assigned a special language of flowers, giving Candytuft mean indifference, and Cyclamen represents bye, while the poor old Orange Lily means disappointment and dissatisfaction.

Pity the poor man who has a beautifully wrapped bouquet of flowers to your beloved. The flowery language of love that is trying to send you need a translation!

As Long As You Try Your Best, There Is No Such Thing As Failure

2010-03-13T19:14:00.000-08:00

I always say to my children, if you try the best, there is no such thing as failure. I believe that one hundred percent, and it is a philosophy I try to install it on my children.

When I worked in insurance, I sat insurance examination. I would like to study hard and always give my all, but there were only three options for the results. It was, honors, pass or fail. I hate the word failure in their eyes, I failed twice, but when I? As already stated, I could have tried harder, and therefore, how dare I say failure.

The result of this failure is very negative and some cruel as a trademark. The question I would answer that I fail far, only a few points, or relatively few points? When words fail me says nothing. I personally think that everyone should have a tag, or the best mark, go to G for the worst.

I was discussing this very subject with a colleague from work. He actually agreed with the points I made and told me about the claim that he had with one of his teachers when he was in school. He heard this particular teacher, to discuss his sister's recent test results, with another teacher. They were very critical about it, basically saying how badly did. My colleague knew how much effort he and his sister said, with the same teacher, in his eyes when he passed through each of these tests.

Whether you in life, as long as you try your best you can do nothing more.

Appreciate Yourself And What You Have

2010-02-13T19:13:00.000-08:00

Better Life, which was achieved when we are already trying to achieve a better life. This means that we are satisfied, as we should be ourselves and what we have. To wait more or envying someone else's life or property is self-defeating. We are then in a constant state of frustration, always hoping and waiting for the next lucky.

So what is important? Enough, no more.

"Think about what you have rather than what you are missing. From what you have to select the best and then look at how eager you were looking for them if you have not." - Marcus Aurelius (121-180)

It is here, here and now, much appreciated. There is life with friends, family, and everything is naturally before us. We need to look around and take it in. Maybe it's time to list all the good things we have to be grateful.

Are people in your life that you would miss dearly if not here? When you go for a walk can not you see, hear and feel many things to appreciate and feel comfortable around? Like flowers, trees, birds and clouds in the sky. Caterpillar across the sidewalk or your neighbor waves. Cute puppy or a child looking forward with enthusiasm, that moment in life.

"Whether in favor or in humiliation, be not dismayed. Let your eyes look calmly at the blooming flowers and fall in his yard. Whether a holiday or to maintain its position that no care. Let your mind wander with the clouds folding and expanding beyond the horizon." - Hung Tzu-ch'eng (1593-1665)

It just makes sense, must be satisfied and at peace with himself and others and enjoy life.

Aim High

2010-01-13T19:12:00.000-08:00

Change is difficult for many people. Often, our whole identity is wrapped in what we learned as children to work for us in dealing with people, which enables us to survive, thrive and fit in. While some people had to learn to thrive in the middle of change and learned to adapt by is open to new ideas and embracing change, many others had to struggle for survival and each table-scrap, which came their way. Behavior is learned, and that requires work to unlearn and dismantling of the old beliefs.

The fact is that win-win is always possible. When you are able to see beyond the ego and recognize quantities available, people, thoughts and ideas come together and can create amazing changes that improve the current scenario for many, many people. If you work with people who have such rich and generous attitude, you are raised, the team increases, and amazing energy and creativity is released. It is much harder to maintain and elevate the other, when you encounter individuals led thinking and lack of competition.

People like Steve Jobs visionaries that seek to induce such shifts in society and business. One thing I learned along the way is that it is often better to have the main road. This is not about judging others as bad or sees himself as better than others. This is about recognition of their truth, how you want to be in the world. Endanger its integrity. Do not be caught in the competition. Look at the vision, look at the outcome, a feeling of purpose and passion are driven to offer the world, and give it freely. We all die. You can not take anything from this life with you. So give what you can offer the world. What is not mentioned, is lost forever.

If your goal is to really bring about positive change and serve others, as is done becomes less important and visible position to meet the increasingly important. While it may be a blow to their ego when others criticize your inspiration, or someone taking credit for something you imagined, holds firmly benefits for everyone are often moderate sting. We need to choose the place where you offer yourself, the key is to assess whether it is serving the common good. If you get compensation for your contributions would serve the spirit of peace gratitude. If you ever feel abused and stomped on, maybe it's time to move on further cooperation of the team, as well as more receptive and appreciative audience.

Knowing that you fulfill your purpose and living your passion reward. At the time, it will be recognized. Fraudsters will eventually see the heart and soul will always survive the mind and ego. Way across the road to his life and career, you will need to hold fast to true inner qualities and character shine, is you. Do not let this negative experience to something that damages your values. Not a negative experience. Often, the negativity we experience from others is a reflection and less about who you are.

We all have different lenses, different gifts, different distributions and different experiences. The difference is not something to be judged, it is a gift that brings a variety of pieces of the puzzle of life and creates a company, solving, technology, etc., together for the benefit of us all. I do not doubt yourself when others do not see a vision you see. Stay true to your intentions, and you will attract the right support, the right people and good opportunities. Lower ego and aim high vision.

5 Great Ways To Start A Super Conversation In A Group Situation

2009-12-13T19:08:00.000-08:00

Start a conversation is not always easy. Especially when you feel comfortable with people you talked s.

There could be a terrible sense of embarrassment at the beginning of interaction, unless you know the five secrets ...

Here are five secrets of starting a big conversation with a group of people:

1st Get everyone involved.

When initiating conversation, introducing people to each other might be necessary. That is, when it know each other or some of the present don

Then connect one of your group to the topic talking asked him to contribute. Or you can easily relate to one person to another with their common encourage dialogue.

2nd Choose a topic.

When you start your conversation, choose a general theme. One thing that everyone can relate to. To let everyone feel they belong. It's a great way to encourage everyone to share their thoughts.

3rd Do not drill with questions.

This should be avoided especially when asking for one person. The person may feel that he or she stands before a firing squad. They ask too many questions that a person can let him feel uncomfortable.

That you could give that person a reason to leave the interview. Others may also feel uncomfortable with this - they think they will be asked more!

4th Break the ice.

Initially it may be awkwardness in the group. You can work to break the ice. Each member is still waiting for someone who would. You can do this by cracking a joke to them laugh. You can also start to tell a story. This can lead to share their story, too. Then everything will follow.

5th Ask open-ended questions.

These require more than yes or no answer. These issues will be the flow of your conversation much smoother if done intelligently. These questions can even lead to another topic.

Asking questions enables you to quickly test the waters to see which topics people are interested in the discussion. Just be careful to ask a pleasant tone.

There is no need to use all of these tips or use them in order. You simply choose which ones are most appropriate for the situation you find yourself in. What matters is through these tips to start a positive conversation positive tone.

Once you start experimenting with new ways to start a conversation, you noltice what works best for your personality. At this point, everything will be much simpler, and before you know it, you can also look forward to meeting new people.

When thoughts become things.

2009-10-30T20:03:00.000-07:00

We've all heard the saying that "talk is cheap." In fact we've heard it so often it's become a clich้. Like most clich้'s the law of familiarity has set in and keeps us from actually absorbing the true meaning of the phrase. We've grown so tired of hearing it that we don't really listen to it anymore. The fact remains that talk is cheap. It is easy to talk about things and most people do. In fact most people “talk a great game” on a regular basis. The difference in people, however, is not in what they say they will do but in what they actually do.

We don't really judge people by what they say but rather by what they do. We judge people by their behaviour and by their actions. The reason for this is that deep down inside we all know that words have no real power to create anything in itself. It is only when the words are backed up by action that you have the power to create any real results. The ironic thing is that although most of us know this we get caught up in accumulating knowledge. We learn something and get really interested in the results we think the information can produce for us. In pursuing the results, we often confuse it with getting more information so we end up gathering and accumulation tons of information and knowledge without producing the result we wanted in the first place.

The proper fruit of knowledge is action. It is true that gaining knowledge can make us feel more capable but knowledge in itself will not produce the results we really desire. One of the biggest myths that is prevalent in the information age is the notion that knowledge is power. Knowledge is not power. It is only potential power. What you do with what you know is where the real power is. The difference in people comes in what they have done differently from someone else with the same information. The reality of the world we live in is that information on almost anything is freely available to anyone, quite literally at the push of a button.

Even though you have all the information at your fingertips, still, the most valuable resource you have to create results in your life is your ability to take action. An action always produces a result. When you take action you bring an idea into effect and you use your will to do something to achieve a specific purpose. When you do this you actually create in the true sense of the word as you turn an idea into reality; you express something that was internal on the outside. Every action is a cause set in motion and for every cause there is an effect and it is the effects or results that we are all really interested in. You don't want to know that you can be wealthy. You want to experience it by seeing and touching it and the real satisfaction comes from turning your ideas into reality.

There is a big difference between knowing what to do and doing what you know. Most people know what to do to be able to make their lives work but knowing just isn't enough – we must act and use what we know. Something intangible happens when you take action on an idea. You set in motion a series of events, events that you don't always know the full consequences of. Like throwing a stone in a pond, the ripple effect of the water affects the whole pond and moves everything that is in or on the pond. This illustrates how a single action can have a significant impact even if you aren’t always aware of it. On a more practical and tangible level you start getting feedback from your actions and you learn things that you can only learn as a result of your actions. These are things you simply cannot learn from merely listening to others or reading books.

Think of your knowledge and ideas as an elastic band. It has the ability to be stretched, but until and unless you stretch it you are not using it for its real purpose. Information is usually something external. When you learn it you transform it into knowledge and when you act on it, it becomes part of your life. To truly experience anything in life you must take action. Knowing simply isn't enough. We all want to feel and this only comes from engaging "all of you" - by engaging all of your senses to experience the fullness of life in all its abundance.

It doesn't take many ideas to change something in your life. Neither does it take a complicated idea. It takes ideas that you can use and act upon to give you what you really want. Rarely is it the information or ideas that you really want as it is almost always only the means to an end. What you truly want is results and this will only come from using what you know. Don't get caught in the flood of information and knowledge. Start to focus your mind on action and on applying ideas instead of accumulating them. Slowly feed yourself more information and knowledge, but let your actions be your ultimate guide. After all it is not what you say you will do but what you actually do that will determine the quality of your life and what you achieve or fail to achieve.

Tips to Increase Your Self-Esteem and Confidence

2009-10-20T20:02:00.000-07:00

Whenever one is beset by a situation that he or she is unsure of – facing someone admired, having to perform in front of an audience, or simply talking to others – he or she is facing a goodly amount of stress. Confident people are usually able to face these situations without blinking; but the rest of us will probably melt away and try to run away from the situation.

For most people facing this kind of low self-esteem, these situations present an opportunity for them to make fools out of themselves. This is a very embarrassing prospect.

If you are one of the millions of people that would like to stop fidgeting in front of others, trying to squirrel out of such situations, and being so unsure of yourself when facing presentations, here are a few tips to set you on your way.

1. Competence is Confidence - Some organizations, like the Toastmasters, help those afraid to speak in public toughen up by stressing this credo – and it really works. One secret to confidence and self-esteem is to be able to trust what you are able to do. This comes with a lot of practice and study. Whenever you practice a given skill, you increase your own confidence in your capability to perform even in front of other people.

Before a big presentation, study up. Try to know everything about the topic before you step in front of the audience. If you have practiced way before the presentation, you will be in a better position to knock their socks off.

Practicing in front of supportive people you trust will help you get feedback on how to improve your performance.

2. Believe in Yourself - One of the reasons people are not confident in themselves is the fact that they are already convinced that they will fail even before anything happens. Never underestimate the power of the mind. If you believe you will fail, you indeed will! A better exercise would to be to believe that you can succeed. Set your mind towards succeeding and you probably will!

3. Take Criticisms, whether Good or Bad - Most people are bad at taking criticisms. Instead of taking the criticisms personally, use every comment and suggestion to make yourself better. However, you will also have to look out for some criticisms that were never meant to benefit you. Ignore them and move on.

4. Remain Calm at All Costs - Panicking never benefited anybody. If you are suddenly in a situation where you are unsure of what to do or what will happen, keep your composure. If you don't know the answer, say so calmly. If you do not know what to do, it would not be bad to admit it. However, beneath your cool fa็ade, always try to keep a deliberate, quick thinking, demeanor. This itself could take a lot of practice, but it is well worth it.

5. Don't be Afraid to Fail - Many people are afraid to fail; they quit trying because they are not confident in their skills. If you are afraid to try, you will get stuck where you are. Failure can only make you better. Remember that every great man took risks and failed a lot before arriving at greatness.

6. Don't Base Your Confidence on What People Think Of You - While other’s opinion of you can be important, it should not sway you from thinking that you are important. They do not know you better than you do. If you free yourself from the shackles of peer opinion, you will be free to try new things and learn new skills. It does not matter if they think you cannot accomplish anything – take whatever good that can be gleaned from their advice and move on.

Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

2009-10-20T20:01:00.000-07:00

This is a question that most people grapple with from time to time and it has largely been on my mind this past week.

You see one of the best people I know -- my Uncle Carl -- had a very bad accident this week. While working on the wood lot with his son, his hand got caught in a log splitter. In the end the damage was so severe that his left hand had to be amputated.

Although no longer a young man, my uncle is very active and enjoys working with his hands. He is right handed but clearly the use of two hands was an important part of his former life and just as clearly that will have to change.

I was devastated when I heard the news and am still shaken by it -- even more so when I think about how much worse the accident could have been. My whole family is upset, especially Uncle Carl's wife and children, most notably my cousin John who was with him at the time.

As I worked through my worry and grief I kept asking myself that question: Why Do Bad Things Happen To Good People?

I know people often say this when tragedy occurs, but this is not simple lip service -- it is fact. My uncle is a good man.

He is a very strong family man who is still married to his high school sweetheart. He loves his four children as well as his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was a devoted son when his parents were alive and is loved by his siblings, nieces and nephews. He and his wife opened their home to many children and young people over the years and continue to open their home and hearts whenever family, friends, or community require it.

He has worked hard all his life -- using his hands to service the land and master machinery and using his broad shoulders and strong muscles to complete every task set before him.

He has played an important role in his community serving as a volunteer firefighter as well as a cornerstone of his church congregation.

Yes, he is a good man, but his life has not been easy though and I had to question why one more burden needed to be added to his heavy load.

Many Christians will say that God sends us trials to test us. And there might be some truth in that. Many of us are stronger than we think and it takes difficult challenges to make this clear. But I didn't think this applied to my uncle -- he has had many challenges over the course of his life and I think he has a good handle on his own strengths.

However loss also highlights what we have and perhaps have taken for granted. Yes, my uncle has had a difficult life but he has also had a tremendously rewarding one. I don't think there really is much that my uncle wishes for or envies in others. Yes, his siblings may have more money and professional success, but I am confident that Carl would not trade his wife and family for that money any day of the week. And I secretly suspect that if he did in fact have more money that it would be spent in large part on his loved ones.

And he is greatly loved by a great many people. Not just by his immediate and extended family but by the many people whose lives he has touched. I know there are prayers on his behalf winging from coast to coast. I don't think he'd trade that love and the respect that accompanies it for all the professional success his siblings have enjoyed.

We can grieve with him for the loss of his hand, but we can't pity him when we look at the many gifts that God has given him.

What is more, when you step back and take a look at the man he is then you do not even notice the missing hand. He is so much more than the simple sum of his parts and in the end it is the size of his heart that one notices most.

It is important to note that it was his right hand that was preserved -- the very hand he has extended so many times to others to offer love, friendship, and help.

The Art of Self Improvement

2009-10-10T20:01:00.000-07:00

There's no doubt about it: Self Improvement is big business. No matter where we look we seem to see men attired in business suits and fancy haircuts. Sporting dinky little ear-piece microphones, they speak to us as though we were attending the annual general meeting of their multi-national self-development business which, I suppose, isn’t that far from the truth. They speak to us in sound-bites; “I’m gunna show you how…”, “you just need to follow my plan: no thought required; just follow the plan”. Success and winning, they preach to the audience, are a sure thing.

But is self development a sure thing? If, like me, you believe self development is a life journey that is never completed, you know that the only sure thing is that the search for self development is far from being a sure thing. The journey will entail more failures than successes, more loss than gain and more self-doubt than we think we can endure. The only way to improve one’s self is to challenge the habits and assumptions we have gathered along the way. To go out on a limb with no guarantee of finding what we want takes courage. No ‘success plan’ would contemplate such a course of action!

So, if we can’t get succor from the self improvement ‘gurus’, who can we turn to?

The answer, I believe, is to look to the people who have always explored every single aspect of the human condition. They did not always find the answer, but they all had courage. They are of course, the world’s artists.

How can a painting help us toward our goal of self improvement you might ask? Well, some paintings help to bring serenity and a feeling of inner peace; I feel this whenever I look at an Impressionist painting, especially paintings by Berthe Morisot. She was never recognized as a great artist during her lifetime; she was relegated to the category of "feminine" artists because of her usual subject matter — women, children, and domestic scenes. Her paintings are intensely intimate. She is an example of someone who never gave up on pursuing what she thought was worth while despite being largely ignored.

Jackson Pollock instills different but equally powerful feelings. I used to believe all modern artists “just throw a bit of paint on a canvas and call it art”. My preconceptions were swept away when I was lucky enough to attend an exhibition devoted to his work. His paintings were beautiful and challenged the way I look at a painting. The search for your inner self is all about challenging your currently held notions.

Music is probably the easiest of the arts for us to accept as an aid toward our search for self development. How often does a certain piece of music make us feel happy, relaxed, romantic, hopeful, fulfilled? You name it, music hits all the buttons. My favourite music is anything by Beethoven. His music makes me feel all of the aforementioned. He was a man who accepted nothing less than perfection. He sort redemption through his music. Ultimately, he didn’t find it and he spent much of his life feeling alone. But his courage of conviction made his life, and countless others, a better thing. His last words were "Applaud, my friends, the comedy is over.”

Perhaps our greatest inspiration comes from writers. They have helped me, and millions of others, to find the inner self. Life would be a much poorer experience without our great writers. I won’t name all the writers that have inspired me; there are too many. But if there was one thing I would urge you to do, it is to read. If you’re not sure who to read then go to a library and ask! Tell the librarian what it is that you want to experience, feel or learn when you read a book. They’ll help you; don’t let shyness defeat you. If you can’t get to a library then join a reading club on the internet. The one thing I have found is that people, who love to read, love to help others to read books.

So, forget about buying into those testosterone, succeed-at-all-costs seminars, ebooks and DVDs. Go and look at a painting; or lie on the sofa and listen to music, maybe dance wildly to it, cry with it, make love in time to it; or curl up and read a book that will take you where you never thought possible.

You may not get to where you wished, but Art will accompany you every single step of the way.

The Inspiration of Business

2009-09-30T19:57:00.000-07:00

Kathy was sitting in her recliner at her home in California with 3-year-old daughter Lindsay cuddled at her side. Both were watching a show featuring an actress who had designed a line of Victorian jewelry. “I would love to design jewelry,” Kathy thought. But immediately, the all-too-familiar lack of self-esteem whispered, “You could never do that,” and she promptly shoved the desire aside.

The desire lay forgotten through several years, the addition of two more children to the family, and two more moves that ended just outside of Houston, Texas. But fifteen years later, Kathy has four children ages 24, 18, 13 and 11, and is the owner of www.TheAngelStop.com, a Christian retail jewelry and home decor company based in Sugar Land, Texas. When Kathy talks about how the company began years ago, she leaves out the business jargon she has recently been forced to learn as a former nurse and stay-at-home mother. Instead, she focuses on the God whom she says has been in the business of healing her life and the lives of others through the company.

“The whole process of this company has been healing. I didn’t intend to have a company, but God had intentions for the company,” Kathy said.

The retail site www.TheAngelStop.com began as a hobby for Kathy in 1996. She said she had a need to create, but after having four children, two of which were still toddlers, there was little time to finish projects. So she was delighted to find that she could design brass and silver-plated angel pins in one sitting. Kathy began to give her pins to family members and friends, and one relative suggested she send the designs to someone involved in the Atlanta Gift Mart. By January of 1998, the angel pin line was in one of the top showrooms in the Atlanta Gift Mart. Today, Kathy’s hobby has grown into The Angel Stop - Christian Gifts: Angel Pins, Framed Pictures found at www.TheAngelStop.com.

Through the business’ growth Kathy says that God was doing a greater work in her life personally. There was a need for healing in her life because of events that stretched back into her childhood, and God began to mend her heart as He began to grow the company.

“I had shame, low self-esteem, the urge to hide or run or both. As Christ began working in my life, I would ask for healing and the forgiveness needed to get rid of the bitterness. But every time He started moving me in that direction, the pain would rear its ugly head and I would retreat back to my prison cell. It was the only secure place I thought I knew.

“God took me to rock bottom in 1997, and through a period of great emotional pain, God gave me Isaiah 61:3. From outward appearances, I had everything, but inside my life was in ashes. Over the next few years God created beauty from those ashes and led me to the place where I could be planted firm in Him, and His glory could be displayed.”

“The company became part of the healing because through the process of growing a company, He pushed me out of my corner where I wanted to stay - the place I was most comfortable in. And to survive, I had to rely on Him. Through the process of Him forcing me out to the world, I found out life was all about Him and that my sufficiency was in Him. I want my life to be about the display of His glory, and my desire is that The Angel Stop be a company that glorifies God and a vessel through which He ministers.”

Today, Kathy’s desire is to inspire women to step out with confidence and boldness into whatever God has set in front of them. She says that she has learned through her own journey of healing that faith doesn’t mean the absence of fear, but the courage to take steps in the midst of fear.

The path Kathy has taken since the desire to design was sparked eleven years ago has been marked with fear at times, but Kathy says it’s been well-worth the struggle.

“A few years ago the Lord reminded me of when I was sitting in San Jose, California with my daughter, and I said I couldn’t design jewelry. But He has shown me that He can achieve anything through me.”

How Do You Deal With Adversity

2009-09-27T20:14:00.001-07:00

"There are drawn from the heart of suffering itself the means of inspiration and survival."
~ Winston Churchill

I remember reading some time ago on a study of longevity in humans. There was a large body of scientific reasons why some people are of long duration, but of course, while various diets, health regimens, and regional or ethnic differences are often linked to living longer, is a cause very difficult and effect relationship to determine why there are so many other variables involved. However, the study I remember not to spend so much time on health and diet, as many others. The researchers spent time observing and interviewing a number of people living always time to determine what factors are common to these very different people share.

Know what the single biggest factor that all shared - the characteristic that the researchers determined played the major role in their lives long? It was not a specific food or faith or daily activity. E 'was simply the way these people dealt with adversity.

The ways in which these people have faced adversity vary. Some had great religious faith, others had an insatiable taste for life, and others had a strong will that could and should win and difficulties.

If you think about then this does not seem to make sense. After all, the longer you live then the more you have to overcome adversity. Human life is full of adversity - both physical and emotional - even if the experience of each person varies greatly. To survive adversity, to overcome loss and difficulty, and to succeed in life a person must have inner resources to draw on.

As Oliver Wendell Holmes said: "If I had a formula to work around problems, I would not pass the roundabout. Trouble creates a capacity to handle it. I do not embrace trouble, which is as bad as treating it as an enemy. But I'll tell meeting as a friend, you will see a lot of it is better to be in a position to talk to them. "

Most of us have seen evidence of this, although we have never formulated a scientific theory on it. We have seen the cancer patient diagnosed and therefore not even the doctors live the allotted time. We found that patients diagnosed with heart that survives to expectations - for months and years. What makes the difference between these two groups of people? I think that must be a will to live, an inner resource that one group owns and the other not.

A few weeks ago my left hand my uncle Charles was amputee after being injured in an accident with a log splitter. E 'was devastating to those who love him and certainly no one would have blamed him for becoming depressed and grieving.

But Carl did not choose this path. Instead, he focuses on what it can do, not on what you can not. And if you find something that can not be done with one hand then puts his considerable problem solving skills to work on a solution. He is not simply react to a tragic accident, but proactively looking for solutions.

He is not a saint. He complains of pain and discomfort of the healing process and is sometimes frustrated by trial and error of its process of problem-solving, but not waste time feeling sorry for himself. Knows he has received many gifts and those gifts include the ability to solve problems and overcome adversity.

I can only hope that when my time to face the adversities that may arise with more energy, determination and confidence.

Creating Fear for Inspiration

2009-09-27T20:11:00.000-07:00

If you've read or been involved in staff development, if it is goal setting, time management, motivation, weight loss, or classes of many others and have not taken possession of what you want, you probably you miss one inner drive towards this goal elusive.

you bring books, CDs, tapes, internet research, and perhaps even participated in seminars, but still you find that you fall short of your desire or not even come a step closer to what you set achieve. You may ask "Why I still do not? I just had to stay who I am today?"

Do not lose hope and the sight of your goal. If you've got the development of personal resources, before, you have a desire to improve. You have a desire to be in your intimate relationships. You have a desire to look their best. You have a desire to free themselves from debt.

Here's a great analogy to help you see the problem. Not to define the problem correctly is not possible to provide a correct solution, leaving you to wonder all your life about "what could be." Think you've read the books, the CDs they listen to, attend the seminars, such as a spark. This spark has the potential to extremely powerful. It has the potential to ignite the fire and create. Can you see the relationship between the spark and the resources to read and listen? These guides for development personnel, create a spark in you. Pumping up to guide you towards the correct path to your goal's.

However, it does not take long before you find yourself not moving forward on the path towards the goal, or who has moved completely off the road. You may have even lost ground by a feeling so beaten up after the failure is put into a state of depression and fear. What you need is to turn the spark acquired from Resources for personal development in a roaring fire. A fire so dominant and independent, who will continue to burn and do not require outside help to keep it that way. To see what you can feed that spark into a fire, ask yourself: "I have this inner desire to improve, where it comes from?" Are you tired of arguing with your partner or friends and you want to have more intimate relations? It's because you're tired of worrying about being able to put food on the table, provide clothing, and shelter? Are you embarrassed by how those extra pounds you see?

Now it is clear why you want to improve, make a strong fear. Using the example financial: they are struggling to create and provide the necessary. Create the fear that one day you will be able to provide, or which, for once in your life you want to write, without worrying about the financial burden. This is your fear. This is your fuel for the spark to ignite into a roaring fire and keep burning strongly.
So

the next time you feel you do not have what it takes to reach that elusive goal, I remember the fear of what might be. Pull out that fear and use it to propel you forward. By asking "what could be," prevents you saying then "what could be."

How To Manifest Miracles Now!

2009-09-20T19:56:00.000-07:00

The universe is nothing but a big bowl of energy. Energy that attracts and repels. That is how dreams are either manifested or avoided. To better illustrate this concept, imagine carrying a walkie-talkie.

Al though two people can be miles and miles apart, they can still talk to each other. How can that be, since there is no connection between one another? The illusion is that they are separated, however, the truth is, they are still connected invisibly by a stream of energy.

Depending on the strength of the frequency, the louder and clear they can communicate with one another. That is assuming that both are communicating on the same channel. Life operates the same way. When we have a desire, we are sending a frequency to the universe, and the universe response to us immediately.

Most people would argue that their requests are not being granted. The truth is, that each request is always granted, what they don't seem to understand is that their request is either not clear, or that they may be operating on a different channel, or frequency. You may ask, how could that be? Simple.

On a conscious level we send our request. On a unconscious level we decide which channel we are communicating on. For example, "more money" might be set on channel 3. So consciously people would be broadcasting, "I desire more money." The challenge is, they are broadcasting it on channel 5.

That being the case, what governs the channels unconsciously? Our beliefs. The universe is always giving you that which you "believe" you deserve, not that which you desire. When what you desire and what you believe are the same, the universe will manifested it immediately? Why, because all you need to do is ask, and you shall receive.

So how do we change our channels unconsciously so that it will match our request? The same way we created them. We created our beliefs by using life experiences that we attached a meaning to. For example, we asked someone to dance and the person said no. The truth, is, there are many reasons why that person said no. It could be that she/he had a partner, or that she/he was shy. Who knows, she/he may really wanted to dance with you but was embarrassed. Notice that the reasons had nothing to do with you. However, most people take things personally or just add their own story.

In this case, since the person might have felt rejected, he/she might have thought that there was something wrong with him/her. And since the feeling was not pleasant, the person uses that as a reference point which stops him/her for asking someone else to dance.

So later on, he/she wants a loving relationship which can be broadcast on channel 7, however, his/her beliefs operates on channel 2 which avoids relationships for fear of being hurt.

So to change that belief the person would need to change the channel to let's say 4 which might be, "giving a chance to just meet someone." Once they see how the universe brings someone into their space, use that as reference for future request. That way a new belief is being cultivated so in the future, that person is operating on a frequency that is more consistent with the frequency he/she is broadcasting consciously.

That is why the rich gets richer because once they have attuned themselves to the frequency of abundance, they simple keep attracting more of that abundance which solidify their belief. It becomes a never ending cycle.

And that is what the Manifest Mircacles Online Video Class teaches. How to align yourself into that space where you become a miracle maker.

How Are You Inventing Your Life Today?

2009-09-10T19:55:00.000-07:00

"Organisms do not experience environments, they create them."
-- From A Simpler Way, by Margaret Wheatley

Walking down Lincoln Avenue in Portsmouth, I am struck by the beauty of the day – forsythia, tulips and daffodils, bright sun, warm breeze – and the freedom and privilege I have to walk in a healthy body, through a friendly neighborhood, of my own volition. I think about how much I take for granted, and how easy it is to feel centered and content when life is easy, flowing, and conflict free.

The day before was not so. It was rainy, windy, and cold. I hadn't slept and woke up short-tempered and irritable. (Will winter never end?!) A project I'd been putting off could not be postponed any longer, and I knew I had to finish it even though I had no inspiration for it. My body ached from hard aikido practice the night before, and I felt tired and lacked energy. I opened a window and spilled a potted plant all over my office floor. And the last piece of my favorite toasting bread had mysteriously disappeared from its storage place. Tomorrow – who knows? As my friend Carol says, life can fall on your head at any moment.

So how do I walk my talk, change my attitude, adjust my goals, and reinvent my life even when I don’t feel like it? I kept thinking: You can do this, this is great, exactly what you look for – ideal opportunities to practice . . . center, breathe, laugh. Sure, it's easy to be centered when things are going your way. This is the perfect day to practice – when they aren't.

I'm embarrassed to say that it was still hard. The only good news that I was able to give myself was that I noticed. I could see I was having a "pity party," which was a step in the right direction. Friend and colleague, Joy Jacobs, calls this ability to step outside our selves and acknowledge our reactions meta-communication. My meta-communicator is the role that says, Hey, Judy, you're really having a strong reaction to that plant falling over. Whoah! Are you sure you want to throw it through the window? Right, probably not.

The meta-communicator is the insulation between my reaction and my response. It keeps me from getting dragged down an emotionally reactive path that I will probably regret. The ability to meta-communicate is a sign of emotional intelligence, analogous to self-awareness, and essential to self-control. Without the ability to meta-communicate, I get lost in the emotion and identify with it. There is no distance, no separation between me and my mental state; the attitude, emotion, or mood overrides conscious thought and takes me wherever it wants. I can only talk about the emotion again (like this) when it's played itself out and I regain the ability to see it.

Centering awakens the meta-communicator. Taking a moment of literal and figurative inspiration – breathing and connecting to my power source – gives me the time and the space to decide if I want to get dragged off or not.

Pity parties are fun sometimes. I can enjoy getting together telephonically or in person with special friends. We dress up in our best long-suffering attitudes and moan about this event or that person, how much work there is to do and how little time. We bring our meta-communicators along, and we laugh at ourselves in the midst of our complaining. It's a lot more fun to whine with awareness.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama said, "If you don't like what's happening in your life, change your mind." How do you like what's happening in your life at the moment? I realize it may be a lot more challenging than winter weather in May. Still, gently experiment with changing your relationship to life events, and see what happens.

When I am willing and able to do this, to change my mind, everything changes. It begins by noticing my reactive state.
I'm upset.
Okay - Upset Energy. How can I use it in a way that's congruent with my values and vision?
I take charge of it, before it takes charge of me.
I begin to travel a path of power and presence, instead of a path of reactivity and regret.

As I place that bit of padding between my reaction and my response, I reclaim my power. I reconnect with what is really important. Why am I here? What do I want to contribute to this workplace, this family unit, this relationship? What are my hopes for this conversation? How will I impact this meeting?

More sunny days and uplifting moments are on the horizon. But whatever the external or internal weather conditions, I am protected by an inner spring of insight that is always awake, aware, and available to be turned on at any moment. And I remember all that I have to be grateful for, including the privilege of having unsettling emotions.

How are you inventing your life today, this moment? Is life a struggle, or does it flow? It's possible that the answers are really up to you.

Breathing: The Way Back to Balance

2009-08-30T23:20:00.000-07:00

“If you don’t like what’s happening in your life, change your mind.”

This brief quotation from the Dalai Lama reminds me that my experience of life changes as I do. As I change, I change the way I influence - and am influenced by - my surroundings.

How are you inventing your life today? How does the way you think affect your actions? And how might you become more aware of the process?

A centering breath is a place to start.

When you're stressed, in conflict, or otherwise under pressure, do you hold your breath? Most people do. When you stop the natural flow of air, you become tense and unbalanced, physically and emotionally. Your body, mind and spirit are disconnected.

One of the easiest ways to regain your balance is to start breathing again. Open your throat, relax your body and allow inspiration to take place. Inspiration–a great word, isn't it? Your breath is your life energy that connects to inner wisdom, resources and strength.

A good way to practice centering is to notice how often you hold your breath. The awareness will trigger you to start breathing again. The more you notice, the less you'll hold your breath, and the more relaxed and centered you'll be. Try it. And let me know what happens!

Communication Difficulties And How To Overcome Them

2009-08-20T23:21:00.000-07:00

Many people have problems with their communication and in this article I am going to describe ways in which to overcome these speech difficulties.

My name is Stephen Hill and I am from Birmingham in England. From the age of four I had the speech impediment known as a stutter. I attended many different types of speech therapy, some in groups, some on a one to one basis. The kind of advice I was given to control the stutter or to overcome the stutter were varied. These are some:

slowing down my breath

costal breathing

prolonged speech

taking a deep breath before I spoke

Preschool stuttering

I had began in the class called, stuttering in preschool. At this age my parents were advised that it was probably just a phase and that I was likely to grow out of it (the stutter). They were relieved about this but for whatever reason it did not go away and was to ruin my life for the next eighteen years.

Childhood stuttering

I then joined the class called, stuttering in childhood. I continued to attend speech therapy and was trying to take on board what they were telling me. In reality I did not want to be there and for some reason I felt ashamed and would often wonder why I had a stutter when no one else seemed to.

Adult stuttering

I then progressed to the class called, stuttering in adults. I now decided that speech therapy was not really working for me. I possibly had always had the wrong attitude to speech therapy. It was hard to convince me that these people could help as I knew they had never even had a stutter, therefore I thought that it was impossible for them to fully understand what I was going through.

I then decided to try my own form of self help for stuttering. Even though I had a stutter, at times I could talk very well. As an example when I was drunk, I spoke nearly perfectly fluent. My all round confidence would increase and suddenly I did not care or worry so much about my speech or anything in fact.

After nearly a year I managed to stop stuttering once and for all. As a career I now help other people how to achieve fluency.

Build Confidence with Strategies that Really Work

2009-08-10T23:20:00.000-07:00

Wouldn’t it be grand if we could just wake up in the morning, brush our teeth and put on our confidence for the day?

Well, for those of us who don’t have a drawer full, here are 4 simple strategies that will help you build confidence.

1. Accentuate the positive.

Be your own best friend. What do you tell a friend who’s tried something new, whether or not it turned out well? At least you tried something new- good for you!

Accentuate the effort it took in doing something, rather than the final outcome. (You’d do it for your best friend, wouldn’t you?) We all have limitations. The key is to accept that you have them without dwelling on them.

2. Don’t be afraid to take some risks.

When you are about to embark on a new experience, do you spend your time worrying so much about the outcome you aren’t enjoying the moment? If you look at new things in your life as a chance to learn something, it opens up the possibility of you becoming good at that something.

If you spend your time dreading the outcome, you’ll turn any opportunity there might have been into a failure. What’s more, we can’t grow when we are frozen with fear. Don’t set yourself up to fail. If you do, look at number one, again!

3. Use self-talk to keep assumptions away.

We all use self-talk. The key is to use it in a way that we don’t form bad thoughts that can lead to permanent doubts. Catch yourself using negative self-talk and cancel it with something positive and not based on assumptions!

Build confidence by not expecting perfection from yourself at all times. You can only do your very best at something. Nobody can do everything perfectly, so why do you assume that you should be able to?

4. Learn to rely on your self-evaluation.

If you always rely on the opinion of others, you’ll always be wondering what they think! That does nothing to build confidence - it tears it down, by giving away your personal power to others.

Focus on the real you, inside, to find out how you feel about your own actions, how you’ve been doing your job, etc. You’ll be developing a strong sense of who you are.

It’s important to remember that no one can be self-confident all of the time. In fact, you’ll build confidence faster and easier once your realize that.

Most people with low self-esteem or who lack in confidence are that way because of unrealistic expectations. They expect more from themselves than they do others.

A person with low self-esteem will think nothing about calling him or herself a ‘stupid idiot.’ They wouldn’t dream of saying that to someone else. To build confidence it’s a good idea to be your own best friend.

Beauty, Gratitude, and the Open Heart

2009-07-30T23:19:00.000-07:00

“…beauty on your earth is a shadow of the beauty of our heaven, and it’s a bitter thing to have a blindness for beauty on earth, for it makes a longer teaching to see the beauties of heaven.” Spoken by an Irish spirit in the book The Boy who Saw True (anonymous author).

I have been counseling individuals, couples, families and business partners for the last 35 years, and am the author of eight published books. Since my work is spiritually based, I have developed many ways of helping people open their hearts to love. Opening to beauty is one of those ways.

I have always appreciated beauty. Since I’ve been a small child, I’ve collect beautiful things - shells, rocks, wood, as well as works of art, and there are always lots of plants around. There is nowhere in my environment where there is not something beautiful to look at, both inside and outside in nature. When I walk through my home and the land around it, my heart fills with awe and love as I appreciate the beauty around me. I’ve done this so automatically throughout my life that it never occurred to me that many people do not open to beauty nor create beauty around them.

In working with some of my clients struggling to keep their heart open, I’ve mentioned focusing on an object of beauty, and have been surprised to find that many of them have no beauty around them - no plants, flowers, works of art or objects of nature. When they look around they see walls, appliances, computers and other buildings. Their left brain functions just fine in this environment, but what about the right - the creative, intuitive, spiritually-connected aspect?

I want to encourage everyone who reads this to consider feeding your soul with beauty. There is nothing like awe and gratitude for something beautiful to open the heart to gratitude in general. If you can love the intricate design in the bark of a tree, or the vibrancy of a flower, or the balance of a beautifully thrown piece of pottery - that might lead you into loving and appreciating the beauty of you and your own soul. It might open you to feeling gratitude for your life and the sacred privilege of experiencing your journey on this planet.

How much of your thinking time is spent being upset or unhappy about something? What if all that time was spent in gratitude for what you have and for the beauty around you? What if you were present enough in this moment to revel in the fact that you can turn on a faucet and have hot water come out? That you have food to eat and a bed to sleep on? If you are reading this, it is likely that you have a computer, which means you have more than most of the people on this planet.

Try this little experiment: find something of beauty - it can be as simple as a leaf, a flower, a photograph, a small work of art or the top of a tree out your window. Now let yourself completely open to the thing of beauty. Let yourself feel the beauty in your body - in your heart, your solar plexus, in your stomach, arms and legs, in your forehead. Let the beauty enliven your body and fill it with vitality. Breathe in the beauty and feel your body’s reaction to it. Open to gratitude, thanking God for this experience of beauty.

Notice the peace and joy it gives you to be in this moment with this simple object of beauty. What would life be like if you spent more moments like this, in the present with beauty and with all you have? How much of your waking time is spent in this way?

Beauty and gratitude are soul foods. When you choose to open to them, you extend an invitation to love, peace and joy. This raises your frequency and opens the door to your spiritual Guidance. Your Guidance is always here for you, helping you on your soul’s journey. Opening to beauty and gratitude, with a deep intent to learn about what is loving to you and others, will open you to your spiritual Guidance.

Be Happy And Give Us A Smile

2009-07-21T23:19:00.001-07:00

I often wonder why people seem reluctant to smile these days. It costs nothing to smile so come on people lets start looking a bit happier. This article is all about this and about having a more positive outlook on life which will bring positive results.

I am somebody who used to always think in a negative way, I have now managed to stop this and my life has improved no end. I now like to be around positive people, as these people tend to be more successful and happier. In my opinion there are too many people who are always moaning and groaning and are seemingly depressed.

Growing up I had many things to be negative about, I had a stutter, I have a bald patch, I was overweight and am also quite short for a male at five foot four. I was one of the ones who walked around in a depressed state and I used to feel sorry for myself. Even when I write about it now, I laugh about how stupid I used to be.

I realised early into my twenties that I needed to change my approach to life. I was quite fortunate in that I had a friend at the company I worked for, who was to prove an inspiration to me. His name was Stuart, and even though this may seem cruel, Stuart did not have a lot going for him. I won't go into details but lets just say even with the problems I felt I had, I was not jealous of him. I became quite good friends with Stuart and we would regularly have lunch together. I would meet him in the canteen at 1pm and would be waiting in my gloomy state of mind, with my gloomy face, for him to arrive. Arrive he certianly did, always with a beaming smile on his face. This always amazed me as I could never understand what he had to be happy about. We would sit down and talk whilst eating our lunch and he never had a negative word to say. When he talked, he talked with passion, about his work and interests. One day it dawned on me, if Stuart (who from what I know of him, seemingly has nothing going for him) can always be positive, happy and smiling, why can't I?

This was the beginning of my new outlook on life. An era of being positive, appreciating what I have got and more than anything else, plenty of smiles. I now am happy with my weight, height, bald patch and am proud to say I have now overcome my stutter.

Who Made The First New Year's Resolution?

2009-06-30T19:48:00.000-07:00

What is it that makes people stay up until the wee hours of the morning one night out of the year? My primary objective in life is not to see how late I can stay up, but getting up in the morning.

If I can get up each morning, it is a major accomplishment that I should celebrate with eggs, bacon and a hot cup of coffee — which is about all the celebrating I can handle.

I’m not anxious to see someone drop the ball on New Year’s Eve. I do enough of that myself throughout the year and believe me, nobody cheers.

One thing I am most careful to do each New Year’s Day is make out my resolutions for the coming year. New Year’s resolutions represent one of the most ancient of human rituals. I say “human rituals” because it is not known whether the animal or plant world enjoy such exhilarating rituals. The evidence at this point in time is inclusive.

Perhaps Mark Twain was correct when he observed, “humans are the only animals that blush — or need to.”

I have not always held such high and lofty views of the New Year’s resolution. Once, when I was young and did not know any better, I completely ignored this yearly ritual.

My good friend and mentor, the Reverend Frank Simmons, set me straight on this important issue. My early pastorate was close to Frank’s and we spent much time together. I learned so much from him, things they do not teach in college.

Each New Year’s Day we would spend in each other’s society. One year Frank and his wife would entertain us at his parsonage and the next year my wife and I would reciprocate. It was at our parsonage one year when I made the casual remark that I did not believe in New Year’s resolutions.

As far as I was concerned, a New Year’s resolution was a useless attempt to interfere with scientific laws. My best resolve is not going to change much in the long run. Besides, I can’t run that far these days. My mind is bigger than my legs.

For example. Have you ever noticed that a New Year’s resolution is stronger at its birth than any subsequent period? My best intention in January is a long faded memory by July.

Most New Year’s resolutions are simply lame attempts to apologize for the past year and a promise of better behavior in the year ahead. People spend so much energy in the creative act of coming up with a good set of New Year’s resolutions that there is no energy left to actually keep them for more than two consecutive days.

Frank allowed me to dig my hole as deep as possible and then in his unique way, let me know that I was wrong. I always took criticism from him very seriously.

“Can you tell me,” he asked with a mischievous twinkle, “the origin of the New Year’s resolution and who made the first one?”

Of course, he caught all of us off guard with this one. My good wife suggested that maybe it was Samson who resolved to give up female barbers.

Everyone had a good laugh at that one. Frank especially enjoyed it, slapping his knee and roaring with laughter.

My thoughts turned to the biblical book of Ecclesiastes. “When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.” (Ecclesiastes 5:4-5 KJV.)

In my mind, a vow is the same thing as a resolution.

As important as it is to make a vow, or resolution, keeping it is more important. If you cannot, or will not, keep it, better not make it.

A resolution is not an opportunity to boast. It should be done very carefully and sincerely.

Many people at this time of the year make resolutions such as attending church more regularly, reading their Bible and praying every day, and giving more money to their local church.

Such resolutions are music in the ear of every pastor. The problem is, the band stops playing in mid-February.

If everyone who made such resolutions actually kept them for an entire year, most pastors would have heart attacks by September. Thankfully, there is no actual medical danger for the cleric population.

Back to Frank’s intriguing question. “Can you tell me the origin of the New Year’s resolution and who made the first one?”

During our lively discussion of the subject Frank kept quiet. He just leaned back in his chair, listening to the deliberation with a devilish grin playing across his face. Gradually, the rest of us grew silent and directed our attention toward Frank.

“All right,” I finally begged, “tell us. Where did the New Year’s Resolution originate and who make the first one?”

Frank knew he had us right where he wanted us.

“Not many people know,” Frank began, “that the New Year’s resolution has biblical roots. It began with Adam.”

He certainly had my attention and I leaned forward to catch every word. With great deliberation Frank explained, “As the first couple began their second year in the Garden of Eden, Adam turned to Eve and said, ‘Honey, this year I’m going to turn over a new leaf.’”

What is Love and How Do I Get It?

2009-06-20T19:48:00.000-07:00

What is love? Everybody uses the word “love” in daily conversations. There are millions of movies and songs based on love, but do we really know what it is?

Here are some Greek definitions of love:

Eros: romantic love of passion, physical longing, deep intensity, and intimacy. Often initial love that attracts a couple. Attracted to what it finds desirable, or beautiful--often knowing no limits and searching without satisfaction through many objects of desire.

Philios: characterized by sharing, companionship and shared values, it exemplifies friendship-based and brotherly love. It is more comprehensive and less self-seeking than eros.

Storge: family love between parent/child or between two incredibly close people. It is instinctive, and does not need to be requited.

Agape: considered purest, most comprehensive and most mysterious form of love, which loves unconditionally. Agape dissolves our separateness from God, others, and ourselves, as instead of seeking the security and consolation of seeking to be loved, we are love. Agape is the love of altruism, of giving without asking anything in return.

A famous Bible verse in 1 Corinthians 13 states other qualities of love:
Love is patient; love is kind. Love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way: it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.

So how do we attract love into our lives? We get love by giving love, for as we give, so do we receive. Life is a mirror and will reflect back to us what we put out. Want more love in your life? Then I invite you to demonstrate to a friend or family member real AGAPE love. Call someone up for no other reason than to tell them you love them.

LOVE IS PATIENT: Imagine for a moment what patience could do in your life? What would your home be like if everyone had great patience? What would the world be like if all people had patience with each other? What is love? Love is Patience and it begins with each of us.

LOVE IS KIND.
Kindness is directly connected to patience. Patience endures injuries and insults and kindness pays them back with good deeds and kind actions. In Greek the word kindness means “useful.” Love is kind means we express God by being kind, by being useful and of benefit to others.

“Who is born of love is born of God for God is Love.”

Healing The Abandonment Wounds

2009-06-10T19:47:00.000-07:00

I have counseled individuals, couples, families and business partners for the past 35 years and authored eight published books. Every individual I’ve worked with has had some abandonment wound to heal, and most relationship problems stem from abandonment wounds.

It is not possible to grow up in our society without some abandonment wounds. The following are some of the ways it can occur:

* Being torn away from mother at birth and put into a nursery.

* Being left to cry in a crib or playpen.

* Being given up for adoption or being left in foster care.

* Being physically and/or sexually abused.

* Being emotionally abused - ignored, yelled at, shamed.

* Being pushed aside at the birth of a new sibling.

* Having a parent or caregiver who is emotionally unavailable.

* Being unseen or misunderstood by parents or other caregivers.

* Being lied to.

* Being unprotected by a parent or caregiver.

* Being left alone in a hospital during an illness.

* Losing a beloved parent or grandparent at a very young age.

* Divorce.

* Being teased or left out with siblings or peers.

* Being ridiculed by a teacher.

* Being forgotten - not being picked up from school or other places.

* Being left at a young age to care for oneself, a parent, or other siblings.

When we are deeply wounded at a young age, we cannot handle the pain, so we find ways to dissociate from the intense feelings. Then, later in life, especially when we fall in love, these old wounds can get activated. Our beloved gets angry, withdraws, gives attention to someone else, says mean things, doesn't tell the truth, doesn't stand up for us, comes home late, wanders away in a crowded public place, misunderstands us, and so on - and suddenly the pain that has been pushed aside all these years comes roaring to the surface. We think that we are reacting to the present situation, but what is really happening is that the old, unhealed abandonment wound has been touched off. We might find ourselves suddenly enraged or falling apart with intense tears. Our reaction seems too big for the situation, yet we cannot seem to stop the inner pain. We might start to shake violently as the old terror finally erupts.

We want our beloved to take the pain away by stopping his or her behavior. If only he or she would not do the thing that activates these feelings, we would be fine. Yet until we actually heal these old, deep wounds, we will not be fine. We will always be vulnerable to having these wounds activated.

Healing the abandonment wounds does not happen overnight, yet it does not have to take years either. Step one is to tune into your feelings with a willingness to take responsibility for your pain. Once you are aware that deep pain has been activated, seek the help of someone who can hold you and nurture you while you go into the abandonment pain. If no one is available, hold a doll, bear or pillow, and bring in love to the hurting part of you. Open to your concept of God or Spirit and allow this source of love and strength to nurture you.

It is often not advisable to seek the help of the person who activated the wound because:

1) he or she may still be stuck in their own wounded place, the place that touched off your wound;

2) you might become dependent upon your beloved taking care of you and taking the pain away instead of actually healing the pain.

Once you are with a safe, nurturing person, or even on the phone with a safe person, hold a doll or bear or even a pillow very tightly and breath into the pain. Open to learning and allow the Inner Child who is in pain to give you information about the original pain that is still stuck in the body. The body holds the memories that you repressed at the time, and now the body is releasing these memories. Many images may come up as you open to learning with your Inner Child. Be sure you have your spiritual guidance with you, holding you, surrounding you with love and comfort as you open to learning about this deep pain. In order to truly understand your present reaction, you need to understand what happened to you when you were little. Keep breathing deeply and allowing your Inner Child to inform you, even if you are crying. Tell the person helping you what your Child is telling you about what happened to you when you were little. It may take awhile, but gradually you will calm down. At that point, tune into what false beliefs you may have embraced as a child that are affecting you now, and what else your Child needs right now to feel loved and safe.

Being there for your wounded child this way will gradually heal the abandonment wounds. Ignoring your feelings, trying to make them go away, or trying to get someone else to take them away will only serve to re-wound you. It is only when you no longer abandon yourself that the old wounds begin to heal. Eventually, another's behavior that previously triggered your intense reaction will no longer do so. You may feel sad or lonely when a loved one gets angry or withdraws in some way, but as long as you continue to show up for yourself, the intense pain will not be there.

If the pain seems stuck in the body no matter what you do, then you need to seek out a practitioner who knows how to release old pain out of the body through acupressure or other bodywork.

Once these old wounds are healing, you will feel a new sense of personal power. Others’ behavior can no longer trigger you into these intensely painful feelings. However, a word of caution: we may think it is healed, only to discover another level when we move into a more intimate relationship, or more intimacy with a present partner. The closer the relationship, the deeper the wounds get activated. That is why the primary relationship is the most powerful arena for healing there is, and Inner Bonding - the process outlined here - is a most powerful tool! (See resource box for a FREE Inner Bonding course).

Give A Smile-Get A Smile

2009-05-30T19:47:00.000-07:00

In today’s world of technology we do not have ample opportunity to get personal. Life is fast-paced and everyone seems to be in a rush. We dial the phone and we talk to machines. We spend long hours on the computer playing games, emailing one another or working with our web pages. Even in the office environment, we email the person in the cubicle 3 feet away instead of walking over to hand them a task list.

Don’t get me wrong. I love technology. I cannot imagine ever being without my computer and am guilty of spending a large part of my day working on line. The computer and Internet afford many opportunities. Now at no charge outside of my Internet connection I can communicate with persons all over the world. If screened carefully young people have a world of education available at their fingertips. I could continue to expound on the many benefits that technology has brought into our lives. However, that is not the gist of this article.

As a result of the technological age of today’s world, our personal touch with one another is decreasing. We need to take full advantage of the opportunity to be personal. Humans are becoming strangers to one another. People are in a hurry to get on with the business of living and walk past each other on the street without even a nod.

Have you wondered why there is so much clinical depression in the world today? Ask yourself why our young people are so distressed. Why so many of them attempt suicide or worse the murder of their classmates or families. Do you conclude as I do that we need more of a personal touch?

Have you taken notice to how you felt when you were standing in line at a bank and someone turned and smiled at you. Prior to that smile you were feeling very anxious, possibly tapping your foot in impatience. You weren’t very happy to be there waiting in a long line. You had things to get done and you were getting more frustrated by the minute. It was one of the mundane drudgeries we all have to go through. Then comes this smile from the person in the line next to you and suddenly you feel much better. You are compelled to smile back. You do so without giving it thought, as though it is a natural inclination to reciprocate the smile.

Think about it, don’t you feel compelled to smile back when someone smiles at you? Doesn’t if lift your mood, and bring you out of a frustrated frame of mind? But that smile does so much more than that. It makes you feel accepted and liked. Somebody cares, and shares the things you go through. It makes you part of a group, a integral part of the human race. If you do not think that our society, do research into why our young people join gangs. The kids will tell you they are seeking to belong, to be a part of something. The gang becomes an extension of the family.

There is power in the smile, you see. It’s as though that instant someone waved a wand and all the drudgery disappeared. You suddenly feel warm and responsive and the person who offered you a smile has just gone from a stranger to be wary of to a kindred spirit. Sometimes a conversation is started and now the mundane drudgery has actually become an enjoyable experience. You no longer feel frustrated and rushed and in spite of yourself and enjoying yourself. The world is now warm and fuzzy instead of cold, fearful and bitter.

I do not mean to imply that giving and receiving a smile is the solution to the world’s problems, but it is a very good place to start. We all need to feel that sense of belonging. We are after all members of the same human family. We should feel moved to embrace each other in our hearts and minds.

So go ahead and smile. I dare you. But be careful. You might find the world a friendlier place to live. You might find that people are warm and kind and appreciative. Your smile might just make their day.

Engaging in the Moment for More Effective Living.

2009-05-20T19:46:00.000-07:00

I spend lots of time working with individuals, corporations and businesses to get them engaged in the present moment. The reasons I think this is important in business as well as personally are drawn upon toward the end of this article.

My centre here in Bournemouth used to sell a wide range of books and one that I used to stock was a book called "The Power of Now" by a guy called Eckhart Tolle. Lots of people that came to classes, workshops and consultations at the centre would often tell me how great it was and give me snippets of information about its content and for a number of years I would occasionally think “Yeah, I really should read that book” then kept on deciding that I would wait until later (yes, I am fully aware of the irony in this!) Nevertheless, I am already sold on the power of the present moment, for a number of reasons:

My First reason - Only this present moment exists.

I think this is by far the most compelling reason to put your attention on the present moment. Yesterday doesn’t exist, except as a memory, with all the unreliability we know to be true of memories; when you experienced yesterday, it was n-o-w. Tomorrow doesn’t exist either, except as an imaginary construct; when you experience tomorrow, it will be n-o-w. And as it’s all that exists, it’s a good idea to experience it, so, have a go at doing the following…

1) Sit with your feet flat on the floor, in a comfortable, aligned position (spine straight, hands on your thighs or at your sides, breathing comfortably.) With your eyes open or closed, allow yourself to become aware of the different sounds, sights, smells & sensations around you. This is the present moment.

That's right. This is the present moment, & there are a number of good reasons for keeping your awareness in the present as much as possible (in addition to the first reason I gave.)

My Second Reason - There’s a whole lot more of it in store for you.

If you stop for a moment, you will realise that all the experiences of your life will take place in a present moment. The more comfortable you are with the present moment, the more comfortable you’ll be with those future presents.

My Third Reason - The present is where you are.

If in doubt, look at your hands. Your hands only exist in the present moment. Rub your fingers together, feel how it feels to be in this moment. Because it’s where your hands (& the rest of your body) are located, so…

My Fourth Reason - The present is the only time you can take action.

You can wish you took action yesterday (so many do; they rue the day that.....), but yesterday no longer exists, so it will remain a wish. You can plan to take action in the future, but when you take the action, it will be in the present moment. The only time you can take action is in this hot second.

My Fifth Reason - Wherever you’re headed, you presumably want to enjoy it when you get there. Get in the habit of enjoying the present now & you’ll be even better at enjoying then when you get there.

I took some amazing insight from my running experiences with my younger brother. When we ran and trained together and competed in races, he always enjoyed the race and commented on our surroundings whereas I always had my eye on the finish line. So much can and has been said about enjoying and engaging in the journey rather than always focusing on the future. Have a go at this one too....

2) Gently place the tip of your tongue against the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth (continue to breathe easily.) Imagine you are holding a tiny droplet of oil between the tip of your tongue & the roof of your mouth.

I originally got this idea from Eric Robbie on a training he did with Michael Breen & I tinkered around with it a bit, & it’s a great way of turning off your internal dialogue. Turning off your internal dialogue is an excellent way of allowing yourself to focus on the present. This is particularly important if you want to be able to pick up the clues that people give you about how they’re thinking. Maybe I'll write another article about that internal dialogue.......

"The only way to live is to accept each moment as an unrepeatable miracle, which is exactly what it is - a miracle and unrepeatable."

-- Margaret Storm Jameson

So, how do you relate this knowledge and my rantings to ones Business or day to day life?

Business and life today seems to operate at a faster & faster pace. People have lots of demands on their time, & need every advantage they can get to be more effective. When I do corporate and business consultancy, one of the most common ‘challenges’ that people want to deal with is being focused & making progress on important business objectives or life goals.

As I’ve investigated how people avoid being focused, I’ve found that, they are often not centred in the present. Instead, they are thinking about what’s happening tomorrow, or what happened yesterday, or running through a list of things that they need to do later. As a result, their attention is not in the present.

I used to work in Victoria in Central London and if you have ever been there during the rush hours it is a hectic place. What I find interesting is that you can tell who is engaged in the moment and who is thinking about their day or the next day. Those people whose awareness is within their heads, mulling over their day or dreading what's in store tomorrow are the ones bumping into people or veering off in wrong directions. Whereas those people whose awareness is outside their heads and engaged in their surroundings are those that are balanced, poised and agile, like a panther!

When you bring your attention & energy into the present moment, you can accomplish things more quickly, solve problems more effectively, & enjoy the process more than you might expect. So, thirdly, have a go at connecting with the moment more and more in your days...

3) Before starting an important task, take a moment to centre yourself & relax. Then, get clear about what you want to accomplish, then begin.

I wish you all the very best and hope to engage in the present with many more people here.

Gain Confidence and Boost Self Esteem in 5 Simple Steps

2009-05-10T19:46:00.000-07:00

We all want to become more confident and feel good about ourselves so we can live our very best life. Here are some ways to gain confidence and raise self-esteem:

1. Do something that requires a decision and a follow-through.

Have you been putting off writing that letter to aunt Martha? Is there a friend you’ve been meaning to call? Wash the car, tidy the garden or clean the house. You’ll gain confidence by setting goals (even small ones) and following through on them.

2. Enjoy something you do well.

Do you have any hobbies or sports that you enjoy playing? Some things like going swimming, painting or writing can hold your attention and get you into a state of ‘flow’. While you are in the flow you forget about everything else.

Afterwards, you’ll feel competent and capable. It’s a great way to boost your self-esteem. If you don’t have any particular hobbies or pastimes that you enjoy make an effort to try something you’ve always wanted to try.

Picture yourself doing it, and then give it a try! It doesn’t have to be something big - it can be as simple as joining a walking club.

You’ll find that you are more centered and happier if you do something that puts you in that flow at least once a week.

3. Shift the focus.

It’s been shown that low self-esteem develops hand-in-hand with individuals who put too much focus on themselves. You can gain confidence by doing something that focuses on someone else or even something else.

You’ll find that when you are in a situation where you are meeting new people, you immediately become less nervous when you focus on the person you are meeting.

At the end of the day, you’ve interacted with others and will notice that you feel much lighter.

4. Relax, already!

Learning to become more relaxed is a great life enhancer. People who are more relaxed have fewer problems with their memories and are more likely to take the bumps in the road of life in stride.

The practice of meditation has gained popularity for this reason. You might want to look into Tai Chi, which involves physical relaxation techniques.

Whatever method you decide on, take relaxation seriously. The benefits are just too great to ignore. If you’ve never considered relaxation important, think of it this way: if you can attend to something that results in feeling good, how can you not gain confidence in your personal abilities?

5. Make a list of everything you’ve ever accomplished.

Think small. An accomplishment is an accomplishment! Some things you could put on your list: passed my driver’s test and got my license, scored a goal when I played hockey, managed to save enough money to go on a trip and so on.

These are just a few ideas you can use to gain confidence and boost your self-esteem. Use these ideas as a base point and add these things permanently in your life.

Keep in mind, people are not born with good self-esteem, most of us have to work at it. It develops from your thinking and the things you do daily to make yourself feel good.

Centering Defined: What, How and Why?

2009-04-28T19:45:00.000-07:00

What is center? How do you choose to be centered, and why? In what ways can you develop a strong center?

As a student and instructor of the Japanese martial art Aikido, and as a professional speaker and trainer, I often present on this topic and, in addition, have made centering a life practice. I say practice, because that is what it takes to access the Center State on purpose.

Physically, the body's center of gravity is a point in the lower abdomen - but it is also much more. It's a quality of being that integrates body, mind and spirit: vitality increases, the senses are sharpened, and one is less affected by everyday irritations. The Japanese describe a centered person as having hara or strong ki, the inner quality that helps the student of Aikido develop to her fullest potential. Some say it is an attitude towards life, an ability to handle whatever may come. Athletes recognize the centered state as "the zone."

Center is a condition we can cultivate. Thomas Crum, author of Journey to Center, says, "Centering is the art of being fully alive. And wherever the art of centering is practiced, things change dramatically."

Centering Practice
To train in centering, the Aikidoist practices a relaxed posture and directs the weight of her body towards her physical center. She also breathes into her center to enhance the grace and economy of her movement. You can do the same.

Breathe deeply. Exhale slowly. Relax and direct the weight of your body toward your center point. Now, think of a situation later today where it will be especially helpful to be balanced, calm and self-assured. Make a mental note to center when the time comes.

By becoming skilled at identifying the centered state, you can learn to choose it. This is critical in those key moments when purposeful action is needed.

Write back and tell me how centering helps you!

"Life With Woody" 10 inspirational quotes than can improve yourself

2009-02-28T21:01:00.000-08:00

It might take a little coffee or probably a few rounds of beer or any other booze you could get your hands on when it comes to relaxing after a hard day's work. Well, yeah I'm guilty about that one as well, unless I'm caught dead wearing a lampshade over my head after a few rounds of vodka… half-naked! Okay, bad example and I apologize to everyone reading this after getting nightmares about me in that state of drunken stupor.

Just don't ask how it happened, please.

But what's really interesting is that how do people go through the usual part of life when faced with vein-popping stress? I mean, the new age thing like Zen or yoga is one of the good things and it actually works. Is there room for the intellectual side of people who can actually smell the roses-in-a-can while on the move? It kind of had me thinking that there really must be something in this 'mind-over-matter' thing.

Humor is indeed the best medicine there is whenever you are. I mean anyone can pay good money to listen to a comedian just to make you wet your pants after laughing so hard. Despite of what's been happening, and to those who has gone though the ordeal, it's better to just laugh while facing the troubles with a clear mind than anger with a clouded vision. One of my favorite celebrities of all time may have to be Woody Allen. Now this is one guy who gives you the in-your-face bluntness that he pulls out with gusto, even without even trying. You can talk just about anything with a man, and he's bound to mock the subject and you'll end up laughing rather than being upset about it.

Woody Allen has this to say:

1. "Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons." It sounds good to me, I mean the practicality of all things does involve money but it doesn't have to take an arm and a leg to get it.

2. "I believe there is something out there watching us. Unfortunately, it's the government." 'Nuff said.

3. "There are worse things in life than death. Have you ever spent an evening with an insurance salesman?" This happens to be one of the classic ones. I mean the issue about life's little problems isn't all that bad, until 'he' shows up.

Sure, relationships can get complicated, or does have its complications that probably any author about relationships is bound to discover it soon. We follow what our heart desires, unless you're talking about the heart as in the heart that pump blood throughout your body.

4. "Love is the answer, but while you're waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty interesting questions." And if you want more, just keep on asking!

5. "A fast word about oral contraception. I asked a girl to go to bed with me, she said 'no'." It sounds, 'practical', I think.

And when it comes to everyday life, he really knows how to make the best out of every possible scenario, and it doesn't involve a lawsuit if he strikes a nerve.

6. "Basically my wife was immature. I'd be at home in the bath and she'd come in and sink my boats." I never had a boat in my bathtub before. Just staring at it while soaking in hot water makes me seasick already.

7. "I am not afraid of death, I just don't want to be there when it happens." If it rains, it pours.

8. "I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose." It could get worse when you're guzzling on beer… or mouthwash, and it happened to me once!

9. "If you want to make God laugh, tell him about your plans." At least he doesn't smite us with lightning, and I'm thankful for that.

And despite of what may happen to all of us in the next ten, twenty, or even thirty years, I guess we all have to see things in a different kind of light and not just perspective. I can't seem to imagine life without any piece of wisdom that could guide us. Whether we're religious or not, it takes more courage to accept your fears and learn how to deal with them is all that matters when it comes to even just getting along.

And to sum things up, here is the last nugget of wisdom to go by… however, whenever, and wherever we may be.

10. "The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don't have."

The Inspiration Behind Blogging

2009-02-20T21:01:00.000-08:00

In the 20th century, people got inspired to write their own articles and diaries online. This phenomenon is now been referred to as blogging.

Currently, there are news blogs, tech blogs, sex blogs, commentary blogs, drug blogs and other teenage blogs. The news and documentary blogs are sites that consist of links and posted arguments and ideas.

These sites have been sources of major news outlets, media and traditional journalism. On top of these all, the blogging phenomenon is clear and real. This occurrence is gradually changing and unifying the diverse world of media. Blogging only proves the evolution of media and journalism.

Blogs can do things that eMagazines or web magazines cannot do. Blogs are informative and contains more of personal matters about the author's life.

Through blogging, a writer is able to express anything even his temper can be transparent. Blogs contain deep sensibility and human touches unlike magazines and newspapers.

Nowadays, readers have become more doubtful about the media. People now realize that behind the curtain of these popular readings are untrustworthy writers and editors. They write to live and thus, their writings are only products of their selfishness.

Blogging is the real democratic journalism as its best and as its purest. Through blogging, one will be able to declare his own independence. Lone bloggers will eventually be the most successful writers in the envisioned world of true journalism. This is because they earned the respect of the readers.

Online sites like blogger.com help you set up a web page can make you an established writer. At the start, you can work at a blog free and then eventually you can reach millions of readers worldwide and can make a profit as well. Blogging challenges the audience of opinionated magazines and traditional newspapers.

Now, why not create an online blog with your own ideas and consequently sell your own book through your web site. The advantage of the blog technology is that one can simply write an article with himself and can make a profit for download services.

You can just convert your format to a PDF file. You will not anymore need editors, agents or publishers for your book.

These are some basic steps to create a successful blog:

1. Select a location to begin your blog. It is best to choose a site where you can upload your blog on to it directly. Sites like Blogger and Wordpress are two of the popular ones.

2. Prepare at least three (3) articles per week and add them to your blog. Remember that articles must be posted in the blog. As much as possible, a blog should not be used for product advertisement.

3. After posting, make use of the available ping online servers fully so that many can read your articles. The use of limited default ping services will limit your blog exposure. For a complete list of available ping servers, you can check sites like surreal blog.

4. If the readers find your articles interesting and your services proved to be useful, you now become a reliable resource. Thus, it would be best if your blog contains a shortcut link back to your home or main site.

5. Next, you should add your blog to your home site. You can make a directory containing the list of your blogs. Find a service to post your information if in case you do not have a main site. Do not forget, at least to acknowledge the server.

6. Finally, list your blog to popular blog directories. Some of these directories can charge you a listing fee while some offers it free. It is fine to pay for it since it will largely benefit your blog

These steps can guide you through your blog making. It is hoped that this article provided significant ideas and information about blogging. With this technology, you can now have the power to tell your stories and express yourself.

How To Get Inspiration For Your Airbrush Art

2009-02-10T20:59:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when trying to come up with designs your mind can go blank. You find yourself unable to come up with a design for a certain project. While airbrush art can give you endless possibilities it can also leave you stumped on a design project. Finding inspiration though for your airbrush art can come from many forms. The different places that you can look for inspiration can help you when you are stumped on what to do with a project.

When you are feeling the creative block coming on then start looking around you. Anything can be a basis for inspiration, especially if you change your scenery and look around your new surroundings with open eyes. Cooped up in a studio too long, then go out to the park and open your eyes to everything that you see. Derive inspiration from various sights around you and incorporate them into one great piece of art. See two kids on a seesaw at the park? Turn those two kids into angels on a seesaw cloud in the sky. See a couple of kids playing ball? Then turn them into angels and the ball into a cloud. Now put all of this into one art design. See where I am going with this? You just took two things you seen incorporated them both together turned them into something else and now you have a unique floating cloud playground.

Inspiration can also come from books as well. Go to the library and check out some art books to help you get some inspiration to get you going again with your creative design. Sometimes by looking at other people's works you can get past your creative block and start creating your own airbrush art again. Any form of art will work to give you inspiration since after all you can airbrush any design you see. Take the time to look at the art in the books and see them as your own. Think of how you would have created that picture had it been yours. Then go from there and start drawing out how you would have made it look. Once you are happy with it then airbrush it on to your project to create your own unique airbrush art design.

If you don't want to get outdoors to look at new scenery and you don't want to go to the library then you can just surf the web. The internet if full of inspiration for your airbrush art. Start looking at various images and keep surfing until you find the one that gets your creative juices flowing again. Print the picture that help you so that you can keep it around as your muse for as long as you need it. It may take awhile but with the limitless supply of images and artwork on the internet it is sure to keep you supplied with some inspiration.

Sometimes you just need to step back and take a breather to get your inspiration back. If you find that you are not getting inspiration no matter where you are looking then it is definitely time you stepped away from the airbrush art for awhile. Take a few hours to do something other than airbrushing and let your mind go for awhile. You will be surprised how quickly your inspiration comes back and creative juices start flowing when you just take a breather.

Empower Your Trainees

2009-01-30T19:21:00.000-08:00

One of the most memorable quotes that I heard from a trainer came from a man I knew named Rizal:

“As trainees, you are supposed to interrupt me if you don’t understand something. You are supposed to ask questions. But you are not to go ahead of where we are in the class. All of the sections will be covered in due time.”

As a trainee, I could not have agreed more with Rizal. He made an impact on me. He was one of the best trainers I have ever known. What made him a great trainer was that he loved his career. (Notice I didn’t say job.) I knew he viewed his classroom as more than just a place to go to work everyday.

As a trainer, what are YOU doing to enhance the spirit of your trainees?

One great tactic that worked for me happened when I was a restaurant manager. When I would train employees, I would purposely ask them questions that were contradictory. For example, I would ask, “This order is to go, right?” When the trainees answered yes or no, I always asked them why they gave their answer. I wanted them to discover for themselves what should and should not be.

The tactic worked because they learned to rely and trust their own reasoning. Their productivity rose as a result. They were empowered to decide what actions needed to be done, and they took the necessary steps that generated results.

Are you letting your trainees know that you are open to ALL questions? Are you asking yourself what you need to do to ask great questions? Are you wondering how you can get your trainees to be comfortable with you so they can get the most of their training?

Here’s Some Steps To Show You How:

1. Be up front with your trainees. Let them know that there is NO such thing as a dumb question and that the ONLY stupid questions are the ones not asked.

2. Tell them that they can discuss questions offline if they are not comfortable asking a question in front of others.

3. If someone asks a great question, acknowledge him or her right away.

4. If a trainee asks a question which emits discontent among other trainees, let the classroom know that they are in class to learn and that even the most seemingly silly question could help reinforce answers to other questions. Remind them that no one knows everything, and the moment they stop learning, is the moment they stop growing.

Great trainers are great because they listen. They know that the material they are teaching is new to each person in the room, and they take their time making sure that every person understands it. They have patience and persistence. They are grateful for being able to make a difference in the lives of the people they train. Inside of you is the same greatness. Use it to empower your trainees.

Exploring Mindfulness And Meditation

2009-01-20T19:20:00.000-08:00

In our every day lives, we are all guilty of neglecting our minds, allowing our brains to be lulled into a lazy, neglected, and unaware state. It is as if we are allowing ourselves to be sculpted by bland and repetitive consumerism, our individuality being chiselled away by a tedium we cannot even be bothered to challenge with any will.

Life need not be like that. We are each blessed with a powerful mind; but normally people have forgotten or, most likely, never even knew how, to use it. It is such a waste of our own greatest resource.

One way to start to extricate ourselves from the mindless quicksand is to gently exercise our minds, using mindfulness and meditation as a way of bringing ourselves more emphatically into the real world, and start the process of exercising control over our minds and our lives.

Creating a mindfulness meditation is a gentle but powerful exercise. But how do you go about it?

A Simple Mindfulness Meditation Exercise

As with any meditation session, you need to get into a relaxed and comfortable position, eyes closed, and then commence with deep nasal breathing, focusing your thoughts on the breathing to ease yourself into a meditative state.

Once you feel that you are calmed by your breathing and that your breath is under your rhythmic control, then you can move on to focusing on your own body, a part at a time. I was first taught this at yoga class, where we were taught to concentrate first of all on the left foot, focusing on it from a position above ourselves. Then move up the body slowly, left ankle, knee, thigh and so on. When reaching your head, you then do the same in reverse on the other side of the body: right shoulder, right elbow, right hand and so on.

Once you have completed your tour of your own body, as if you were someone else examining it, then it is time to open your eyes and increase your mindfulness of your surroundings.

To do this, focus on any object in the room; it does not have to be anything special: a cup on the coffee table, a vase, a plastic flower, anything. Try to maintain that focus for half a minute, and then move on to any other object. You can repeat this several times, always maintaining a focus on your own body and your own breathing, creating a triple harmony with each object on which you focus.

By using this simple mindfulness meditation you are increasing awareness both of yourself and your surroundings, in a very gentle and easy way. It can serve as a prelude to some mental task, as well as being part of an ongoing mindfulness campaign to strengthen and expand the use of your own mind.

For example, most days I write, but sometimes I just do not seem able to concentrate on what I am supposed to be writing about. I find this type of exercise, even just for 10 minutes, will snap me out of that inexplicable malaise, and I can get right on and write what I should have written earlier.

Four Enduring Truths

2009-01-10T19:20:00.000-08:00

There are enduring truths about ourselves that we sometimes don't see or remember. What are they? They are truths that were recognized thousands of years ago, and have stood the test of time. Here are a four of them, and some ideas about how to use this knowledge.

Enduring Truths About Self Interest

We are self interested. When we sacrifice for others, even this is motivated by our own desires. Those desires include good feelings and wanting to see or make the world the way we want it to be. Forget this, and we become bitter trying to "do the right thing." In order to avoid this bitterness that comes with "duty", we need to see how being a good person and doing the right thing is just self interest.

We can also point out the self-interest of others when we want to correct their behavior. Tell a man he's wrong, and it isn't usually enough to change his behavior. It's better to show him his true interest - that behaving in a better way is better for HIM. Don't forget the normal and healthy self-interest in dealing with others AND with yourself.

Enduring Truths About Mistakes

Salvador Dali said, "Have no fear of perfection. You'll never reach it." Maybe you see this as negativity, but recognizing the truth is never a negative act. We all make mistakes. The greatest man or woman alive - whoever he or she is - has done some stupid things.

This isn't an attack on human greatness, but a recognition that it isn't dependent on doing things perfectly. Perfectionists certainly suffer for their demands upon themselves, while others hesitate to act for fear of mistakes. Accept that making mistakes is normal, and don't dwell on the the possibility or the reality of those mistakes. As Lao Tzu says, "Do your work, then step back - The only path to serenity."

Enduring Truths About Learning

Our mistakes give us a chance to learn, and so avoid even bigger mistakes. Of course, we also can learn from our successes, and from the successes of others. Why not view mistakes and successes - both our own and others - as the great opportunities they are. Just seize that chance to learn more and so live better.

Enduring Truths About Change

Probably you have seen people that appear to learn nothing from their mistakes, right? Haven't you also known and read about those who turned their lives around? A less important truth is that people often don't change. The far more important truth to remember, and the most important of these enduring truths, is that we CAN change.

Acts of Kindness Benefit Everyone

2008-12-30T18:59:00.000-08:00

Do you really want to be happy? Everyone says yes, but the gateway to happiness makes some of us frown. The gateway to happiness, is giving to others. Think about this: "If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." - The Dalai Lama

Some of us may feel that, if we give too much, our generosity, will be taken advantage of by others. This is true, and a few very selfish individuals can possibly perceive your good intentions as weakness.

However, people who seek to take advantage are in the minority. To quote Gandhi, "We must be the change, we wish to see in the world." Think about it, change has to start somewhere, so why not start with you and me, right now?

You can donate anything randomly, without seeking reward, and anonymously, without telling anyone. This is good for you, the universe, and those who receive your acts of kindness. Every time you give, you will receive – even, if you are not looking for a reward.

Try it, and you will see, what some call, “karma,” the law of cause and effect. It works like this: For every action there is a reaction. Let’s make sure the reactions to our actions are good ones.

Danny Thomas said, "All of us are born for a reason, but all of us don't discover why. Success in life has nothing to do with what you gain in life or accomplish for yourself. It's what you do for others."

Share everything and you will achieve a legacy of kindness. Share nothing and people will, do their best, to forget you. When my life is over I will only leave memories, in the minds of others, and I want them all to be good ones.

So, how much should you give? It can start with, “heart felt”, kind words, a note, a card, or a flower. You will find that your gifts or donations won’t make you poor. As a result of this, you will see most people, naturally, return kindness to you.

You should also take the time to be polite to all of the people who perform services for you, every day. Many people do not bother to say hello to the maid, janitor, parking attendant, or service clerk.

Once you do, you may even learn their name, and you would be surprised how many of them will go out of their way to give you good service, just by addressing them by their first name.

If you establish sincerity and trust where ever you go, you will be loved by your fellow man. It is really that simple. As Mohammed said, "A person's true wealth is the good he or she does in the world."

Activate The Energy Of The Universe For You

2008-12-20T18:59:00.000-08:00

Did you know that you can not create energy yourself?

You can just activate the universal energy, which exists always and will always exist.
This Energy gave you life. It’s always there, at every moment, for everyone.

There is no such thing like people with a lot of energy and other ones without energy.

The difference is that energetic people know how to activate this always available energy.
And the low energy people, they block this energy, which is although always available for them too!

Energy does not decide something like :”Hey I like this one so I will send her energy, and the other one over there I don’t like so he won’t get any of my energy”. This is nonsense!
The same counts for diseases. A disease does not “choose” a body to attack. How would it do it? Can you imagine a cancer saying : “I don’t like the way he cuts his hair, so I will attack his liver?” or “I can’t stand the way she talks so I will attack her breast?”

There is no such thing. It would be absurd. We have much more to say to our body and our life than we can understand for now or than we will want to admit for ourselves. Because to understand this is to take responsibility. Once we know that we “ask” for disease - by thinking of it all the time, by running from one doctor to another, by reading all articles about diseases in magazines, by telling our friends and family about all our pains and troubles - than we have to change our behavior and start to behave like a healthy person, who tries to understand why he got ill, and tries to see how he can change his way of thinking and handling to stay healthy.

It’s much the same for energy. Energy is always there. It never goes away, it never slows down, otherwise our whole galaxy would fall apart. The same energy which holds the stars at place in the sky, which makes grass grow and turn the earth on his own axis, is available for us. Can you imagine? It’s tremendous and there for us!

You can activate this energy for you by thinking the right thoughts, that is thoughts which stimulate you instead of turning you down, thoughts which bring you health instead of disease, thoughts which make you feel loved instead of fearing loneliness, thoughts which bring you wealth instead of poverty.

Is thinking about all this nice stuff enough to bring it into your life? No! Otherwise it would be so easy just to lean back and think about everything you want and floops….it’s there! We all would be fairies and make the world whatever we want without doing anything.

Luckily it doesn’t work like that! It would be dangerous! We need something else to make our thoughts create what we want : it is action. The combination of both will give us what we want : dreaming about what we want and putting ourselves into action, that is taking steps in the direction of our thoughts.

At each step we take, the universe also takes a step toward us. By our thoughts and our actions we activate this enormous universal energy to work for us. We make it move in the direction of realizing our dreams.

So the formula is pretty simple : first you dream, than you take action in the direction of your dream. This will generate energy to help you take the next step. The energy generated by this step will help you take the next step. And so on….

How do you know which action to take? Follow your guts, follow your intu๏tion. It’s the best guide you can find!

Stop worrying. Instead dream, think of what you want and get yourself moving in the direction of your dream. That’s it. Watch what’s happening. Let the mystery unfold itself.

A Silent Night — Not At My House

2008-12-10T18:58:00.001-08:00

People say, as they get older their hearing is not what it used to be. I have found this to be true for myself. The older I get, and I plan to get as old as I can, the more I hear noises in the middle of the night. Noises, I might add, that I have never heard before.

I’m not against noise. Personally, I try to make as much noise as possible. I’m just against noise not orchestrated with my sleeping habits.

And at this juncture of my career, sleeping has become a habit. In fact, I might describe it as an addiction. I tried breaking this addiction once but my wife complained I was just becoming crotchety.

When I was younger, I didn’t need as much sleep as today. Some experts opine that as a person gets older they don’t need as much sleep as they used to. I find this absolutely, positively untrue. I need more sleep today than I have ever needed in my entire life.

Actually, what I really need is to be able to sleep all night without disturbance. My definition of disturbance is anything I hear when I am trying to go to sleep — and I demand everything to be quiet. I will not mention any names, but this also includes persons who have the annoying habit of trying to talk while I’m trying to sleep.

It is not that I’m not interested in what this unnamed person has to say; it’s just that I don’t want to hear it when I’m trying to go to sleep. People have all day to get whatever is on their mind all talked out. That is why God gave us daylight hours.

It seems of late that no matter when I go to bed or how long I have actually slept, in the morning I always need just one more minute of sleep. That one minute more of sleep is the most crucial aspect of my nightly siesta.

Personally, I do not believe in alarm clocks. I think they have evolved over the years from some Neanderthal idea that it is important to get up at a certain time in the morning.

I’m of the opinion that getting up is a relative thing. One man’s wake-up time is another man’s “please, don’t disturb me yet.”

If God wanted me to get up at a certain time every morning he would have made it a little more appealing. As far as I’m concerned, I know I have slept enough when my wife is standing at the bedroom doorway, both hands on her hips and saying to me, in that wonderful voice of hers, “Are you ever going to get out of that bed today?”

I suppose I would be more willing to get up earlier if wasn’t for all the noises in the night. I believe in silent night, and not only at Christmas.

It is amazing to me how intelligent these nighttime noises can be. They are absolutely quiet until I’m just about ready to drift off into La-la-land, then there is a medley of screeching and yelling and screaming right outside my window.

It is not that I hate cats; it is rather I abhor cats making noise when I’m trying to catnap. Cats are wonderful creatures. For the most part, these cats mill around throughout the day and refuse to pierce the daytime with any fracas.

They stay out of my way and I reciprocate by staying out of their way. They keep quiet all day long but when I’m just about ready to drift off to sleep ,they start a Hullabaloo concert right out my window.

Show me a cat that is silent all night long and I will show you one that has been run over by a truck. Cats do not know how to be silent at night. This confuses me because all day long you don’t hear one little whimper from these creatures.

It does not matter what time I go to bed, all of the cats within a 10-mile radius of my bedroom are alerted to this pertinent information. All I can figure is there must be some sort of a feline union, or maybe it is tabby-telepathy for all I know. Just two nights ago, I counted 2,972 cats outside my bedroom window, all fighting each other at the same time.

Perhaps, and this is pure conjecture on my part, these cats are working in shifts, which is why the entire night can be thoroughly covered with screeches, squawks and meows that grate on my fragile nerves.

When the neighborhood cats finish their nocturnal routine and settle down for the night, quietness settles over my backyard, which is conducive to sleep. At this point, the only bird the neighborhood cats have not successfully chased out of my backyard awakens to serenade a new day.

If it is not the night noises keeping me awake it is worrying about something n anything.

But a verse in the Bible gives me some encouragement. “Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.” (Psalms 127:1-2 KJV.)

Not all the cats in the neighborhood can take from me what God delights to give me.

A Gift of Energy

2008-12-10T18:58:00.000-08:00

"When attack becomes dance, everything is seen as a gift of energy."

That sounds great, doesn't it?

Couldn't we all use a little more energy from time to time? I know I could. Right now, for instance, as I sit with a blanket over my shoulders, sipping lemon tea and hoping that the next coughing spasm is not as ferocious as the last two, I could use a gift of energy. The tickle that started in my nose and chest a few days ago has blossomed into a full-blown, body-wracking cold, complete with chills and fever.

The martial art Aikido (The Way of Harmony) teaches us to see everything that comes our way as energy to be danced with. By centering and extending our ki (life energy) we connect and blend with the energy of attack, making it a part of us. We redirect it from center, keeping ourselves and our attacker safe from harm.

How this elegant metaphor applies to situations in our personal and professional lives is a continuing source of study and fascination for me. One of the ways I work at integrating Aiki principles into my life is by sharing the philosophy with others. My workshops use physical exercises which help our bodies remember how to do things like center, extend, acknowledge and blend. We begin to dance, flow and move with the energy of conflict instead of blocking it.

So I sit, wondering how I can dance with this attack. Even centering doesn't stop the incessant coughing. I have no ki to extend (it seems to have retreated to the innermost recesses of my system). The only thing I can think to do is to acknowledge and embrace.

But that, at least, is a beginning. In years past, I would not acknowledge being sick. When I was sick, I'd often go to work anyway. I plowed through what needed doing with half a spirit and wore myself out. I probably infected half a dozen others in the process. I was sometimes ill-tempered, depressed and depressing to be around. If I can't acknowledge what's going on, whether it's a cold or a problem at home, I surely can't embrace it. By this I mean make it a part of me, connect with it so that I can begin to look for solutions.

Most of our conflicts, internal or external, would resolve themselves if we would only take this first step - acknowledge them! But because we see them as negative, we immediately resist by fighting or fleeing. If I can see what comes my way as energy, with no positive or negative charge other than what I give it, I can be more curious about it. As unwanted as it may be, there's definitely more power in dancing with it than in resisting it.

As for my cold, I'm still trying to learn if there's a gift here somewhere. Let's see - I've already read a book I've been putting aside for months, started another, and gotten some much needed rest (in between coughs!). I may not always know what the energy offers, but when I can ask the question "Where’s the gift?" I've taken a step in a new direction.

Are You Inspired In Your Work?

2008-12-08T19:18:00.000-08:00

Why do we all work? If it is for money, then does it mean that those who earn enough to last a life time or those who inherit, should do no work? Try to find out around with your friends about why they work and surely few of them will answer - for money. If someone who has enough money decides to do no work, will it make that person happy and contented? We derive satisfaction in life by doing things that we feel are worth while. If we are sure that we have done good work, we feel peace in the heart. It gives us the approval of our ability. Let us find out if we are inspired in and with our work.

How to know if we are inspired in what we do? The first question should be - are we made for that work? Does that work fit our abilities and mental makeup? If yes, the first barrier to inspiration in work is broken. For example a person with weak physique will find the work of a sailor very unsuitable. What about enjoyment? Do you enjoy doing your work? Are you happy at the end of the day or tired and irritated? If you enjoy doing your work, no amount of hard work will tire you out totally. Otherwise your inner frustration of doing something that you don't like doing will tire you out with anger in no time.

Do you feel that your work makes other lives better? If some how you can begin getting that feeling, your inspiration in work will rise without any other help. Think of a person, who made a bed especially for a sick person. During a visit to the sick person, the maker is told that the bed has made life much better and how much the patient loves the bed and thanks the maker for that. The person who made that bed will feel extremely satisfied with his/her work after this session. Unfortunately, most of the customer interaction are handled by the marketing department now a days and the people who work to make the product, don't come in touch with the users. We all feel very satisfied if we feel that our work has made someone feel better. If the marketing person who makes good sales is thanked by the shareholders of the company for multiplying their investment, he/she will be equally happy. the point is - we feel satisfied and inspired if we give joy to other with our work.

The last test to find out if you are inspired in your work would be to find out if you show creativity in your work? Those who are inspired show creativity in some area of of their work, because they want to improve the work efficiency. Uninspired souls will only wait for the day to get over while inspired ones always feel good and creative doing their work. If you have found a work that inspires you, you are very lucky, otherwise it is time to find your true vocation and get satisfaction.

Are we our own prisoners?

2008-12-08T19:17:00.001-08:00

Imagine a person in a prison. He/she has been imprisoned for life and will wait till death in the prison.
What can possibly motivate such a person? What do these people look forward to in their lives?
Sometimes, we are also prisoners of our thoughts and our past deeds. We also have nothing else to look forward to. We only have regrets. At least, we can do something about the conditions, but the prisoners can do nothing. Life can be depressing at times. How to inspire ourselves in such conditions?

What is inspiration?

'Inspiration' the word as it is commonly understood means to experience a state of mind that propels us to work happily, try to achieve goals, and feel good about ourselves and the world.

How to break open the prison?

When we are not inspired and can set no goals, we feel that we are so helpless that nothing can be done. The first step would be to try finding stories of people such as Helen Keller who overcame so many difficulties to emerge victorious. That will give us a basic thought that things are not that bad. We will open at least one door of our prison with this thought.

Then go back in your memory. Try and think of instances when you felt good because of some achievements. It could be something very small. Anything. Like coming first in the class in your second year in school, or getting a good remark from a teacher for an essay or for a math answer. That will break open another door.

Now begin counting your blessings. Do you have a functioning kidney? Can you see? Can you hear? Can you smell? Are your hands ok and so on. Will you sell your eyes for any price? No! Who said that you have no money? You are a wealthy person who is unaware of your wealth, your blessings, Isn't it? This will open one more door.

Break the last door open by thinking of the goals you might want to achieve. Believe that you can do that. Start planning. Think of ways. Talk to people. Be ready for a long struggle but with a firm resolve that you will achieve the goals. This will take you out of the prison of your thinking and make you a new person ready to fight.

Get set to go ahead. You are a winner in making!

A Century of Hope

2008-11-30T18:57:00.001-08:00

What would one initially think about someone who dropped out of school at the age of 16? Would there be any hope for this person? This person is Bob Hope. Comedian Bob Hope starred in over 50 movies and lived past the age of 100 years old.

Hope was born in England and his family moved to the United States when he was four. What can we say about our past? Have we let things from our past get in the way of achieving what we want and living a life we love? Where you came from is out of our control. Where you’re going is up to you.

1. Bob Hope held many odds jobs before becoming a comedian

Long before Hope became a successful comedian, he held many odd jobs selling newspapers, was a delivery boy, worked in a soda shop, a shoe salesman. Newspaper reporter and was an amateur boxer.

Many of us have had to work at odd jobs in order to make money. Working at odd jobs gives us opportunities to discover what we want and don’t want to do as a career. The skills you obtain through your experiences of working at odd jobs may prove to be valuable in your future career. For example, any job that can strengthen your communication skills is invaluable.

2. Hope took dancing lessons

Hope received on-the-job training while appearing in vaudeville. To hone his skills, he took dance lessons. Hope was such a good dancer, that he took over some dance classes to help his teachers.

Do you have a passion that you would like to expand? Do you like to write or draw, but don’t know where to start? Do you like to play a particular sport or instrument, and want to get better? There numerous classes that are offered to help those who desire to improve oneself in a particular field and topic.

3. Bob Hope was versatile

Bob Hope was a successful dancer, singer and actor and comedian. Bob Hope was an enormously successful comedian. His ability to dance, sing and act very well made him a much better comedian because his options broadened on how he could entertain people.

Many of us are good at what we do in our careers. Becoming versatile could only make us better.

4. Hope entertained Military Troops from World War II to Operation Desert Storm

Hope did a major service to increase morale among military personnel. For almost sixty years, Hope toured many countries to show his appreciation for the men and women of the armed services.

Is there something that you have been considering to give back to your community? Is there a charity in which you would like to raise money for them? Would you like to encourage youngsters to explore a particular career? Bob Hope was a great example of giving back to his community. Bob Hope was a great example of not settling to be great in only one area. He was a success at so many areas in entertainment. Bob Hope did not let his past dictate what he could do in his future.

5 Great Ways To Start A Super Conversation In A Group Situation

2008-11-30T18:57:00.000-08:00

Five practical tips for starting a great conversation in a group situation.

Starting a conversation is not always easy. Especially when you donดt feel comfortable with the people you are conversing with.

There could be an eerie feeling of awkwardness at the start of the interaction unless you know the five secrets...

Here are five secrets to starting a great conversation with a group of people:

1. Get everyone involved.

When starting a conversation, introducing people to each other could be necessary. That is if you donดt know each other or some of those present donดt.

Then, connect one of your group to the topic you are talking about by inviting him to contribute. Or you might simply relate one person to another with their commonalities to encourage dialogue.

2. Choose a topic.

When starting your conversation, choose a general topic. One that everyone can relate to. This will let everyone feel that they belong. This is a great way to encourage everyone to share ideas.

3. Do not drill with questions.

This should be avoided especially when asking one person only. The person may feel that he or she is facing a firing squad. Asking too many questions to a person may let him or her feel uncomfortable.

By doing so you might give that person a reason to leave the conversation. The others may also feel uncomfortable with this - they might think that they will be asked next!

4. Break the ice.

At first, there may be awkwardness among the group. You can work to break the ice. Each one of the members is just waiting for someone to do this. You can do this by cracking a joke to make them laugh. You can also start by telling a story. This may lead them to share their story, too. Then, everything will follow.

5. Ask open-ended questions.

These require a more than yes or no answer. These questions will make the flow of your conversation much smoother if done intelligently. These questions can even lead you to another topic.

Asking questions allows you to quickly test the waters to see which topics people are interested in discussing. Just be careful to ask with a pleasing tone.

It is not necessary that you use all of these tips or to use them in order. You can simply choose which ones are most appropriate for the situations you find yourself in. What matters is using these tips to kick off a conversation on a positive upbeat tone.

Once you start experimenting with new ways to start conversations you will noltice what works best for your personality. At this point it will all be much easier and before you know it you may even enjoy meeting new people.

3 Simple Keys to Getting Rid of Fear

2008-11-20T18:56:00.000-08:00

Fear is your enemy – no other way to describe it. I’m not talking about that natural life preserving action along with a major boost of adrenalin that happens if a wild animal is coming at you. I’m talking about the fears people live with day in and day out.

Fear is your enemy. Someone once described fear as, “Sand in the machinery of life.” Fear doesn’t help you, it hinders you. Fear doesn’t get you through an open door; it keeps you in the hallway. Fear never helps you put your best foot forward; it just keeps both of your feet in cement.

The psychology of today is, “Learn to live with your fears”, “Embrace your fears”, “It’s normal to have fears – everybody does.”

It’s true; lots of people do have fears. And there are people who are trying to learn how to live with their fears, and embrace them.

But if it’s “normal” to have fears, then why would the Bible talk about being delivered from all your fears?

Think about it - if it’s normal to have fears, and you had no fears, then you would be abnormal, right? Well why would God want you to be abnormal?

He doesn’t. He truly desires for you to be set free from all your fears.

There are many facets and aspects of fear. One of the big ones is having fear of what others think of you. People do things, say things, and even buy things because of the fear that they have of what others think.

Many times people join clubs or organizations because they are afraid that if they don’t, others might think badly of them.

People say things and talk a certain way because they are afraid that they might not say the right thing in front of the right people.

People purchase items because of fear not measuring up to those around them. And on and on it goes.

You don’t have to live with fear. Here are 3 simple keys to getting rid of fear.

First, start by realizing that God truly loves you and that His love for you is unconditional. The Bible teaches that nothing can separate you from His love. Nothing. His love for you does not change, ever!

Second, ask God to help you to get rid of all your fears. He has promised to deliver you from all your fears. That is His desire for you – a life without fear.

Third, make decisions based on what is best for you, not how it may or may not appear to others. You’ll never, ever be able to please everyone, so stop trying to. You’ll never, ever be right in everybody’s eyes, so stop trying to.

When you make a decision, ask yourself, “Why am I making this decision? Is it based on fear?” Make decisions based on what is right and best for your life, regardless of what others think.

You can live without fear.

3 Positive Steps to discover the purpose of life.

2008-11-14T18:55:00.000-08:00

If your life is not as passionate as you would have liked it to be, if you lack the zest and energy for living, it is because of the lack of an underlying principle around which one’s life should be organized.
The process of discovering this underlying principle may be the most powerful thing you will ever do yourself, because it will give your life a direction, a purpose. It will provide you with the clarity and focus, that could awaken the unbelievable forces hidden somewhere deep inside you.

In this article we will discuss the concept of life and its underlying principle. We will be going through a step by step procedure, exploring your feelings and options, and by the end of this article, you should have a fairly solid tool you could immediately employ in your life, to give it a meaningful direction.

There are three steps to the process of discovering the purpose of your life:

Understanding the principle of choice
Creating your underlying principle
Aligning your life with the underlying principle

Understanding the principle of choice

Norman Vincent Peale has this to say about the power of choice. “The greatest power we have is the power of choice. It is an actual fact, that if you have been groping under unhappiness, you can choose to be joyous, instead. And, by effort, lift yourself into joy. If you tend to be fearful, you can overcome that misery by choosing to have courage. The whole trend and the quality of anyone’s life is determined by the choice that are made”.

Choosing is the most important activity of your mind, because by making a choice, you are proclaiming your desires to your subconscious mind. Once the subconscious mind get to know your desires, it is going to do anything to manifest them in your life. The choices you make in your life become your goal. And, if you are sincere in pursuing them, there is no reason why you should not accomplish them.

Indecision, on the other hand, not only creates frustration and anxiety, but can also confuse the subconscious mind about what you want. But it is important that the choices you make are made by you, in accordance with your true desires, purposes and aptitude. A lot us of let others make choices for us, or make our choices according to what we think is ‘correct’, even if that means that we go against our wishes. What is right for someone is may not be right for you, and the way to know this is listening to what your heart says.
So, begin with, make a list of things which interests you; things which you have always enjoyed, which makes you feel better, which inspires you to surge ahead, no matter what obstacles you face. Do you like doing something creative, or something artistic? Do you enjoy nature, do you like the sea? Do you enjoy helping others? Do you get pleasure out of making a difference in other people’s life?

What ever it is that interests you, go ahead and make a list under the following headlines:

Things you love to do:

______________________________________

What is it that you love in this thing and why? How you could do this for money, and make a living out of it?

__________________

__________________

Creating Your Underlying Principle:

The next step is to examine the list you just made and find out if there is any recurring them. Maybe, it is the contribution that keeps coming up, or an effect to seek or give love, or helping your parents cope with old age. Whatever it is try to identify the central them of the things you love to do, and try to put it in a short and precise statement. This will be your ‘Mission Statement’. It may even be a quote by a famous person, or a philosophy that has influenced you. Of course, as you grow up, this statement could evolve, but its soul will remain the same. Now, write down your Mission Statement.

Aligning your LIFE with the Underlying Principle:

The final step in this journey is to map your path to your ultimate purpose. Make the little changes in your lifestyle that would accommodate this principle in your life. LIVE this principle each and every day. It might take a few days, but you will certainly feel the difference in your enthusiasm for life. If you realize that you love being amidst nature, plan out your holiday. Maybe an outing with your children could be enough to recoup with your energy. On the other hand, you might even want to change your job, or start a new business, that is more in line with your mission.

Remember – “Do what you love, and money will follow”.

Unleash Your Creative Thinking Ideas

2008-10-30T20:33:00.000-07:00

People seem to have the misconception that only a select few are able to unleash a steady flow of creative genius. That is not true at all. The fact is, creativity is very much like a muscle that needs to be exercised in order to consistently give out great results. If you don't practice harnessing creative thinking, this skill will very much atrophy into inexistence. But keep working and this skill will soon come to you in a snap.

So how do you unleash your creative thinking? Well, the first thing is to become a human leech. No, we're not talking about just sucking the blood out of every living being available, we're saying that you should take in as much knowledge and learning you can find. Read everything available -- good and bad, and keep your mind open to the infinite possibilities of the universe. The more you know, the more you'll want to know, and the more your faculty of wonder will be exercised. Prepare to be amazed at little facts that add a bit of color into your life.

Focus on a creative activity everyday. Yes, it's an effort. Even doodling is a creative activity. Don't let anything hinder you. Mindlessness may be a creative activity, but for people who are just starting out to unleash a little bit of creative thinking in their lives, it is helpful and encouraging to have concrete evidence, that, "hey, what I'm doing is getting somewhere." So why don't you try it. Practice drawing for a couple of minutes each day. Bring out your old camera and start snapping photos like crazy. Keep a journal and make a point to write in it religiously. Another cool idea is to write by describing something with your five senses. Try to avoid vague adjectives like "marvelous," "amazing," and "delicious." Before you know it, you'll have built yourself a tiny portfolio, and you'll be amazed at the growth you've undertaken after amassing all those works of art. Who knows, you might actually take to liking those things you do everyday. Pretty soon those things will become a part of you and you'll be addicted to these creative exercises.

Think out of the box -- or don't. Sometimes, constraints are actually a good thing. Limitations discipline you to work within your means. It enables you to be more resourceful. Creative freedom is great, but limitations enforce discipline.

Try something new everyday and let your experiences broaden your perspective. Explore a new district in your neighborhood. Spend an afternoon in a museum to which you've never been before. Chat up someone on the bus. Open up to the people around you. As you thrust yourself out of your comfort zone more and more each day, your sense of adventure grows and so does your zest for life. Think about it. When was the last time you did something for the first time? If it's been a while, I tell you, you've been missing out on a whole lot of experiences that could've added to your growth, emotionally, mentally, physically, or spiritually. Why don't you try bungee jumping today? Not only will you learn, but you will also have plenty of stories to share, enabling you to practice your storytelling skills and making you the life of the party.

Embrace insanity. No, not to the point of practically admitting yourself into the mental ward. As John Russell once said, "Sanity calms, but madness is more interesting." Exactly! Every creative thought was once deemed insanity by other "normal" people at one time or another. Luckily, that didn't stop the creative geniuses from standing by them. The thing is, sanity or being normal confines people to think... well, normally. Withink limits. Creativity is essentially breaking through barriers. Yes, this includes the bizzarre and the downright strange. I'm not saying that you yourself should develop a creative personality. That might go haywire. An example of a creative personality would be George Washington, who often rode into battle naked, or James Joyce, who wrote "Dubliners" with beetle juice for an intense fear of ink, or Albert Einstein, who thought his cat was a spy sent by his rival (or in thinking creatively in this case, the term could probably be "archnemesis.") It's important that your creativity doesn't get you detached from the real world completely.

I hope this article has inspired you to start thinking beyond your "limits." If you follow these steps pretty soon you'll be living a life full of interesting adventures. Unleashing your creative thinking will bring about a new zest for living life.

Felix Adekola has a great free resource website, http://felixadekola.com containing different articles on Success, Time Management, Career Tips, Blogging, Internet Marketing, Computer Security etc. Visit to find all the tools and resources you need to get started fast.

Success: A Stretch Beyond Your Comfort Zone

2008-10-20T20:21:00.000-07:00

I've often witnessed the ways in which many people become their greatest obstacle in their path towards success. It's human nature to do this. We complain at the drop of a hat when we don't achieve the outcomes we desire. Whether we're seeking a new career path, a fulfilling romantic relationship, better relationships with our colleagues at work, managing our finances more effectively or increasing our income, we think it's just about manifesting the end result. But really what's required is for us to grow at a personal level. We're being called to change our old habits and ways of being in the world. Many of us can easily share a list of things that we'd like to do or achieve. Yet, too often, that list stays inside our heads. Why? Because, in order to create external change, the first essential step is to be willing to shift internally. We talk a good talk, but when it comes to creating results we hit a roadblock, feeling stuck and challenged by shifting our thoughts and beliefs. We are too quick to surrender our dreams and we throw our hands up in the air, giving up.

So how can we go about creating an internal shift to manifest the external results we desire?

We achieve this by:

1. Admitting that we enjoy complaining, feeling hopeless and overwhelmed. Sounds crazy, doesn't it? But admit it, don't you experience a slight sense of satisfaction when you complain about your particular situation or circumstances? Part of us finds pleasure in wallowing in our own self-pity. We actually enjoy receiving supportive comments and an empathetic head shake from others. We tell ourselves that we can't change or that we're inherently flawed in a particular area. This causes us to feel a sense of relief because we let ourselves "off the hook", feeling justified in not taking any further action. Often we convince ourselves that we really didn't want what we were seeking anyway.

2. Accepting responsibility. We have to stop complaining and blaming others (regardless of whether or not we believe we are in the right and they are in the wrong). We must remember that we are the common denominator in every situation that we've encountered in our lives. We can continue to blame others and give away our power or we can step up to the plate and accept our part in the way situations have played out in our lives.

3. Defining our personal growth edge. Get clear about what is holding you back. Ask yourself, "How am I being called to grow in this situation? What is the opportunity that I'm being given to learn right now? What are my underlying beliefs behind how I interact with others that is causing me to behave in a certain way with them?" And here's the biggie: "Do I really believe that it's possible for me to change or am I rigidly committed to the belief that I can't change and that my situation will always remain the same?"

You cannot create change with this kind of belief. If you don't believe change is possible, then don't get frustrated with yourself when you don't feel motivated to create the change you desire. You're sending mixed messages to the universe. It's equivalent to having your foot on the gas and the brakes at the same time.

4. Getting clear about what we want. Many of us experience conflicting values and priorities in our lives. We want to have a successful career and we want to be there for our family. We believe it's impossible to have both. But it is possible to have both. This is your soul talking to you - calling you. You can have both; don't disregard one or the other. If you want a successful career and you also have a desire for rich, connecting relationships with your family - claim it! When we get in touch with what we really want and truly desire at a soul level, we re-motivate ourselves.

I have found this to be true for myself. At times in my life when I struggled and felt unmotivated, I would stop myself and get back in touch with finding clarity in the result that I wanted to achieve. If you're not clear about the "what you want" part, focus on specific qualities that you'd like to achieve. For example, if you're not clear about the specific kind of career you want, focus on the qualities of the career. You may decide that you want a career that you are passionate about and that brings a specific amount of income.

5. Being willing to step out of our comfort zone. Once we've identified the beliefs and behaviors that are holding us back, we need to be willing to take action and step out of our comfort zone. I heard a quote sometime ago, "Success lies just beyond my comfort zone."

The clients I've worked with who have achieved the results they desire are the ones who are willing to take a good hard look at what is holding them back, to get clear about what they are passionate about and what they want to go for, and are willing to take action to move in that direction.

Each day we are provided with the opportunity to bridge the gap between growing inwardly to create the external reality we desire. When we focus on the inner part, the outer part truly does take care of itself.

Leslie Cunningham is a published author, sought after speaker, nationally certified coach/consultant and radio talk show host whose passion is to help people achieve financial and lifestyle prosperity and establish a perfect balance between meaningful work and the benefits of having free time. Get more financial and lifestyle prosperity tips at http://www.liveandloverichly.com or contact her directly at 406/586-5561.

My Daughter - My Inspiration

2008-10-11T20:09:00.000-07:00

My daughter Manteee (Samantha) has shown me a path that I like traveling. She has been and will continue to be an inspiration in my life. Her fearless nature and competitive qualities have swelled my heart. I am so lucky to have her as my daughter.

She loves playing softball. Her competitive nature shows up in many facets of the game. As a second baseman she dives for groundballs that have a chance of getting to the outfield. She races for fly balls and pop ups that she must get and usually does get.

While batting she will take one for the team. She will allow a hard pitched ball to hit her so she can get on base. She will stand up to any pitcher, no matter how hard they throw, to get her swings in. On the bases is where she is fearless. Diving or sliding into a base with no apparent concern for her body has often scared me. Taking the the extra base when most girls just stand around has earned her a thumbs up from her coaches.

She has stepped in and played against players, in some tournaments, that were five to six years older than her. Some of these girls are over six feet tall. My daughter is five feet two inches if we put her on a stretching table. Her lack of height has been made up by her determination.. Starting for her high school team as a Freshman was quite an accomplishment. What was even better was that her coach favors Juniors and Seniors because they have more experience.

Baseball and softball have been a large part of my life. Writing this e-zine about my daughter has been a pleasure. She has made her dad proud. I feel like I am glowing inside when I watch her play. I feel like I am the luckiest father on earth.

My fantasy baseball story has come to reality through my daughter. I wanted one of my children to excel in baseball. She is the one that has carried the ball and bat. She may or may not want to continue her career after High School. That is up to her. But for now I am able to watch, admire and feel proud.

I have admired Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Willie Mays and Derek Jeter to name a few of players that impressed me. My daughter has tied Derek Jeter as one of my all time favorites. They are both on my top ten list.

Aron Wallad has been a baseball lover for over 45 years. What do you like about baseball? Do you love inspiring quotes, unusual statistics or heartwarming baseball stories? If you love baseball you will love this ezine. http://www.baseballsprideandjoy.com/index.php?tag=isnare To contact Aron - aron@baseballsprideandjoy.com

Six Success Secrets To Help You Get Rid Of The Fear Of Failure

2008-09-30T21:37:00.000-07:00

One key success secret is learning how to overcome the "Fear of Failure". The fear of failure is something that has become ingrained as a kind of "negative mindset" in a lot of people.

Happily, just as it is possible to program the mind with a negative mentality, so it is possible to reprogram the mind with a positive mindset. In fact, a large number of the leading success mentoring experts you hear about today are people who have come through much tribulation of mind and suffered from just such a fear of failure as besets many people today. They discovered that the mind can be reprogrammed, and they took their discovery to heart and reprogrammed their minds, and consequently, their lives, for success.

You too can reprogramme your "mental default setting" and switch it from "negative" to "positive", from fear and self-doubt to courage, confidence and self-affirmation.

Here are six pointers to help you overcome your fear of success and get your mind to shift from negative thinking to positive thinking!

1. Understand how fear works to thwart your plans

Success does not come without setbacks or obstacles but in spite of them. When your fear of failure is too large, obstacles will occur as reasons not to continue. It is not actually the obstacles that stop you, but your lack of confidence, which causes you, like Pliable in Pilgrim's Progress, to turn back at the first obstacle.

2. Cut yourself some slack

Don't stress yourself out on a new project. Instead, cut yourself some slack and give yourself some time out. Leisure activities and relaxation will refresh you, put you in a positive frame of mind, and give you the space in which to find renewed inspiration.

3. One small step at a time...

Instead of trying to tackle an ambitious project head on, break it down into small, easily achievable steps. Write each step down as milestones on the path to the overall goal. As you complete each small step, you will grow in confidence and feel motivated to move on to the next task.

4. Start by doing something you are good at

Work on something you enjoy and are good at in order to build up your sense of self-esteem. By gradually increasing your confidence like this it will become easier for you to take on those projects that hitherto have triggered your habitual fear of failure.

5. Talk to yourself and boost your self-esteem

The root cause of fear of failure is usually low self esteem. Improve your self esteem by talking positively to yourself and by learning to recognise your abilities. Learn to trust what you say to yourself about yourself more than the opinions of others.

6. Surround yourself with positive people

If those who are close to you tend to put you down, your low self esteem and fear of failure will be constantly reinforced by spending too much time in their company. Rather than spending too much time in a negative environment, seek out new companions who will offer you positive support and feedback, people who share common goals - even if you have to turn to the Internet to find them.

If you follow these six steps you will make positive progress towards overcoming your fear of failure and you will be well on the way to enjoying a life of success and positive results.

Discover how, for just a token $2 donation to charity, you can qualify for two weeks of privileged access to over fifty of the very best success mentoring experts and self-improvement tutors. Go to: http://grasp-the-nettle.com/Success-Secrets.html for more.

David Hurley works in Japan as an English language professional and success mentoring consultant to various Japanese businesses, institutions and charities.

The Road to Riches Explained

2008-09-25T21:36:00.000-07:00

It's an old saying: Life wasn't meant to be easy. You have to work hard if you want money, they say. You don't get something for nothing.

The last statement is the only one that is true.

There's no doubt in the mind of any person of reasonable intelligence that in order to get money �" or anything else for that matter �" you have to do something first. That's why we talk about money being earned. It's the act of doing something, being of some benefit or service, that allows us to earn money. So does that mean that the harder we work, the more money we earn?

That's where some people make a mistake. There's a notion that was particularly widespread in the past (yet many still carry this notion even today) that working hard is the only way to make money.

But is that really the case? If it isn't, then what is the answer? And if it is, then why is it that so many people who work hard make little money?

It's really quite simple to understand why working harder isn't the solution to making more money. Let's take the example of a factory worker. Let's say this person makes $700 a week working full-time. Now this person wants to make more money. So he decides to work harder. He manages to get more work done every day than the rest of the employees because of the extra amount of work he does.

What do you expect will happen to this employee? If he's lucky, his boss might give him a raise. Most of the time, nothing would change. But let's say this is a good boss that rewards his employees.

So after working harder for a few weeks, the boss notices the extra effort made by this man, and now he gets $800 a week. So there's a hundred dollars extra every week that shows up in his bank account. Is he now rich?

You can be the judge of that. But taking the best-case scenario, let's say this guy gets promoted into a managerial position, and makes $1000 every week. We all know this doesn't always happen, but knowing that this is an ideal boss, he gets this promotion. So now �" let's say it's been a few months �" this guy is seeing three hundred extra dollars a week because of his hard work.

Is there any chance of another pay rise? Probably not, taking into consideration the fact that this is a regular factory worker with no special skills or experience in any other industry. So now we can quite safely say that this guy will be making a thousand dollars a week for a while to come.

Did this man get rich? Depending on where you live, a thousand dollars a week is quite an average income. You won't go through life struggling to buy necessities, but you won't be swimming in riches either.

So much for working hard!

So what is the solution, you ask? Now that you've seen what happens when you work harder, let's see what happens when you work smarter.

Let's use another example. We have a lady who is working as a sales assistant in a retail store. She also makes around $700 a week. She wants to get rich, but she already knows that working harder is not the answer.

Instead, she realizes that she could make good use of her spare time after work and on the weekends. She doesn't have any professional qualifications, but she has a fine imagination and a lot of ideas.

She's always enjoyed reading, for information as well as for pleasure, so she decides that it would be a great idea to write a novel. So every day after work �" instead of watching TV or reading the newspaper �" she spends a couple of hours writing down ideas for this new project.

Now after several months, her project is just about completed. She hires an editor to read through the novel, give his advice and thoughts on it, then goes out looking for a publisher. Within another few months the novel hits the bookshelves.

Because of her incredible imagination and captivating style, the novel sells in huge quantities. By the end of the year, she finds herself with a nice profit of $100,000 from the sales of her book. Not to mention the money that could result from future sales.

Is the picture becoming clearer now? Here we have two people, of average status, with similar incomes, who both would like to make more money. One of them adopted the idea or 'work harder', and after a few months, ended up with an extra few hundred dollars a week

While the other decided to use the philosophy 'work smarter' and after several months, ended up with a six-digit number in her bank account.

Such is the power of imagination.

Drea Mer is an observer and researcher on the hidden meanings of life. He is constantly looking for ways to get the most out of life, and assists others in reaching their full potential. You can find ideas, tips and advice that could transform your life forever at Drea Mer's blog: http://transform-yourlife.blogspot.com

Perfecting Self Hypnosis for Goal Achievement

2008-09-23T21:45:00.000-07:00

Self Hypnosis For Anxiety And Stress

It is well established, within medical circles, that stress is the biggest cause of illness in the body. Since the dawn of the technological age stress has become more and more of a concern as regards our health. In fact most research suggests that the great majority of adults feel stressed in their life with no idea of how to deal with it never mind eliminate it. Is there a way to deal with stress to make it more manageable? Is there a way to eliminate it completely? Have you ever considered self hypnosis?

It is believed that up to 90 percent of healthcare-professional visits are stress related. At best we can expect to be given pills or potions to alleviate the symptoms with little hope of actually eliminating the root cause. So, if professionals armed with their arsenal of 21st century cures cannot do how can self hypnosis?

Self hypnosis is natural stress relief. In order to enter a state of trance it is necessary to remove immediate stresses from the mind and body.

For this reason alone self hypnosis is extremely valuable as a stress reduction tool. The relaxation felt in trance, while under the influence of self hypnosis, has been likened to things like a drug-induced state or a state of complete emotional and mental freedom!

It only takes a few minutes to experience the stress-relief effects of self hypnosis. However there is much more benefit that can be gained from using self hypnosis than just momentary stress relief! A well chosen self hypnosis program can access the mind in ways that cannot be done in a conscious state to eliminate the stress completely.

The root cause of any and all stress is based in your emotional responses. It is not the physical subject of the stress that causes the problems but your reaction to it. This is why self hypnosis is such a powerful tool for dealing with. Through self hypnosis you can access the emotional root cause of your stress and eliminate it entirely.

The trance state, induced by self hypnosis, is a state of deep relaxation and heightened concentration. It is an Alpha state of consciousness that allows you to easily access past and experiences and how you are emotionally connected to them.

By using self hypnosis you can break the emotional connection with any situation, person, event or belief and replace it with tranquillity, peace of mind and even new more positive emotions.

Self hypnosis is used to gain communication with the subconscious mind directly. Once this connection is established it is relatively simple to reprogram your mind with new beliefs, thought-process and emotional responses.

With a well chosen self hypnosis program you can "anchor" positive feelings to any event, person, situation, circumstance, memory or activity. Usually through the use of some NLP techniques that are employed in all good self hypnosis products you can transform the way you view, act and react to anything.

So not only can self hypnosis be used to create immediate relief from stress but it can also be used to eliminate it completely.

If you wish to find out more about self hypnosis and how it can be used to eliminate stress just follow the links below.

Hypnosis explained.

Self Hypnosis has free reviews of the best self hypnosis products found after testing.

Michael is a university graduate with over 23 years expereience in personal development and hypnosis.

Have What You Have: A Surprise Key to Success

2008-09-20T21:32:00.000-07:00

Do you think more about and appreciate what you have OR do you think and worry more about what you don't have? Your sense of having or not having greatly impacts your success. Looking at the truth of who you are is important to understanding how this works.

Science has now caught up with a core message of many spiritual paths - You are one with that which created you. This means that you are both Spirit and human, or Spirit enjoying a human experience.

As Spirit you have within you everything you could ever want or need to be extraordinarily successful in every way - in relationships, health, happiness, business and finances.

It's Universal Law

When you are unaware that you already have everything you need or desire, the tendency is to think that you have to get what you don't think you have from outside yourself. The motive of "getting" is not aligned with true wealth and success. It goes against universal law.

From a relationship perspective, the energy of getting feels like pressure to others. They know on some level that you want something from them and will resist your efforts.

With a sense of "having" you become a giver and the universe rushes in to give you many times over what you have given. It's a universal principle that you always get back what you give, and more.

It is also a universal principle that the abundance of the universe is in continuous flow. When you give, you open up the flow of your good. When you come from "not having", you block it.

Three Core "Haves" for Success

You have wealth beyond measure within you. Three core treasures that come into this life with you are love, desire and value.

Love is a spiritual gift. It's part of your Spiritual DNA package.

When you realize that you have love, giving love is your natural response. Your way of being and your actions are all based in love. You open up the flow of your good and you naturally attract more love into your life.

Desire is the life within you seeking new expression. Your desires guide you to that which makes you feel fully alive and serves the highest good.

Value. When you realize that you have value, you trust and move with your desires.

You know that what you have to offer others is valuable. You give of yourself and create rich relationships. And you tap into your natural creativity for new ways to contribute value for others.

In the Flow of Wealth and Success

As you remember that you are one with that which created you, it follows that an abundance of all that is good and the seeds of all that you desire lie within you. You become one of the "haves," you tap into the generosity of spirit that is your true nature and you become a giver.

From a sense of having and the spirit of giving your joy grows, your fears and doubts cease and you find yourself in the flow of wealth and success.

Step into Your Greatness! You have everything you need.

Reggie Odom LICSW, CPCC, PCC, founder of Inspired Works, is a Professional Coach, Intuitive Consultant, Spiritual teacher, speaker and writer. She is also on the faculty of the National Institute of Whole Health where she teaches a coaching series. She can be contacted at(617)524-6153, reggie@reggieodom.com or you can visit her web site at http://www.reggieodom.com.

Living a Life That Matters Doesn't Happen By Accident!

2008-09-18T21:44:00.000-07:00

My name is Abi Motala and I want to tell you why I am writing this article. I am battle-scarred from dealing with the trials and tribulations of living through an extremely challenging period of my life, during which I was besieged by personal traumas involving career setback, business failure, stress-related health problems, tax investigations, the premature death of four siblings and the early demise of key business associates. Living was awful.

I was driven so close to the edge of the abyss that, at one point, suicide seemed a very attractive option. To this day, I am in awe of the mysterious, inner force that stopped me from giving up on my loved ones, and taking the cowardly way out.

This inner force has, since that fateful day, been guiding me to a contented life full of richness and appreciation.

You see, prior to my period of excruciating pain and anguish, I had been blessed with good fortune but, I had taken everything in my privileged life for granted. I was not happy. I was acquiring wealth but, not richness. Certainly, there was no richness in me either in spirit, or in the quality of my life.

I was like the man who knew the price of everything and the value of nothing. I had a caring wife, three wonderful daughters, a beautiful home and yet as a business-obsessed workaholic there was no self-appreciation of anything in my life. I wanted more, and demanded more from my nearest and dearest. I was invincible. I was immortal, and I was prepared to pay any price to be successful.

My period of torment has taught me that we may not have control over what happens to us in every season or cycle of our life, but we most certainly have a choice as to how we deal with everything that happens to us.

Having experienced both the highs of success and the lows of failure, I have finally realised that living a life that matters is not down to circumstance but one of choice.

Ready or not, someday it will all come to an end.

There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days. All the things I have collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.

One's wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what you owned, or what you were owed. Your grudging resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear. So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans, and to-do lists will expire. The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won't matter whether you were a good golfer, successful investor, a beautiful person or simply a brilliant individual. It won't matter where you came from, or on what side of the tracks you lived. Even your gender and skin colour will be irrelevant.

So, what will matter? How will the value of your days to be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought, but what you built; not what you got, but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success, but your significance.

What will matter is not your competence but your character.

What will matter is not what you learned, but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not how many people you know, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you're gone.

What will matter is not your memories, but the memories that live in those who loved you.

What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.

I have created a website to help me share with you the success Principles and Strategies for Fulfilment, Health and Wealth. I do sincerely hope that you will drop by and make my day.

"Success is the reward at the end of the path taken by the person of perseverance." Abi Motala

Abi has extensive business management experience at senior levels within large companies, both in the UK and Western Europe.

Having spent 30 years in business, he has personally enjoyed many triumphs as well as endured many traumas. During his business life he has built a significant network of high achievers in many fields, and has witnessed the impact of both success and failure on his business associates and friends.

http://www.abimotala.com

How To Be Inspired Whenever You Want

2008-09-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

We have all had some experience of being inspired. It may recent or in the dim and distant past but we know what it's like to feel fully alive. We've been supercharged with energy and we've heard ourselves speak with passion.

It's a great feeling - we get loads of energy. We gain 'fresh eyes' so we can 'see' what is truly important, what really matters. That gives us laser-like focus.

The future becomes one of exciting possibilities. We discover the freedom to make real choices. We realise that we have the power to overcome the barriers and limitations that have been holding us back.

Inspiration is the essential spark in a chain reaction. It sparks off strong self-motivation and leads on to action towards valued goals. From the office to the Olympics - inspiration means we achieve more. Achievement itself can fuel further inspiration which leads to continued motivation and action so that a virtuous circle is created.

Without inspiration, there is no catalyst so motivation is shaky, energy is low and action is hard. When we're not inspired, things can be a struggle.

So what's the secret? How do we get inspired?

It may appear that inspiration comes from 'out there' - perhaps a beautiful sunset, a piece of music or the touch of someone special. In fact this is a kind of shorthand for what is happening.

If we take it literally that the sunset inspires us, we are making the case that the sunset is the cause of the inspiration. Yet this can't be true otherwise everyone who saw it would be inspired.

What is actually occurring is that we inspire ourselves as we use the sunset to trigger our own feelings and thoughts which do the inspiring. The inspiration comes from within. The locus of control is ours.

Exactly how we inspire ourselves is an individual thing - different people do it in different ways. The great news is that we can learn how to inspire ourselves and then we can be inspired whenever we want.

Here are 5 steps to get the ball rolling:

1. Notice any experience which triggers your inspiration. Aim to repeat this experience more often.

2. Wake up your senses. Each day this week concentrate on one of your five senses - Monday 'seeing', Tuesday 'hearing', Wednesday 'touching' and so on. What do you notice that is new?

3. Search for the worthwhile meaning in what you do.

4. Throw out old uninspiring habits and create new inspiring ones.

5. Look out for what stops you being inspired. What could you do differently to avoid this?

Each of us can learn how we can be the source of our own inspiration. Instead of waiting for a random event to trigger your inspiration, you can become inspired when you choose. The skills you acquire to do this can be yours for life.

Trevor Hill works with groups and individuals who want to reinvigorate their working lives. He believes that as we spend a major part of our lives at work, we should aim to get the most from it. As a qualified coach, he created 'Inspiration at Work' in 2004 to help people create more energy, focus and satisfaction in their professional life. Trevor publishes free inspiration tips every fortnight ' simply sign up at http://www.inspiration-at-work.co.uk

Become a Leader and Take Action!

2008-09-13T21:43:00.000-07:00

Becoming a Leader

When you are at work, do you get frustrated because things don't seem to be happening the way they're supposed to be? You see people milling around but nothing gets accomplished. Then maybe its time for you to stand up and do something about it.

Most people are content just to stand around listening for orders. And it isn't unusual to adopt a follow-the-leader mentality. But maybe, somewhere inside of you, you feel the desire to make things happen and to be the head, not the tail. Then maybe leadership just suits you fine.

Some people believe that great leaders are made, not born. Yes, it may be true that some people are born with natural talents. However, without practice, without drive, without enthusiasm, and without experience, there can be no true development in leadership.

You must also remember that good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their natural skills. This takes a commitment to constantly improve in whatever endeavor a person chooses.

First of all, let's define leadership. To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. He contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.

Contrary to what most people believe, leadership is not about power. It is not about harassing people or driving them using fear. It is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture of the organization. You must be a leader not a boss.

First of all, you have to get people to follow you. How is this accomplished?

People follow others when they see a clear sense of purpose. People will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going. Remember that bumper sticker? The one that says, don't follow me, I'm lost too? The same holds true for leadership. If you yourself do not know where you're headed to, chances are people will not follow you at all.

You yourself must know the vision of the organization. Having a clear sense of hierarchy, knowing who the bosses are, who to talk to, the organization's goals and objectives, and how the organization works is the only way to show others you know what you are doing.

Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It's about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of what you're subordinates must be.

Studies have shown that one other bases of good leadership is the trust and confidence your subordinates have of you. If they trust you they will go through hell and high water for you and for the organization.

Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics.

The way you deal with your people, and the relationships you build will lay the foundation for the strength of your group. The stronger your relationship, the stronger their trust and confidence is in your capabilities.

Once you have their trust and confidence, you may now proceed to communicate the goals and objectives you are to undertake.

Communication is a very important key to good leadership. Without this you can not be a good leader. The knowledge and technical expertise you have must be clearly imparted to other people.

Also, you can not be a good leader and unless you have good judgment. You must be able to assess situations, weigh the pros and cons of any decision, and actively seek out a solution.

It is this judgment that your subordinates will come to rely upon. Therefore, good decision-making is vital to the success of your organization.

Leaders are not do-it-all heroes. You should not claim to know everything, and you should not rely upon your skills alone.

You should recognize and take advantage of the skills and talents your subordinates have. Only when you come to this realization will you be able to work as one cohesive unit.

Remember being a leader takes a good deal of work and time. It is not learned overnight. Remember, also, that it is not about just you. It is about you and the people around you.

So, do you have the drive and the desire to serve required of leaders? Do you have the desire to work cooperatively with other people? Then start now. Take your stand and be leader today. If your an entrepreneur and if you would like to experience leadership through a business of your own, then start your own internet business by going to this website that will give you access to a free tour: www.money-titan.com.

Daren Pedroza is Network Marketer/Consultant from San Antonio, Texas. To start your own home based internet business, take the free tour at www.money-titan.com.

Harnessing the power of dreams to create wealth

2008-09-11T19:59:00.000-07:00

“Hey You at the back of the class stop day-dreaming and pay attention!” Which one of us did not hear that phrase repeated many times in our school days? Having dreams and aspirations is an essential part of any successful entrepreneur’s makeup. But what do they do to utilize the power of those dreams? This article gives you some tips on using visualization, to achieve your goals. First to be successful in business, you need to define your personal definition of success. What is success for you? Which goals do you need to reach to be successful?

Imagine trying to sell TV advertising, in the early days when most people had not seen a television. It must have happened, or we would not have had any commercial TV today. The sales people in those days used the art of visualization to sell the concept that “a picture is worth a thousand words”

The key word here is “imagine”! I want you to imagine, or indeed create a picture of what success means to you. Sitting on a sun kissed beach or playing round after round of golf whenever you want �" just create that picture. Making that “picture in your mind’s eye” a reality

It was once said that a vision without corresponding action is a mirage �" great to look at but unattainable.

First to be successful in business, you need to define your personal definition of success. What is success for you? Which goals do you need to reach to be successful?

Write them down, think about them, and visualize them.

Visualization is much more powerful than most people imagine. By nurturing a desired image in your mind repeatedly, you will allow yourself to be successful �"easily and simply! How to plan your objectives

In this positive frame of mind ask yourself exactly what it is that you do well. Check this with your best customers. Ask them how they see what you provide. Why do they like it, how would they describe the benefits of what it is you do. Finally ask them what image, your products and services, conjures up. You will find after doing this, you will have a common theme.

Does doing more of this help you achieve your goals?

Now set your objectives. They should be based on doing more of what you are good at, to reach your goals. The good news is, that having done the previous exercise, you know it will be in synch with what the market actually wants.

You need to set milestones, or short term goals to keep you honest as your plan progresses.The more you plan your objectives, the higher the chances of success. Objectives need to be realistic yet optimistic, quantifiable to be measured. Fulfilling a strategy through visualization

What you will now have done is connect a dream with reality, by setting out a set of actions or steps to help you get there. This is what the business gurus call a strategy. In reality it is a set of actionable steps, turning a dream or goal into reality.

There will be bits of the business that you just can’t do well. Don’t even try and do them, if you are not good at accounts, use an accountant. If you do not know how to market or sell, hire someone who can, if you can’t afford a full-time person, someone like 3R can help you.

There are times when you dream will go fuzzy, or out of focus, when things go wrong �" don’t worry, go back to your imagination, get the image of success and focus on what did go well. It’s what the rich and famous did, and you probably already do a lot of, without knowing it!

This article is one of many sales and marketing articles written by Peter Lawless of http://www.3r.ie - Marketing Consultant delivering Marketing Strategy & Online Marketing, Sales Trainer, and Public Speaker.

Change Your Mind - Change Your Life!

2008-09-10T21:31:00.000-07:00

Change Your Mind - Change Your Life!

When did you begin to choose the life you are leading now? When did you decide on the job you have, and against the job you want? When did you decide that the money you make now is all you can make? Did you decide?

Change Your Mind, Change Your Life is a book about your future and the decisions you are making today, which will create that future.

"Determination and belief are the starting points for success. They open you to new opportunities to do and be anything you desire, and you only need a subconscious thought to plant the seed. How do we do this?"

This book is based on real answers to that question.

Change your Mind, Change Your Life will walk you through the steps to real answers and teach you to start asking the right questions. By learning how the mind works, we understand how to break the cycles that keep us on the outside looking in, instead of where we truly wish to be.

The understanding found in this book will open your mind and your eyes to a world which has always been there; you just didn't know the questions to expose it to you.

How often have we found ourselves looking across the road to discover something lacking in our own lives? By changing our Minds we remove the lack in our own lives. We remove the unnamed need that eats away at our day to day lives. By changing our Minds we walk away from a life that constantly needs repairs and begin a life that Rewrites our Reality.

Whether we know it or not our energies are focused and those energies are working in our lives, for better or worse. Like electricity, our own energies do not decide they will work in one area, and not another. Electricity doesn't stop working because the toaster is bad or the stereo is on a negative channel. Electricity flows through the circuit until it is complete. Our energies act in exactly the same way. Change your Mind, Change your Life expands this simple life truth, and shows you how to change your circuit path so the things you want in your life receive the energy, rather than sending it to the things that are strapping you down.

Read Change your Mind, Change your Life today, and start putting focus and energy into your own success.

To receive this FREE e-book, please respond with your email address and I will gladly forward this to you.

Here's to YOUR success in whatever you choose to do.

Thank you, Darla Rodgers darla@darlarodgers.com http://myinternetbusiness2wealth.net

Realtor, Producer, Online Business owner

"Recreating Our Imagination"

2008-09-08T21:43:00.000-07:00

As a child growing up in the rough rural countryside of Texas in the fifties and sixties I was given a large amount of time to create what my imagination desired. It was a rich world full of made of stories, games and projects created from my imagination. In the quiet lifestyle I was able to have an open space within me to relax into wherever my mind wished to wander to.

As I began school the wide-open playground of imagination began to narrow. As the years passed the conformity of other people's mindsets, school disciplines and the attempt to be like everyone else changed how I perceived the world.

As an adult it has been a rediscovery of myself that is revitalizing the creativity within me. It is a process of breaking out of the linear world that we live in to a place of all possibilities.

It all begins by living in a state of non-judgment to everything in your life. It is living without the decisions of right or wrong, good or bad. Whenever we judge we close off our awareness to what we are judging. For example if we believe that religion is bad we begin to lose the perspectives of all of what it has done and is in the world.

Imagination begins with the willingness to perceive and be all energies. It is how we interact with our selves that develop it. What are we willing and unwilling to see within us? The more that we are intimately aware of our feelings and sensations and at the same time not attached to them the more we become aware of everything around us. This creates the atmosphere for creative thoughts and ideals to proliferate easily.

The more that we confront what our limitations we can free up the suppressed parts of us that block a more open perception of our surroundings. Inner exploration is a continual process that gives us more awareness, energy and imagination. That is why it is always important to identify and process your feelings and sensations. Our suppressed conflicts and feelings are energetic blocks that do not allow us to have a free flowing connection with a greater source.

One ingredient to imagination is being creative in all phases of our life. Creativity is not limited to our art, writing or whatever we have deemed as our creative endeavor. It is a choice to be open at all times to create. It is listening within us to what is the most expansive thing to do in any moment. Sometimes we are drawn to our garden, to go for a walk or to redecorate the kitchen. There is something that is revitalizing in a variety of activities that gives an opportunity for us to be creative in them. Children have a simpler term for it, play.

Creativity is an energy that is connected to a simultaneous consciousness, within us and beyond us. Being in the flow of following what is light or what we are guided to do is being in sync with that kind of energy. It guides and feeds us when we stay open to it. We will generally be led back to what we are passionate about the majority of the time with a richer invigoration. At the same time, expect surprises.

Sometimes it is good to pull from a source beyond us. Before I write I sometimes sit in my backyard and I invite the presence of the trees and the earth into my body. I immediately feel lightness in my body in this communion. After sitting with this consciousness for five to fifteen minutes I feel charged and ready to write.

You can connect to any energy or consciousness that is out there. Before I write I sometimes connect to the energy of J.K. Rowling. It seems like my writing takes on the feel of her writing style without plagiarizing. Other times I like to connect to Mary, the virgin, a real powerful presence on the planet. We have choices to what energy we are in ourselves. If we are aware of ourselves our ability to commune with any energy expanded imagination becomes as natural as thinking.

Bart Sharp is an Access Learning Facilitator from Austin, TX. Through the years Bart has worked on variety of issues with individuals and groups. Bart teaches classes about communing with nature, how to connect with energies of all things and other topics related to Access Energy Transformation. Contact Bart at bart@bartsharp.com or www,bartsharp.com

Are You Following the Crowd or Your Heart?

2008-09-05T21:38:00.000-07:00

How often do you find yourself doing something, thinking to yourself 'I hate having to do this'?! We all do it all the time, and most of us feel like there's no choice in the matter. No matter how much you may hate your job, if you don't do it, you don't get paid, and you can't make a living. This is the way many people end up 'suffering in silence', spending their whole lives doing things they hate, simply because of this 'have to' mentality. Is there a way out? What's the solution?

When talking about doing what you love, most people respond by saying, "Well, I wish I could make a living doing what I love, but if I did that, how would I pay the bills? I can't take such a risk." There will naturally be an element of risk. I mean, there's no guarantee that you will start making a living doing your dream job right away, but there are certainly ways of reducing that risk, and making the transition from your current life to your dream life as smooth as possible.

Before making that transition though, it's important that you have a big enough reason to do so. If you don't have something that you're really passionate about, you won't be willing to go after it. But if you do, you'll find yourself making up all kinds of excuses to avoid doing it. Then you'll find yourself at the end of your life, thinking about how your life could have been different if only you had pursued your dreams...

If anything is holding you back, any excuses or inconveniences, then just think of this way: This is MY LIFE. I've spent 'x' number of years doing what I have to. I don't know how much longer I have before my time is over. Am I willing to accept the fact of spending the remainder of my life doing what I have to? Am I happy to live my life like this? When I retire, will I be satisfied with what I've accomplished over the years? Will I ever be proud of what I've done in this world?

If you find it difficult to say yes to the last three questions, then you are not following your passion, you are not living your dreams, you are not doing what you love to do, and you are not living a meaningful and purposeful life.

The big question you need to ask yourself now is: Am I ready to do what I love? Am I ready to truly live a life filled with a sense of true satisfaction and purpose, no matter what it takes, no matter how much effort I have to put in, no matter how long I might have to work on it?

Or are you happy just to be a 'nobody', just another one from the crowd?

The choice is yours. It's your life. My philosophy is: If I can't spend my life living my dreams, there's no point in spending it in any other way.

Make that first move and don't look back. Ever.

DREA MER is an observer and researcher on the hidden meanings of life. He is constantly looking for ways to get the most out of life, and assists others in reaching their full potential. You can find ideas, tips and advice that could transform your life forever by visiting DREA MER's blog: http://transform-yourlife.blogspot.com

To Get in Synch With What You Really Want - Clarify Goals

2008-09-03T21:41:00.000-07:00

Reality creation is what you do, you are doing right now. If you can answer "what do I really want" with certainty, you are on your way to empower yourself with focused intention. Improvement in your personal growth and personal esteem will follow. Once in synch with your true passion and life direction, you will begin manifesting your miracle.

To clarify your goals, can you imagine what would you feel like when your miracle manifests? You transmit that feeling vibration, emotionally. You have a conscious creation in mind, so pretend you have reached that goal right now. What exactly is the feeling of it?

You could call this wizardry training, or a form of prayer. You focus and re-focus on your 'good outcome' feeling, and dwell on it and breathe it into the trillions of cells that you walk around in, and fill them up with it.

Every cell has a transmitter so don't miss one! (You have to stay light with this because it sure doesn't work when you get serious.)

Sometimes just paying attention to goals or a new reality creation magnifies the things you don't like in your current situation. You find yourself ruminating 'How exactly did I get here?' 'What went wrong?'

What you don't want is the open doorway towards what you DO want. So you start where you are, right here, right now. "THIS" (fill in the blank) is what I don't want. What I want is THIS (fill in the page, underline, underline, circle). You don't have to have the guru-standard bliss about it. You might even write with a flash of resentment or anger. Whew! You said it, did you get a l little relief?

In practicing self improvement, the more you can clarify goals, the more deeply you can get in touch with the fulfilled feeling of your desired outcome. Wouldn't your life change direction if that feeling became the most dominant, or default feeling in your experience? Every day, or on most days? The external circumstances of life may not change immediately, yet trust in the outcome, it will be aligned with you.

Focused attention, or contemplation of your goals and the accompanying feelings, is enhanced by your clarity. Spend time with yourself every day. Invest in your present. Give five minutes of dwelling in the feeling of being an empowered and selective creator in your life and in our world. If some idea attached to your plans doesn't feel quite right, ask yourself again "what do I really want?" You might want to re-clarify some aspect of your goals.

Even if your job seems unrelated to your real passion in life, or you get emotionally waylaid by persons around you, any time, any moment, you can pause and grab some quiet. Stop and gaze out a window at treetops. Peek at the wallet photos of your kids.

You repeatedly set forth your deliberately selected emotion, which is the vibration of a frequency that you want reflected back to you.

You are already on your way to manifest a miracle by acting to clarify your goals and remain in synch with what you want.

Change your life - learn how to improve your use of the Law of Attraction, and Manifest A Miracle to change your life direction.

The Key to performance inprovement: Motivation

2008-08-30T19:20:00.000-07:00

Some authors distinguish between two forms of intrinsic motivation: one based on enjoyment, the other on obligation. There is currently no universal theory to explain the origin or elements of intrinsic motivation, and most explanations combine elements of Fritz Heider's attribution theory, Bandura's work on self-efficacy and other studies relating to locus of control and goal orientation. Motivation is also an important element in the concept of Andragogy (what motivates the adult learner).

It is inducing others in a specific way towards goals specifically stated by the motivator. A goal should be moderate, not too hard or too easy to complete. Goal-setting theory is based on the notion that individuals sometimes have a drive to reach a clearly defined end state. Goals in the classroom: students' learning strategies and motivation processes is the most important.

Successful experience: It is the teachers' responsibility to help learners achieve academic success by providing challenging, yet attainable tasks. Success is measured on an individual basis, recognizing that it means different things to different students. As a result it includes a range of dimensions that are relevant to success at work but which are not conventionally regarded as being part of performance motivation. In both cases, most people are not optimally motivated, as many want a challenge (which assumes some kind of insecurity of success). What follows is a guide to motivation using what I've learned over the last few years in a series of successful accomplishments, goals and habit changes. I've had many failures, but also many successes, and I've learned a lot from all of them.

Positive attitude is a must for a successful learning atmosphere. There are all kinds of motivations, of course, from positive to negative. But I find that positive motivation works better — if it's something you really want to do, you'll do a much better job than to avoid something you don't want (such as being fired). Secondly, there is positive and negative motivation. So with extrinsic motivation out and negative motivation out, we're left with only one quadrant: Intrinsic positive. Create a happy, positive work environment and people are naturally motivated. No amount of "positive" encouragement can change that.

Motivation management was based on a study of all managers of training programs. Ability in turn depends on education, experience and training and its improvement is a slow and long process.

Here's what I think: Intrinsic rewards are internal to the person; for example, satisfaction or a feeling of accomplishment. Second, the depiction reflects a widely shared assumption, one which forms part of the backdrop for debates about the nature of moral motivation, namely, that moral motivation is strikingly regular and reliable phenomenon. As already noted, regardless of their views with respect to broader met ethical questions, contemporary philosophers do not take any position on the precise strength of moral motivation—with the qualification (alluded to earlier) that they reject, apparently universally, the idea that moral motivation is ordinarily overriding.

Francisco Rodriguez Higueras Looking a Business Opportunity? Business Opportunity FREE newsletter http://www.work-from-home-business.eu

Some Tips To Understand Your Motivation, Clarify Goals, Organize Your Life And Nurture Your Spirit

2008-08-28T21:39:00.000-07:00

I couldn't make the title shorter. The concepts in it seemed to be necessary to form the holistic thoughts I have included in this article. The use of The Law of Attraction, gratitude, or positive prayer, can improve how you organize your life, and nurture your spirit. To understand your motivation for self-improvement is to understand and clarify your goals, increase your personal and family time, affect how you make money, and stay connected to your soul.

To keep this simple, start with the outer aspects of your life. If you are using The Law of Attraction, you need more personal time and inner quiet. You may prefer journal writing, to meditation. You may prefer yoga, which can be strenuous or meditative, to sitting still, as a means to achieve a focused intention. Nothing short of an exhausting full body workout effects that for some of you.

If you are among the men and women in midlife, you probably feel a sense of urgency to get the best value out of your remaining years. You may be afraid that you won't have enough family time for your spouse and grandchildren, when they arrive, if you are still working full-time. So the time you put aside each day to improve your use of The Law of Attraction, might start with a short list of the external things you want to have more of. Money, time, space, nutrition, mobility, a HUGE holistic life improvement.

And then a list of why - this will clarify the outcome you are envisioning. This will affect how you decide to nurture your soul. It may lead you to reflect on some beliefs that you were not previously aware of. "My family history shows we don't live that long". "People in my family die suddenly". "My family lives long, way beyond functionality". This is good if you find yourself having thoughts like that! There is a solution for every debilitating physical condition. Part of organizing your life may be to read up on nutrition and exercise for your body type, or eating right for your blood type. If you're too short on time, ask your kids to search a little for you and send you links. It's their legacy too!

The idea of manifesting a miracle in your life - such as a financial windfall or winning a home - is not something you should dismiss as frivolous. Those things happen to people. However, noticing and appreciating small daily miracles increases your appreciation for life. Appreciation gets you closer to the frequency of your dearest and wildest dreams.

This planet is not friendly to everyone. It is a miracle to have been born in a first world culture. Just appreciate it, in your mind, heart, and soul and wish it for everyone. You have just prayed for the whole planet.

Here is one example of a situation, that when improved, would change life a lot:

If you have lazy teenagers at home that stress you out, help them. Stop spending money on them, aside from shelter, food, basic school supplies and a basic wardrobe. Stop doing their laundry. They will not learn how to organize their life unless it is demanded of them. They may not be very good at it, and maybe that part of their brains aren't built yet. However, I've seen many that work, get good grades, and still have a social life, brain developed or not. They even know how to use the clothes and dish washer. And I'm not talking about just girls either.

If this is unacceptable to you, ask yourself - what in your self image is cracked by the thought of your teen children working? Don't you want them to make a little money and develop social skills? This is just an example of recognizing your motivation. And then revising your methods of achieving personal or family goals, or revising your self perception.

Stay connected to your soul. This can be simple. Look at some greenery, your garden, a beautiful picture, a family portrait. Let the beautiful reality of that sink in for a few moments. That's nurturing your spirit.

Nutrition, crystals, healing relaxation via bathing with herbal essences and aromatic oils, a long walk; all of these help nurture your spirit. Your personal style and needs define your choices.

I've touched upon various topics in this article. There is so much more to the holistic view of life. I hope to lead you to organize the aspects of your life you need to improve, to help you to nurture your spirit, understand your motivation in a simple way, and increase your personal and family time.

Change your life - learn how to improve your use of the Law of Attraction, and Manifest A Miracle to change your life direction. Get information here" about anti-aging nutritional education.

A Life of Your Choosing

2008-08-25T19:26:00.000-07:00

Choice: many of us feel we have lots of them; some feel they have little or no choice in one or more areas of their lives.

“The greatest gift Life could have made to you is yourself. You are a spontaneous, self-choosing center of Life, in the great drama of being, the great joy of becoming, the certainty of eternal expansion.” [Unknown]

Everything we think, say, feel, and do (or don’t) is a choice.

The moment we recognize the value of this, we can choose to be more conscious about our choices.

In love relationships or any other area of life, staying where you aren’t “fed” is like starving in a banquet hall filled with food. When you go to a banquet, no one makes you eat. When and what you partake of is your choice. How is this metaphoric scenario any different from life?

Everything we’re experiencing in our lives right this moment is the result of a choice, whether it included action or perceived inaction. When we don’t like our outcomes, we have the power to shift future outcomes at either the inner or outer levels, or both.

If you’re one who works with the Law of Attraction or any other form of quantum-thinking system, it can take a while to switch from focusing attention on what you no longer want, or believe needs fixing or changing, to what you desire to expand more of into your life, and how you choose to feel.

The key to the greatest energy or power in this is to realize you can choose how to feel in any moment. You really can. I’m not saying it’s necessarily easy, but you can do it. This includes choosing to feel as bad as you feel you need to for as long as you feel the need to. Honoring your feelings is not a flaw. Emotional pain happens as a part of life. How you choose to suffer and for how long is up to you (usually long past the event for many).

It’s remarkable what can happen when you make a choice about what you prefer and figure out which appropriate action will move you forward to your desired outcome. For one thing, it takes your emotionally-charged focus off of where it doesn’t belong . . . what you don’t like or judge as not good (or the past), and puts it where it can do the most good . . . on what you wish to create more of in your life.

Perhaps it’s time to recognize exactly how much power you really have in your life, and live it.

Joyce Shafer is a Life Empowerment Coach and published writer. Discover if you’re ready to create more life balance and fulfillment through the power of coaching. http://www.freewebs.com/coach4lifebalance

The Top 6 Factors of Successful Goal Setting

2008-08-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

The key to getting what you want in life is to identify, plan, and implement effective goals. You should have meaningful goals for all the areas of your life that you wish to focus upon developing. Only by doing so can you truly hope to be successful. But just how do you go about it?

There are many methods for goal setting, some more successful than others but firstly it is important to understand that whatever your goal may be, it is highly likely that someone else has already achieved what you are setting out to do, or at least something very similar. So why not use their experiences to help you along your own path to success.

Take time to research the subject concerned and try to establish just what the successful people in that field did to get where they are. You can learn much from reading auto-biographies and other books, articles and blogs. Visit your local library, buy magazines and surf the net to find out as much as you can. Building up a large resource of information, advice, and true-life experiences is essential. Then identify what you can apply to your own circumstances and concentrate on clearly writing out your own plan for achieving your goals.

You must have a structured approach and for your goals to be effective your plan should feature the following elements:

Accurate Description

You must write down clearly what you want to achieve. For example, if you want to start a business what sort of business is it? Do you want to work alone or with a partner? Do you want to work from home and for how many hours? Be precise about the details or else it will simply not happen.

Priorities

You must be sure what your priorities are. Be careful not to set targets that are unrealistic in the context of your life.

Obstacles

Examine what may stand in the way of you achieving your aims. How can you overcome any obstacles? Be as honest and thorough as you can even if it means confronting areas of your own personality or your own abilities.

Timescale

Your objectives must be timed so be clear in stating when you intend to achieve them. This may be weeks but it could be years. Be honest and realistic in defining your timescales.

Measurements

You must have a way of measuring your progress towards your goal. You must regularly review how far you have gone and ensure that it is a written record of some form. Maybe you could keep a journal or a diary. Set targets for set periods of days, months, years etc and monitor your progress.

Motivation

You must understand your motives for setting the goal. What are your reasons for doing what you are doing? Be prepared to accept that what you want may change. So be flexible and make alterations to your goals if need be. Don't let the pursuit of your goals become a chore.

And one other tip; Write your goals in the present tense rather than the future. Use sentences like: "I am running my own successful business from home"; "I live in a large 5 bedroom house with a swimming pool and a paddock and stables for my two horses"; "I am a confident and happy person."

That way your subconscious mind, believing that the situation already exists, will accept more readily what it is you want to achieve and the steps you need to take to do so. So why not start right now and plan your future.

This article was written by Tony Hall who runs his own business dedicated to helping individuals develop their personal and business skills. You can learn more about how to develop your own life skills and get your complimentary copy of "The Process of Success" by signing up for his weekly newsletter at: http://www.selfimprovementskills.com/newsletter.html

Increase My Income

2008-08-18T21:38:00.000-07:00

The big question on a lot of peoples mind these days is "How can I increase my Income". That question is on my mind and it is on your mind. The cost of our everyday needs has been on a rapid up climb leaving us to wonder what we will do in the near future. The future is not that far away.

As you know, gasoline cost have been very unstable and uncontrollable. Gas costs go up and up then they go down, but not as much as they went up then back up. Along with gas price increases are prices of food and clothing. Items we just can't get along without. Once these items go up, there seems to be no down.

Many of us have already been reduced from a good steak diner to hamburger. We call it a family B-B-Q, but it is still hamburger. I don't know about you, but I would like another steak.

Is there anything we can do to increase the income we are trying to live on? Some people say there are a lot of things to do to make more money. Well, actually there is. The question is will it help now. Is there an immediate solution?

The answer to that question is a simple "no". There is no immediate fix. A lot of the "Make Money on the Internet" guru's say they can help you create instant cashflow. It ain't gonna happen!

There is a setup time involved and time is needed to find people interested in whatever your product is. Internet money programs often don't make enough money to cover the start up costs and those that do usually take over a year to produce money. Believe me, I've been there.

My first website program took over 17 months to produce only $100. I'm just glad I wasn't pressed for money at the time.

Another thing people will tell you about increasing your income is to get a better education. With a better education you can land a higher paying job. That is true, but it will take years to learn a new skill and another year as an apprentice before you can go it on your own.

Of course, you could always just quit your job and go find a better one. What could be wrong here? Well, I'll tell you. When you quit a job you loose all your seniority and what income you had.

When you start the new job it may be better but you will have to start at the bottom and work your way up. That means you will not be paid as much as you were getting before plus you loose all the seniority and benefits you had.

It may be a couple of years before you prove your worth and get a raise or two and you have to do it without insurance for you and your family.

So you are stuck right where you are. What you should do is search the internet for a good program that can take you where you want to be in the shortest time but don't expect overnight.

There are some out there that can give you results in as little as 2 weeks to a month. That of course, depends on how much you put into the program.Good luck and don't give up to soon.

If you need more information on a program like that you can get it here. http://www.fuellegacy.com/default.asp?q=178156

Len Roe has been in the same position you are and has done research on the subject. Len has written many articles on subjects like this and his website covers some points of interest.

Living a Successful Life: What is Your Rule for Success in Life?

2008-08-15T19:25:00.000-07:00

Living a Successful Life: What is Your Rule for Success in Life?

“What has to happen for you to feel successful?” �" Anthony Robbins

Today I want to share with you a great wisdom I got from Anthony Robbins’ book Awaken The Giant Within, on how some of our rules for success in life may be responsible for making us feel unhappy and less fulfilled in spite of the huge success we may have already achieved in life.

We make rules regarding almost every area of our lives, such as in our relationships, business and health, and we live our lives based on these rules. Consequently, our behaviour is unconsciously directed by the rules we have set. If our rule for a particular aspect of our life is met, we tend to feel happy, fulfilled, and successful, but if not, we are sad and frustrated.

For instance, if one of your rules for love in a relationship is “shouting at the other person means absence of love for that person”, you would therefore be happy if your partner never shouts at you, but if they do you would feel unloved, dejected and alone.

There is certainly nothing wrong in having rules for different areas of our lives. Indeed, rules help to motivate us to accomplishing our desires and living a successful life. For example, if one of your rules for health is ‘I must exercise daily,’ it propels you to keep you body in shape and good working order by exercising daily.

However, the problem comes when we make rules that are difficult to achieve. And when we are unable to meet them, frustration, stress, and dejection set in, resulting in our inability to even recognise and enjoy the successes we have already achieved on our way to meeting the rule.

This may be the singular reason many seemingly successful people in our society are not fulfilled or happy in life - sorry to say, they still live a life of misery even with their huge achievements.

In one of his ‘Date With Destiny’ seminars Mr. Robbins accosted a well known fortune 500 executive, a man who had recorded great feats and contributions to his community; a physically fit man who was well loved by his wife and 5 children. In everyone’s eye this man was an epitome of success. He asked him, “Are you successful?”

But the answer Mr. Robbins got was shocking �" the man answered “NO.” Probing further, Mr. Robbins asked, “What has to happen in order for you to feel successful?”

What came out were extremely difficult rules that he had set for himself: he needed to earn a yearly salary of $3 million [he was already earning $1.5 million yearly as straight salary in addition to a bonus of $2 million]; he also needed to reduce his body fat to 8% [his body fact was 9%]; and he never wanted to get frustrated with his five children [five children, each with their peculiar behaviour!].

Obviously, as you can see, this man had wired himself to ensure he never knew success, talk less of enjoying it. Here was somebody who was already profoundly successful in most areas of life, but was unable to enjoy his success and life because of his set rules.

Again Mr. Robbins met another man who exuded lots of zest and was practically bouncing off the wall, appearing to be greatly enjoying the seminar and life. He asked him the same question, “Are you successful?” The man beamed at him and said, “Absolutely!” Really! “What has to happen for you to feel successful?” Mr. Robbins enquired deeper. And with a huge grin the man explained, “It’s so easy. All I have to do is get up, look down, and see that I am above ground! Every day above ground is a great day!”

Can you believe that! This is awesome! With such a simple and achievable rule this other man has made sure he would always feel successful and happy in his life, irrespective of the challenges he may encounter in his daily activities.

The bottom line I want to draw your attention to here is that we should right away begin to reassess our rules and see if they are not stringent to accomplish. If they are, we should replace them immediately with simple and easily achievable ones, so that, like the second man we can begin to live each day feeling successful and happy.

For a full dose on how to live a successful, happy life by making effective rules, the book Awaken The Giant Within by Anthony Robbins is a good read.

Innocent Ibhaluobe is a personal development and business coach with special interest in entrepreneurship and raising small businesses. He owns http://www.successprinciplesonline.com where you will discover Ideas to Make Money and Live a Successful Life

Transforming an Ideal Into Something Real

2008-08-13T21:31:00.001-07:00

You might need to possess a wide range of skills and abilities to achieve whatever goal you may have set for yourself. You may or may not be in possession of those skills, but there is another quality that's of equal if not greater importance when it comes to accomplishment in any field. This quality is a belief that you can and will accomplish your objective. Without it, all your other skills and strengths will be of little or no value.

We often spend a lot of time planning and defining the method by which our goals can be reached. But we often miss a point that, really, should not only come before working out a plan, but should also be continued all throughout the process of working through and carrying out our plans towards our goals. This much neglected point is faith, or belief, that you will effectively and successfully accomplish your goal.

We're not talking about some weak, insignificant mumble that passes through your mind telling you that you can do it. Rather, you require an intense, deep, and powerful conviction in your heart, mind and soul that you will definitely - with a hundred and ten percent certainty - achieve your goal with total success. In fact, you should be so sure that you will accomplish your objective that you can make yourself feel as if you've already accomplished it. Imagine yourself taking the final steps towards the completion of your goal, visualize what you'll be doing, feel what it would feel like when you've officially achieved that long-desired aspiration...

If you can do the above, you can safely rest assured that the attainment of your goal has a very high chance of success, and you can more or less bet your life on the manifestation of your dreams. This is no exaggeration, but it's a tried and proven method of achieving goals and transforming dreams into reality.

If you were to read about the lives of successful people in history, be they inventors, scientists, mathematicians, leaders, musicians, artists, writers - any field whatsoever - you'll find a pattern in the way they achieved what they did. And you'll find that the pattern is exactly what I've mentioned above - they first had a clear ideal, a goal, then they believed with absolute certainty that they would attain their ideal, all while they were carrying out a well-planned method that would lead them to their goal.

Living your dreams should never be seen as something that's out of reach or extremely difficult. Nor is it a matter of luck.

It's simply a matter of knowing and implementing a successful strategy.

Finding Inspiration at the Office

2008-08-10T19:12:00.000-07:00

When you go to work each day do you dread it? Do you feel a lack of creativity and passion in your surroundings and the people that you work with? If so, you are like many people! A lot of people don't necessarily like the job that they do, the people that they work with, or even the atmosphere in which they work. Well all work because we are inspired to do so, so that we can live the lifestyle that we have created for ourselves. When you feel your passion and your inspiration waning it is time to do something about it. You need to find ways to get inspired at the office, and you can do this through inspirational wallpapers.

Inspirational Wallpapers: Simple Inspiration

Many times the area in which we work in is what zaps us of our creativity and passion for what we do. If you work in a small cubicle every day and you don't have much around you that inspires, you can do something about it. Even if you aren't allowed to bring plants and pictures into your space, there is one thing that you can do that will not take up any room but will allow you to get that inspiration that you are seeking. What could this be? It's simple and effective: inspirational wallpapers.

On your computer you currently have a background. Many people have pictures of their family others have their work logo or something of this nature. If you are not finding inspiration in these things, why not download inspirational wallpapers that will change the look and feel not only of your computer, but your entire work space? You may not realize it, but by simply changing the background on your computer desktop you can change the way you feel about your environment.

When you have a stressful job where you always feel overwhelmed it can be difficult to find the inspiration that you need to get excited about all of the work on your plate. When you download inspirational wallpapers you will find that there is suddenly pictures and words before you that will inspire you to prioritize and get started. We often under estimate the power of words and images, but when you put words and images in front of you that really speak to your heart, you'll find that you always have a source of inspiration to tap into it when you need it most.

Inspiration can be hard to come by when you don't particularly like your job, the people that you work with, or your surroundings when you are at work. It is very important to find sources of inspiration where you can, and inspirational wallpapers are really very simple to come by and they will give you the inspiration that you need right at your fingertips. In those moments when you aren't sure where to start or you don't feel like you can take your job anymore, you can turn to your wallpaper and center yourself and remember that you are doing the job that you need to do to live the life that you want for yourself. You'd be amazed at how simple and effective this process really is, and it's all based on the power of images and words.

Shannon M. Clooney is an inspirational connoisseur who focuses on self-development and motivation. With the help of free desktop wallpapers and calendar wallpaper backgrounds, you will always have inspiration at your finger tips.

Does Having a Successful Career Always Translate to Living a Successful Life?

2008-08-05T19:23:00.000-07:00

Does Having a Successful Career Always Translate to Living a Successful Life?

This question came up strong in my mind last weekend when I met a successful stock investment consultant who was obviously not living a life that can be said to be successful.

He told me how good his job was paying him and helping him to live good in terms of been able to provide for his needs and that of his family. He was appreciated by his employers and his clients for his profound knowledge and ability to recommend profitable stocks. There is no doubt that he was having a successful career, which was heading for even greater successes in the near future.

Anyone would have considered him extremely lucky to be in such a lucrative career and wished they had his life and success. But beneath the seeming success of this fellow is a great pain and a feeling of emptiness. The success he has labored to achieve in his career has in no way reflected in his life, for he is an unhappy man.

When I inquired why he was feeling this way, he opened up and told me there was nothing he loved more than to work with his hands. He deeply loves art and to craft materials into beautiful items. That's what gives him joy and fulfilment. And that's where he can truly see his life as been successful.

By the time he showed me some items he crated with beads, I didn't need any further clue to understand why he never considered himself living a successful life with stock investment consultancy - they were simply gorgeous!

This man is certainly not alone living this kind of life. In fact, millions of people all over the world who may seem to be successful in their careers actually live a life of sadness, depression and frustration. But how is it possible for someone not to live a successful life, in spite of being successful on their job? you may want to know.

The not so obvious reason for this is that a lot of people do not know their values in life. They don't know what they really want their life to be. They easily get influenced by their environment, friends, colleagues, television, parents, etc., and then make choices, which they would eventually come to find don't lead them to a successful life.

To ensure a successful life, and avoid falling into this pit of lifelong sadness, or to lift oneself from it and take position to walk through the success pathway of life, we should right away begin to take control of our lives. We must not allow our choices to be dictated to us by external influences, but from our values, which are what we really want in life.

Your success in life is in your own hand. Write out your present values [because our values may change after sometime] according to how they are important to you and make every decision based on it, including your career choice and goals, your heath, partners, etc.

A simple list of what is strongly important to us in life, such as this:

Family Love Freedom Security Passion Etc

can help us to find true and lasting success in life if we make it a habit to always consider it whenever we have to make a decision that could affect our lives.

For instance, if your topmost life value is Family as in the above list, to experience inner peace, fulfilment and joy therefore, which undoubtedly sum up to living a successful life, you will decline any engagement that would take you away from your family for long, whatever benefits it may provide. Failure to heed this would be walking in the opposite side of living a successful life.

Inspiration Comes In The Moments

2008-07-30T20:48:00.000-07:00

What is meant by the term inspired? I like to think of it like this: inspiritos - inspiration - divine breath. But you may say "I don't get inspired." Oh yes you do! You just haven't learned to recognize it yet. As we are all divine children of the universe - how spirit works in our lives is similar - some recognize it some don't.

I'm sure if you dig deep you have a story you could tell that just doesn't fit with the every-day-run-of-the-mill events in your life. Go ahead dig deep.

When we're open to receiving from the universe - all kinds of things begin to happen. The synchronicity in our lives occurs more often, events coincide with other events and you begin to see the flow of the universe through your life like a river.

Get into that flow and enjoy the ride! It's better than an E-ticket ride at Disneyland. For those of you who are too young to remember or don't know how the old ticketing system worked - back when Disneyland first opened you were given a ticket booklet - so many A's - so many B's, and so on. The ticket book came with five E tickets. The E tickets were the BEST~! If you wanted to go on another E ticket ride after using all yours - you had to buy more!

Since we realize that inspiration comes from the universe and if we are aligning our desires through thought, feeling and emotion - and we remain open I guarantee that you will become inspired. A little nudge here a little nudge there, do this, go this way - stop off at the cleaners (I know you've been putting it off) drop by the post office and bam you connect with someone or read something that leads you to another step and another and another until you find yourself face to face with your desire.

Say you have a desire for greater wealth in your life - and you also have a hobby you are passionate about. So you align yourself and then a little thought trickles in WHAT IF I do this and this and this with my hobby and turn it into a business? So you research it (action), you develop a business plan (action) you find your market - you build your store (either on-line or otherwise) or consign your product for sale - BAM! Money starts coming in.

Inspired action is following each step as it appears before you. Like Dr. Martin Luther King said "you don't have to see the whole staircase, you just have to take the first step."

Committing to action is a step-by-step process. One step at a time. You don't have to see the whole picture. Go with the piece of you have.

When I designed our home Wildwind, I used a computer program that would allow me to see the interior (I taught myself to use the program - I learn by doing), but through the program, I never truly realized the size. You think you know what a foot is, but how about sixteen, twenty or fifty? When you see it on paper, without the experience of walking through the structure in physical reality and previous experience creating my own blueprints - I didn't realize the size.

It's a good thing I didn't (nor did my husband) because we probably would have been scared to death to attempt it. I just designed it, had the engineer do his work, filed the plans with the county and we were good to go.

After paying for grading and foundation - we solicited bids on the construction (not the materials). The bids came in at fifty thousand dollars just for construction. That's not much you say? We'd already spent that on grading and foundation! And that didn't include the lumber which would be that and more again. That didn't include sheetrock, insulation, electrical, plumbing, cabinets, carpets, flooring, painting, roofing, or trusses. That was just the labor to put it up. That's when I turned to my husband and said - "you're framing." In for a penny, in for a pound we were.

I realized then that this would be a serious do-it-yourself project. The bottom floor is twenty-six hundred square feet. The second floor is the same and the third floor is darn near a thousand square feet. Do the math.

How we accomplished this was one step, one nail, one wall at a time. It is the same with the creation of the live you want to live. If you try and look at the whole project or the big picture of what you want to do in your life it will scare you! The trick is to focus on the moment, focus and do what is asked of you in the moment, for that is your only place of power.

So you take a step, do a little today. Take another step, do a little more - and pretty soon your dream is built! It took us three years from start to finish doing just that. It was an adventure - scary at times - but I can guarantee this - the Universe hands out E ticket rides!

Next time you feel inspired - don't wait around - act and you might be surprised where it will take you!

Former managing editor of a small town newspaper, Brenner is the author of The Little Book of Becoming - Understanding the Law of Attraction and is currently at work polishing her metaphysical fiction, Changing Planes. Little Book of Becoming Law Of Attraction Masters

Finding Daily Inspiration In Difficult Times

2008-07-25T20:51:00.000-07:00

Daily inspiration helps us to stay focused on God's love, no matter what else is going on in our daily lives. In today's world there is such a high level of challenge and rapid change happening for most of us, that it has become even more important to find a way to stay connected with our hearts, and with our inner connection with spirit.

There are many ways we can tap into our inner connection with God and spirit; however it is not always simple to do so. The demands of daily life can be compelling, and can cause us to forget our connection to spirit. A regular spiritual practice of meditation or prayer can be very helpful in focusing thought, energy and intention towards God. Even five or ten minutes a day can have a significant beneficial impact on the entire day.

Why Daily Inspiration is so Important Now

The process of spiritual transformation involves the release of everything within us that has been out of balance and out of harmony with God's love. This process is happening individually and for humanity as a whole at this time. The problems manifesting in our world are an expression of this imbalance, and are being manifest now in order to be transformed.

At this time on the Earth there is a great deal of negative energy surfacing and releasing into the atmosphere of the planet. This is related to the process of global purification that is happening as humanity's consciousness evolves towards greater connection with spirit, and as the presence of God's light strengthens on the Earth. The spiritual awakening that is beginning to happen for humanity is illuminating within all of us everything that has been kept separated from God's love.

These energies that are releasing through the process of purification affect all of us, especially sensitive souls who are attuned to the spiritual levels of reality. Staying connected to a source of spiritual nourishment and inspiration each day helps us to avoid getting immersed in the negative energies that are present, and helps us to feel nourished and sustained during difficult times.

Some people feel these negative energies physically or in their consciousness, some people feel this energy at night in their dreams. Many people now are feeling these energies emotionally, and are not aware that what they are feeling is related to much a larger process than their own individual emotional challenges.

Our individual spiritual healing journey is connected with the larger journey of transformation that is happening for all of humanity. It is not always possible to discern what energy is our own personal healing, and what is related to the larger collective healing process of humanity.

When you become aware of difficult emotions or energies, there are three things that can help to move these out of your body and consciousness.

1. Be aware of what you are feeling at any given moment.
2. Release any judgment or fear associated with the emotions or energies you are experiencing
3. Ask God to transform and transmute the energies and emotions.

During the process of purification it is essential to stay connected with God, with daily inspiration, and with others of like mind and like heart who can share the journey with us and help to strengthen our love and faith. It is not easy to overcome old habits that created unconsciousness and a disconnection from our hearts. Support is needed, and daily spiritual practice and inspiration are the nourishment which sustains us.

Your willingness and commitment to stay connected with God's love brings many rewards such as greater inner peace, more equanimity during times of challenge, and growing sense of confidence in your ability to feel God's love. You are also helping the Earth and other people around you, because we are all connected. When you are radiating love and light, and focusing your attention on God's love, then your presence has a beneficial impact on those around you.

In reaching out to God each day, focusing our hearts on receiving more of God's love, we are able find a pathway through the challenges of life today. Even during times of difficulty, a new doorway begins to open, towards a new possibility for ourselves and for humanity.

Mashubi Rochell offers free spiritual healing resources for daily inspiration at http://www.worldblessings.com/inspiration

You’re The Inspiration

2008-07-20T20:46:00.000-07:00

Thank God inspiration didn't wait for me. Had it done so, I'd probably still be trying to ward off the person holding the knife.

I wasn't trying to be inspired. I was trying to survive - literally trying to spare my own life. I knew if I didn't hold the door closed then the knife in the hands of the other person would be slashing at my flesh.

Trapped in the back room of the house, nowhere else to run, all my weight pressed against wood, knowing the other person wouldn't give up. That was when it happened.

Inspiration intervened.

'Put your coat on and let them in,' a small voice inside me whispered.

I looked at my coat hanging on the peg, a big thick skiing jacket. Would it protect me?

Maybe.

I unhooked it as I rested as much of my weight as I could against the door. Slipping it over my shoulders the small voice continued. 'Now let them in a bit at a time. A crack in the door at first, then let it open. When you feel it's right, pull them inside.'

It sounded bizarre to me, to allow someone attacking me to come beyond the piece of wood separating us, but that's exactly what I did, disarming them and then holding them until it was safe to let go.

You could argue that the small voice in my mind was the voice of common sense. You might call it intuition, spirit guides, God, or just plain crazy!

I've come to think of it as the voice of inspiration. Back then the voice of inspiration came as a surprise. Today, it's more of a friend.

The example I've given you may have saved my life, but since then it's helped me build and shape my life.

As I said at the beginning, 'Thank God inspiration didn't wait for me,' because I don't think I've necessarily been good at preparing to hear it's wise voice.

Yet inspiration has been with me, nudging, suggesting and playing around until I follow it's wisdom, change my reality and look back and laugh at myself for not following it's guiding force sooner.

Once a man wanted to win the lottery. For weeks he prayed to God and each week when his win failed to materialize, he complained during his prayers.

Then one day God came down and spoke to him. 'Meet me half way,' God's voice boomed. 'At the very least, buy a ticket!!'

And I think this is a little like what Edison meant when he said, 'Genius is 5% inspiration and 95% perspiration.'

Inspiration is just the thought, the idea, the guidance. Perspiration is the practical application, the grounding, the making it happen. And when we get this part right, who knows what great things we can create.

Today’s exercise

1. Go about life

2. Notice what goes on outside you

3. Notice what goes on inside you

With Love and good wishes

Neil

CommunitySoul takes the holistic approach to life. At it's core lies the commitment to individual's personal development and growth. Best-selling authors, top life coaches and experts contribute. Join the FREE newsletter http://www.communitysoul.co.uk

The Practicalities of Altered Attitude and Positive Thinking

2008-07-20T19:19:00.001-07:00

It would appear positive thinking and Attention Deficit Disorder have absolutely nothing to do with each other.

Many people with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) seem easily to develop negative thinking patterns this is brought about by being frustrated by challenges and having the frequent feeling of being overwhelmed, which inevitably leads to a negative outlook and can make it harder for them to manage the challenges and go forward.

The solution is practicing positive thinking, which allows people with ADD to focus on their strengths and accomplishments, therefore increasing their happiness and motivation.

This, in turn, will allow them to spend more time making progress, and less time feeling down, depressed and stuck. The following tips provide practical suggestions that you can use to help you shift into more positive thinking patterns:

1. Keep A Thankful Attitude Constantly remind yourself about the all the good things you have our in your life. Take a few minutes out in the day and stop what you are doing and be grateful for the smallest of good things in your world. This can make a tremendous difference

2. Staying In Trim Will Bring On Positivism. Your thinking is truly affected by your physical status take regular exercise, eat well and get plenty of rest. This will help you to stay positive.

3. Mind what you say. Do not use absolutes. Have you ever told a friend or better half "You're always late!" or complain to a member of your family "You never come to see me!" Using absolutes like 'always' and 'never' in your thinking and speaking will always make the situation seem twice as bad as it really is. This will condition your mind into believing that these people will always let you down and are incapable of delivering.

4. Automatic Negative Thoughts. Automatic Negative Thoughts are bad thoughts that are usually reactionary like, "He /she is laughing, they must be talking about me," or "I've been called into the office? It must be bad!" When you notice these thoughts, realize that they are nothing more than Automatic Negative Thoughts ANT'S and squash them!

5. Always keep the thought positive. You have complete control over your thoughts. If you find yourself having negative thoughts make a conscious effort to stop them immediately, acknowledge you are having them and change them instantly.

6. Become More Tactile In this high tech western world we have become more isolated and tend to insulate ourselves from physical contact with other people. I'm sure I don't have to tell you about the benefits of a good hug. An instant pick-me-up can be achieved by positive physical contact.

The practice of Lovin', Touchin' & Squeezin' friends, loved ones, and even pets can instantly change how you feel for the better and so change your thinking and inevitably change your actions and therefore your day. One research study on this subject had a waitress touch some of her customers on the arm as she handed them their checks. She received higher tips from these customers than from the ones she didn't touch!

7. Throw Away Ungrounded Fears Low self esteem or the fear of not being liked or accepted can lead us to believe we know what others are thinking, but these fears are usually not real. We can develop a fear that a friend or family member's bad mood is a result of something we said or have done.

The fear that colleagues at work or neighbours are secretly gossiping behind our back can be very real for some people. The solution is to speak up and ask them. Don't be afraid and waste valuable time and sleepless nights worrying that you did something wrong, unless you have proof that there is something to worry about.

8. More Social Activity Getting yourself out and about will decrease any feelings of loneliness by interacting with happy, healthy and energetic people, this will affect you in a positive way and keep you in a active doing mode..

9. Only What You Give Away Can You Keep By volunteering your time, your money, or your resources to voluntary organizations, or just helping another person will make you feel extremely good. The more positive energy you put out into the world, the more you will receive in return.

There are many people who seem to work well even under pressure but in reality they are truly in a minority. We must not forget that we are all human and imperfect and to letting things like stress get under our skins won't solve any off our problems.

Go forward and use these proven practical suggestions and develop positive thinking, which in turn will give you positive attitude followed by positive actions creating positive results.

Barry Share is the Founder and Editorial Director of "The New Lifestyle Programme" Where you can get your copy of the amazing..." "Design for your Success" a 7 step plan to achieving wealth health and happiness... => http://newlifestylepro.com

A Matter Of Inspiration - Spirituality Information

2008-07-15T20:50:00.000-07:00

Legend has it that Robert the Bruce of Scotland was losing the battle and he barely escaped with his life. His soldiers were hard pressed to keep up the fight as many were wounded and dying. The Bruce, tired, dismayed and broken-hearted found a hidden cave where he took refuge.

He threw down his sword and sat to rest a while. Gloomy thoughts filled his mind and he reflected on the insurmountability of the task he had tried to accomplish. Perhaps Scotland would never be free -- at least not in his lifetime. Perhaps he should abandon all efforts, give it up and lead an obscure life as a fugitive.

As these thoughts raced through his mind, out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a tiny spider trying to climb a strand of web that extended from the top of the cave almost to the floor. Up went the spider and just a few feet from the top, it slipped and fell all the way down.

Over and over again the spider repeated the process as the exhausted Bruce watched, fascinated by the perseverance of the little life form. Once again the spider climbed, this time almost reaching the top. Again it slipped and fell to the floor of the cave. Now with rapt attention, Robert the Bruce watched to see its next move. A few more tries and finally, with one quick dash, the spider reached the ceiling. The Bruce slowly got up, picked up his sword, cleared the depressing thoughts from his mind and went back into the battle, inspired by the strength, will and perseverance of such a tiny creature as a spider. The rest is history. The battle was won and the Bruce was, once more, the triumphant, gallant leader of his people.

There are times when everything in life seems dark and dreary. There are those times when we feel we are totally unable to take the next step or to even move one inch. These are precisely the times when we most need inspiration.

Why inspiration? It helps recharge our energy when all seems hopeless. It gives us encouragement when our "spiritual well has gone dry".

The dictionary gives different meanings to the word, "inspiration". But I think "inspiration" actually means divine messages from the Universe. There are many sources of inspiration and I want to list a few of them below.

1) Nature -- In the middle of the worst crisis, we could take a few minutes to clear our minds and look up to the sky or the stars. A little walk in the park or in the woods will do wonders for the body, mind and spirit. Breathe in the fresh air, watch the ripples on a pond or river, get inspired by the sheer magnificence of Nature.

2) Music -- Listen to some music you really like. The sound will take your mind to another place and you'll find that miracles can occur.

3) Books and tapes -- Spend a little time absorbed in a good book. And I don't mean just self-help or spiritual books. It could be any book that engages your mind and thoughts. For example, when things seem really gloomy to me, I'd read one of Edgar Rice Burroughs' Tarzan tales. For me, that works. For you, it might mean a totally different type of book.

And audio tapes, CD's, video tapes and DVD's have been a wonderful gift from technology. Just the other day I watched the movie, Richard Bach's "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" on my video player. Shortly thereafter, I watched the western movie, "They Call Me Trinity" on my DVD player. Talk about being recharged! I was able to face the seeming impossible and come out smiling.

4) Friends -- We are fortunate if we have a few good friends. Somebody once asked me if I told my friends about something I was very involved with. I smiled and answered, "Yes, I told them all -- both of them." Real friends are few and far between, but they can be a tremendous help to you by just being there and listening.

There are other sources of inspiration and I am sure you can come up with your own list that works for you. For example, take a long drive, go fishing, bake some cookies, paint a picture or make some pottery. The point is simple. Use all the sources of inspiration available to get you through your tough times -- to help you, not only to overcome but to prosper. Remember, the Universe is on your side. Just give it a chance to show its magnificence in your life. Happiness should always be our most important goal. All else is secondary. Lift up your eyes and look beyond your troubles. Perhaps you'll see a whole new, beautiful day dawning for you. It's there. Go for it.

Lecturer, entrepreneur and MBA business consultant, John Harricharan is the author of the award-winning book, "When You Can Walk on Water, Take the Boat." Spiritual Simplicity The Real Secret

Need A Little Inspiration?

2008-07-10T20:46:00.000-07:00

Life is hard. Sometimes is gets dull and boring and it seems like good times will never come again. Everyone has been at that place at one time or another. Everyone needs a change or a little pick-me-up once in a while. Everyone needs a bit of inspiration. Each person will find inspiration in different places and by doing different things.

If you feel in need of a little inspiration, take time to consider what things you could do to add a little spice to your life. Is there an old hobby or pastime you love but haven't had time to do in years? If so, consider picking that hobby back up and you'll be surprised at the inspiration that comes with it.

There are many ways to find inspiration, but one of the best can be to take a vacation. Getting away from the day to day challenges of life can be all it takes to be refreshed and filled with new perspective. That is what inspiration does for us - it fills us with a new outlook on life that makes things seem more bearable. What kind of vacation sounds ideal to you right now? If you live in the country then perhaps a week in a busy city might be just the inspiration you need. City dwellers might prefer a retreat to somewhere with peace and quiet. Choose whatever kind of vacation sounds best and start planning. Inspiration will follow as soon as you get to your destination.

If, however, taking a week or two off for a vacation is not possible for you right now, consider a smaller activity or event that might fill you with fresh inspiration. Consider taking an art class or signing up for a membership at a local health club. Get a therapeutic massage or get outside for a long hike in the woods. The bottom line is doing something that sounds both relaxing and fun to you. You will never find inspiration in doing things you cannot stand.

Even picking up a new pleasure book or attempting to cook an extravagant meal can bring people inspiration enough to keep on living. Make a list of all of the goals you have for your life, small and large, and begin to accomplish them. Find inspiration in getting outside of your comfort zone and trying new things. Another way that many people discover inspiration is by taking time and energy to help others. Sometimes being self- focused is the very thing that kills peoples' inspiration. Taking an afternoon to volunteer at a local non-profit agency or helping out your child's school can be easy ways to begin to think outside of yourself. It is amazing what thinking of others before yourself will give you inspiration to do.

There are countless ways to find inspiration. Get creative and try something new today. Your health, livelihood, and relationships will be stronger if you are living a life filled with inspiration and challenging new things.

Finding inspiration has become a passion for author Rachael Cleipher. Discover ways to add inspiration to your own life at www.findinspiration.info

Feeding The Mind With Inspiration Constantly

2008-07-05T20:49:00.000-07:00

If you feel stuck in a rut and are currently searching for a path to self improvement and motivation. Here are some tips on how to ward away boredom and keep you motivated in the workplace which will definitely increase your career success.

Growth and motivation that will take place when you habitually feed your mind with inspiration will propel you to greater heights of Success. Becoming a better and wiser person will shoot you past your competition, a person that is motivated all the time will be an achiever and stand among the few.

Whether you are searching for self motivation for the purpose of losing weight, exercising more, starting a new career, or putting an end to bad habits, there are many self help audio courses out that can help a person with these issues. Now begin surrounding yourself with others who are also on the path to self improvement and motivation. The next step in obtaining motivation is to reward your self when you do reach a goal. Start a goals program with built in rewards and makes shore that you give your self that reward when you do achieve your goal, this will set up your subconscious mind and strengthen your ability to forge ahead to bigger and better accomplishment and increase your motivation quotient.

The first step in achieving motivation is to decide what goals you want from yourself. Commitment is the last and final stage to achieving motivation. The final stage to motivation is to make a commitment to keep focused on the goals.

For many, what drives the quality of the energy is: purpose. Again, for many, the quality of the energy of the motivation and, even more, what's "underneath" the quality of that energy. Once you have worked out why you want to achieve a certain goal, the outcome that you want to achieve you will have the motivation to pursue them.

Develop your Mission - Your Mind set, now exactly what it is that you want to achieve, and Walk the talk as they say, and you will have the motivation to stay with the program. One way to improve your motivation - try doing everything you do today 1% better.

The Law of Momentum - Motivation & momentum follow doing. The Law of Inspiration - A more empowering source of motivation is inspiration listen to some great inspiring stories of triumph over adversity get yourself listening to some inspiring biographies when you have some spare time sitting in traffic why not do something constructive and get a good audio biography. Saturate your mind with inspiring tales of success and visualize to your self the end result that you’re determined to make a reality

There are many great motivational audio books that will help a person with daily motivation, take responsibility to motivate your self. Without personal motivation; we wouldn't be able to accomplish anything.

Leigh O'Halloran Providing the very best of Business and motivation Audio. To get the very best of Business and motivation audio Go to Audio Books Download

A Look At The Benefits Of Transactional Leadership Style

2008-06-30T03:13:00.000-07:00

Leadership style plays a crucial role in the development of an organization. Transactional leadership is of the leadership style that is often used by many companies. Transactional leadership believes that punishment and reward motivate people. This leadership also assumes that when people agree to do a particular assignment, a part of that agreement is that they give up all authority to their boss. The leader holds control and power over the subordinates. The main goal of the employee is to obey the orders of their managers. The idea is that when a subordinate takes up a job, he or she agrees to obey their manager totally. The ‘transaction’ is the money or any other award that the company pays to its subordinates for their compliance and effort. The relationship between the subordinate and the leader becomes transactional. In transactional leadership the leader has the right to punish his or her subordinates if their performance is not according to the predetermined standard.

Transactional leadership makes clear that what is required and expected from their subordinates. It also mentions that subordinates will get award if they follow the orders seriously. Sometimes punishments are not mentioned but they are understood. In the early stages of transactional leadership, subordinate is in the process of negotiating the contract. The contract specifies fixed salary and the benefits that will be given to the subordinate. Rewards are given to subordinates for applied effort. Some organization use incentives to encourage their subordinates for greater productivity. Transactional leadership is a way of increasing the performance of its subordinates by giving them rewards. Transactional leadership is also called as ‘true leadership style as it focuses on short term goals instead of long term goals.

In Transactional leadership, when the leader assigns work to its subordinates, then it is the responsibility of the subordinate to see that the assigned task is finished on time. If the assigned task is not completed on time or if something then punishment is given for their failure. But if they accomplish the task in time then the subordinates are given reward for successfully completing the task. Subordinates are also given award and praised for exceeding expectations. A subordinate whose performance is below expectation is punished and some action is taken to increase his or her performance.

Transactional leadership has more of a ‘telling style’. Transactional leadership is based on the fact that reward or punishment is dependent on the performance. Even though researchers have highlighted its limitations, transactional leadership is still used by many employers. More and more companies are adopting transactional leadership to increase the performance of its employees. This approach is prevalent in real workplace.

The main limitation of this leadership is that it assumes that people are largely motivated by simple rewards. Under transactional leadership, employees can’t do much to improve job satisfaction. Transaction leadership has been ineffective in providing skilled employees to their organization. This style of leadership is least interested in changing the work environment. Experts do not recommend this approach. Transactional leadership focuses more on management of punishments and rewards.

Muna wa Wanjiru Has Been Researching and Reporting on Leadership for Years. For More Information on Transactional Leadership, Visit His Site at Transactional Leadership Post Your Views On Transactional Leadership At My Blog here Transactional Leadership

How Transformational Leadership Uplifts The Passion Of Its Followers

2008-06-28T03:13:00.000-07:00

Transformational leadership assumes that people will follow that person who has the ability to inspire and motivate them. A person that has the passion and vision to excel can do great things. It also assumes that tasks can be accomplished by injecting energy and enthusiasm among the followers.

Transformational leadership uplifts the energy and passion of its followers. It takes cares about its followers. You will get a wonderful experience working with a transformational leader. Transformational leadership begins with the growth of a vision, a vision that will look into the future. This may excite followers. This vision can be developed by your leader, by a senior team member or by a series of discussions. Transformational leadership will take every opportunity to convince and sell their vision t others. This leadership is adaptable and flexible Transformational leadership creates trust and personal integrity among its followers. It implements new ideas. Transformational leadership knows the route to move forward and simply wants other people to follow it. The forward route may not be in detail but it has a clear vision and the direction to follow. It accepts the fact that there are going to be failures ahead.

Transformational leadership can help its followers how to behave by their actions. This leadership makes efforts to inspire their followers, constantly enthusing and listening to its followers Transformational leadership should have a strong commitment to serve the people It influences its followers to follow the right path and encourages them to make a change in the environment around them. This leadership guides the followers from darkness to light. Transformational leadership should organize cultural programmes, rituals and ceremonies to sustain motivation among its followers. Transformational leaders believe that can success through sustained commitment.

Transformational leadership are often be charismatic. Passion and confidence in transformational relationship should not be mistaken for truth and reality. Just because transformational leader believes that he or she is right does not mean he or she is right. Transformational leadership provides lots of enthusiasm to its followers but if it is relentlessly applied, the followers may wear out. Transformational leadership transform followers into leaders who are self empowered.

Transformational leadership articulate values and vision clearly so that the new leaders can move ahead in the right direction, Transformational leaders set an example and become a role model for its followers. Transformational leadership also does the job of mentoring its followers. That is it they give individual consideration to its followers. It s also provide some intellectual stimulation to its followers to enhance their creativity and innovation. It also recognizes the existing need of a potential follower and tries to fulfill it. Transformational leadership reshapes social and physical relationship. That is they destroy old way of living and make way for new one. Transformational leadership encourages people to surpass their previous levels of achievement. It is dynamic and innovative and can motivate an entire organization. It persuades and inspires its followers to excel. Transformation leaders show new way of looking at an old problem

Muna wa Wanjiru Has Been Researching and Reporting on Leadership for Years. For More Information on Transformational Leadership, Visit His Site at Transformational Leadership Post Your Views On Transformational Leadership At My Blog here Transformational Leadership

Live Luminously

2008-06-25T03:11:00.000-07:00

Webster's dictionary defines luminous as emitting light; lighted; easily understood; clear. To live a life that is luminous is to shine, to radiate the very essence of who you are. It's engaging in activities that are meaningful for you. It's experiencing harmonious relationships, holding your head high and maintaining dignity in the face of adversity.

Luminosity is a state of being. It is a reflection of who a person is and transcends happiness. A luminous life means living within your self-defined values and interests. Energy is appropriately distributed across the areas of most importance and life is lived with a sense of hope and promise; being present to one's life.

Would you like more luminous moments in your life?

Imagine for yourself what that would be like. Can you see it? Can you get a sense of what your relationships would be like? Visualize your body. Would you be in better physical condition? What about your checkbook? What kind of shape is that in? How much money would you need to accomplish the things you want to accomplish and generate the lifestyle you desire? On what types of activities do you spend your time? Would it be the same activities you focus on today or would they be different? For one moment allow yourself to dream as you once did as a child. Does the picture in your head resemble your life as it is today?

Nothing is holding you back You already have what you need to bring your vision into reality. You might just need some assistance in molding and shaping it. Your existing foundation may resemble moist, dark, rich soil which needs little attention or it may be hard, dry, cracked clay. Everyone comes to coaching with a unique situation and unique needs. Either way, a trained, objective coach will provide tools to help you identify the steps to create the vision you have for yourself and support you in your journey.

Here are some tips for you to think about as you give thought to how you will craft your vision.

1. Be willing Open yourself up. Consider new ways to approach your goals. Change is rarely comfortable for anyone; be willing to step outside your comfort zone.

2. Know your life's purpose(s) What areas in your life are the most important to you? Do you spend your efforts in those areas? You must know what your life's purpose is in order to clearly articulate your vision. This can be a difficult thing for many to pinpoint. A coach can help you identify what your purpose(s) is. Once you identify your purpose(s) you can set goals that have meaning for you and structure an action plan around them. This is when it gets fun.

3. Recognize your gifts and talents Acknowledging our own gifts and talents is often difficult to do. In this competitive world, all too often, we spend our time focusing on what needs improvement in order to remain marketable, appealing, capable, humble, etc. Unfortunately, the strengths we currently possess receive secondary attention. What if you could succeed in whatever you wanted to accomplish by simply expanding on the gifts you already possess?

4. Identify what support you will need Once you know what you are aspiring towards and what strengths you bring to the table, you can see what support you are going to need. If it is a class you need to take, you can sign up. If it is a certain amount of money you need to save, you can set a budget. The support you need may be something a friend, spouse, co-worker, etc. can provide or it may require a specific skill for which you will need to hire out. Once you've identified what it is, then you can put steps in place to get the assistance you need.

5. Celebrate Celebrate!!! Celebrate each success in your journey. Celebrate your effort. Celebrate the courage you demonstrated in pushing past your comfort zone - even if you did not get the result you desired. Pick yourself up and try again.

6. Be grateful I think this is so important. It is so common for people to get side-tracked by daily responsibilities and lose sight of the wonderful things going on right in front of them. What a shame. While you are on your journey, remember to give pause and appreciate what you currently have, loved ones in your life, your health, etc. There is always something in our life that is beautiful. Even in our moments of distress there is something wonderful going on. We might just have to look a little bit deeper.

Blessings!

Terri Meyer's passion is in working with people to help them put harmony, vitality, passion and energy back into their life. As a life coach she helps people create a vision that utilizes their gifts and talents. Together they craft an action plan that moves those dreams into reality. To learn more about Life Coach Terri you may visit her website at www.yourinnerchampion.com.

Self Improvement Advice

2008-06-23T03:11:00.000-07:00

There are particular moments in life that when you wish you could depend on anybody's self improvement advice. But even if they gave it to you with the best intentions, in case anything goes wrong, you are always going to blame those persons.

That is why specialists strongly advise you, every time you find yourself at a crossroads, to always take the decisions by yourself.

The question arising is: how can we know how to take it and which is the best solution?

No matter how young or old you are, you must have gotten to a point in your life when you have to take a big decision, which will probably affect your entire existence.

There is no doubt that there are certain moments in life when you feel helpless and disoriented and believe you could use some self improvement advice in order to figure out how to proceed with your life.

The answer is never simple. However, there is one self improvement advice that can be of great help and employed regularly will have great results.

It is called meditation and it has been used for centuries in certain rituals and by ancients civilizations. Even in old and famous books, like the Bible, people are invited to meditate, to discover and fight the evil in us and by knowledge to gain control over our decisions and our lives.

How do we proceed when meditating?

First of all, you need to be away from any source of distraction. You cannot analyze your deepest feelings and thoughts and watch a movie at the same time.

Secondly, you need to ask yourself a series of questions that will help you to better determine who you really are. The questions should relate to everyday aspects.

What do you like doing?

What made you most proud of yourself during your entire life?

What is it that you always wanted to do and you never found the time?

What role does money play in your life?

What is it more important for you, you family life or your career?

How much do you depend on others?

If you are worried about a certain decision, let all the questions be related to that issue. If you are just confused when asking the questions, think about the common topics that one has to deal with during his life.

Do not forget to write down the answers. Try to concentrate and to be sincere. After all, nobody will judge you.

All these questions will help you determine exactly where you stand and what is it that you want form life. All you have to do is to get the right interpretation of your own replies.

In order to do that, help yourself to a coup of tea or your favorite coffee and take the time to analyze them thoroughly. Mark with a red pen whatever you find pride worthy answers and with a black one the things that do not make you proud.

Post the list somewhere where you can see it more than once a day, or post it in more than one place.

You will notice that, step by step, even unwillingly, the black things on your list will start turning red. Do not forget to renew the list when most of it has turned red! It is the best way to always be aware what your expectations from life are.

Take this simple self improvement advice and see the positive results for yourself.

Leslie Bonner Here's my hand for success

Leslie Bonner publishes "In the Spirit" is an inspiring Newsletter, Currently working on his first book "Creating the Winning Edge for Internet Entrepreneurs" Leslie also directs C-Com Marketing Group, http://www.ccommarketinggroup.com email:ccommarketing@gmail.com

4 Easy Tips : How to Eliminate Your Stress?

2008-06-20T03:09:00.000-07:00

Sometimes there is a period when we feel saturated, boring and dizzy that cause to the stress. Of course we all do that experience either stress due work, boyfriend or girlfriend, family etc. I can understand if those stresses can lead to suicide, because mentally they can't face and accept the reality. Why is that? It is because our mind is limited, if there is a situation which is outside of our mind range, of course it will cause shock with our mind and generating "Mind stress" and if is not get solution immediately cause fatal to our life. Then how we can eliminate our stress? Those 4 easy tips that I give to you how to eliminate your stress:

1.What is your hobby that most simple, most favorite that you love, and which you can reach anytime and everywhere you are? If you have one do your hobby without postponed anything if you under stress. You know that actually if you get stress, you always want to immediately forget that thing right? So don't be delaying do your hobby. Of course this action must be in positive which is not disservice you or other people like "Drunk in public place or angry overreact with kids, etc". So what kind hobbies is that? It could be walking around get some fresh air around your neighbor and find those green stuff like trees or you can listen the calm music in your room, or you can play and make a jokes with your children, or you can play with your dog and so on. Mostly must to be remember is don't do hobby which disservice you or others, okay!

2.Prepare your self free spare times for 1-3 hours come if you under stress of which your problem and make promise to yourself that you will be solve that problem once your spare times is finish or done. Because with that promise you will not focus to your problem on your free spare times and you get easier to relax your mind which frees time is running. If your spare time is running out maybe less than 15 minutes, soon prepare everything with mentally or physical or material. Try not to postpone or lengthening your spare time so that your problems come quickly solved. Therefore prepared your spare time maturely which you will take most effective as possible, the point is you have enough time to solve your problem.

3.If your problem causes stress is caused at enragement, like made angry by your boss, you can do self satisfy by hitting something soft in your warehouse or you can scream in the middle of large lonely field until you get satisfied.

4.Make practice everyday to think positive, get the true principle into your life, get the beautiful purpose or destination to your life and feel be blessed what you've got anywhere and anytime. Trust me whenever you get hardly stress if you get those 4 things, it will be help a lot to reducing your stress when it comes.

I don't know you, are you have a complicated problem caused you stress, maybe by work or girlfriend or boyfriend or something else. But believe of one principle that "There is no problem that can't be solved". I personally hope that you have a beautiful destination which is useful to your life or others people life and feel be blessed what you got now. I hope this article more or less can help you, thank you for keep reading.

Ganda Putra is a webmaster and reviewer most useful self improvement products on http://www.gandareviews.com

Did you find those tips on stress reduction useful? You can learn a lot more about how to eliminate your stress here

How Does The Law of Attraction Make Your Life Miserable?

2008-06-18T03:08:00.000-07:00

After “The Secret” was produced everyone thought that the Law of Attraction was just wonderful. There are two points, firstly this law is not a recent revelation and secondly what if it was in fact making your current life miserable? How could you be using it to make your life much less than it could be?

Has the media and Rhonda Bryne been lying about the Law of Attraction? No they haven’t, but it depends on how you are using the law that counts.

Consider the following scenario:

Tom wakes up at 6.30 in the morning and rolls out of bed in a bad mood because he is tired and has to go to work. He drags himself into the shower, has some breakfast and heads off to work. He leaves early and misses seeing his children. His car ride, is bumper to bumper traffic before he arrives at work. He performs his job with no real satisfaction and infact does not like being there at all. His day finishes at 5.30 and again he must contend with bumper to bumper traffic before he arrives home. He finally opens his front door, the children are running around and the house is a mess. Unfortunately, his reaction is then one of anger instead of the happiness at being home.

Surely, Tom is not responsible for these feelings? The truth of the matter is that, yes, Tom is solely responsible for how he is feeling and what he is attracting to himself. Have you ever felt like this in any area of your life? If so, what can you do about it? All of this ca change if you start using the Law of Attraction properly.

The Law of Attraction reacts to your vibrations that you emit to the universe. If you are feeling contentment, happiness and joy then the vibrations that go out into the universe will attract the same feelings to you. Where Tom is going wrong is that he is emitting vibrations into the universe that attract negative feelings back to him.

Here are some strategies that will allow you to increase your level of vibration out into the universe so that the Law of Attraction is actually working for you instead of against you.

Listen to half an hour of relaxation music to start of your day so that your mindset is relaxed before your day begins.

As you hop out of bed repeat to yourself ‘Thank you’ and continue for the first five minutes of your morning. It allows you to start the day in a spirit of gratitude for being alive, healthy and with a wonderful standard of living.

Take out a piece of paper and carefully list ten things that are going to happen today that you are grateful for.

On the same piece of paper carefully list ten things that you want to achieve today (no matter how big or small) and rejoyce as you achieve each one.

When you are in the car and the traffic is bumper to bumper make the time count. Listen to motivational music, listen to telesminars, speakers of any kind that can offer you information that will improve your life.

When at your job make the effort to perform to the best of your ability. It is this realisation that you are doing a good job that will allow you to increase your level of vibration and attract more of the things that you want into your life.

If doing your job makes you feel really unhappy then close your eyes and imagine yourself in a situation that fills you with happiness. Maintain these feelings while you are working and your level of vibration will rise.

Before you walk in the door of your house of a night consider what would be a real tradegy in anyone’s life and then think of the things that you have been irratated at previously. Do a comparison and I know for me this really adds a sense of perspective.

Waiting inside the door of your house is a family that thinks you are the most important thing in their lives. Focus on these feelings because they will lift your level of vibration even higher.

This is just one scenario, but these strategies will work for any situation that you find yourself in.

Law of Attraction Action Step
The life that you lead will often come down to the perspective that you place on the events of your life. Always look for a positive perspective regardless of the situation so that you are always maintaining a high level of vibration.

John Edwards is a published author in the field of personal development. He will show you how to use simple, easy and effective

action steps to make massive positive changes to your everyday life using the Law of Attraction. Create financial freedom, have a

wonderful family life and great health by visiting Simple Law of Attraction Action Steps

Employee Motivation - Does it improve performance, productivity, keep them motivated and loyal?

2008-06-15T03:07:00.000-07:00

Employee motivation is not always the easiest of tasks, but it does pay off for you, your customers and the employee.

Recognition is ranked the number one motivating factor when it comes to employee motivation in the workplace. If you want to maintain motivated employees, and encourage others to do better, recognizing them publicly may save yourself the time and money of having to find and re-train new staff.

One of the best techniques to build and maintain employee motivation is to make it a practice to have an event or period end staff meeting, followed by a employee, & maybe spouse dinner, staff recognition awards and a closing party. This will build and maintain employee motivation though ongoing sincere recognition and deserving reward.

You may find it hard to believe, but recognition is the most powerful employee motivator of all. Research has shown that there is a stronger need in society today for recognition than there is for sex and money. Now, that says something about employee motivation.

Let's think about it.

We could provide employee motivation through a bonus in the form of money at the end of a period. Sure they'll be happy and thankful. They may even perform better, but what are their expectations at the end of the next period? Right; more money. External employee motivation is temporary - it is never lasting.

Money is an external employee motivator and it is never lasting. It's an incentive that once acquired, leads to expectations for more, bigger or better. But if you have a bad period will they care? They'll want a bonus at least equal to what they got last year, but preferably more, not less.

A survey of thousands of workers around the world compared rankings by supervisors and employees on employee motivating factors. The typical supervisory group ranked the factors in the following order:

1. High wages 2. Job security 3. Promotion in the organization 4. Good working conditions 5. Interesting work 6. Personal loyalty of supervisor 7. Tactful discipline 8. Full appreciation of work done 9. Help on personal problems 10. Feeling of being in on things

However, when employees were given the same exercise and asked what affects their morale and employee motivation the most, their answers followed this pattern;

1. Full appreciation of work done 2. Feeling of being in on things 3. Help on personal problems 4. Job security 5. High wages 6. Interesting work 7. Promotion in the organization 8. Personal Loyalty of supervisor 9. Good working conditions 10. Tactful discipline

Note that the top three employee motivating factors marked by the employees are the last three felt to be important for them by their supervisors.

Do you think it would be any different in your business?

So it is fair to say that money, over and above wages, is not a main motivating factor, but full appreciation of work done is. This is recognition: the number one employee motivating factor in building and maintaining a motivated employee.

Why is it so important?

When someone gives you a compliment or recognizes you for doing something, how do you feel? Imagine, for a moment, being complimented by all your family, friends, staff and customers all day, every day.

What would it do to your self-esteem your self confidence and your self respect? Without it going to your head, how do you think you would perform? Would you be outstanding or what? Is this not the basis of employee motivation?

Employee motivation through recognition is positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement of actions gets those actions repeated. Recognition and praise reinforces our beliefs about ourselves and helps make us think we are better than we thought we were. That is what employee motivation is all about.

Employee motivation is positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcements is what builds our self-esteem. Our self-esteem is the way we see and feel about ourselves either internally, through our own beliefs, or externally through what we accept as the beliefs of others.

If we feel good about ourselves and we believe others feel good about us, we perform better than we would when we see the opposite side of the coin. Employee motivation starts from within.

People perform in a manner that is consistent with how they see themselves conceptually. So, the key is to help people build their self-esteem. That is the foundation of employee motivation.

Bob Urichuck is an International Speaker, Trainer and Best-Selling Author. Learn personally from Bob in the areas of Sales, Motivation, Leadership and Team Skills. Bob presents a series of great ideas and strategies with combination of facts, humor, and practical concept in a high-energy and self-discovery process that you can apply right away to achieve results. Subscribe to Bob's Free Newsletter, worth $297, visit http://www.BobU.com Now!

The Law of Attraction: Enjoy Life

2008-06-13T03:05:00.000-07:00

Many people have been aroused by the idea behind 'The Law of Attraction' as it was brought to public awareness by the popular movie, The Secret. The idea that you can 'order' the universe to deliver whatever it is that you want is indeed very seductive, but is it true?

On self-improvement forums, I see people asking questions about whether or not it works: they have been 'programming' they say; but they are not seeing results - so what's wrong? Let's consider the 7 Component Laws that underpin the Law of Attraction ...

- The Law of Manifestation - thoughts become things.

Firstly, as James Allen said in his classic book As a Man Thinketh, 'thoughts become things and powerful things at that'; and so they do! Good thoughts become good things; and poor thought become poor things. So, if you want good things in your life, you should learn how to think good thoughts.

- The Law of Unwavering Desire - there is energy in your burning desire!

Secondly, as Napoleon Hill said in his famous book Think and Grow Rich, your 'burning desire' is the energy that drives the whole creative process. You need to identify what you actually want from your life and fuel that desire until it burns with real passion in your heart.

- The Law of Delicate Harmony - maintain an attitude of gratitude!

As Wallace D Wattles said in his excellent work The Science of Getting Rich, there is only one attitude you need to seek to constantly maintain; and that is an attitude of gratitude. Learn to say 'thank you' to God for all the wonderful blessings being bestowed upon you day after day.

- The Law of Magnetism - you reap what you sow!

Don't say that it isn't working - it is working! As Deepak Chopra says in his book The 7 Spiritual Laws of Success, 'you reap what you sow' - you get what you give out. So don't concentrate on the return; concentrate on what you are putting out. Stick with your course of action and you will produce the results.

- The Law of Synchronization - results flow from natural laws!

These component laws all fit neatly together to make the Law of Attraction work, so that Desire coupled with gratitude always produces results - and that's called synchronization. The results will infallibly flow toward you, constantly revealing the next thing you need to do to reach the object of your Desire.

- The Law of Universal Influence - we are all interconnected!

Ensure that - whatever thoughts and activities you engage in - your thoughts and actions are honorable. As Zig Ziglar says in his book on Goal setting, make sure your goals are balanced and morally fair to everyone around you.

- The Law of Conscience Action - you need to take action!

Finally, as Jack Black said in his excellent Mind store course, you need to grab hold of what comes your way. The universal laws we have considered will produce consistent results for you, but you do need to play your part. You need to translate opportunity into the results you want by taking appropriate action.

Will Edwards is a published author and Founder of White Dove Books. For more tips, get our excellent book: The Law of Attraction. This book is completely free (no sign-up required). Get an immediate download here Free Personal Development eBooks

The Peaceful Warrior and Recovery

2008-06-10T03:03:00.000-07:00

The work of Dan Millman is very powerful for assisting a person in transforming his or her life. In my work as a psychotherapist at the Holistic Addiction Treatment Program I introduce all of the clients to “The Way of the Peaceful Warrior” both as a book and as the movie. The movie and book are about a person who learns about never giving up and in the process begins a process of transforming his life. The process is about becoming present to that which he was not present to, to certain distinctions that once considered began to alter his life forever.

Below are listed some of the important distinctions that are presented in the movie. After the movie is shown a discussion group is held with the group members to process these distinctions and how they may assist in a client in his or her program of recovery from drugs and alcohol.

1. Knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge is knowing something and Wisdom is doing it. Knowing what recovery is about is one thing and having wisdom is to practice it everyday life.

2. Highest purpose is for us to be of service to others. Assisting other addicts is part of the process of recovery.

3. “Take out the trash”. A person’s Trash is the thoughts in your mind that keeps you out of the moment. The work of the Warrior is to practice letting go of the Trash in ones mind in order to keep you fully in the moment and as a result engaged in the recovery process.

4. We are afraid of what is inside. The only place to find what you need is inside you. The experience of fear/being scared is about being empty. The work of the Warrior is to go inside and face ones fear directly, to not run from it.

5. Are you paying attention (to your addiction)? Are you present to what is going on, to what you are experiencing now.

6. What are you holding onto (that keeps you stuck in your addiction)? Who are you without your addiction? Practice of letting go of what you are holding onto that keeps you stuck. Give up your attachments to people, place and things that hinder your recovery and keep you enslaved to drugs and alcohol.

7. “Not knowing” is the first principle of a Warrior. Getting this allows one to be and remain teachable, open to learning. Practice “not knowing” when you attend a meeting or work with your sponsor, doing such allows you to learn about and apply the principles of recovery.

8. There are no ordinary moments. There is always something going on. Pay attention to the present or now. Getting that there are no ordinary moments and that there is always something going on keeps us completely grounded in the present, in the Now. When we get this we experience that all moments are extraordinary.

9. Give up the Good-Bad, Right-Wrong way of thinking about yourself and others. Making wrong and passing judgment will only hinder your recovery. The work is about acceptance, acceptance of self and others.

10. Happiness is about your journey and not the destination. Staying focused on the journey allows you to stay in recovery, staying focused on the destination will only create the space for you to get out of recovery.

The work of a Warrior is to live the distinction presented, to bring them forth in ones life, to fully practice Wisdom. Implementation of the distinctions will result in one being fully accountable and responsible for his or her life. The work of a Warrior is about being fully present in the now, moment and life, that that is who we truly are. Living the distinctions will take ones recovery to a new dimension.

What time is it? Now.

Where are you? Here.

What are you? This moment.

Harry Henshaw, Ed.D., LMHC Enhanced Healing http://www.enhancedhealing.com

Dr Harry Henshaw is in private practice in North Miami Beach, Florida/ http://www.enhancedhealing.com

Believe in Yourself: Succeed in Life

2008-06-08T03:02:00.000-07:00

If you've spent much of your life dismissing your talents and doubting your capabilities, it can seem like an impossible goal to begin believing in yourself. Since believing in yourself is such a vital part of goal achievement, overcoming your doubt and disbelief is crucial if you want to improve your life.

Believing in yourself is a simple matter of changing the way you think about yourself and your capabilities. Remember that negative thinking is a habit, whether it applies to you or the circumstances of your life.

In order to develop a strong belief in yourself, try these 3 steps:

Acknowledge you're potential.

Self-doubt is often the result of an ongoing barrage of assumptions. You assume you cannot succeed at your goals because you haven't succeeded at many things before. You assume you have no talent because your third-grade teacher once told you so. You assume you are destined for a mediocre life because you've never pushed yourself beyond your limits.

It's important to understand that your assumptions are not necessarily true! You have accepted them as truth, but if you take a few minutes to really think about them, you'll probably be surprised to realize that you may not have considered all possible angles. Be willing to revisit your assumptions and challenge them. You don't have to change your mind about them yet, but be open to the possibility that you were wrong about yourself.

Be willing to try anyway.

Even worse than making assumptions about yourself is when you don't even TRY to do something better for yourself, simply because you believe it would be a waste of time. This is the worst disservice you could do to yourself!

Starting right now, make a pledge to give everything your best shot from now on. Don't worry about whether it's possible or not. Don't worry about whether you've failed in the past or whether you've got what it takes to succeed this time around.

Simply make a promise to TRY - no matter what comes of it.

Prove it to yourself.

If you really want to shatter your illusions of inability, take a sheet of paper and make a list of all the things you believe you cannot do. They can be little things or big things; it doesn't matter. Just write down every single thing you believe you are incapable of doing.

Then, make it a point to prove yourself wrong by going out and doing them. Notice I didn't say "doing them well." I said simply, "doing them."

You'll never know until you try!

One word of caution with this method: be sure you don't sabotage your own efforts in order to prove yourself right. For example, perhaps you believe you can't get a better job than you have now. In order to "prove" that your belief is right, you go out and apply for jobs that are far beyond your skill or experience level. Of course, you don't get called for interviews since you weren't qualified for those jobs, and you conclude that your original suspicion was correct.

Don't do that to yourself. The idea is to move slightly beyond your comfort zones, not to overwhelm and sabotage yourself.

With every positive result you achieve, you will eventually build up a stronger belief in yourself, and you can keep expanding your comfort zones to achieve more and more!

Will Edwards is a published author and Founder of White Dove Books. Free Personal Development eBooks

Motivation - Effective Strategies for That You Can Start Using Today

2008-06-05T03:02:00.000-07:00

Motivation is a word used to refer to the reason or reasons for engaging in a particular behavior, especially human behavior as studied in psychology and neurophysiology. Intrinsic motivation is when people engage in an activity, such as a hobby, with a internal desire, without obvious external incentives. Extrinsic motivation refers to motivation that comes from outside an individual, such as a reward or a good grade. Extrinsic motivation is often effective. If you want to make positive, lasting change in your life, it helps to spend some time thinking about motivation.

Students

Students perform with higher motivation when their creativity is engaged. Students find as satisfying as reasoning through a problem and discovering the underlying principle on their own. Students are individuals, so a variety of approaches may be needed to motivate different students. Because students are not always internally motivated, they sometimes need situated motivation, which is found in environmental conditions that the teacher creates. Fortunately, many of the strategies that "empower" and "engage" students also lead to increased motivation.

Job

Motivated employees always look for better ways to do a job. Performance is considered to be a function of ability and motivation, thus: Job performance equals ability/motivation). The key words are the ones which say thanks and well done for doing a great job, especially where the words recognize each person's own special ability, quality, contribution and effort. No one knows the job better than the person performing it.

Personal

Personal growth adds value to the individual, enhancing self-esteem and self-worth. Self-actualized people are characterized by: 1) being problem-focused; 2) incorporating an ongoing freshness of appreciation of life; 3) a concern about personal growth; and 4) the ability to have peak experiences.

Experiencing the positive feelings is vital for the conscious and sub-conscious visualization of success and achievement, essential for broadening people's horizons, raising their sights, setting new personal standards and goals, and increasing motivation. The theory is that behavior motivated by an internal desire is more likely to be long-term and more likely to be integrated into your personality than is behavior that is motivated by some external reward. People are best motivated when they are working toward personally meaningful goals whose attainment requires activity at a continuously optimal (intermediate) level of difficulty.

Goal

Goal Setting is extremely important to motivation and success. Goal-setting theory is based on the notion that individuals sometimes have a drive to reach a clearly defined end state. The goal should be objectively defined and intelligible for the individual. Set well defined goals and reward yourself for reaching them. Start with small goals that lead to larger goals.

Conclusion

Motivation to achieve is a function of the individual's desire for success, the expectancy of success, and the incentives provided. Sure, it's possible to succeed with someone else providing the motivation for you. But motivation that comes from within really makes the difference.

The elements of motivation starts with the desire to be free, to be free from dependency on others, freedom to live the lifestyle we dream of, and freedom to explore our ideas. Every day seek inspiration, and it will help sustain motivation over the long term.

Author: Scott Allen Barker specializes in writing mental health/health related articles. Unlock your true potential. Learn the inside secrets to motivation. "Free" 30 day motivational ecourse at: http://www.MentalHealthDropInCenter.com/motivationalecourse.html

Boost Your Metabolism for Ultimate Living - Wellness Coach

2008-06-03T03:01:00.000-07:00

There are several ways and facts that are important in boosting your metabolism, and here are a few ways to tell if you need a boost. There is fatigue, difficulty loosing weight, cold hands and feet and general feeling of feeling well. Our metabolism slows down .05% per year after the age of 30, so this is just a natural process, however, there are ways to maintain it.

The good news is that there are many ways you can boost your metabolism naturally, that is with out prescription drugs. Your eating habits are one of the first ones we will talk about as this is one of the most important and this area includes supplements.

Make sure you eat breakfast, even if it is a small amount, if you don't eat breakfast your body goes in a hold pattern thinking that it isn't being feed so it will hold onto what it has and the other items is that you need to have food on your stomach to take your supplements in the morning.

Eat most of your food early in the day and light snacking and/or a light meal in the evening. Be sure and not eat after 7:00pm or a couple hours before bedtime. This will give your food time to digest, this is very import, just doing this one alone you would be able to notice a weight loss.

Drink water and then some more water and make sure it is clean filtered water and it is best for it not to come in the disposal plastic bottles, these plastic bottles leach toxins. Drink at least three cups of green tea a day and you can even increase this if you like.

Word about processed food: Processed foods only sustain life, but do nothing to promote health. Eat organic foods when ever you can, your body gets full nutrient that way, and it reduces the toxins you take in.

There are several supplements that can be beneficial and you may like to try and they should be taken at least once a day in the morning after your breakfast meal. Make sure you are getting enough of the B vitamins, if your multiple doesn't have enough you may want to get a B complex; Co-enzyme Q10; L-Carnitine, NADH, and chromium are all good ones to add to your vitamin regiment.

Thoughts for the Day: "Joy, love and appreciation are powerful motivators. They are feelings that humans experience around the heart. Joy is a feeling of pleasure or delight that arises from the heart. Positive feelings are what make life worth living." -Deborah Roxman-

My mission is to teach and encourage individuals how to find and maintain their balance in mind, body, spirit connection.They learn how to experience the joy of balanced living. Sign up for the f.ree report, Learn 7 Ways to Manifest Abundance with Crystals Darlene Siddons Spirited Boutique

13 Secrets To Success For You!

2008-05-30T19:59:00.000-07:00

Here's 13 Secrets To Success You Need To Know base on my 50 years of living and learning and $70,000 investment in personal development and business education, hope they will help you live a better life!

1. There are no secrets, lessons of achieving success are easily available from the Internet and in the library. There are spiritual teachers who are willing to share their wisdom with you if you are willing to learn and there are gems of wisdom found in many great books.

2. Simple formula for success: "Seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened, ask and you shall receive!"

3. Be true to yourself and others. Confucius said: "Sincerity is the highest mark of a man." Buckminster Fuller said: "Integrity is the essence of everything."

4. Leverage. The highest form of leverage is EDUCATION. "If you are so SMART why aren't you RICH?" Being SMART is doing the things right, being WISE is doing the right things right! Education is the process of discovery.

5. Success is a process. It is a function of correction. Even with the latest technology the success rate in the oil drilling industry is about 10% which means you have to go through nine empty oil wells before you find an oil well with oil! If you are a real estate agent, in a normal market, you have to show your house to 5 to 10 customers before you make a sale. It is proven and tested that most sales were made on the 7th call but most people give up before the 5th call!

6. Take action! "The only failure is the FAILURE TO PARTICIPATE. Talk is cheap, don't tell me, show me! Be willing to do whatever it takes ethically to achieve your dreams!

7. Give. To live is to give and to give is to live. Giving is living and receiving and forgiving. Learn to let go and forgive. "One of the biggest obstacles to learning is ego!" You have heard this saying many times: "To err is human, to forgive, divine." You reap what you sow and it will come back to you in many fold!

8. "Mirror, mirror on the wall, who is the cause of it all?" For things to change first you must change! Take responsibility for your results. You are where you are today it is because of your past thoughts, words and actions! If you want a better life, think positive thoughts, say positive words and take positive actions!

9. Precession. Everything happens for a reason and every cause there is an effect and side effects. Little acts or words of kindness can have a positive chain effect and goes a long way! Pay it forward, when you know something good it is your moral obligation to share.

10.What do you really want? Clarity leads to power. If you don't know where you want to go any road will take you there! All successful people are very clear on where they want to go and what they want to achieve. When you are very clear on what you are living for, you will be living a meaningful life!

11. "You are what you think" said the Buddha. Read the book "As A Man Thinketh" by James Allen.

"Mind is the Master-power that moulds and makes,

And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes

The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills,

Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills: -

He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass:

Environment is but his looking-glass.

12. Beliefs. You cannot go against your core values and beliefs.What do you believe? What are the empowering and disempowering thoughts in your mind right now? Yes, you are what you think and your life is the result of your beliefs. If you want to live abetter life than you must work on breaking free from your limiting beliefs!

A great way to help yourself is to read good books and mix with good people. Charlie Tremendous Jones said that five years from today the difference in your life will be because of the books you read and the people you meet!

13. Love is the greatest power on earth. Living is giving, receiving, forgiving and loving! Love and wisdom is your key to happiness and success. Do what you love and the money will flow to you! If you want to live a meaningful live, love life, love people and love the world! Look at sages and enlightened beings, they are the embodiment of love! Love come in many forms, there is the love between a man and a women, there is brotherly and sisterly love, and spiritual or divine love! I believe we can enjoy world peace when people start loving each other as brothers and sisters and see the world as one, in fact we are all in the same spaceship evolving round the sun! We are all interdependent and we are the world!

Bruce Seah is Asia No.1 Home-Based Business Coach. Bruce loves to help people make money to live their dreams. Enjoy $5,403 worth of offline and online support, go to: http://www.MakeMoney.MyMangosteen.com

Are you a victim of mind control?

2008-05-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

Imagine being able to send people secret messages, messages which have to be obeyed! How appealing would it be to persuade and influence the masses to do whatever you want? To some this information will be welcome, other people however will see more sinister implications of this technology.

This article describes the technique of using Silent Sound, a technology which was used by the US Government during the Persian Gulf War. This may sound like conspiracy theory, but it's a fact that this technology has been used by the US government for some years now. I discovered this information a few years ago and used it to quit drinking with great success (which is quite amazing because I was a chronic alcoholic and addicted to alcohol for 25 years), To me that's undefinable proof of its efficacy!

I discovered that by combining Silent sound with binaural beats I could easily reprogram my mind in any way I chose. It was possible to become more motivated, overcome my addictions and to increase my creativity, indeed, this technology has completely transformed my life. I do not use this technology to influence other people however as I believe that to do so would be morally wrong, but its possible applications fascinate me nonetheless.

Silent sound involves recording spoken commands, filtering and changing their frequency using Frequency Modulation and adjusting the frequency so that it is outside of the normal auditory range.

Although we can't physically hear what is being said our brain receives and understands every word. These commands can be hidden on audio Cd's and MP3 files, broadcasted to you whilst you are browsing websites, sent to you whilst you watch the television or listen to the radio and you are completely ignorant of the fact that you are being brainwashed!

Imagine if you wanted to influence other people and make them do whatever you wanted them to. All you would need to do would be to create a digital recording of verbal commands, encode them with Silent Sound technology and then play your recordings to your potential victim.

It would be easy to implement the audio on a website and to broadcast your commands to an unsuspecting public. You would be able to entice people to buy your products and they be completely unaware of the fact that you were influencing them.

If you are interested in this technology and would like to learn how to use it ethically then I recommend that you visit the website linked to this article.

Please ensure that you turn off all sound before visiting the following website otherwise you will become a victim of mind control and will be filled with an insatiable desire to purchase my products (only kidding!) http://www.binauralsounds.com

Rob Maggs is a developer of life changing software for motivation and meditation including the Brain Entrainment Toolkit